Well...if you read the blog early this morning you saw something completely different than what is here now.



I woke this morning to some more emails...good points of views...didn't agree with the majority...but, good points of views.



I can be very stubborn...most of the time...I think that's what has gotten me this far in life. However, I think we can choose our battles...



I'm not looking to change anyones point of view with regard to thier religion. I'm not looking to start a new religion.



I wrote a reply to a dear friend regarding the last blog...here it is.



I think that there is a lot in the bible that has been translated over 1000's of years.

I think that we don't know what reality is. Whose reality? Gods reality? The reality of the people who wrote it?

I understand that the Divinci Code is entertainment...but, the thing that makes my skin crawl at times is all of the fighting over religion...wars, people trying to get people to be reborn, paying so much attention to others and the way they live...right or wrong, that they don't pay attention to how they themselves live.



So...it is faith that tells us that the bible is not fiction...not people.

It's faith that tells our hearts what is good and what is bad, not people.

It's ultimately up to each of us I believe to continue to ask questions.

Religion I believe more times than not gets in the way of God.



That's just me...no surprise there.

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Now, I don't know if that sounds angry or that I'm pissed off...but that's where I am right now.



Where are you?

Dream Big, Dare to Fail

Ok, as much as the critics and all of the religous lamers didn't like the movie, I did.



For all you freaks out there who say that it was propoganda and that the only true word comes from the Bible...I ask you what the Bible is, but stories, picked over from thousands of years after the big guy died...and then put into a book.



Maybe the Bible is propoganda...I know, I'm going to hell...but, I'm here to tell you...with all the "good christian lemmings" out there that speak out of both sides of their mouth, saying one thing and doing another...well...enough, I could go on about my thoughts about this for a while...but, don't have the verse to make it a worthy battle...all I have is what I believe...which is all any of us have.



The movie as well as the book...like the bible, gives people something to think about.



And like the Bible...there will always be those who don't like getting out of their comfort zone...think for themselves...or believe that god is not seperate from them...but, actually is them...



Again...I could go on and on...wait for the book...I'll have it in there.



Speaking of Book. I have several of Divinci's.



Here are some things that I found regarding the above and more...a way of thinking and a way of life...



Leonardo da Vinci's life was a living demo of his "seven

virtues." For those artists of life and of art who might plot

to develop higher levels of accomplishment and greater

self-realization, here are his seven virtues, as I understand

them:



"Curiosita"--an attitude of curiosity and continuous learning.

What, when, where, why, and how?

"Dimostrazione"--an ability to learn and to test knowledge by

experience. Experimental nature.

"Sensazione"--a development of awareness and refinement of

sight and other senses. High sensitivity.

"Sfumato"--a tendency to embrace and accept uncertainty,

ambiguity and paradox. Free thinking.

"Arte/Scienza"--a development of balance between science and

art, logic and imagination. Whole-brain thinking.

"Corporalita"--a calculated desire to achieve poise, fitness

and ambidexterity. Physical action.

"Connessione"--a recognition that all things are connected.

Systems thinking.



"How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius

Every Day," by Michael J. Gelb, and, "The Notebooks of Leonardo

da Vinci," edited by Pamela Taylor, are two of the noteworthy

sources of Leonardo insights. In the latter, the first chapter,

"The Painter," is particularly valuable. For example, Leonardo

neatly divides perspective into three types: "Linear

perspective"--scientific diminution of objects as they recede

from the eye; "The perspective of colour"--variations in

colours as they recede from the eye; and "The perspective of

disappearance"--the increasingly unfinished rendering of

objects as they become more remote. Could anything be clearer?



It's all in how you look at things. Instead of taking something simple and making it sound complicated, to make yourself sound more important...why not stick to the simple and let people take what they will...they are going to do that anyway.



Is Divinci Code worth seeing...sure. Is the bible worth reading...sure...



Just remember, both are probably more fiction than reality.



Dream Big, Dare to Fail...

And, sure...pray for my soul, if that makes you feel good.

I had a really nice productive weekend.



It started Friday night with introducing Tim Todd to Ted at The Artisan's Collective. Tim will be starting to show his work there in June.



I also dropped off 3 new art pieces, reversed paintings on glass to Ted!



Painted with buddy, Billy Miller in McKinney, Texas on Saturday morning...guess what I painted...yep... I don't even have to say it:)



We got back around 4pm and I was exhausted...ended up taking a 2 hour nap at Billy's before heading back to the studio.



I got a very nice surprise Saturday returning home.



As I'm checking my mail, in walks David Roy...he and John Cottle were going to see Steel Magnolia's at the Pocket Sandwich Theater just up the street...he wanted me to join them.



I still had on my painting clothes, so I took a quick shower and put on some grown-up clothes and met them for dinner and a very nice show...it was great to see them both!



So, Sunday morning came and I started the Pot Roast and the homemade bread.



I also painted some more artcards and got things ready for the 3 sets of guests that would be coming by.



The first was Rebecca with Artmixers. She sold another Urban Cowboy and was picking it up for delivery.



The second was Fred Wilkinson and his wife and two friends. Fred has been buying my cards for some time now, and like many others, I've never met him personally.



He emailed and asked me if he could buy direct...Of course I said yes!



He ended up buying a little over 120 cards. I gave him a discount of $3.00 a card...so if any of you would like to buy direct, just let me know! I have a price break at 50 cards, 100 cards and 150 cards and above.



Anyway, it was great to meet Fred in person...he told me that his friends call him the card guy...and he almost always sends one of my designs to people who need hugs...pretty cool.



It reminds me that the cards are a good thing...even though it's tough at times now to try and get in the swing of production, stories like that make it all worth it!



Finally, Joe Adams came by for his Urban Cowboy that was sold a little over a month ago at Uptown Vision. It's going to find it's new home in West Texas! Thanks Joe.



Another week is starting and more painting and getting things ready for the Father/Son's Show in June.



I'm hoping to have the design put to bed before the weekend.



Postcards will be ordered shortly after and then press releases.



I'm also going to continue looking for a new camera this week.



That's all for now...hell, that's enough.



Make it a good one today!

Dream Big, Dare to Fail!

It was a juggle day today in the wonderful land of art.



I placed 10 pieces at The Centrum Gym yesterday.

I picked up 3 pieces at Vino100 on McKinney to take to McKinney this weekend.

The painting I thought was sold last thursday, Hear Me Roar...fell thru.

The painting of the Cowboy Boot for a Mother for Mothers Day, is being returned tomorrow.

I'm going to give Artmixers the Urban Cowboy, as it is already sold.

I'll paint another Cowboy Boot this weekend, for placement in a Condo viewing of Alex Remington next Thursday.

After, the pieces are given to Alex for his open house, I'll be dropping off pieces to Fernando Alva, a realestate agent who want to place some work in his office for sale.

I'm going by The Artisan's Collective tomorrow to drop off more artcards, and introduce Ted, the owner of the Gallery, to Tim Todd.



Today was a slow day...I took most of the day off...went to work out and layed by the pool for an hour...met up with another artist friend Jay, and we spoke about galleries.



I came back home, took a nap and continued working on the artcards.



So, what is it like to be an artist? What is it like to try and sell you work?



It's crazy at times. It get's easier...because you realize that nothing is really final...even after you get the check deposited.



I'm working on the Father/Sons Show. Currently, trying to come up ideas, and all I can think about is Humanity.



So...the business of art is all in juggling. Your art, your emotions, your dreams, your fears...



All of it...



Dream Big, Dare to Fail...



Oh yeah...still coughing...whatever.

It snuck by me...I hadn't even really thought about it till I was talking with Billy tonight.



I started my blog entry last April...I'm copying it to this entry...







April 25, 2005



This is the start of something I hope will give you an idea of me...my thoughts, my dreams, my life.



As you read on you'll find fun entries, emotional entries, and you'll find boring stuff as well.



My life on canvas, my life on paper...errrr, the internet... Kind of like paper, but different.



Can a webcam be that far behind?

Stay Tuned!!



I'm Happy, I'm Healthy, I'm Strong.

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So, there is no webcam...yet!



The year of blogging went by so fast. It's made me want to go back and read some of the entries.



Anyway...a lot going on...getting ready for McKinney, Texas on Saturday...hoping to also see the Code this weekend.



I'm also reading a very good book. The title is The Success Prinicples, by Jack Canfield. It's given me a lot to think about in just 4 short chapters I've read thus far.



Dream Big, Dare to Fail