Tuesday, April 30, 2013

stuck in a bad airstream.  drab, drizzly weather, and sucky corcoran problems.

Today I got there nice an early, all set to settle in for a rock-solid productive afternoon.  5 min. later I found out the studio was closing 2 1/2 hours early.

I did the best I could and prepared for next time - but suck!  Things just are not going well there.

April 2013 was nothing to be too excited about.  Some good days, and sales, but overall, I'm ready to move on!  Ready for my inbox to fill up again, prints to sell off the walls, drawings to be made, and warmer, sunnier weather.

Bring it on May.


Monday, April 29, 2013

EPIC FAIL today at the print studio.

Big ideas of printing on paper (to repurpose frames) were squashed by the realities of printing on paper.  (It's harder)

Had the great idea and really didn't consider the technical difficulties I would run into.  Such an easy mistake > you print out something on an inkjet and think it will be no problem to screen print it the same way.  It NEVER works out.

Now I'm at the point of either scrapping the whole thing, or doubling down.  Or just printing a one color simple print.  That is probably what I will end up doing.

So after the disaster of Saturday (unprepared, late decisions, late to the corcoran, then realizing it was closed anyway once I had already gotten here) - this does not sit well.  waste waste waste.  I just feel like a big waster.

Tomorrow is another day.  There really is no other way to look at it.

Friday, April 26, 2013

dear dave,

busy week - got a lot done, but feeling frustrated now Friday late afternoon, sitting at my desk, trying to plot a course for tomorrow's printing.

Creativity has just vanished.  My brain is all scattered, I have a huge splinter in my finger, and I can't work up any energy or excitement about any possibility I come up with.

Feeling a little print-spent.  Burned out on my epic saturdays of printing.  Probably just tired.

Spent a big chunk of the day on new shirts for Trohv.  Funny - a little bit of a creativity surge there.  Repurposed some drawings, and am really happy with the result.  But once i had decided I HAD to get them there today before the weekend, the rest of the day's agenda got distorted to make that happen.

So here I am.  Hopefully tomorrow morning I will be more inspired.

_____

week run-down:

Tuesday I turned this around, and finished all my prints.  Momma Bear, Dog with Balls, new Yesterday, and Waiting for You.  Was a good solid day.

Wednesday I got all those cut, framed, and wired, and got my new mothers day cards in.  Cards to Trohv, and orders filled.

Thursday I got all the new prints over to Buzz, and cards to the other Buzz.

wow - looking back I accomplished quite a bit...


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Monday, April 22, 2013

dear dave,

sitting in the corcoran lab, deflated after three and a half hours and no finished print to bring home.  Open studio is over, and it's time to call it a day.

working on some new prints.  Only a few more weeks of print time, so I'm anxious to get a lot done.

Good weekend.  Saturday I was here all day, and started then finished a bunch of commissions.  Soooo many little pieces to make, burn, and mix, but somehow I managed to get it all accomplished.  Wasn't so happy with the result until I got them back to my studio, and looked with fresh eyes.  It's always good to see it away from here (the corcoran).  It looks more finished or complete.

Took remi out, made a cake, and visited mom & dad in rockville.  A good solid spring weekend.

Feeling kind of separated from the time.  Too focused on future, or thinking about the past.  Wish I could chill out, and feel confidant in what I'm doing, and how things will go.

I keep comparing to last April/May (which was such a huge success).  Last year I was selling tons.  Last year I got that big card order.  Last year I was preparing for artomatic.

It's this year, right now.  Wish I could just sink into it, and feel content with where the fuck I AM.

commission prints






Thursday, April 18, 2013

rough couple of days.  taxes wiped me out monday, tuesday I printed, but felt deflated, wednesday I drew a lot, but started feeling kind of sick late in the day.

blah blah blah.

focused on the sad news of the week: Boston / DC / sunshine.  Hard to drag myself out, but I will.

Monday, April 15, 2013

new redbud print made saturday

branches selling at farmers market


Friday, April 12, 2013

dear dave,

pretty good few days.  longish days at the studio doing this and that.  Cards / boards/ sign/ emails/ shirts.  Just a little bit of everything.

Ready for tomorrow at the corcoran.  Some custom prints that should turn out well.

need to gear up for photography, now that the weather has warmed.  Slacking on that front.  T-shirts...feeling sluggish.  Wish I could figure out easier production.

drawing going a little better.  A few things accomplished this week.

Still working on taxes.  an overhang.  Will be happy when s e n t !

good MCA meeting last night.  All the characters were in place, with their standard scripts.  Still, we lerch towards progress.  postcard question resolved easily.  happy about that weight lift!

new sign installed!


kim doing her best cicada impersonation 

Thursday, April 11, 2013

so, photo below is unfair.  Im the only one that I didnt screw with.

today - taxes.  not so fun.


Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

dear dave,

another good productive day.

made it to TROHV early to drop off prints for their friday event.  Then to the corcoran later in the afternoon.  weather has changed dramatically - hot and humid and sticky.

pollo rico with the girls tonight.  Kind of distracted all day because of it.

great meeting last night.  So much fun to meet new fans.  They always inspire and make me excited to be doing what I am.  I seem to attract really cool people.

ok - off to quick buzz, then chicken.

Monday, April 8, 2013

good weekend.  productive and fun.  busy week this week.  more later
new prints!

new sign!


found wood!

Friday, April 5, 2013

dear dave,

late friday afternoon, and I'm sitting here at the corcoran, in the little cubby computer lab, waiting for screens to dry.  It's really beautiful outside, but here I am, with my depeche mode and ice coffee grande in a vente cup with extra ice.

Weird kind of day.  I vowed to be productive after some pretty loser days drawing, slacking, vacillating, and flopping.  Wednesday with Josie was AWESOME, but not much of a branddave day, and yesterday I drew a bunch, but not enough good.  Drawing has been so hard lately.  I just can't do what I want.  I'm stuck and blocked.

So today, I had some big hoops to jump through, but managed.  A trip to Home depot, to the post office, to both Buzz's, to the corcoran, and later, to axis.  Drop-offs, pick-ups, check-ins, prep work, wood purchasing, and package mailed.  Happy to have accomplished it.

working on my second version of Steve's cat commission.  First was a little rough, so I'm thinking it's best to make another, cleaner option.  This has been a commission of versions!

Tomorrow will be a full print day, and Sunday we made plans for a picnic under the cherry blossoms.  Driving by today, they haven't even really bloomed, yet Sunday they are supposed to be peaked.  I'm dubious.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

sneaky

sweet rolls

Red Sunflower seedlings


Sue & Sammy

new fence!

dear dave,

such a thrilling day spent with "the Josie", Irene's sister.  So much to talk about, cover, catch up on, discuss, and enjoy.  To revel in the past, and future that Irene never had.  It's all so weird and important and sad and exciting.  The lives we lead, the choices we made, and the life that was cut short.

I feel lifted up.  Like pinched out of a google map, so I can see such a wider shot of all the things that I have done and lived in the 20 years since Irene died.  It's so weird, there are so many huge things that brought me here to this place, happy with Hexy, Remi, and branddave.  And Irene was such a foundation to it.

I am blessed and lucky

I LOVED seeing Josie

I will always love and remember Irene.

http://branddave.blogspot.com/2007/08/august-23-2007-105-pm-great-falls.html

Monday, April 1, 2013

dear dave,

great weekend.  Saturday was spent raking, baking, and refencing out studio tree-box garden.

Easter was nice with Sue and mom & dad (and hexy) & Sam.  Restless boy with big paws.

This morning it felt official, spring is here!  Made it to the corcoran for another PARK reprint.  production session - print turned out great.

Things picking up - as hope and prayed.  Lots to do going forward.