So I’ve been busy. What else is new? I found out that my Nashville gallery had an artist that pulled out of a solo show and I’m filling the slot, so now I have 2 back-to-back solo shows in the fall. They are actually flying me in for the reception, so that is going to be super fantastical! There are a few people I’ll get to meet in the area that I’ve known over the internet, and a couple that I’ve known from Los Angeles. I’m hoping my aunt, and really only living relative I have, will be able to drive up from Birmingham to see me. I’m only going to be there for 2 days. A regular “business trip.”

You can read about the show here. It’s called Goodbye, Mrs. Beasley. I’m exhibition both new work and a few pieces from 2008, but it’s all new to Nashville. I have to still produce about 6 more pieces for the show by August, and that’s not counting all the work I have yet to complete for my George Billis show! I have my work cut out for me!

This past week I have been trading off between 2 paintings: the 9 foot triptych and a 30 x 30 inch painting on linen, both for the LA show. Meanwhile, I’ve started my new assistant Sophie on some special handmade invitations that I’m sending out to a few critics and museum curators for the show. So far, Sophie is working out very well and she is going to be helping me install the drawing show I’m in that opens this weekend at George Billis Gallery called On | Paper. It’s a group show of about 10 artists. I’m installing about 50 pieces from the Journal Project and a few new pieces I created on my desert retreat. Once Sophie gets her website up and running, I’ll link her to my blog here because she is actually a wonderful artist in her own right. She’s a hard working 21 year old from Holland and I can hardly believe she somehow found me. I don’t want to speak too soon, but she might be the perfect assistant for me.

I’ve got 4 weeks left at Moppet. It’s going to be a little strange moving out. Every day, I take a small box of stuff home with me, only to find that I kind of need it back at the studio. But this had been happening when I’ve been at the studio. It seems there is always something I need from home when I’m at the studio. Once I’m back at home, this will never happen again! Something to look forward to.

The day after the opening at George Billis, I have to mention that there is a one day only show that I have a piece in at Yolanda Gonzalez’s studio (Ma Art Space) in Alhambra called STUFT. It’s a show of handmade sewn creatures and I am finally showing a little guy I once made called Barnacle Jim.

Oh, Happy Independence day! It’s been 34 years since the Bicentennial. That makes me feel old!