Smokin' Joe Turner

Good Morning

Looks like the sun may shine here today, the sky is clear and blue, at least from the front window.  I haven't been out yet, slept in till seven-thirty.  Had a late night with Smokin' Joe ...The night came on as we  rolled another cigarette and quietly talked about hopes and dreams and fears.  Not the terrible fears, the simple ones, the household ones - the constant ones of knowing change, losing a soul you love 'cause it has to die and go away.  We perceive that as loss, that which is simply change.  Well, this was Smokin' Joe Turner's take on it, "ain't no thin - every thing go away sweetness, but don't never really leave you, just be one more accordion fold in that big ol' mirror of life".

After Smokin' Joe left I painted him on a wood panel with oil, brush only.  This piece is 12x19 inches.  

The Train Conductor

This piece is a worn old gentleman in oil titled, "The Train Conductor".  It measures 16 x 24 inches.  I painted him on a wood panel with a very small palette knife while listening to lonely new orleans blues.  I live in a small fishing village with a train blowing through more than every hour.  On certain nights this gentleman steps off for a lonely smoke and nods gently as he makes his way back into the night, the soft whistle makes its own way through the trees, down the sleeping streets through my window to my heart as I sleep. 

Jirafa y Yo

Buenos dias!

I finished her this morning, shall I say us.  We have had small storms here in tiny martinez and this morning in particular is beautiful in it's essence of mist and grey...perfect weather to  photograph paintings outside.  The lighting is generously supplied by the gods.  

Speaking of gods, I took this piece to my "hands on art history" class and used it as an example of mosaics.  As usual I waited for the inspirational last moment idea of what to do for the day.  The class is 16 home-schoolers between the ages of six and 10.  We are studying Ancient art history so I told them that the woman standing on the back of the giraffe is the great goddess Athena, goddess of wisdom, skills and warfare...exhausted, she has just returned from battle.

Happy Valentine's Day

Good morning! I am sitting here at my kitchen table with my coffee and papa my cat. The water is boiling on the stove and I'm ready for one more cup. It is a quarter to five and I have been up since three. I could'nt sleep so I went to work on my latest painting, "Jirafa y Yo". It is a tall slender piece that stands 54 x 12 inches. I began this painting in late October of last year and just returned to it this morning ready to complete. I have finally found my place with it. I will share it with you in its entireity tomorrow.