My Daily Dose of Monkey

I've decided to try and do a daily monkey drawing. Why? Well why not? I like monkeys and they make me smile...so what's the harm in that? I figure it will help me focus (oh yeah, right!) and get me through this spot where I'm hovering on the edge of some change in my artwork. This is my first one. It's a 4"X5" acid free board, pen and ink with gouache. I will eventually open an Etsy site to sell these and other originals and prints. If you want it right now, talk to me people!

Healing Heart Learning to Let Go

This medium size found object assemblage is at Dahlia Woods Gallery in Dallas. http://www.dahliawoodsgallery.com/ The origin of it is that I had somehow ended up with a corner desk that belonged to my ex lover. She had it when she was growing up and for some reason didn't want it any more when we split up. I kept it around thinking that I could always used the drawers and lumber for something else...art, furniture etc...When I ran out of room in the garage I finally put it outside and watched it deteriorate in the weather. Kind of like how our relationship went. When I couldn't stand it anymore I kicked it apart and realized what its real purpose would be. One drawer became an assemblage piece called 'Bird Outside My Window'. Regretfully I did not get a chance to get a photo before it sold. The other drawer became this piece, 'Healing Heart Learning to Let Go'. It went through many incarnations before I finally settled on this one. I know it's not scratchboard, but this is my other passion. Well, ok, besides collage houses...

I'm hovering on the edge of change in my work. I've got a few more 5X7's to frame and take to Wally Workman Gallery www.wallyworkmangallery.com because they are still selling. But I am feeling a need for a change.

Welcome To My Monkey House

Monkey's make me money. I say it all the time, kind of tongue in cheek, but it's absolutely true. I have scratched out more monkeys, in many different ways and yet pretty much the same, than I care to admit. I figure, hey, if the people want monkeys who am I to argue? This latest one is very different from the rest. Although, a monkey is a monkey is a monkey, right? Anyhow, it is a 24"X36" scratchboard with collage, acrylic paint and just a little scratching this time. "Welcome To My Monkey House". A nod to Kurt Vonnegut, one of my favorite authors, and a fellow Hoosier.

I like it. Makes me laugh. I hope someone likes it enough to buy it and hang it on the wall. I'm not sure if this will go to Dallas to http://www.dahliawoodsgallery.com/ or stay here in Austin and go to http://www.wallyworkmangallery.com/

That's all to report right now.

Marfa Texas and Missouri Ozarks

Here are a few more new scratchboard pieces that I dropped off at Dahlia Woods Gallery in Dallas. http://www.dahliawoodsgallery.com/ "Bird with a heart" and "White Dog with Red".

Just got back to Austin from a few weeks traveling. First I went to Marfa Texas which is in deep west TX. Think, movie 'Giant', tumbleweeds, high desert, and Don Judd. The plan was for me to install kitchen cabinets and countertop etc...for a friend who has a vacation home there. The trade off was I get to go to the mythical Marfa and check out the gallery scene. I loaded the truck full of tools, cabinets and art and hit the road. Cabinets went well. Lots of hard work but I was up for it...considering I've spent half my life doing this kind of work it was possible to get it done in a week. (think about that the next time you hire a contractor who drags the work out for months!!) The town and gallery scene was almost non-existent. Slow, very slow. One gallery I wanted to check out wasn't even open and the phone number for the rep was disconnected. (They have a gallery in Austin as well...so I know they are still around) The other major gallery looked like a ghost town. In fact, to my eyes the whole place looked like a ghost town. Granted, I'm sure there is an underground scene there that I don't know about. Maybe I'm not cool or hip enough. Or frankly, maybe it's just not that interesting to me. So, thinking that I really want to have my artwork on the walls of a gallery that actually sells art and has pretty steady patrons, I packed up and left town. Felt like a good decision. Glad I went, and can't see any reason to go back.

On the other hand I went to the Missouri Ozarks for a week after a few short days and my birthday in Austin. Envision Branson as more "Green Acres" rather than it's current state which is "Las Vegas in the Ozarks".

Four years ago I helped my best friend build her house.....the whole thing from the slab up. Spent two weeks every month for 7 months. Two women in their 50's with nail guns and saws. Awesome! So on this visit we drove around the farm on the tractor doing chores and bought two cows and went to a neighboring town and got a washer and dryer...whoo hoo modern conveniences! I like to think of this vacation as "authentically rural"...like a dude ranch, only it costs me nothing but time.

All for now.