a w e s o m e  day!  another big card order, ups'd prints, got rid of the old toilet from the porch, made a date with harry, coordinated pick-ups.

Accomplished!

feels good

tree box flowers

dear dave,

started good today, but feeling run down now.  Think im fighting something.

branddave is smoking hot lately.  I don't want to write that because I'm afraid to jinx it - but seriously, things are just amazing.  I'm selling so much, and have so much pending.  I'm bursting!

Struggling to keep up - but know I can!

hope to feel better tomorrow.
remi doing better...

dear dave,

such a typical holiday weekend!  Great going in, kind of depressing going out.

Hexy and I spent a lot of time together.  Mostly fun, but then you hit that point where you worry it's too much time.  Not much going on and super hot, so Monday was spent lazing around.  No new content.  No good tv.  No web updates.  Movies boring.  Friends busy.  Gym closed.  It became a little much...

We were so concerned about Remi Sunday night.  She seemed sick - not wanting to jump on the bed, not moving around much, sleeping in weird spots.

We took her to the emergency vet Monday AM, spent $150, and found nothing out.  Of course there she seemed just fine.  All systems pretty normal.

We took her home, she seemed better, but still a little odd.  I don't think we are out of the woods totally.  I hope we are!!  but fear there is something wrong.  She really was acting odd.  

Anyway, nice to be back working a the studio today.  Feeling productive.  I need to draw! which is turning into a struggle.   Need to settle in, and find my way.  We'll see.

Sad to be taking down Dolchezza show tonight.  Such a huge success!  I keep forgetting today that we are scheduled to go there tonight at 10 to take it all down.  Then I remember and feel bummed out.

dear dave,

I'm afraid I've arrived at the summer cliff I've been anticipating and dreading.

It's late Friday afternoon before the holiday weekend, and things grind to a halt.  Actually started yesterday morning.

Emails dry up - and everybody just vanishes until September.  Ugh - I really don't like it.  Frustrating work-wise, and lonely feeling.  Like everybody is having fun someplace else.  Suddenly here is not the best place to be.

Anyway, bad attitudes bring bad things.  So I need to cheer up (actually not that down).

Lots of things pending.  Fingers crossed payments come through, and I can cross that magical number I've come so close to reaching in my bank account.

I need to just E N J O Y the break this weekend, and recharge.  SOOOO needed.

-----

super hot weekend is forecasted.  Time to install the dreaded air conditioner in my studio window.  Another psychological and physical barrier.  I get sealed up in my space, door closed to capture the cool. Maybe I can hold out a little longer.

Chipotle with Hexy tonight.  Anticipating some sort of resolution with - - - - coming soon.  We'll see.

dear dave,

what a terrific day off yesterday, spent with Hexy, doing fun things.  We were so busy!

Drove out to Butler's to pick strawberries.  A fun spring ritual that I have to talk Hex into every year.  He wanted to just buy them at the store, but I managed to get him out in the field.

You know sometimes when you have a mental orgasm?  Your whole body and mind is just happy and stimulated.  You feel pure exhilaration.

Walking towards the cute field helper in the distance (at his pick-up handing out boxes) after parking in the grass, through the fresh cut grass/hay, on the hillside, breezy gentle wind, birds singing, muffled sounds of mother's and kids in the fields, bugs buzzing, with Hex, in the sun, mid week morning - I had that orgasm.  I just felt so happy in the moment.  All the memories of being with mom and family and friends years past, (in those same fields) came rushing back.  I just felt so incredibly happy.

The day just followed from there.  We picked quickly, then went back to Rockville to make shortcake, and waited for mom and dad to return from the dentist.

More memories flooded back, being in the quiet house, just Hex and I.  Baking in the kitchen together, thinking about all the thousands of times I've been there before.  It was such a magical moment.

Then Hex went into the living room and started gently playing the piano.  Just thinking about that brings me to tears sitting here writing about it.  It just felt so special.  I will never forget it!  

The rest of the day continued on like this.  It was one of those days I'll never forget.  Planting basil, burning pizza, escaping the rain, making more biscuits, strawberry apple smoothies, House Hunter's with Bill.

I am so lucky to have Hex to share these things with.  I love him (forever).

super fun day off

picking strawberries at Butler's

One poppy for the spring!  mail-order perennials planted years ago at my parent's

planting basil in Hexy's garden

2nd batch of biscuits, to share with Bill

Hex's Houseplants

I love these little vignettes Hexy creates with his house plants and orchids.  He brings them outside for the summer, to a shady spot under the trees in the garden.

Looking at these pictures I can smell the sweet air that surrounds this area.

I always love photographing them - he has such an eye.  Everything is arranged just so beautifully (and so Hexy like).  All lovingly cared for, so they can thrive.

this busy bee just keeps on buzzin'

Hit a major lull mid-day, but I managed to pull myself out of it.  Working over the weekend caught up to me.  All I wanted to be was done.

Hung up some new art at Dolcezza, and got some hard pretzels at Safeway.  A nice little break.

Show at Dolcezza ends next tuesday.  Sorry to see it end - it's been a major huge success for me!

Looking forward to the weekend.  Little plans - which will be nice.  Tomorrow should actually be great too - most of the day off with Hexy.  Replanting the marigold's at Jimmy's, picking strawberries, and making shortcake.

Bummer night shift at Artomatic though.

Oh well.  Over and out

from Homotography

The second issue of Nordic Man features models Adrien Brunier, Nate Hill, Spencer Draeger, and Theo Hall in 'Patsy, Pally, Pill and Pip', a quirky story photographed byHerring & Herring and styled by Jana Adler.

dear dave,

need (want) to get back in the blogging habit.

A great monday.  Productive with lots of print and tee inquiries.  Things are great.

Felt much more awake, but tired now.  Need to get home to Remi, then to the gym.  If I don't, I'll get myself stuck here, eyeballs attached to my screen, and burnt out.

So here is my chance to breakaway.  goodnight

preparing for open studios

picking up "Hate" from 4903

Megan's artomatic wall

Opening night at Artomatic

what a great afternoon/day/weekend/week/month/year/few years !!

Things have really been coming together - especially this past week.  Selling well on all fronts.  It feels great.

I'm tired to the bone.  Emotionally exhausted, but charged up.  I am really blessed.

----
Artomatic open and selling.  Not many shirts which has been a surprise.
MCA open studios a big success.  10 more minutes, and we will be closed.

Sooo tired after the past few days of running on empty.  I must stay up - because I hate the thought of the let-down that is before me.

Matt, today

more

dear dave,

Last night I took off at 5:30 and made the trek with my beloved Remi to Great Falls.  She really really needed to run, and I needed a break.

It was incredibly magical.  The woods smelled (and sounded) terrific, sweet and damp, with tons of bugs and frogs singing.  It all brought back so many memories of taking her there after work, and walking the loop.  Teaching her to be a good dog, and just enjoying the peace.  it really is an amazing place.

Of course she jumped through the mud - just like she always does.  Good old Remi.  She had a blast, and I did too.

The drive home was just as fantastic.  Radio blaring new Madonna, top down, empty dark roads, driving along the canal and the Potomac.  Such a great great time.

------
Things have slowed a bit at work since Monday.  I should be gearing up for Open Studios this weekend, but my body and mind is spent.  I keep pushing along, but on an empty tank.  Big plans to make tons of shirts, and shift prints around (Trohv / Buzz) are slowly devolving into just a few shirts, and sticking with what I have at the studio.  It's been hard to stay in 5th gear.  Last week wiped me out.

BUT -- June is a cliff.  I have to remember that!  Just like January, all this excitement will dissipate, and my email box will slowly empty.  This is the week to push!

There, I've done my best to psyche myself out.  KEEP PUSHING, and ride the wave.

via briefmagazine.com

busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy busy few days.

artomatic hung

dolcezza selling

garden growing

life is great

Accomplished a lot today! Most happy about transporting gaggle print from buzz to artomatic. Took a zip car and lots of logistics, but was all worth it. A great signature piece for the wall. Hating the t shirts. Hopefully I can quickly execute another alternative. Not so psyched about the blah office vibe (my white walls don't help!), but it's the artomatic we were dealt with this year. Should just feel happy it's up and I got a really great unique large space. Hoping for a restful weekend. Fingers crossed!

Dear Dave, All is good. I've been spending most of my time framing prints and preparing for artomatic. Yesterday was a power day. Most of my list got accomplished --painlessly. I've been having a hard time pulling together the show, figuring out what should be included. It's all been crazy the past few weeks, printing, selling, and replacing prints. A giant chess game all over DC, circulating prints around to all the different shows and stores. I delude myself into thinking I have some special insight into what will work best. It's all just random - and I have very little control over what will sell at each place. But I keep trying to get the perfect mix/collection at each. Anyway, much more to do today. Another power day!!

Another Wednesday night at artomatic. Time going by slowly. I'm ready to be done for tonight

dear dave,

hands stained with black ink, stinky feet sneakers, twitchy right eye, bushy hair, ill fitting grubby print clothes, stomach full of water -- here I am at my studio, after another long session at the corcoran today finishing a thousand odds and (print) ends.

I had had tons of space and time, and the studio was quiet except for the constant girl chatter next room.  It was a good chance to finish up the semester.

Really tired, and happy printing is impossible for the next few weeks.  I've overdone the printing time lately, trying to squeeze everything in for BUZZ Ballston, Trohv, Buzz arlington, Dolcezza, Artomatic, MCA, and everything associated with them all.  Happy to regroup for the summer, turn my attention to t-shirts, and draw.

NExt few days -- Artomatic install.  Sweating it all out, and will be glad to get through it.  Hopefully it goes all smooth.  No fights with Hexy, no disappointing compromises.  Fingers crossed!

now - remi > gym > shake shack

weekend (non branddave)

tree box garden - just before we cut the dead tree down

Remi's 10th bday cupcake

spring planting at Mom & Dad's.  Marigolds!

poppies at Temple Garden - wish we could save!

sunflower sowing for spring 12

dear dave,

great week that's ending in a big fizzle.  Started well, on track with printing and using my time.  By Thursday I was spent.  Still got things done, but not so efficient, and certainly didn't push myself much today.

Mentally I got really bogged down on this stupid interaction with a potential buyer which turned into this giant drama in my head centered around control.  I couldn't just let it go, even though it's essentially over. I just keep cycling the frustrations and arguments over and over.  It's such a weakness!  And a virus.

THings turned around nicely today sales-wise, which is terrific.

Got my new bday cards in, and got them out to Buzz.  Neglecting Trohv!

Other little things to note or record:

A little over Madonna, but still enjoy.  It was a quick love

Artomatic shift Wednesday night was torture at times, but when I interacted with people things changed.  A good fucking lesson Dave.  Talk to people.

Remi turns 10 tomorrow.  That blows my mind, but seems right.  A lot has happened in those 10 years.  I'm so much better for it.  +Hex -bsur

Somebody cut our first few flowers in the tree box, so Hex and I put up a larger fence.  and cut down the dead tree.  It's so great having this little garden.  We love it.

Tomorrow - last print day of the spring?  I'm thinking not, and that gets me anxious...

Artomatic coming up.  Got my box frames in.  A good idea, I'm psyched about it.  Also doing a "market day"  Another good move.

ok - time to leave for the night.

tree box garden, coming along!

Hexy's post-till and pre-manure

One amazing view at Great Falls overlooking canal

Another version (I like making these)

Dear Dave,

Sitting at artomatic, bored out if my mind. 4th hour of 5 hour shift. Really takes me back to past jobs, clock watching. Its a soul-sucker. Torture.

Sadly, it dampens my enthusiasm for the show. Bad art mashed together. Hope I can stand out. Feels like I'll blend into the yuck. Maybe I am the yuck too. Blah-it's depressing.

Busy few days at the Corcoran, using my last printing days up. The deadline seems like its extending, but I'm hoping NOT to give in to any temptation to break plan and continue printing. I need to move on. 

Overall, things going well. Anxious to move into a hopeful May. Great sales and new connections.