I haven’t had much to say, and I’m feeling pretty down today. I’m not ever sure if it’s physical or mental, but I did get my first shingles shot yesterday. My arm hurts and I’m tired. Waaa.

Last night, I didn’t sleep well. Don’t know if it was the shot or what. I kept tossing and turning with bad dreams, throwing the covers off because I got hot every half hour, and every time I rolled over on my arm, it hurt enough to wake me up. (More waaa.)

This morning, I worked on one of my new paintings (the self-portrait), and after standing at my drafting table for almost two hours, I started to feel blech. Tired, bored, out of it, and stuck. I suppose I can take another crack at it later. I also have the bigger one of my parents that needs to get going, which is still sitting on my easel. I mean, I have many paintings to do, but at least these two ahave been started.

I want the self-portrait to be super thick with oil paint. I always paint thick, but I want it even thicker than my normal thick. And while I’m contemplating these two, I”ve had another one on my mind that isn’t even sketched yet. I’m a little overwhelmed by what all needs to get done still. Maybe I should just start drawing out the one I keep thinking about and skip the one of my parents for a bit.

It comes from a photo of my brother and me when we were kids, sitting on the front lawn after playing a game of catch. I’m excited to work on the grass for this painting, which makes me want to get it on the panel as soon as possible. But the grass part would be the last thing painted. So, it’s going to be a while before I can get to that fun part. 

I finished Golden Child, which is a relief. It went pretty quickly because there weren’t any super big details. It went much faster than the rest of these recent paintings. 

I did talk to the director at Stellarhighway, and if he doesn’t sell those three pieces that are part of this series, I can for sure get them back in time for my spring show. But I also don’t want to have hopes that they won’t sell. That would be dumb, right? It would be great if they sell. I have a feeling none of them will, though, but maybe one will.

I already sold my first one (She Rose From the Bed) to a big collector of mine, Beth DeWoody (I don’t usually toot my horn, or even mention when I sell work), but it’s the second painting she’s purchased over the last few years: the first on this series I’m working on now, and an abstract from my 2019 show.

I’m lucky and have to thank Craig Krull for it. He sold both of them. I do still wish I could use She Rose from the Bed for my show, but I don’t want to ask for that. Seems, like a lot to ask, and it wouldn’t be for sale. I’ve just had dreams of showing the entire series at once. I won’t get to do that. Oh well. Just have to make as many as possible. 

Also, I was thinking about displaying all the original photos next to each of the paintings. It’s just a thought, but it actually kinda scares me, too. I don’t want people making technical comparisons. That seems unavoidable if I display the show this way, but it’s also a neat idea. I have to think more about that.

There’s one little painting that I made a long time ago in watercolor and gouache on a Thomas Bros. map page, and I’m going to redo it in oil on panel. It’s this one:

I’ve also been thinking about a title for me show (I have lots and lots of time to do that, of course) — whether I’m just going to call it “Discarded Snapshots,” or something else.