Alongside a slight shift in the colors in my palette, I feel I've been able to maintain some of the initial energies in the paintings further than I have in the past.  This crisp sense of action and the underlying thought that at any moment or brushstroke everything could come crashing down has some correlations in life.

I've been trying hard to find that often blurry line between image and painted forms for some time, and keep subject and theme involved despite the formal battle.  The tides are finally turning and I feel like I'm coming out ahead on most of the new works.

I've also gotten off to fast starts on three new canvases I prepared using rabbit skin glue and marble dust.  This sexy ground has served me well, and I'm very excited about one of the paintings in particular.  It carries the working title 'American Dream', and if I can follow its lead, I may end up with a pretty tremendous painting.  It even features a little lawn jockey.

In addition to the long hours I've been putting into my work , I've also put together a string of Sunday painting sessions with some of Austin's finest painters, who bring their brushes and canvas and get to work.  Philip, Chris, Brian and Ethan have all made it out to paint, hang out and chat way into the night.

As before every show, I've always got my doubts whether or not this will be it, and the time will come when I will finally have to put my brushes down and seek out employment in the real world.  I always tell people every month the margin for error gets smaller and smaller, and I'm probably the one who is most astonished to still be standing when the next month begins.  It seems the feverish and often desperate efforts I have to go through month to month to stay afloat are beginning to wear me down some, and I'm not sure how much longer I can make it.  I always thought if you aren't doubting what you are doing is right, its probably not.  But the daily drag of Ramen noodles, no sleep and no money can wear anyone down. 

So, I keep plugging away, trying to make it through to the next show.  Summer's a slow time for classes, there's ample distractions in the air, and the heat can be tempered by working through the night.  All in all, these are the good days, and the progress being made in studio is starting to show. 

Philip and Ethan painting in the foreground, Brian in the background.