Ok, I got no where yesterday when I tried to paint - but I went back to the studio today and worked on an idea I had which I call My Life -1 (see below).

I feel like I’m in a rut - like I need to break free from what I’m doing.  I figured that I could do something autobiographical by taking my laptop and painting browsers representing parts of my activity - like my Webmetricsguru.com blog, the Web Analytics Association (being elected to the Board of the WAA) and Trip to Paris - all against the backdrop of my studio space.

I tried something different in materials too - started with Wax / Water Soluble Pastels, then used Oil Pastels over the Wax, and then worked on top with Chalk Pastels; did not work out as I planned - thought the Wax Pastels would make the Oil Pastels go on smoother - but instead, it affected the colors I ended up with.

Experimenting with materials and techniques is good - and that part, I liked, even if it did not work out quite how I planned.

I’m also a little nervous about going to Paris - as the date gets nearer and I’m wondering about a lot of things … beginning to doubt myself but knowing I should go anyway.  I’m just wondering …. I’ll be with other artists that are more focused on their art than I am….I’m all over the place, blogging, a Web Analyst, and a painter (not in that order - hell..I’m not sure what the order is anymore - or should be).

I put in the Suggestopedia book - the same one I read before going to Paris 20 years ago (is everything doomed to repeat?).

Anyway …. just in case you wanted to now what I was painting from - see below:

I love Amy Crehore’s new painting “Snake Tamer’s Ditty”- I think she’s been working on it over 2 months and one of the most ambitious and defined works she has done.

Amy’s spirit is in this painting - I can see her feeling in the face, I think I know what the snake signifies in this painting (but I wont’ say it).

The water glows; the motifs of the sideway “8″ and the interconnectedness of every part of the painting - nothing is left to chance.

I hope Amy hangs on to this painting for a while - just to enjoy what she’s achieved.  I printed up parts of the painting and have it on my wall at work.

I think Titian, early Flemish and Dutch oil paintings and Gauguin as some of the influences.

Glad I did not forget about Angela Hays and her opening tonight at Brooklyn Artists Gym - I’ll be there.  Actually, I have spoken to Angela a couple of times as I’ve painted and find her interesting to talk with and open to new ideas (not everyone is).

It’s possible that our conversations might have influenced some of the artistic decisions she’s made (or maybe not) - I’ll be curious to see that and write about it here.

The think with Angela, her work is different than anyone else’s at the Studio - it’s very conceptual and also, extremely ordered.

 Here’s one of Angela Hays earlier works:

This is going to be a good show - I hope people who are in the NYC area come to it - All the info is here http://brooklynartistsgym.com/events.html