12 Days

Looks like I have 12 days at the end of next month to get as far away from offices, packing tape and the hustle and bustle of work life. Ah vacation! I feel like I want to pack everything into that time...camping, hiking, road trip, beaches, painting. I just might. It's at least fun to see it on my calendar as a reachable destination now instead of an invisible wish lingering wistfully around. Since I'm broke but needing some surf n sand I might hit up Corpus Christi...not quite the paradie of Mexico or Hawaii but the closest and cheapest I can budget. Maybe it's time to sell some blood.

Park Life

I'm steady on my goal of dropping 5 more lbs, this is in conjunction with the 8 I already lost. Some things you lose and don't ever want to find again. So it's back to scribbling what I ate that day, buying healthier choices and rearranging my days to fit in 30-60 minutes of exercise. I've started using a step counter and my goal is 10,000 steps a day. It's actually not that easy to make that goal unless you really focus on it and don't cut corners. I feel at my peak in the energy department though, and that's a far cry from the depressing sadness and pain and ill health I was in before. Everything is all tied in together, your creative spirit, your health and the way you view the world and your actions. So if I'm cleaning up this aspect of my life I'm also cleaning up all the others.
I love being able to walk to the park on the weekends and get a little nature in while I run and walk. It's much more enjoyable than the gym. I am constantly mouthing the words "EW!" when I see some beefcake leave the machine all wet and sweaty or give it a cursory towel down with his already sweat soaked towel. Um, dude? That's not really helping. It's time to start planning my next hike out!

Jolly Roger!

I've got another box commission! It's for the ol' Pirate box I have on etsy. I really should've just made a few of these to keep handy since it's my most popular box. This ones going to be a gift to some little boys so I'll put some extra sweet care into it. Things are so much more magical when you're a kid. I think it's because you have hyper focus on things you care about and almost no knowledge or interest in what doesn't concern you. Making the world a pretty sweet place for the time being. Luckily I have lots of blank boxes stored up for commisison work so this will be a cinch. If you've yet to see my boxes, the ones that are left are posted here:
tigerbee.etsy.com
You can also look at the ones that have sold and commission them. Be sure to check the whole site, I absolutely LOVE etsy and the crafty community on there.
etsy.com

Pool Blue and Aquamarine: A Painters Journal

Today I started my first work. Not having any canvases I am using what I have (paper and board) until I can hunt down some nice canvas. The kind museum people don't scoff at you about, the kind you learned how to make in highschool yourself by pulling and stretching until your knuckles were bloody and the damn thing could bounce a penny off it.
I liked the two colors staring at me from my work desk and decided to keep these initial works spare and move up into the tangled masses of color if the work called for it. Those colors were "pool blue" and "aquamarine", granted they conjured up images of ocean vistas and swank swimming pools and my mind wandered to "vacation" instead of the work at hand. "Vacation" is now a place in my mind and not something you do. It is the ultimate as-of-right-now-out-of-reach place and I figured just right now by writing this...it can probably be used in my work. My work dealing with Nature. These works won't be about water though so it will be interesting to see how these shades work out in the context they're being used for. Are painters diaries so dull? I've read snippets of Paul Klees and Matisses journals and figured it helps artists sort their brains and ideas. I definitely need that. At any rate, the first work or sketch or rough draft is underway and I've conquered the hard part. Starting.

Green Thing

My sister is involved with this project called the Green Thing and on her site is the description that reads "The Green Thing is a collaborative project which incorporates many forms such as blogs, photography, video, art, collage, mail art and tags

To participate, post a green thing online with the tag "greenthing". You can also join the Green Thing Group Tag your photo "greenthing"

30 "greenthings" were mailed out to people who documented their greenthing and passed it on to someone else. We are using the "greenthing" tags to track them online and see where they are."

On my last visit to SF my sis was hard at work with the Green Thing and showed me some cool videos made by people all over the globe with their green thing. The idea is to do something creative with your green thing, post it for everyone else to see and send the green thing on so someone else can utilize it for the power of creativity. From what I can gather it's also cool to find your own green things and do something with them and post for the group. Pretty cool and taps into a creative group consciousness. I joined the group but have yet to post my green thing, since the art I'm working on deals with Nature I thought this would be a fun project to try to get my creative juices flowing. Here are all the links you need to find out more:
greenthing
greenthing group
There are also some cool videos posted at the first link so you can see how green thing is used in film media. Go Green!

Self Imposed Art Camp

After taking a long, hard look at my finances it became apparent that I wouldn't be able to afford an amazing vacation this summer. SAD FACE! But I'm going to take some time off anyway, for sanitys sake, and really crack down on my artwork. My paintings have gotten pushed aside for some time now due to lack of space, too much going on in other areas of my life i.e. band, Lollipop Shoppe. But it is the one constant in my life that I've always had no matter what and didn't need to rely on anyone else for. All the bullshit and nonsense that comes with dealing with the music scene and the people it attracts is on the oposite spectrum of the process of creating your work. I always aim to only please myself in my paintings and sometimes thats a hard line to walk as a musician.
So I'll spend a little cash on some canvas and frames and really tear into my new ideas for a series. I'm hoping that our first Lollipop Shoppe at the new venue Artclub is where the new work will be unveiled. Of course all aspects of my multifaceted life have to clash and collide at some point, right?


Interesting art link posted on craiglsist today:
http://www.artsensible.com/

Make Me!

My sis passed on this cool site where you can make your own little paper beasts! Now get to work and stop reading boring blogs!

readymech.com

Still reading? Me too. Of late I've been exposing myself to more media. Not necessarily a good thing but it let me know the new Sea and Cake slipped out while I was asleep and I need to go pick it up. One of my fave bands ever! I am anticipating a tour this time fellas!
As soon as prom is done I'm focusing on paper and canvases. It's time to get the art machine crankin' again. Oh I've got plans in the works!

Fatter Platter

The words "my plate is full" is an understatement. This is a dang PLATTER not a plate and it applies to every aspect of my life right now. My jobs been way demanding on my body and every week theres some new little part that hurts, is sore or makes me think I lost a cog somewhere. Personally my financial life is in shambles. The phrase "living from paycheck to paycheck" should be emblazoned on my forehead and I'm beginning to wonder if my shovel is big enough to dig me out. As if those boulders weren't enough to push I frivolously take on organizing a huge party, nix that..PROM while I'm still in the middle of recording an album. Either I'm crazy or I can't find the OFF button but either way I'm not complaining. In fact I'm feeling at my peak in the power department. I feel empowered. I feel like I'm starting to see my daydreams come to life. This is a truly great feeling...seeing your hard work pay off and it's not monetary (though wouldn't that be nice!) it's spiritual payoff. It's the feeling you get when you finish a painting you love or write a song that means something to you. I'm not exactly sure how I got on this mountain but the top looks closer and closer every day.

Super Summer

When I think of summer being just around the corner it takes me back to those fitful last days of school. You were chomping at the bit for freedom, sunshine, riding your bike endlessly and nowhere....and you ended up playing Super Mario all day every day in the sweet confines of your dark airconditioned living room instead. Time is wasted on youth.
I'm making a quiet and personal goal to make my summer NOT suck no matter what. Even though it looks like theres not enough money on the radar for a vacation I'm going to soak up the little pleasures and drink from lifes cup where I can. I'm going to plan things to do, even day trips to strange places can be a bit of an escape. I will not have a super mario summer, though those were fun while they lasted.
One of the things on my radar is more hiking, I had such a blast at Cedar Hill State Park. And to coincide with me working out and losing some extra baggage I'm going to scout out a lovely pool somewhere....weekend beach getaway if fortune smiles on me. I'm crossing my fingers but ruling nothing out. It's also a priority of mine to get some paintings done before this summer melts away. I'm already daydreaming and can't wait to see what the next few months will bring.

What the hell, a new post!

Like many of my brethren bees I got lost from my hive. But I found my way back! I was thinking about doing something new with this blog but we'll see if it comes to fruition. My "other new" blog is kind of on hiatus as I don't have time to chase down resource links and no ones really posted any yet, but I haven't really been all that proactive in spreading the word so it's my fault.
At any rate this bee did not die out in the field, she's just been busy with life. I discovered hiking and how much I love it. My next step is to put some air in my bike tires and get some riding in before what we call Summer (and also HellFire) come to be. I've also sold off most of my handpainted boxes, started the packing process (possible new hive for me?), been vigilantly recording and practicing, booked a fantastic Summer opener show, been interviewed, have made some progress with those mysterious pains and generally been loving life for better or for worse. Maintaining this attitude will be a feat of strength but it's good to be back at the hive again!