resurrection

still painting ...
Originally uploaded by nepalblue.

I'm back. The blog (along with myriad (I love that word) parentheses) is back. Baseball is back (next week). Spring is here – things are good.

My camera has been suffering from E18 (jammed lens syndrome) since day two of my latest adventure in Santa Fe – which has meant little/no photography (on several occasions, I was able to use someone else’s; hence, the latest batch (if you can call four a batch) of images). This visual drought has been dissipating my motivation to keep up with posting, but thanks to my mom’s and Krista’s unrelenting encouragement… I’m back.

Where to start? Much has happened since I was last here. It began over a month ago, with my flights being cancelled and delayed. Somehow, I still ended up in New Mexico. During my stay in Santa Fe, Jane Angelhart (see Oil and Water) invited me to convert her living room into my bedroom (I dreamt via air-mattress). Krista Schoening (Oil Candy - her new oranges are fantastic!) was staying with Jane as well. There was, seemingly, a constant state of craziness (it’s a good thing) while I was there.

I got to see Tony a few times, which was definitely a pleasure (he is such a great person). Krista, Jane, and I spent a lot of time with Anna and Robert, who were with me in Tony’s class last fall (actually, I got to see a slew of the Tony crew while I was there). We even hung out with Tim and Michelle (Silver Fortress) quite a bit.

With all this socializing going on, I was still painting away in Tim’s class - looking large (well, I have always looked lean - Tim was encouraging me to take a broader approach with my painting). I really enjoyed his teaching, and would have loved to have at least one more week (if not more). Between class demonstrations, poster studies, and scrubbing the intense chroma of ultramarine blue out of my pearl-snap shirt, I was just getting started. I will admit though, I was putting a lot of (unwarranted) pressure upon myself to paint well – which led to a lot frustration (especially early on).

During one weekend, we took advantage of the opportunity to work on still life painting with Michelle Tulley. I was working on a potted succulent (hens and chicks – Google it) of sorts. Well, painting it (on the thirstiest of canvases). Much to the shame of Tim’s teaching, I wasn’t looking large at all, or painting with any speed whatsoever (slow, is watching paint dry; slower yet is watching Toby paint – see skeleton above). It was a great time nonetheless, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll have another chance to study with both Tim and Michelle soon (like, autumn soon).

I am completely overwhelmed with things to talk about, so I’m pouring it all in at once, and you can paint your own picture from here.

[Huge flying ants that got into everything, getting lost and not knowing where I’m going to/coming from, PHOTON ENVELOPE, tanks (multicolored), dark chocolate gingersnaps, exploding tubes of paint, oatmeal, oatmeal, oatmeal, non-stop, amazing stars and skies, snow and palettes in the snow, the coolest workout facility ever, France-talk, air filters, R2D2, Grace Kim exhibition, comfortable air mattress vs. deflated air mattress, the most awkward bowl of French onion soup, no cell reception, Miss Mo Ye, 6am, too much cranberry juice, laps around the plaza with Krista and Mercia, the plaza café, sopaipillas y horchata, hitchhikers, doc, teepees, ATM, Kinko’s, E18, setting up, taking down, Odd Nerdrum, mountains and foothills, Andreeva, wine and cheese, iron chef (iron lackey), dinner parties and dishes, dirt roads, solitude (just kidding), Yuqi Wang’s book, the poster downstairs, four person painting, Lily’s band, the plaza at night, interesting emails from Ted, triangulating the model, Negra Modelo in a glass with lime, crazy demo discussions, twenty-five minutes at a time, Michelle(the model)’s crazy boots, space heaters, only children, “What are you doing Jane?” Aluminum brownies, heated car seats, Bill’s headbands and matching t-shirts, the chocolate smith, cinnamon drops, Second Street, Canyon Road, smallest chocolate eruption ever (although it tasted damn good), red wine, Rain the superhero in red (on a donkey), kneadable elephants, new friends, a lot of painting, and a lot more] Definitely a great time.

So, after all was said and done, I made it back to Albuquerque and got to spend some quality time with my family there. Fortunately (depending on how one would look at it), I got sick the night before heading home (and so ended my13 year streak of staying puke free – sorry about that; it was a streak that I was proud of), and was able to extend my trip a few extra days (which I certainly made the most of). Eventually, I did come home, and even though I haven’t been blogging, you’ll be happy to know (if you’ve made it this far) that I’ve been painting and drawing – as of next week, I’ll be watching baseball too.

Phew. Be sure to let me know if you made it through all that - I’ll credit you in my next post. Late (I need to go get my camera fixed).