talent

If a man has talent and can't use it, he's failed. If he uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he uses the whole of it, he has succeeded, and won a satisfaction and triumph few men ever know.

Thomas Wolfe 1900-1938

changes

These are some small shelves I hung on the wall so I can check my work out on. I like them because they are not in the way. That's about it. I changed my banner at the top of the blog so let me know what you think please. I think the things I am doing are getting dull and old and would like to just freshen up a bit. Gotta stay fresh! The paint on the wall is from Jen when she gets in the zone, so I can not take credit for it, but I did steal it!

Another bad studio day under the belt. I feel like I just stared at a wall for 4 hours. Cut some paper down, taped it to the wall, cut a drawing down (which improved it), started a horrible painting/drawing, and scribbled with some colored pencils. These studio habits better end soon because it makes me not want to go there anymore. It is tough when your work is about nothing and you can't even think of how to make it about something. Does that even make sense?

To make matters worse, Gino just jumped on the chair and humped me from behind. Alpha role. Here are some images of the greatest dog in the world!

Oh yeah, Sparrow, get up with me this week! I am down to show you some work.

new studio

There has been a lot of movement in studio 4-7 this month which will hopefully benefit all involved. This image is what used to be the creative chambers of me. I moved into the section Jen occupies and will share the space with her. What you see below is the expansion of Pistachio Press. It was sad to move my things but it is for the better. I now have more wall space and the same amount of light! Rachael now has almost enough room for her 239 presses she owns. Is that about right? Jen will have a small area in our studio and she can still do her thing when she can. She is devoting more of her time to her private practice Arbor Expressive Arts. Also, Shanna will now have a little more room to work and help me with my computer skills. I also think that me being confined to the back corner studio will help everyone get work done because when others are in the studio I talk their ears off about nothing. Oh yeah, the quad does not work anymore, how about the fab five, or Jim and the Jimettes? Yeah I like it. New studio space:

New storage for our paintings so they are out of the way (they are also for sale haha):

I have not posted about Gino in awhile so here is a new pic of him. He is a force to be reckoned with. I believe he is about 50 lbs now and strong as an ox. He has actually been pretty good lately and we hope he gets better as we work with him. He did bite me in the gut the other day though, but it was an accident. He was chewing on some rawhide and I think it went under the side of me and he went to bite it. I knew he felt bad because when I yelled ow, his ears went back and he crouched down and started to lick my arm. He discovered water for the first time at Ellison park and then at the 1000 islands last week and loves it. He was biting the water and running is circles in it. He has not figured out how to swim yet.

These are Jens Iris's. They are enormous! She was excited when they came up a week ago, she has been waiting 2 years for them.

pic of the week

No need for a caption.

Dali blew me away

While in Tampa Bay visiting some friends, I went to the Dali museum in St. Pete. I have always been an admirer of his work, but I was blown away when I reached the last room of the museum. Gigantic paintings! I believe there were about five of them. My favorite was the last painting all the way on the right side of the space. It was titled the Hallucinogenic Toreador. The hidden bullfighter, venus de milos, bulls, flies and the bullfighting ring, such a great painting. If anyone is ever in Florida, I suggest checking it out.
In other news, I was rejected from the Finger Lakes comp at the Memorial Art Gallery. What the ef!

Riceboy Sleeps

Yesterday, Jen and I went to Barnes and Noble before grocery shopping in the Pitt. I was walking back and forth along the art book section looking for nothing particular. I sat and thumbed through a few books and as I put them back, I noticed this little tiny book that I did not see previously. It was like it appeared, it just caught my eye. I swear it was not there before. It was called Riceboy Sleeps. The images were delicate with stained paper and soft pencil linesand images of birds in flocks. I don't know much about the book, but I didn't want to forget to write about it. I will probably go back and pick it up at some point. The artists I believe are from Iceland. Is that a sign Rachael?

Also, I am outta here on Thurs for sunny Tampa. Be back Monday!