studio journal

Starting to get settled in a bit, here in Hannibal, MO.   The studio is feeling workable, and I’m caught up on making rings.  Next comes all the other odd projects I’m behind on.

I’m starting to feel out some of the new directions I want to take the work.  Chess sets is on the list - each piece essentially being a small sculpture.  Possibly, each piece could be bought on its own…   There’s a lot of possibilities there.

Small town Hannibal has been interesting.  There’s a coffee shop open until 10pm, which I didn’t seem to have in Philadelphia.  I also woke up to two tires being slashed on my show vehicle yesterday morning, which Philly also didn’t offer me.  There’s a farmer’s market  a block away two days a week; I’m living on heirloom tomatoes.  All in all, it’s good.

The house I bought is a bit funny.  It was built in 1882 as a duplex - and I’m now believing it was a boarding house.  I’d say 40 or 50 years ago, it was broken up into four apartments.  Well - two apartments were rented out when I bought it.  So, I’m living in, and having my studio in the two small upstairs apartments.  I feel like I’m renting from myself.  I have a huge house, and not a lot of space…   When I trust the vision of what it can be, I don’t worry…

Make sure to check out the new work that’s up.  A few more pieces should be up tomorrow…  hopefully soon the new site will go up.

For those of you who like to check…  I’ve updated the recent work on the website.  Really.  No, really.  And there’s more to come!

Too much has been happening in the Works of Man world to write about it all. Here’s a quick summary:

I’ve now moved to Hannibal, Missouri, and with the help of friends purchased a Victorian house built in 1882. Eventually it will mean lots of studio space. There are some images in my flickr account.

I’ve just entered a catch-up period — if I’ve been slow on anything, my apologies. Now is a good time if you need to have me do anything.

It’s exciting to be here. Looking forward to the evolution of it all. Much is afoot…

There are four shows in a row coming up in my schedule - and I’m trying to get a good bit of work done so I’m not (more) insane by the end of them.    June will be a pretty tight schedule.  So I’m making things en-mass, which is not very typical for me.  The nice thing is that working on 10 or 15 sun-moon disks at once lets them evolve a bit further.  So - I expect good work to come out of it.  I’m also starting to feel some pressure, which I work well with.  A number of artists I know are this way - it’s simply better to have a deadline.  There’s a strange ever-shifting balance between pressure to create and creative freedom.  Perhaps, someday, I’ll understand it.

Next week I get to visit friends in the fine town of Hannibal, MO, while on my way to Chicago.  (Hmm, I should put together a list of all  the artists there.  I’ll work on that.)  I’ll still be working while I’m there.

Speaking of work, temperatures have dropped, so now I can get into the studio…  (95 degrees outside equals some version of hell in the truck in the middle of the afternoon, so it becomes time to do other things.)

Hey, have fun out there.

Last weekend was the Cottonwood Art Festival, in Richardson, TX.  It was a decent show.  The best thing was friends and family, to tell the truth.   My mother, who lives in the area, was with me all day on Saturday; we had a ball.  Lots of friends from the Arizona Fine Art Expo were there showing their work, which was great as well.  We all went and ate what seems to be the standard fare here - “Mexican” food.

It seems I’m hanging out in Texas for a bit, yet.  I can work here, and I’m enjoying being here.  This first week will primarily involve getting all current orders done, and images of everything up on the website.

I actually have four weekends off until my Chicago/Pittsburgh string of shows start.  Hoping to make an outstanding body of work.  Oh, boy, is there a large list in my head to get to…

Speaking of Pittsburgh, Wax Jewelry Design Studio, in Pittsburgh, PA is featuring me as an artist in June.  So they’re about to be sent a great body of work.  They’re worth checking out.  Check them out online at http://waxjewelrydesignstudio.com/

Chattanooga was an awesome town.  The 4 Bridges show there was probably one of the more beautiful, well juried shows of its scale I’ve seen in awhile.  The show has only run for eight years so far, so I think they’ve accomplished a huge amount.

The land was inspiring, and everyone I spoke to was very positive about the town.  Lots of artists and musicians, with plenty of support from the city to help that community grow.

The artist’s party had a pretty wide range of people; musicians, artists, hang-gliders …

I could see ending up there.  Not quite yet, but it’s of note.

Almost 9:00pm now, 150 miles to go. I’ve stopped at my favorite (bad) road food… Waffle House! Ignore the coffee, get a waffle and some oj, and life is good. Sugar and carbs! Oh, yeah.
Plus, my throat hurts from singing too much Tom Waits. (current favorite “so long I’ll see ya”)

I’m at a coffee shop called “the frothy monkey”, somewhere  in Louisiana.  Driving down I20, feeling a bit kooky from road brain, I saw a sign for a Wendy’s….   driving through the little town that presented itself to me was a delight.  Little downtown, cute shops…  hey!  A decent coffee shop!  I can’t go to a Wendy’s after seeing this.  So, here I am.  One latte’ with an extra shot, and two chocolate chip cookies later, my brain is doing just fine.
I’m enroute to a show in Chattanooga, TN, called Four Bridges. The show looked interesting to me, as I’ve had a number of friends rant and rave about Chattanooga.  So, ok, ok, I’ll come check it out.  Sounds interesting.  Lots of artists, reasonable cost of living, old mill town… so lots of industrial/studio space possibilities.  Possibly, it could even b a good show.

I’m about 500 miles or so into my drive, and really enjoying it. I’m driving a little rental car/thing (Pontiac psuedo SUV thing which seems like a waste of plastic and steel, largely, between bad aesthetics and ridiculous  proportions…  well, just sayin’…)  which feels like a ball (even in a bad car).  I left from Texas, and will head back down to Texas afterwards.  I’m enjoying where I am, so - I’ll just stay for a bit.  My next show is near Dallas in two weeks, so the plan was to come back, anyhow.

It’s always nice to find a little stop that has a good feel to it.  It’s not happened in a chain store or such, ever.  This place has chess boards set out, plenty of booths, polished concrete floors, exposed brick in what looks to be a  building from the turn of the (last) century.  People studying, free wifi, good coffee.  Nice.

Okay, time to hit the road.  I actually did not delay this trip until the last minute (which is a new thing, for me), so I have some time to enjoy the scenery.  So I better hurry. (That’s a bit of a joke, for those not paying attention.)

I’ve been enjoying Marble Falls, TX.   Almost everyone from the show has left, and now I’m staying here, working, and hanging out with new Marble Falls friends.  Taking time to be around new people is interesting - others are often mirrors for ourselves, and we learn about ourselves from them.  It’s an aspect about being on the road that can truly be a gift.

I very much need to get new images up on the site, though.  No reason why I shouldn’t be able to tonight.

I left Scottsdale Wednesday evening, largely pushing everything to the past moment.  I was making work, excited about new pieces, and reluctant to leave.  So, around 9:30pm I finally pulled out of the Expo site, and started my drive.  I made it to Marble Falls, TX, by 10:30 the next evening.  Not bad.  It was a beautiful drive, I’ve gotta say.  Although it seems the gas bill for this trip, just under 1000 miles, ran about $800 to $900 dollars.  Yeesh.

People have been great.  The show seemed to be far above what many of the locals expected, so there did seem to be some sticker shock for many.   A number of the artists from the 10 week long show were here, so it felt like a reunion.  Sorry to see all you go, family!

Speaking of family, my mother, her husband Michael, and friends Susan and Pete rode down from Hurst Texas.  Amazing to have so many of my friends meet my family.  Something glorious about that.  In an odd sort of way, it almost “situates” me, shows my current place.  To have one’s family see you in situ, around your friends, doing what you do for a living…  does that happen to everyone?  Glad it could happen to me.

Marble Falls is extremely cute.  The countryside around here, the hill country around Austin TX (45 minutes away), is stunning.  I’m hanging out here a few days.  I’m in a campground on a river, under trees, where it’s green and beautiful.  Lots of new friends, a gallery to check out tomorrow, perhaps a run to Austin.  And, of course, work to make.

Some days, this is all good fun.

The challenges:  the bumper falling off the camper, which  caused the end to get ripped off the electrical cord…  old campers.  Yeesh.  I’m going to do what I need to do, and have a bit of fun.