No, not the drug. I’m on something else right now – nothing quite as good as ecstasy, but… And no, not the Steely Dan album, which I wouldn’t call their best – although it’s still one of the best albums of the 70s and it does have Gold Teeth on it… No, I was referring to a few things that are coming to a head right now – like how my show is opening in 8 days (I’m installing it this Sunday and Monday) and how my book: Scribbles in a Sandstorm is practically finished. There are going to be only 5 books available at my show, and only 1 deluxe edition (which is the only one left – the rest have been sold out on pre-sales). Take a sneak peak of the book in progress on Chance Press’ site here.

I also added a group show to my schedule that opens November 7th at Angels Gate Cultural Center called, To Live and Draw in L.A.

Today (Friday) I am going to have lunch with artists Nancy Baker and Oriane Stender. They are both in town for Nancy’s show tonight at Jancar Gallery in Chinatown, which is happening from 6-9 PM. You should go!

this past week I’ve been covering all the fronts of my paintings with that foam sheeting so they will be AOK for stacking in my car and transporting to the gallery. I guess I’ve been a little more anal about these things because I’m sick of touching things up after I moved everything from the old studio to the garage. Especially the white background paintings, but I’m bringing a paint kit anyway just in case anything gets nicked after we hang it. See? Anal.

I have to say that I look forward to installation day, not reception day. Getting the work hung and the placement of everything is what’s so important to me. It’s what I have been working for these last 2 years. To me, that’s the show; that’s the personal satisfaction. being alone in the gallery and seeing it all “perfect,” or feeling good about how it is anyway… then I let it go. I hand it all over. The control. I set sail to the work, the energy, the control, the art, the relationship I had with it, and I take my hands away and totally give it up. It is no longer mine.

Reception day is usually a blur. I try to get through it best I can. It’s like driving a car with a broken steering wheel down a thin alleyway at 150 mph, where I can’t see through the wind sheild, 3 of the tires are nearly flat, and the head gasket is about to blow up, and I have to eat a hamburger with my shifting hand. Meanwhile, I have to make sure I don’t hit any pedestrians. …As long as I haven’t offended anyone the night of the reception, I feel safe. It is not easy to give every single person who comes undivided attention. I want to thank every one who actually think it’s worth coming to see my work – but I have to do this without feeling nervous. Because I am uncomfortable in social situations, I fear I come off disingenuous. In actual fact I am blown away that anyone comes at all. When there is a crowd, I’m just overwhelmed trying to play it cool. “thank you for coming out…. thank you for coming…. I appreciate you being here….” I probably just sound like an idiot.

Anyway… nice chatting with you.