Friday, 24 December 2004 - 1:01 PM CST

Merry, Merry Christmas RDD!

Thank you for all your hard work in keeping this site and community up and running. I know it couldn't have been easy, but you have done a wonderful job.

Happy Holidays also to Captainhoof, Rance, and all of you in the community here. Be happy, and be safe!

Friday, 24 December 2004 - 1:35 PM CST

Merry, Merry Christmas to you too kj...enjoy your time off.

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 12:20 AM CST

RDD,
Happy holidays! Great work on keeping this site alive for us. Hope you have a great Christmas and get some well-earned rest. Peace & joy for 2005 everyone!

P.S. Rance, you have a great Christmas too (wherever you are). Incidentally, I experienced Fatburger for the first time just a couple of days ago. I don't know who you are, dear Rance, but you certainly know a good burger. More on this later.

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 2:49 PM CST

As if I am that organized :)

I'll see what I can do.

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 6:32 PM CST

I can't believe it, I can't! It's snowing in New Orleans. It's stick-to-the-ground snowing in New Orleans! It is righteous and soft and I feel an odd feeling. The sort of feeling one gets from experiencing an overwhelmingly incredible piece of art. And I get to share it with the whole city! Even the poor kids in the projects get to see it. They were loving it, too. I was driving by and saw some kids gathering together the snow on the tops of cars and making small Pillsbury Doughboy sized snowmen. I was told that the last time it snowed here was 15 years ago.

On the topic of incredible art: About a month ago, my boss commissioned me to do a double portrait of her parents for xmas. She gave me a photo to work from of 2 old lookin' folks doing a goofy pose at a Mardi Gras ball. I really dislike this kind of thing, but artists have to make compromises to be able to sustain themselves as artists. Actually, it is this compromise, this line you walk between the commercial and the soulful that is a major defining characteristic of an artist... but not just an artist, of anyone really. Fuck me hard if I ever err on the side of commercial. ANYWAY... I did this painting for my boss. It turned out ok. My boss loved it except she said I made her stepmom's nose too big. She ran upstairs and returned with more photos of her stepmom, and upon comparing them to my rendering, she realized her stepmom's nose actually IS that big. She had me change it anyway. As an artist, I felt like a little bitch, but she is my boss. So today, I'm driving home from dinner with her (in the snow, mind you) and I ask if her parents received the damn painting. She was completely silent for about 5 seconds and I almost asked again, when she told me that her parents were really picky and materialistic and didn't like it. Apparently, they made a point to say it was tacky, and that it looked nothing like them. Now this isn't exactly my fault, since I painted from a photograph, and I had to change one of the faces to make it less shnozzle-heavy. My boss said that I tend to paint people "warts and all". I don't know how to take that. I just paint what I see. She told me that my work sometimes reminds her of Philip Pearlstein's, in that he captures the harsher realities of life. I've always thought Pearlstein's work was beautiful and tender. I'm so confused. Check out Pearlstein at that link if you feel so inclined.
http://worldart.sjsu.edu/4DACTION/HANDLECGI/CTN1?theKW=PEARLSTEIN&RefineSearch=NewSelection

I keep reminding myself that the people that think my painting is tacky are the same people who have a photo-realist painting of a beaver (the animal) hanging in their guest room.

More on the topic of snow, and stuff: Today I noticed that something as lovely as a flurry of falling snow can look like a swarm of erratic insects when viewed from a certain angle. When I looked up at the snow against the white sky, it had a shadow and looked like dirt, or bugs. When I looked down at the snow against the buildings and cars, it looked like falling God. It is amazing how different something can look depending on perspective.

Robyn

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 8:13 PM CST

Robyn,

I have checked out your website and believe me when I say that you couldn't do a bad painting if you tried...

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 8:31 PM CST

Great that you're enjoying the snow Robyn! It must be mesmerizing if you're not accustomed to seeing it often.

Too bad about the boss & parents, but their loss. Do you have a website? I would be very interested in seeing your art.

Happy Holidays,
CG

Saturday, 25 December 2004 - 10:02 PM CST

We've been stuck in ice all week here; was looking forward to New Orleans next week thinking it was gonna be all fun in the sun. Should I check weather.com before I come? I surely wouldn't have anticipated snow there.

I don't know what to say about your "dilemma" other than screw 'em. Most artists aren't appreciated until after they are dead anyway, right? Well, not sure if that helps, but I guess you should stay busy creating other cool things in the mean time....

Sunday, 26 December 2004 - 8:44 AM CST

We got hit with 24 inches of snow in one day. In the next county over there was also ice which caused down power lines and loss of electricity to nearly the whole county. The last few days have just been about snuggling down with a good book, a good movie, and a hot drink....
Now it's back to work tomorrow!

Sunday, 26 December 2004 - 9:57 AM CST

Y'all-

Thanks for the kind words. I really hope, though, my post didn't sound like I was fishing for them. I was just a wee frustrated and these blogs help exorcise that sometimes.

Curious Girl- go to the link under my name.
Snubby- I don't think it is going to be very cold when you come, but check the reports. I believe they say we will be back in the 70's by Friday.
KJ4Ever- check your email... I've sent you a pretty bad one.

Robyn

Sunday, 26 December 2004 - 11:25 AM CST

hi there everybody! i hope your holiday was great. christmas with my 2 grandgirls was fantastic. they tore into everything so quickly you couldn't tell who gave them what. then tried to play with it all at once. the big one was the sleds they got. we don't have snow yet, so they "sledded" and then "surfed" in my mom's living room. as much as i hate snow (my old bones ache), they might even get me out there to sled!

kisshugs!

nastrovia

Sunday, 26 December 2004 - 7:35 PM CST

Robyn,

Your email didn't sound like you were fishing, just venting your frustration. I have just looked at you web page and your paintings are realistic and moving... and art should say something about the subject and the artist. Your art tells me that you have compassion, are realistic and also have a great sense of humour! Don't let your detractors get you down... you know the saying: you can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time, so you might as well please yourself. Your art comes from the heart, and is an expression of who YOU are, so there's no right or wrong way for it to look, other than how you want it to. But aside from all that, I would kill to be half as talented with a paintbrush or sketchbook as you obviously are.

Gnomie.

Sunday, 26 December 2004 - 7:40 PM CST

I hope you all had a wonderful Xmas with your loved ones. I had a scorching hot Xmas day in the summer sun with a good old-fashioned Aussie BBQ. My children got more presents than they knew what to do with, but the two highlights of the day were my eldest riding his miniature Harley Davidson Chopper up and down the street, and my father running around with the children having a water fight! He was the biggest kid of them all! All in all, it was a fun family day... just what it's all about! Merry Xmas all... and recover well for the New Year's coundown has begun!

Gnomie.

Monday, 27 December 2004 - 3:13 AM CST

I suppose the holiday is "officially" over for the rest of the world now; so, I hope everyone had a good one.

I'm off to Virginia and then down to New Orleans.

If I can, I'll drop in for New Years; if not, I'll see everyone in 2005!

Hey Santa, thanks for the shiny new ride. It sure will make the trip a lot smoother! And my cool new camera to take pics along the way... I sure am a lucky gal!