like a rusty nail.

"A recording of time indefinite" faired as a wonderful opening in Birmingham. I was really pleased with the overwhelming turnout and all the new people I met. The show officially closes November 1, 2009. It will be quite a while before I release another mixed media body of work, so this would be good opportunity to see some of the paintings.

Since the show opened on the 1st of October a lot of changes have taken place in my life. We said fair well to our city loft and moved to a quaint little 1940's house. It's an old captains quarters from WWII -so it's still got some charm...and some quirks. So peaceful out here... But it was still an interesting adjustment after living a couple of years in an old school gymnasium.

On a sad note, we lost a dear family member on October 2nd. I have written before about my uncle who used to get us into the local pool for almost free in the summers---his sweet wife Denise suddenly passed the night after the birmingham show opening. I have never mentioned before-- but -My uncle is blind and can hardly see shadows, in fact most of his days are spent seeing complete blackness no color- no movements. One of the most memorable moments I have of the two of them was at their wedding years ago- it was at the town recreation center (folding metal chairs and all)---but I can remember the sweetness of watching two people completely in love commit their lives to each other. He had never even seen her-- but he loved her. It was a sweet time for me to be young and apart of something real and unadorned. just simple love...with blinders on. I found it interesting that I wrote of my uncle and the local pool towards the beginning of painting "A recording of time indefinite" and now at the end of the show I write again about him. Call it coincidence if you like, but the routes of "time indefinite" are curious and unexpected. I am thankful for family and for times of sincere reflection, and most of all the powerful existence God. When I asked my uncle how he was doing last he said, "i'm like a rusty nail, just hangin' in there."

I'm glad I could honor Glen and Denise today.

A true recording of time indefinite.

you are invited to a solo opening...

ben folds five plays loud.

often times it's the same rythm for me in the studio... i get down to the wire--- often times im so tired my mind won't create any thing new. but then there are days when i'm so inspired i feel like i'm dreaming. if you knocked on the door to my studio today, i would not answer. i am settled in with my inspirations, and i'm not moving. music... can i paint without music?...I found out the other day one of my paintings sold to a person that hung it beside a Joan Miro piece in their private home. It humbled me because Joan Miro was one of the modern master painters I studied when I was giving in to becoming a painter.

on my website i have a quote from him---"consider the silence of a painting. But in its silence, there is a choreographed pantomime, a ballet, voice and form." (Joan Miro).

Im reminded today that my inspirations are great and many- within the silence of my paintings there is hours of music that backs my work... some days it does feel very choreographed.

Long day today--

15 paintings in the studio...there's hardly enough room for me anymore.

studio bound with a bag full of books...

well i've got a few new and old books that have beckoned me back to the studio today-- totally inspired by the "Deep South" by Sally Mann--- an amazing book that captures the landscape photographs of Sally Mann produced through Collodion process. Her painterly images are yes of the south, but speak on such a broad level of viewing.

and secondly-- Christian Liagre's book requires my countless attention-- as it illustrates Liagre's purposeful attention to detail with the utmost intentional approach to interior design...I am always left with a new set of paintings lingering in my head-

free.

i'm extremely inspired today- the subject matter i'm working with is very emotional for me. a lot of it addresses- the passing of time over a land to which i am constantly intrigued by. it's an act of preservation. the land is changing, the people are changing, and somewhere in the imagery of my work--- i see a sort-of historical preservation. Im not a historian just a painter.

sometimes i think in these images i can hear the laughter of my sisters as we run through the gate at our local pool. my uncle was a shriner and we got into the pool every day in the summer for almost free.

i am working day and night on these new works... they are so pleasant to paint. and im learning that some of the best things are still free.

a good day done.

Today was a very good day. I was inspired and humbled all together. I think so many times as artists or - accountants or c.e.os or mom's or sons or daughters or mechanics or you name it...we find ourselves striving to feel successful- -before we know it years have passed and we are still searching for that thresh hold of claimed accomplishment. today, in a humbled moment i felt a great sense of success-- not because of my actions or what all i did right or meeting some great goal for the year and executing perfectly...but simply because I love what i do. i have passion in being a painter.