Pizza

Here are two of the four small pizzas I made yesterday. They came out GREAT.

St. Louis City Museum

climbing around at the City Museum

At the City Museum, April 6

Down through a tree trunk, and down through the floor

8x10 inch pen and ink house portrait

Finished tonight

photo: maple sugar manufacturing demo

From the Maple Syrup Festival at Leane and Mike's Sugarbush, near Salem, Indiana, March 5, 2016.

Almost-radar note

I found this in change at work last week. I keep my eyes open for radar notes (palindrome serial number), and this is the closest I have ever found.  And it is a star note, too! Not bad.

Samoa cookie drawing

My 10-year-old daughter drew this cookie with a pencil and markers. When I first looked at it, I thought she had cut it out of a photo. I am impressed!  The white highlights on the chocolate stripes really accent the dimensionality, but she said that part was an accident.  I told her that fortunate accidents are a key component to many great works of art. 

Two Pen and Ink House Portraits

Here are a couple of house portraits I finished over the past few weeks. Both are in the 8 x 10 range.  The first one below is actually a little longer than that; the house was so broad across the front that I had to increase the size a little for it to look right.  Both were done with a combination of sumi ink/dip pens, and disposable drafting pens.

House portrait - Crescent Hill

House Portrait - St. Matthews

End of Whiskey Row

January carrots

I just pulled these from the partially frozen earth in my back yard. First of the year! No, wait...the last of last year's! ...or maybe a bit if both.

Mice & Mystics on the living room floor

We started Chapter 5 of Mice & Mystics late on Sunday afternoon, but only got through the first room before we had to stop for the evening. It is still sitting out, waiting for us to finish it.

As with any game, there are good things and bad things.  I like the game quite a bit, but my biggest complaint is that, at least while playing with kids, getting through a chapter can be a bit time consuming.  This one is seven rooms long (I think).

Fortunately for me, my oldest daughter is eager to keep playing.

Ohio River, Icy Day

At work, boxing it up, putting it away

See ya next year, Christmas!

Game night with friends

Some old friends and their kids came over for dinner. Then we stayed up past midnight playing Sheriff of Nottingham, Telestrations, and Beyond Balderdash, with wine, tea, and lots of leftover holiday chocolate. This was, to me, a great way to be closing out the Holidays. Now begins the long slide into the back half of the school year, and the less festive portion of winter. Maybe more hanging out with friends will break up the dreariness.

Was good Christmas. See many family. Talk many.

Was good Christmas. Ate many cookies. Ate many fudge. Still eat many both.

Was good Christmas. Unwrap many gifts. Still paper scraps on floor.

Now is time between Christmas and New Year. Parties and fudge numb brain. Sky gray and wet. Lights pretty.

A game of Dixit on Christmas night

Obi-Wan Kenobi Pizza Hut Tumbler

I threw this away a few days ago.  It was a Pizza Hut Star Wars promotional item from 1979, during a re-release of the movie.  

I remember having more than one of these cups, and using them in our kitchen, but at some point not long after we got them I started using this one as a water cup for painting.  I used it while paining pictures, and I used it for painting figurines, and I kept using it through high school and college.  I must have used it from time to time since college, too, but in recent years it's mostly been in a box, saved for sentimental value.  

It was encrusted with layers of dried paint-water on the inside; the lettering had mostly faded on the outside; and the plastic was brittle.  I did some garage de-cluttering over the weekend to prepare for Christmas, and decided it was time to say goodbye.  Goodbye, Ben!

And then I went and saw the new Star Wars movie, which was good.

7 x 10 inch pen and ink house portrait

A couple of nights ago I finished this house portrait, which was the last one I needed to get done with a due date of Christmas. Whew!  Now I can take a breath...but I also need to start on a few more that I owe for people who have gift certificates.  There are two of those, and the people who hold the gift certificates have been very patient.  After those two, I have another commission, plus two more probables that I discussed with someone today.  That should keep me busy into spring, but I hope to get a chance to work on some drawings and paintings on my own.

This drawing is 7 x 10 on Bristol board.  I didn't use any thinned down sumi ink on this one.  In the reference photo, the big tree was right in front of the door.  I had to judge from other, older reference photos was the door would look like from this angle, and moved the tree forward and to the right just a little.

It's been another busy year.  I am immensely happy that so many people have liked and admired my work enough to commission artwork from me.  There are so many other artists--some known to me personally--whom I admire as being more diligent, disciplined, and skilled than I am, so it's hard for me to feel too proud of my work.  ...But I am thrilled by all the compliments I get, and very happy that people enjoy the images I produce.

I hope readers of this blog have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a great New Year.

"Break!"

Pen and ink house portrait

This one is 7 x 10 inches

Pen and ink house portrait

Ballpoint pen doodle