I have said it before, and I’ll probably say it again: Art is time-consuming. I’ve spent most of the day (and the weekend, for that matter) slogging through the various tasks that have to be done if I want to get into shows or other opportunities. But that doesn’t mean I like it. Particularly irksome is a multi-page application for…
With this new COVID variant, I’m back to staying home. Not that I ever left. It’s just that for the first time I feel like I’m getting cabin fever. It didn’t help that this week DUMPED rain. Nearly four inches and that was usually with a brisk wind. Indoor, inside, at home. That was me this week. Obviously, my job…
The last half of December always feels like a march through a marshmallow. I’m going along, trying to get things done, and then something sparkly or sweet comes along. Days off. Fun meals. People you don’t see often. While the time before December 25 (or so) feels like plodding part of the agenda, once the magic date hits, we’re all…
I’ve thought about this post a lot the last few weeks. I wish I had a great introduction or a brand new idea. Or something. But, well, frankly it’s the same old plod that’s important to me. Go to work, come home, play with the animals, paint. With COVID still doing its thing, making huge extravagant promises seems foolish. And…
Area 1: Health and Fitness Fiasco, fubar, snafu, and disaster seem to cover this year in retrospect. Let’s move on. Area 2: Mental Health Find a source for yoga and/or meditation and go to it – no. Remember that alone time is an important part of my mental health. – yes. Do NOT overextend yourself (be on boards, volunteer too…
Eight years, going on nine. That’s how long I have been doing this blog. Sometimes I read something about how a blog just “takes off” and I laugh and laugh. I’m sure it happens, but more of it is about hard work and ignoring rejection and apathy. I do this for me, and I find it useful. That is enough.…
In the 52 years the beach house has been standing, and the (insert less than 52 value…) I’ve been hanging around in this location, I’ve seen snow here a handful of times. But it never fails to elicit a sense of nervous wonder. It’s not supposed to snow at sea level in Oregon. We headed to the coast last Sunday,…
This week was busy (I had to work five whole days! It was awful!) and I was tired at the end of it. My list of goals was small, which was a good thing because a large, wet, and windy storm hit Saturday morning (a bit unexpectedly) and even the dog wasn’t interested in venturing out. Saturday, I didn’t even…
“We must paint only what is important to us, must not respond to outside demands. They do not know what they want, or what we have to give.” – Robert Henri One of the artists I follow (unfortunately, I have forgotten which one so I cannot provide credit for the inspiration) put the above quote on their newsletter. It struck…
I love winter in Oregon. While it doesn’t have the snow and low temperatures that most people associate with the season, for me, the cooler temperatures, ample rain, and return of green are just perfect. Other perks include the return of a high density of waterfowl to the refuges and slightly more convenient photo times. While I miss the many…