FEBRUARY STUDIO VIEW
SHOOTING FOR THE MOON (PIE)
February 13, 2005 - I hadn't painted at all this year.  Nearly six weeks in, and not one solitary canvas was even touched.  All that changed when I was given some canvas, cleaned my studio and started in on some new work. 

Momentum has been seeping through my veins lately, as I've started to concentrate on painting and where my work has been leading me to in the past couple weeks.  The break, in which I joked that I was retired from this stupid and fruitless profession, did me good - I was able to let go of some of the soul sapping negativity.

Another impetus for the big breakthrough in starting on some pretty ambitious work into new territory was finalizing plans for the big open studio in a couple weeks.  I cleaned up my studio, and gathered every bit of work that I have completed in the past twelve years and hope to make some sales and make rent on time in March.

In addition to hanging around the studio all day welcoming visitors and the like, I've also planned to talk at 3 pm to talk about my work, tell people where its headed, how its made and describe just what it's like to be an artist living in this little town.  In addition to all that, I get to try out my new hot dog machine, a nice steamer given to me by the fine folks at Blue Genie. 

So my new paintings seem very fresh, relaxed and seem to follow a slightly more subtle yet still colorful palette.  The subjects of the paintings have begun to make themselves apparent, and the themes, objects and moods are starting to develop nicely.  I generally don't like to talk about a painting this early on into the work, it feels disingenuous and sometimes makes me feel boxed in. 

I was very nervous about painting again after such a lengthy break (eight weeks can seem like a lifetime).  Everything just kind of spilled out effortlessly though, which I took as a good sign.  I'm under the assumption every time I start a new painting I have to relearn everything I've picked up to that point, and so far, miraculously, I have picked everything back up again.

The act of painting really is a leap of faith, and in more ways than just moving paint across a canvas to create an image.  I think there is a personal dedication to every canvas, a bond not unlike a what a churchgoer should feel with God, with just as much uncertainty and devotion, simultaneously wrapped around every stroke. 

And so it goes.  Another month of painting has been started, fortified by moon pies, a sugary treat to keep my going through the night and keep hunger at bay until my next meal.  With just a few small shows coming up, I'm pretty excited about having a lot of time to devote to studio and getting some serious work done.

Michael chows down on a banana moon pie.  Cheaper and more filling than a candy bar, these southern treats are a mainstay in the studio.

Random pics around the studio
(click to see a bigger version)


Four fast starts and six new canvases:
It feels so good to have stuff to paint on.


I cleaned up my little art library...


But left my Gauguin book by my neatly stacked wood pile.