I received an email from my friend Michael Mullowney today. We took several classes together including watercolor and jewelry design. (By the way, never take jewelry class at 7:40a.m. No one should be handling blow torches or acid that early.)
His watercolors will illustrate a children’s book called Toe Jam. The book is about little fairies similar to the tooth fairy but with a much more disgusting job. If you can think of a job grosser than collecting teeth.
Congratulations to Michael.
So the garden is looking pretty good. If anyone is dying for arugala–come and get it. There is aplenty. Even though it was pretty late in the season, we managed some broccoli and this one small cabbage head. The chickens get to eat most of the late winter crops because the aphids seem to target anything that liked the colder weather. Hopefully, the chickens will start to lay eggs soon. We are talking about buying a dairy cow. If you want in, let me or Wendi know. (preferably Wendi because her friend will keep it.) The purple beans are looking beautiful. I cannot wait to try them. I hope they produce a million beans.
Happy Birthday to my friend Stacy.
She and I have known each other for about ten years now…whew, ten years, REALLY?!
We met after she broke her ankle ice skating. (Go awkard college church events-woot!) I felt sorry for the poor girl who couldn’t stand like every one else during the singing time at church, so I would sit with her. (Actually, I liked being able to relax–man, those songs go on forever!)
Anyway, we went to ASU, lived together, laughed together…she was in my wedding…ate sushi together…I think I got her to like mustard…I crashed her car…she introduced me to personality profiles and being a more sensitive person…
Here’s to another ten years!
Argh. I struggle everyday with disciplining myself. I want so badly to go into the studio every day and create amazing works of art of which I am so proud. But everytime I complete one, I am mostly dissatisfied with the result. It isn’t what I intended. I want to draw and paint like someone else, but whenever I start drawing I draw what I draw. It feels derivitive and illustrative.
Worse yet, I feel compelled to sell out and create what everyone else is creating right now–art inspired by fifties throwback ideals. Little drawings of birds, children, owls, and men with horn rimmed glasses. Stencils seem to be pretty hot right now too. What is out there right now, what is selling, is a mix of craft and high art and interior design.
The light is always best in my studio in the mornings, but I distract myself doing the chores around the house until the light goes bad, then tell myself I can’t possibly work in the dark or under that terrible yellow bulb. Then I go outside to run errands and water the yard and answer email. (I certainly haven’t spent much time blogging.)
————————————————————————————————-
Here is a picture of Stephanie in Austin looking snarky.
So everyone on the internet around the country is posting pictures of sprintime blossoms jutting forth from the snowy ground. Pushing tiny green leaves towards the sky; bursting delicate flowers on a tree branch. Ha! Those sissy plants would burn under our scorching sun! I see your pansy petals and I raise you a prickly cactus. You haven’t seen beauty until these plants have shown your thirsty soul a vision in the desert.
I have a lot of thoughts running through my mind from the past week in Austin. I am still processing through them. I need to reread my notes and explore what I wrote during the week. The speakers were fascinating: the pastor and writer Eugene Peterson, the musician and writer Jeremy Begbie, the poet Luci Shaw, the writer and ex-nun Barbara Nicolosi among others–I actually was able to get Peterson and Begbie to sign my books.
I met so many interesting people, I went to interesting places…I got to know Stephanie better…
I was surprised to have my ideas and notions regarding church challenged, especially since that isn’t really what anyone was talking about–I’ll say it was like smurfs never really talking about the fact that they are smurfs. (Credit to the pastor of Mosaic in Austin.)
And to change the subject, here is one of my latest portraits. This man’s name is Craig, and he tells stories that always make me wonder:
Tonight Stephanie and I leave for a week for Austin, Texas. I am thrilled to go to a place that I’ve wanted to visit for years. The art culture, the food, the music…the river…Iwould wag my tail if I had one.
Tuesday through Thursday we will attend an arts symposium. The questions of the conference will center around the role of an artist within the context of faith–in what way is art a gift, a calling, an obedience? What are the dangers of artistic activity? I myself see an artist as a prophet of sorts–one who challenges a sleeping populace.
I am looking for answers, more questions, inspiration, and challenges.
The rest of the trip will be spent in a combination of exploring Austin and hanging out with Stephanie’s best friend Melanie who is also kind enough to put us up for a week.
I’ve been really interested in powerlines lately. Here’s evidence.