non-obligatory blogging

. Two o’clock this morning I was awake and afraid to go out of my bedroom because of not knowing whether my dog, Duke, would still be breathing or not. Jimmy was sleeping on the couch in the living room to be near him, just in case. He’s been in and out of the dog hospital the past couple weeks while they tried to figure out what was going on with him and they decided on Monday that a cancerous tumor on his spleen was causing his declining health. Actually, he was in pretty serious condition when he went back to the vet’s office this past Saturday. I’ve been grieving since then and I guess I’m weary of the pain. The pain of grief is odd – it seems to rise to the surface and be multiplied by each loss that is experienced. I think partly because it is simply a reminder of other losses but also each loss has some regrets associated with it and each loss permanently removes a blessing and a joy of some kind from our lives that we must learn to do without. And then once you’ve experienced

. This poly-litho print was first a composite of photographed items in my neighborhood. My son Josh and I took about 20 minutes when he was here for the weekend recently and shot photos on our property and next door. The US Forest Service has been doing some thinning in my front yard (I'm 15 ft. from the forest boundary) and the eight stump is probably about 40 yards from my front door on the Cibola National Forest. It was a fun find. That's it for the 8x8x8. I had more ideas but ran out of time. I think I'll be glad to be able to think about art in a different format than 8"x8" and maybe my obsession with "eight" is finally over.

. My first attempt at a mosaic (sort of) with Glass Graveyard and Kelly (ghost town near Magdalena) dump finds along with some other odds and ends. Even some crash glass swept up from the road near my grandmother's house in Socorro. The images behind the two bigger glass glob thingees are of the rings from a blue ringed octopus . One more to post for the 8x8x8.

. The scans of these clocks have 'photoshopped' hands in these images but they are now real clocks. The one on the left is one of those typical mixed media, never could be duplicated sorta pieces. All the texture was accidental, a result of an attempt to deviate from the recommended components of a crackle technique. The one on the right turned out a bit more like it was supposed to except that the background (which was the residue of a failed photo transfer) added a yellow cast that I don't love. Someone who saw it recently said that they loved the "quinacridone gold" color of it so I guess it is all in the eye of the beholder. :) The show isn't until this Friday and I've already sold the one on the left (have the check and everything -- thanks Josh and Stacy) and possibly the other clock as well. woo-hoo!

. Decided to go ahead with this one, just cause it was fun and I didn't have to think about it. I've probably over-thought most of them. I keep trying to get over that. Oh well. .

. I just scanned this piece to replace the photo on the 8x8x8 blog so I thought I'd post it here as well. As usual, photos just don't do any favors for artwork. It's better in person. All the red squares are high gloss and then the prints on the black squares are matte. I like it. I don't want to sell it. :( I might just mark it sold and keep it.