looking back/looking forward

As many of you may feel, post the time change, days seem to take more out of me now that it is dark by the time I leave work. Of course Florida's 6pm is vastly different from the 4:30pm sunset enjoyed/loathed by most New Englanders these days. A feeling of angst and simultaneous apathy overtakes me. To-do lists seem never ending and the demands on my time overcrowd my brain and exhaust my person.

This is best expressed through my evening routine tonight: leave work, drive to pizza hut to get the tuesday lasagna special (we live off of fast food these days), come home, watch an old 30 Rock and eat greasy food, email colleagues, look up and debate supplies for next semester, make changes to several working files, try to relax by watching reality tv, feeling uneasy, reading....more specifically reading The Radicant by Nicolas Bourriaud and wondering if I would ever agree that "Paul Gauguin, Segalen's alter ego, did not exploit the cultural context in which he settled (my emphasis); he translated it." really? Then, feeling really, really anxious (screw reading), watch 15 more minutes of reality tv while flipping through books for assignment ideas, thinking about figure drawing and the skeleton, thinking I should go paint and screw everything else for now....... PAINTING!

It is an activity that exhausts and thrills me, most of all it makes me feel alive. Painting allows me to get outside of my head for a few fugitive moments, I move past this moment, I traverse the mundane, my intellect is allowed to move past the to-do list. THANK YOU PAINTING.

tonight:

tiny small self-portrait 2" x 3.25"

the last couple of nights:

the other painting, my mom is now in the shade and she is reaching for something/someone, light shifts drawing problems to be resolved at a later date. 

working on my night moves

So the title of this post is sort of cheesy, or awesome depending on your view of Bob Seger. Either way let's just roll with it. Lately, the only time I have had to paint is pretty late at night. Subsequently, I have been rocking out to music while doing so, mostly to wake up and also to dance a little. Keep in mind that this is solo-studio dancing, which is not cool but always a good time. With this new formula I am keeping up my bargain to paint through the semester. Here are the latest results.

garden hose, 16" x 12"

garden hose with photo references

a slightly varied version of the last painting I posted

NOVEMBER SHOWS: something to be thankful for!

EXHIBITION #1

This month, my work is the featured Solo Exhibition at Gallery Gray. Gallery Gray is dedicated to curating and presenting the work of emerging and established artists in an online context.  

The Exhibition is titled We Are Always Here, and features images from my recent paintings. 

So, if you have a moment, please check out the website and my paintings.

EXHIBITION #2

This month the paintings from above will be on physical display at THE FLORIDIAN in Saint Augustine, Florida. 

The work will be up for the First Friday Artwalk on November 5th from 5-till. Terri Gamble, local singer-song-writer and friend, will being playing lovely live music. If you are in town and want to see the work, hear the music, or just have an amazing meal, please stop by!

THE FLORIDIAN offers innovative Southern Food made with local, seasonal and sustainable ingredients.  THE FLORIDIAN is located at 39 Cordova St. REALLY, THE FOOD IS AMAZING!

EXHIBITION #3

This painting will be a part of Figuratively Speaking- A Group Exhibition, opening on November 6th at Village Gallery in Montgomery Alabama. The exhibition is curated by EYA: Emerging Young Artists. 

As a side note:

For those of you reading this for a second time, my apologies! I am trying to be better at getting the word out so I am blogging and emailing, which equals some overlap. However, if you are sad that you are just finding out about my exhibitions this way and would like to be added to my mailing list, please contact me. 

As a second side note: 

I would like to give the AWESOME MARC STONE a shout-out for being really supportive, patient, and generally fantastic.