What a summer!

There have not been many paintings.

I did paint, and go to the studio almost every day, but I have nothing to share here. I made piles of studies, and a few large messes. My dear friend John would say that this is a good thing. He says that this frustration and disapproval of my own work will be followed by a huge breakthrough. I hope so.

In preparation, I made a trip to Des Plains, to Owl Lumber and picked up some nice birch plywood. I have been busy with shellac and rabbit skin glue, and have several panels ready to go. My dilemma and one thing holding me up, is size. I love to paint big, but my studio is crowded with large unsold pieces. So, I am going a bit smaller. I have a few 20x30 pieces that will probably get paint first.

I have to apologize for the state of my blog. Between all of the deaths, Autumn's stroke, the many losses from every direction. I have been distracted for a few years now. I have really had a hard time moving on. So...

Rick and I went to Burning Man a few weeks ago. It was one of the greatest experiences ever.

bull- anyone can write it.

Bla bla-de-bla-bla bla! I could write all the bullshit that you want, but it wont make my paintings good if they are not.

It shocks me how many people fall for words.

Kindness

“Spread love everywhere you go: First of all in your own house... let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness.”

~Mother Teresa of Calcutta

Who is an Artist? What does it mean? Does it mean anything at all anymore?

This post has been heavily edited from it's original. The first one was a bit cryptic, and when I re-read it,(a week later) I realized that it did not say what I was trying to say.

This post was started when I over heard someone explaining to another person that someone was not an artist because they have no "Art Background". That was the only reason given- no Art background.

That is exactly why I like to call myself a painter. The word artist is so over used that anyone can use it, and then again- no one can.

There are so many people with all the words on paper needed to call themselves "fine Arteest", thinking that the paper is the only thing that is required. They might even be done learning!

Then there are those who rely only on their personality and have never looked at a study of any kind. I think that personality has little, if anything, to do with the visual language of painting.

Painter suits me fine- it fits.