Thursday, January 28, 2010

dear dave,

I am in major stall mode. The last few things need to be moved. They are the hardest. Fragile and loose. Hex and I did a major haul last night. One trip did the trick, which shocks me. So happy to have all the big stuff taken care of.

I need to buck up, and finish. NOW!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Dear Dave,

Driving in today I remembered that I forgot to write anything yesterday. That breaks a long streak!

Making my move - which means hauling all my stuff from the old studio to the new. Always a bigger project than is ever estimated. But I'm so happy that it worked out so I can use my larger rental car while my tiny saucer of a miata is being repaired. I was rear ended in December, and the timing worked out so that this is the repair week. Lucky for me, because the miata is USELESS for moving.

Anyway, things are going fine. Im unfolding my office like origami crane, since everything is so neatly packed away. It's amazing how much I've managed to pack into this small space!

Valentines are selling well. Im encouraged by my little foray into card making. I always thought that would be a good avenue for my drawings. Happy to be moving forward with it.

Probably best to get back to the move. Its another short day. More later?

Monday, January 25, 2010

VALENTINES!!



Birds of a feather flock together!




I give you my heart.




Kissss Me!




I'll never leaf you!


http://www.branddave.com/freehand/valentines.html
haha

I feel better now.

It's amazing what a little food can do. Just popped a quick sandwich, and I'm back in business.

Friday SUCKED, and saturday at the corcoran didn't go down much better. One step forward, 3 1/2 steps back. That seems to be the pattern lately. HORRIBLY frustrating, but it's not like it's in the plan. Things just don't seem to be going smoothly.

made some shitty choices. Bad ink color, bad envelope color, should have taken the VISTA credit, should have printed one board at a time. SHOULD HAVE!!!

So I've wasted some small amounts of money, time, paper, and paint.

------

Now it's monday, time to reset.

Working towards moving the studio this week - which should go smoothly. My new space is painted, so I can begin bringing stuff over. All in good time.

Anxious to get back to the Corcoran, and back on track. With drawing, photographing, selling, editing, websiting, all of it. I feel like I've been stuck in a swamp. When will I finally pull myself out?

Friday, January 22, 2010

haha -
thwarted ALL day! Im stuck in this time trap. Plan to get back on track. I feel like Im losing my mind. Hopefully more later.

Thursday, January 21, 2010



dear dave,

January 21! Three years with my wonderful HEX. Three years ago I was driving home from Baltimore in the snow, after meeting with Courtney about starting up BRANDDAVE, on my way back to DC to meet up with Hex for the first time.

It's crazy to think how FATEFUL some moments are. What a turning point for my life. I went back in my blog to see if I wrote anything about it, and my blog didnt even start for a few more days after. Those were heady days. All this NEW energy inside. Its exciting to see where it all led.

Anyway, I am SO lucky to have met him, and to have him. He is such a wonderful guy, and partner. FOREVER HEXY!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010




dear dave,

more of the same. Making lists, so I'm getting things done. It's going to be a busy few weeks. There are so many little events going on. I need to plan my time well.

Excited to have a little stint at the doctor's office. That will give me a little spending $.

Tried some AmA shirts, but I'm constantly ordering wrong. Very frustrating and typical. Oh well - I'm getting closer to what I want (I think). LOVING Alpha's return policy.

Went back to 1716 this morning.. Seems like all the prep work could be endless. I scraped and scraped then swept up the whole room, and decided it's time to move on- then went back to scraping.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Dear Dave,

Remi still sick

planning valentines

making lists

making underwear prints for sheon

excited to get back to photography

Corcoran starts Saturday!

Anxious to paint my studio floor

The sun is out

I love Brady Earnhart!

Monday, January 18, 2010



Remi came with me to work today, after a short walk in the woods at Rock Creek. Poor baby hasn't been feeling 100% lately. She can't seem to shake a stomach flu.

We did some quick (super effective) clean-up at 1916, and bought some paint. I got a terrific charcoal grey for the floor, and off-white/cream/tan/grey for the walls. It think it's going to look really great, and I'm going to be really happy there. Excited for it all to come together!!
Dear Dave
sort of working today, sort of not.

We made some major progress on the new studio yesterday. going back tonight to paint. Im really happy with the way things are shaping up, and am super excited to be downtown.

typing a post on my iPhone is not as easy, so I think I'll just stop here. More later

Friday, January 15, 2010



Dear dave

Valentines cards came out cute! Planning to get them up on the site soon.

Today is very friday. I have a bunch of little things to take care of. Trying to plan my printing schedule, and taking care of loose ends. Feel kind of blah, which never helps matters. All will be fine, I just need a few more things to come together.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

dear dave,

Waiting for Barb to pick me up, so we can check out the Design House space she will be working on. We want to get the scale of the print I'm making for it just right. Fun.

-----

Just returned from my little outing with Barb. What a great house, and terrific space that she gets to work with. I'm super excited for her, I think it is going to be a really interesting room. Can't wait to see it all come together. I'm going to start work on the print today. I want to make sure its 100% perfect.

Still working on my site too. I need to overhaul the portfolio section. It's awkward to run through, and very muddled content-wise. I have been really struggling with what to show. Since my focus shifted to t-shirts, my drawing is centered around them. What do I show in the portfolio that's different, but compliments the "shop"? And the prints need to be updated as well. Looking at it, all I see is a jumbled mess. Maybe that's just me.

Having an early lunch, then back to work.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

dear dave,

I'm having the hardest time getting to the studio early. Today was seemed to have 1,000 things to do before I could leave the house.

Dinner last night with Tom and Michael was great. I had a terrific time getting to know them, and sharing a bit about my work. I'm really excited to be working with Tom - I think it will be great for both of us.

Nice to talk about my artwork, and think about new plans. Larger pieces, and back to a bit more abstraction. Feels nice to be setting out in a direction I'm excited about.

REALLY SUPER HAPPY for Barb, who will be designing a sitting room for the upcoming Washington DC Design House. Icing on the cake: She has commissioned a large screen print for the space! I'm really excited to be involved, and part of her design. I think it will look amazing.

Plans for today: drawing and website editing. Time to beef up my biography!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

dear dave,

its still soooo cold. It seems to be hindering a lot of activity. All I want to do is curl up.

All energy is towards end of the month and moving. And starting up at the Corcoran again.

Plan to work on some larger pieces. Time to break up my 24" x 24" mold. And brighter colors. Maybe back to paper as well. Excited to get back into the swing of things.

Worked a bit more on my site, but think my energy should be put towards adding content, not reorganizing things. Thinking about taking out movies and photos altogether. Feel unsure about all that. The portfolio part is really stale though. I need to freshen that all up.

Would love to be shooting some more pictures, but weather is too much of a factor. Maybe once I move I can get into a new routine. We'll see.

I don't know this guy, but he sure is cute, so I had to post him. Found thru friends on facebook. Maybe it's just a killer picture. He can't possibly be this cute in person, all the time. Can he?

Monday, January 11, 2010

dear dave,

all set to rework website, only to change back most of my new work. I can't seem to let myself do template style work. I always want to break the mold once I've established it. I love variety over consistency. Some pages just call for different set-ups. I hate feeling hemmed into a template.

Oh well. Not sure how to change things up. My energy should shift to drawing. That always lights the path.
dear dave.

update day! time to mix things up a bit.

stay tuned

Friday, January 8, 2010

I wish I could have this week over again. What a total wash-out. And what a wonderful capper -- my car needs a new clutch. BOO.

Working on site - making it more consistent and focused. Wish I started Monday at 10am, instead of Friday @ 3. So many regrets. ALL AROUND FRUSTRATION with myself. SHOOT!

Corcoran tomorrow - but not thinking it will be very productive. Make-up day.

Oh well. Maybe I need this time to regroup, and fortify for the future.

BEFORE



New studio is on 14th St. NW between R and S. Super-cool rough space, set up like an apartment. This is just the before, wait till you see the after!!
dear Dave,

Working hard(er) on showing my prints. Have a few promising leads, but all are very "alternative". I have this weird desire to chart different paths, which sometimes seems like a stupid thing. I'm thinking too small. I need to have bigger dreams and goals. I have been way too happy with small successes.

It's hard to admit, but I've been having a hard time lately. Long stretches go by with little results, and my resolve weakens. Momentum is lost, and fear kicks in. I feel time slipping by.


-----------------

FLIPSIDE

I'm moving to a new studio.
I'm so happy with Hexy.
I'm soo happy with my decision to leave bsur.
My artwork is unique and distinctive, and very recognizable

I just need to keep the faith, and keep working hard. START working harder. I know I can succeed. I have more power then I know.

Look - this is difficult. I jumped off a cliff without much of a parachute.

I can do it.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

dear dave,

It's official - I'll be moving to a new studio with Tom. Super excited!

Now I need to eat lunch, and get started with my day!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Dear Dave,

I just don't know. How to keep moving forward. Things have stalled (again).

I have stuff to do, but I'm not sure any of it is getting me anywhere. More like loose ends.

I'm avoiding drawing, which I think is the real source of my angst. This computer screen in front of my is just tooooo big. A sponge that sucks me in all day. Prying myself away is becoming a harder task. But I must! So that is the end of today's post. Hopefully, I'll have some drawings to post later.


I am such a huge Garret Neff fan.
This shot is by Alexi Lubomirski for GQ Japan.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010



Dear Dave,

Funny how things turn. Sunday I'm hiking with Remi in Rock Creek, and loving all the acorns that are sprouting roots along the way.

Monday I am emailed a call for entry about trees in the city, and my mind easily skips to the acorns I've just seen the day before. Above is my design for the Urban Forest Project. Artwork will be printed on banners and displayed throughout the city this spring, then repurposed and sold as canvas totes. Pretty cool! Hope I get chosen. Such a great thing, and hopefully, another way to promote myself. We'll see.

Other then that, not much to report. Pushing hard to rent out Studio 4903, and super excited to move to 14th St. Go Tom!

Monday, January 4, 2010



dear dave,

January is a blank slate! Hoping to get back into a groove with work. Hexy also wants to go to LA, which could be in the cards. We'll see.

Sitting at my desk, not getting much done. I took this picture on my walk with Remi. All along the path were sprouting acorns. They were busy latching themselves to the ground with a single root coming out of each. Really cool. Time marches on. Every day a little growth is made.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

dear Dave
thinking about the whole gay shirts thing and feel like it's such a good idea.

excited to hopefully make a big sale--we'll see.

such a long holiday. I'm ready to get back.

Freezing weather. Walk with rem in the woods today was nice, but frigid.

Anxious about family stuff, money stuff, work stuff, friend stuff, studio stuff, creative stuff, tax stuff, and gym stuff.

welcome to the new decade! it will probably take 10 years for all this STUFF to work itself out!

Friday, January 1, 2010

happy new decade!!!

lazy day