how i paint...

my thumb is a bit sore, my bowing thumb.  the one i use to push against the strings of the bow to apply extra pressure,  that i learned from eamon coyne. a trick. a tricky trick by a master fiddler.

then, while hand scraping red potatoes for a rosemary lamb bake on christmas, a piece of spud got up under my nail.  its still red. under the nail...so.

i Was planning to go to the Port Tavern session tonight.  after Len's birthday party.  and then


little signposts...saying...slow down?  your thumb still hurts ya know.

and you have those 2 paintings to finish.

and this time of year folks are clearing out their energy blankets around them from the Jollidays.

Its ok, Tob - if you wanna stay in tonight. (and the air seems to soften around me and the added pressure deflates like a giant 'should' balloon).

My body gives me little signs all the time on what is best for the All of us.  Even tho I am aware the list above does sound like excuses.  Still, I know whats right for me.

I have a different kind of painting going up in studio right now.  the deer has two sets of eyes.  the first set appeared as bug out eyes, matching the wood grain (how I started the painting to begin with, I couldn't keep my eyes off the 2 circles of woodgrain that were screaming out 'E Y E S!').  So i did them.

And it being the day after Christmas, all the wild energy of cooking, shopping wrapping, unwrapping, breathing, eating, drinking wine, being super excited....well  i think the painting says a lot about it -
"WoW, that was SOME  Christmas!".

Last night while on the phone with my Father and Mother in Pennsylvania I began to pencil in eyes that look rather like a deer mouse.  Two prints spoke up about being glued into the painting:  One the puffer fish UFO ship I have had tacked up in the studio for over a year, and the other, the FIRST and brand new print from my new refurbished Epson 1420 called SING.  

I had wondered whether this was going to be a quick all acrylic painting and now I see it is not.