I thought I might have some trouble getting the commissions done on time, but over the holidays I was able to really focus and get two of the paintings moving along. I am happy with the way these paintings are going and working large has really allowed me to open up with large gestural marks and sweeping blocks of color. I do not see myself wanting to go back to small format after these are finished. I have two more canvases stretched and ready to be worked on, but I need to spend some time in my sketch book working up the right shapes before I begin.

Sunday afternoon, Shannon and I went to my parents' house for lunch. It was my sister's chance to "practice" for Thanksgiving. My parent's living room was full of paintings that my dad is working on. It's been a few months since I've done any painting, and sitting there looking at the work was more than I could handle. I gently asked if I could work on one of his paintings, just for kicks. A few hours of work was enough of a fix to spark some ideas. Tonight I got my new studio set up and ready for the four large pieces that I am starting. Saturday is move in day at the new house, and Monday I am hitting the ground running.

We are in a holding pattern here. This is the new studio and we are waiting on our marching orders.

Have any of you out there watched the Frank Gehry documentary? What was the deal with Schnabel in his bath robe? What about his comment that if your art gets lost in one of Gehry's buidings, then perhaps the work is not good enough? I have seen at least one of Gehry's buildings in person, EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT. I never went inside, because I honestly felt like it was a ride at Six Flags, and not very approachable. I like his buildings when they are cubistic and not so fluid- or alien-like. Just call me a fly buzzing around the lion. The documentary was well done, not too over the top like some I've seen where person after person goes on and on about why the viewer should sacrifice their first-born at the foot of said genious. Still, don't we all just want to be in the shoes of said genious?

This blog is about to change gears again because I have to finish everything I can on the house this weekend. I received some commission work and must get it done on a short schedule. Some of the paintings are going to be quite large, and if I do not get going on them there is some danger of paint not drying in time for installation. The house is going on hold but luckily I finished the bulk of the job. I moved my studio over on Saturday last. We painted a large wall white and hung track lighting so that I can work off the wall instead of my easel, which is too small for the job. I have some big ideas on how I might meld my collage work with my oil paintings, hence the image I have posted, which lets you into my thoughts on the direction I plan to take in my future painting. Imagine the collage above as a 6' x 8' oil painting, some of the squares could have images in them just like they do in the collages I have been doing. These commissions are based off the works I made a year ago, grid stuff like BAD HATS, so I don't think I will be able to start this new direction until next year.