Pesto

I'm finally making some pesto, the first since last year. Step 1: rinse and let air-dry.
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Be a marrow donor

 This might be one of the easiest ways in the world to save someone's life:

 

 http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/index.html?src=tabjoin

 

It would be nice to be a hero with so little effort.

Churchill Downs

This is about ten inches tall. I drew it pretty quickly; this was about 6 hours of work.
 

 

The most dangerous game: trotline version

As I've mentioned, I've recently become obsessed with fishing. However, I don't really have time to fish. One impediment is my regular office job.

It just occurred to me that I could incorporate some catfishing trotline techniques into my daily routine. Quite a few people--the majority, really--here are at least a little catfish-like in their eating habits (I am, too). By which I mean that if any edible substance is left sitting around, it'll eventually get nosed out and consumed. Many of us circle, circle, circle the office prowling for food, then retire to our little cubicles for shelter as conditions change, or to digest our food, or to hide from predators or bright light.

I might satisfy my desire for angling by hanging fishing line from the ceiling in a few spots around the office, enticing morsels dangling...doughnuts, carrots, little packs of cheese crackers, Twizzlers, strawberries. Then I'd sit back and wait for a bite.

I guess maybe I shouldn't use hooks. I can tie the food on, and tie the other end to a camera. Or maybe even just a bell.

Double oil portrait: Done, or nearly so

Well, a couple of days ago I started saying I was done, but now that I've photographed it and seen it enlarged on my computer screen, I more clearly see a few tiny areas I might touch up. I'm pretty pleased with it.

 

This is 8 x 10 inches, on wood panel.
 

 

Rough house sketch, rejected

This is part of the preparation of a new house portrait commission.  As part of getting ready, I often do some rough sketches, then forward them to the customer so they get a basic idea of what it will look like.  This is a quick sketch at an angle I liked, but the customer asked me for a more frontal view (the house is so broad across the front that I'll have to change the aspect ratio from what was planned, making it longer but not as tall.)  So this is the first sketch, done in black and white.  I have done a second one in walnut ink, which has been approved.  I'll try to get that posted soon.

Lunch break sketch

I always lag behind in posting lunch break sketches.  This one is from more than a month ago; it's the old Bellevoir estate (again!) in charcoal.  It's very quick and rough, but I sort of like it.
 

 

Oil paints and brushes

Per an earlier request, here is a photo of my paint tubes in my paint boxes. Sorry, I wasn't going to get them all out and line them up. Maybe I'll do that again later.
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Portrait progress

I am still working on the eyes, hair, and clothing.

First fishing trip (part 2)

 

 

First fishing trip (part 1)

 

 

Campfire

I'd rather be sitting in the rain by a campfire than sitting in a tent and dry. (And for those of you who wish to comment that you'd rather be sitting on your couch at home--spare me.)
 

 

More camping photos

 

 

2nd cave tour

 These are a couple of photos from our "Frozen Niagra" tour at Mammoth Cave.

 

Clouds after the storm tonight

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Weird fishing occurrence

I don't know if Brian remembers this.

 

I was fishing with Brian at Long Run Park quite a few years ago (late 80s, I guess) when he caught two fish at the same time.

 

He threw out a line (a worm under a bobber) and after a few minutes he his bobber went under and he reeled in.  As he pulled it out of the water, we saw that he had not one, but two bluegill!

 

It's hard to explain how the second one was hooked, so I have added a crude illustration.

 

I had to look at it hard to figure out how it happened.  At first, I thought that he had somehow cast out with two hooks on his line, or that he had cast out a baited hook with another snelled hook accidentally stuck to it, and had caught fish on both.  This, however, was not the case.

 

The only way I could think that this could have happened is that he threw out his line as normal.  A bluegill grabbed it and was hooked as normal, with the hook going through his lip.

 

Meanwhile, there was another bluegill nearby who had a snelled hook (complete with looped leader) sticking out of his mouth after escaping the clutches of another angler.  This fish swam close to the first struggling fish, and the leader from his hook got caught on the point of Brian's hook.  And there he remained until he reeled them up into the air on the bank.

 

 

My art studio

At least for now...
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