Archive for March, 2013
Sunday, March 10th, 2013
35 years ago today I was summarily dismissed from Lancelot, but the ultimate “silver lining” from what could have been a horrible turn of events was my successful first date with Dana that evening. We would soon become inseparable. I was almost 26 years old. Somewhere in my original black journal, I must have made a reference to the event, but at the time I could not possibly have foreseen the far-reaching significance of that day. The real potential did exist for me to have spiraled into self-destruction, but I instead found myself on track to the heart-center of my life. God grant us another 35 years together!
Posted in Dana, Prayer | No Comments »
Saturday, March 9th, 2013
Tomorrow is a milestone event for Dana and me, so we celebrated with an enjoyable Mexican dinner (saw Larry B there and promised to pay a visit, as he mourns the loss of Shirley). The bartender told me to remember to ask for a “Caballero Margarita” the next time I’m there, since I can’t stand the typical sweet recipe. Then we made it on time to our matinee showing of “Silver Linings Playbook,” a perfect love story about another young guy who found the right gal at a pivotal moment in his life. Yes, I like to say that I check-marked Bradley Cooper as a winner back when he was on “Alias,” but who cares? This motion picture will hold up, just like “Working Girl,” “Indian Summer,” and “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” My kind of movie romance doesn’t pop up that often.
Posted in Dana, Movies | No Comments »
Friday, March 8th, 2013
We held a breakthrough “Meeting For Mombo” last night at Greystone and somehow were able to work through a few sticky wickets while maintaining a loving, prayerful mode to our deliberations. This morning Dana had a good idea for the Blue Bank Hall walk-in tub remodel, which I sketched and distributed promptly. I didn’t make a big deal out of it. “Making a big deal out of it” has been a life-long specialty of mine, as a matter of fact, and I know most of the reasons for it, but I need to put that stumbling block behind me. It is March, is it not?
Posted in Family, Mombo, Prayer, Psychology | No Comments »
Thursday, March 7th, 2013
Another Thursday rolls around, so it’s time to spend a day with my Mombo— such a precious soul. There is, of course, no way I could ever give back to her all that she has given to me in this life. I suppose that’s usually how it is with mothers, but not always. Her current status and equilibrium is good, but that won’t last indefinitely; we shall deal with what the future holds in store. There are no material guarantees for any of us. My prayer is for God’s will to be done in this plane, as it exists in spirit for all eternity. One can affirm it so, even without the capacity to comprehend the infinite dimensions of the statement. Is that faith? Is that a recognition of what logically must be true? Or is that a surrender to what one knows within as an absolute? Perhaps all of those.
Posted in Family, Gratitude, Mombo, Prayer | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 6th, 2013
Confirmation! Last night’s winter storm means that spring-like weather will arrive by month’s end. A good time to focus my attention indoors before the fever to be outside strikes. I’ve achieved a good rhythm with the miniatures and personal regimen, but I need to add more balls to the juggling pattern. Introduce more strategic planning. Develop a checklist for the “Open Studio” countdown. Establish priorities and schedule blocks of time. If I see it, feel it, know it, accept it, it can become my reality— just the same as a failure to break through, a repetition of worn-out habits, or an inability to grow. A positive, constructive, transformational outcome is just as likely as “more of the same.”
Posted in Priorities | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013
My participation in the local Chamber’s Young Entrepreneur (YEA) program touched a bit too much on my growing ambivalence about being the traditional businessman. Why do I yearn so much for the life of the fine artist? Yes, I know it requires practical marketing and sales activities, but I can take what I already know and apply it to a new venture of self-promotion, in contrast to the same 30-odd year challenge of pushing my graphic design capability. I keep saying how much the profession has changed, and indeed it has been profoundly transformed, but I suspect the real issue facing me is that I’ve changed even more.
Posted in Art, Business, Community, Education, Priorities | No Comments »
Monday, March 4th, 2013
Concentrating on miniatures seems right to me at this time, but a shift to larger works will be appropriate when I eventually get a solo show somewhere. I’ll enter the best of my current crop of small pieces in the “NOT-2-BIG” exhibition and submit a “miniature miniature” in Sherryl’s event in Yellow Springs. The satisfaction of producing Diamonds in the Rough is a restless call to scale up, and my larger works will probably continue to be more calculated than in the past. I’ll use that approach with my donation to the “Art-full Raffle” this year— something planned and executed specifically for that occasion. This gets to the heart of refining my process, using miniatures as a creative gateway to bigger, more complex ideas that deserve the investment of more time, not to mention a substantial sticker price. The challenge is to arrive at a methodology that fuses a mastery of style and technique with an outlook, a perspective, a “voice,” that delivers more than a sense of spontaneity and aesthetic unity, but a way of conveying something worth saying.
Posted in Art, Creativity | No Comments »
Sunday, March 3rd, 2013
Haven’t even taken three sips of bean brew this morning and my mind is already galloping free. Is the world changing too fast or just caught in a bizarre status quo? The “news” out of DC is unbearable. Is anyone there capable of leadership or problem solving? Naive to even think that’s possible? Can’t tell anymore if things are going haywire or are carefully scripted. Corporations seem prepared to do almost anything in service to the bottom line (even Maker’s Mark tried to water down its Bourbon before a base of dedicated consumers took to pitchforks), and political whores seem willing to stop at nothing to erode what were once enduring freedoms. What is with this throwback to the roots of proto-fascist collectivism in the American body politic? Was the pendulum bound to swing, or is “my America” really slipping away? Perhaps it was an illusion, but I can’t let it go. Is there some way for me to incorporate my concerns into my art? Good question. Collage can be an ideal medium for social commentary, but it needs to be done with careful, nuanced thought. Not sure if I am the best guy to tackle it, or if I even want to, but I know that I should not reject the idea just because it would be more difficult than what I’m currently creating. No doubt that I could bring all the same aesthetic considerations to bear, but it would be a much deeper conceptual challenge. And, sadly, I do fret about producing work that has no market value (probably the most stupid worry in which a creative person can indulge and still purport to call oneself a modern artist).
Posted in Angst, Art, Current Events, Political Affairs | No Comments »
Saturday, March 2nd, 2013
I perceive that in spite of all the cutting, tearing, and pasting of my miniatures work, my hand skills have been suffering. They need a boost; so, more brush, pencil, and pen this month to break the pattern. Nonetheless, I am already feeling a sense of satisfaction with the collage activity so far. Must consciously use it as a impetus for progress in other areas. No mistake about it, the success of this endeavor will be built on making art— having a good time doing it and harnessing the pleasure as a catalyst.
Posted in Art, Dexterity | No Comments »
Friday, March 1st, 2013
The March Exercise commences with an emphasis on gradient focus and the avoidance of dissipation. Among goals that include completion of the Barrett commission, I shall post a new collage miniature each day for the duration of the month. March gave every indication that it was coming in like a lion with snow flurries most of the day. We shall see if the trend confirms. No leonine effort from me. I intend to pick up my pace and intensity gradually in the manner of “negative splits,” unlike previous rituals. I’m optimistic that it will prove a better process for me.
Posted in Art, Blogging | No Comments »
