new bio written today for Pulp:

Branddave was born while on a walk with my dog along a steep path in Rock Creek Park.  After working for many years at a t-shirt company I helped found, I was frustrated, and wanted a different outlet for my creativity.  A place where I had complete control, and total freedom.

All my artwork starts out as a simple drawing on newsprint.  Not really planned, just very spontaneous.  It's inspired by pop culture, my dog Remi, silly things online, and all the magazines I've obsessively read and collected for nearly 20 years.

I try to capture humor and awkwardness in my drawings--something really simple that will make someone smile.  

The original drawings then inspire me to go in different directions.  One could make a great card with just the right caption, or another could work on it's own, as a print.  They get mixed and match, all into this crazy world I've created called Branddave.

dear dave,

good weekend

sat - print, Bill/Anne/Hex Dolcezza, peach pie, sleep
sun - farmers market, Rockville, great falls, Lees, sleep (plus naked and afraid!)

productive day today.  LOTS to do, which is good.  ANother month changing over. summer waning :(

better day, thanks to Aaron Hoffmeyer, and ikea monkey!

not such a great day in my head.

anxiety
frustration
clutter
crazy
distracted
frustrated
blah

good productive saturday: finished prints, made peach pie, went to a movie.

relaxing social productive sunday:  brunch + buzz + rockville + nap + pizza with Lee

shitty monday:  vista print deadline, trouble drawing commissions, low creativity.

hopeful tuesday?  corcoran, shoot with Allison

Eric from our shoot yesterday.  Sooooooo fun!

Hex's pile

Toms at the beach

Grande in a venti cup with extra ice on an extra hot day

From this mess...

to this masterpiece!  tough commission to print...

Eric too

Remi soo much better!!

Mammoth, summer 2013

poor remi so sick

hoping (expecting) a speedy recovery with meds.

rough day yesterday worrying.

good day.  hot day.  stuck inside day.  blinds closed/ac full blast day.  odds & ends day. full day.  day over!

yowza,

days go by fast

are stressful

and go by fast.

Lets see -- thursday I was back at the corcoran printing commission (starting).  It has many many pieces, the colors are variations of grey (so, difficult), it's big, and the studio has been a shit-show (crowded).

Hours have been 9/10 - 1/2, and they go by way too fast.  All around frustrating.  Small steps forward, with few backwards.  So much set-up with very little actual printing.  Multiple screens to make, colors to work out.  Patience is king.

HATING the corcoran this summer.  SOOOOOOO crowded and talky and frustrating.  All I can do is endure.  It's just getting so sucky.

Next option: carolines?  or my own print studio (scary).  Thought about a kickstarter campaign.

Friday I did odds and ends.  Not enough  of either.   But I'm trying to keep moving forward, onward, and upward.

(get sick of writing this post.  grrr- summer be gone, hot weather be gone, stress be gone, creativity come back.  please!!)

dear dave,

days are flying by.  come in for coffee, drive over to corcoran for 4 hours, drive back to studio, follow up on pressing things, and prepare for the next printing day.  Feels like the work days are like 3 hours long.

Weird print schedule this week while they are using the studio afternoons for class.  Think I kind of like it, but really cuts into other things.

but, making good progress.

jimmy better, but not out of the woods.  I have pulled way back on my concern (but maybe too much?)

need to fly away - before the rain!!!!

remi  >  gym   >   hex+shake shack.

night!

x x x x x x


$  $  $

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PSB

:|

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weird odd strange couple of days.  Holiday + heat + malaise + Jimmy.

In the end:

I squeezed out some work.  Packed orders, made it to buzz, cleaned up a bit, updated site.

Got Jimmy settled at home.  Lifted up the couch, added board under cushions, did laundry, and planted.

Watched fireworks on tv, sort of.

July 4th is usually weird, unless it's not, but it usually is.  Hexy not feeling well, and I'm all rattled about Jimmy.  Well it's over, and this weird friday is over, and its SUPER hot & humid, and I just really want to hibernate.

too hot
too early
too late
too much
too hard
too expensive
too long


wishing for just right.

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dear dave,

another weird week.  they stack up.  It's cloudy and muggy and vacationey.  The city is on pause until after the holiday - but actually until September.  Sleepy summer has settled in.

Feeling lots of angst concerning Jimmy.  I'm so concerned for her, and just feel weighted down by worry.  I wish I could let it go - things will work out and be ok, but I just feel so focused on her upset, and I can't shake it off.  She comes home tomorrow.  I pray she can recover.

I made it through June ok.  She had her surgery, I got Dolcezza hung, and continue on with projects.  I just have to stay positive, and fight this shitty feeling.  Let go of the idea that I have any control over what happens, take a deep breath, and continue on.

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