Semester Assignment Rundown

FINALLY! Today, or last night, was the final day of school for spring 2010 semester at the Academy of Art. I have been enrolled there online to earn my Masters degree. It's been a tough semester even after getting a little settled down after last semester...which was HELL. I did ok in this class though. I did miss the final though. I didn't realize it was a week prior to the last day. But hey, I was with my wife in the Hospital waiting for the nurse to tell us the baby wasn't coming yet....and then we were sent home. Nothing yet. Any time now though. I figure my brain took a vacation....but the FINAL...AH, I could have nearly aced it! Sigh. Well, now I get to see what Grade I get in the class. If it is satisfactory, I get to go back in the fall. If not, then I do not know what I will be doing. I will have more time now to focus on work at least. It is just waiting to see if enough work comes to pay bills. Lots of bills...you know, like everybody else who is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Good luck to all of us. I'll post pics of the baby when she comes. We think we have the name picked out as Sarah Rachel Williams. We'll let you know if the name sticks when she arrives. :D Take care everyone. Enjoy!!!

Burn-out ?

I need a Eu-catastrophe...and for those of you who don't know what that is, go look up the word. In essence, the word is a description of the sudden turn of events in a story to good. The opposite of Catastrophe then. Because catastrophe is that sudden turn of events to evil...or simply to great sorrow and unhappiness. Both extremes are part of long planning which are in motion all around us. Many things are in place from outside our view to bring both to our door. Choice is a pivotal element on our part as well. Attitude also. But regarding this eu-catastrophe, I would be well pleased to meet with victory my battles that seem worn down to a doomed defeat. It may be easier understood in the sense, that in life we meet with wounds. And thus we need healing. Healing is not a delusional idea in life, yet events, systems, ideas, plans, and otherwise would pose it as a foolish idea. Defeat is not the TRUTH...save it would make truth an engine for our destruction. TRUTH is Light, and Light is healing.

Some Joy and Happiness would be welcome. Breaking my familiarity with the opposite would be nice...because I have been cynical for far too long. I wish everyone the best. Victory may come out of apparent defeat. Hold on, and pray a little longer. :)

Frustrating or Sad?

Too often we ask too little of the Lord.....and then too much of the world. Is it any wonder that we are disappointed so often with progress? Is it any wonder that we are often taken advantage of? Perhaps it is most disappointing that we do not believe the Lord is capable of providing. Who is He that we can rely on Him we might ask. Sad indeed.
I say this mostly because things in life get out of hand quickly. Capable as we are, there is so much in the world today that is designed to take advantage of our time, our work, our effort....and leave us abandoned. The world is merciless. I imagine that is why the Lord admonished us to trust in His arm... and not in the arm of flesh.

Progress?

This week is catch up week for school. I have lots of assignments to adjust and turn in. This post is one of many. It is the most recent however. Soft Pastels are difficult to use, but more than that, I still need to work on my color theory...this pastel painting was supposed to be an analogous color painting. Something I still need to learn...sigh. Anyway, Enjoy!!!

Wishing

I really wish I had time to post more. I finally got some carpet installed into the studio/office today. And that was with everything still in the office mostly. You see, I made the office in the garage out of 1.5 in blue styrofoam. Why you ask?  Because we are renting this home and I couldn't build anything permanent. So after 5 or so rolls of Duck Tape...a 12x13 studio/office. I had spare chunks of carpet on the floor, but after talking to a friend who had some extra carpet, he gave me exactly a size I needed for the office. I have rearranged it too, but still have final touches to put together, like putting the computer back in there. I had to take it into the kitchen while this mess happened because I still have a lot of work to do. On other notes, I have completely left one of my classes for dead. When we found out the Landlords wanted us to move a month and a half ago...I kinda panicked like most people do. Now, we didn't have to move, but we looked for new places and stressed. Also, the class I am loving, head drawing, is suffering right now. I keep falling behind. So, I really need to finish the adjustments to a job I have tonight, finish the office tomorrow, and then POUNCE on my homework like a cat on a bird. Otherwise, this class will take flight and I will never see it again. I'm reminded of a little kid who gets a helium balloon, and accidentally lets go of it. There is no retrieving that thing! My professor commented on my poor status with the perfect chastisement. I appreciate his directness, honesty, and the reality he laid out, but I ended up feeling the grand scale of life....that it was the balloon and I had just lost it to the skies. Drama, drama, drama, I know. A hundred bucks every day I'm positive and you would be really poor. :) Fortunately for me, my dear wife senses these moments of my life somehow and supports me and reassures me. After all, the sayings about  being close to victory while feeling you've reached a total dead end....well, endure a little more, one more sand dune, and there will be the ocean. Hard work is NEVER a bad idea no matter you circumstance. Just be wise what work you choose to do. :) I'm really hoping a company hires me that I have been doing little spot jobs for. I could really use the stability after all these years of scraping along. If anything, I am just glad that finally I had a day that was not as plagued by my coughing fits that started two weeks ago. Word of advice: avoid sweets late at night. You might wake up with a very sore throat! Then there is the fact that I have had Bronchitis before and have to be careful about that. I think that is why my coughs are so bad sometimes. Well, here is hoping that the forecast of snow tonight doesn't come true. You never know. This is Idaho, and it has to snow at least once every month! :D

Take care everybody.

Private Show

Shaun asked me to post these pictures for him. Not exactly sure what he wants said about them, but here goes. He got a call from an old professor who wanted to put some of Shaun's artwork on display at a local nursing home (The Homestead assisted living on West Main in Rexburg). I'm not sure if the public can come and look at it or not, but it's at the Homestead on Main St. in Rexburg. He placed about 31 images for display. Oh, the painting above the piano is not his.

Dark again?

Well, this is the dark background applied again. Maybe it is the contrast in the lighter one. I could make the overlaying elements less pronounced...what do you all think? :D

Background lightened

So, this is the lightened version of the same background. Now that I see it in a different light, :D I wonder now about the contrast and readability of the text. Anyway, you can see the design much better. :)

Background

A new background? What do you think? Is it too dark? My screen is pretty bright, so let me know if it is too dark and nothing shows up. :D

Will we?

We kind of have the option of signing a 3 month lease...but not a 6 month lease. That is if we "think we can do it" which is interesting. These are easily the best landlords we have ever had, albeit a tad bit overly concerned, and easily the best place we have ever lived. This last year has been a monster to most of the people I know. It has attacked our responsibility and our confidence through unemployment and tight pockets. Foremost in my frustration is the fact that in no way do people have less time than they ever did before...yet as it always happens "time = money" is a broken concept in these times. Time will forever and always end up meaning debt in some way much more strongly than meaning money. Sure it sounds negative and pessimistic...when we forget the part forgiveness plays in life. I'm not suggesting we become lazy and forgive all our debts. I am suggesting we are heavily bound to either some kind of debt far beyond our means, or bound to a system that takes advantage of our debts by compounding them. We have the time...we couldn't have any more (unless we worked together). Why is it compensation for our time is so low when the price for our needs are so high? We don't need compounding penalties to make it harder.

Well, remember folks...I'm an artist. You don't actually need me. I'm not a necessity of life. But the next time you go to the store to buy a product, the next time you go to get your car fixed, when you go on vacation....stop for a moment and imagine a world without the artists touch. This isn't to say that there isn't bad art. lol. I mean simply, that you are surrounded with our effort to make your life more meaningful hopefully. At least for my part. Book covers, tv designs, movies, furniture, phones, computers, clocks, shoes, clothes, glasses, wallets/purses, homes, cars, product packaging, even the dollar bill is designed by an artist. Many of you are artists in some way...its just that some of us do it exclusively and try to make ends meet with it.

Should I have written this? Not sure. Am I the perfect model of what an artist is?  Absolutely not. I may have typical characteristics, but I am unique I'm sure. And so, I may have spent this time and only accrued a debt to you for wasting your time, but I ask only that you forgive me if you disagree or do not understand. Otherwise, Take a moment to reflect on what made sense, and laugh at the rest. :) My latest influence has been in this quote about faith in Christ:
        "If you are helpless, He is not. If you are lost, He is not. If
        you don't know what to do next, He knows. It would take
        a miracle you say? Well, if it takes a miracle, why not?"
                                                                                                                   -Pres. Boyd K. Packer

The sun rose today beyond the winter clouds. My kids have given me hugs to let me know they love me. My wife has reassured me with the same, and I have a lot of work to do. I wish the best to all of you. I thank all of you who lift me up when I am down.