Faux Toes

I was recently asked where I got my film developed.

My response was "I don't."

...I guess I lied.

Images from last summer.

Minolta 35 mm

Paints for Friends

For the lovely Miss Mary Froemke... a birthday gift.

Acrylic on canvas

...and for a dear childhood friend.

Acrylic on canvas

I've been really into tweed lately...

....so I made these.

'

Acrylic on wood

Let the Seasons Begin

I used to do quite a bit of driving.

In turn, I also ripped through new music tracks as though

they were last week's New Times.

You know how it goes:

The first couple listens are when you're still deciding

whether or not you like the stuff;

Rounds Three and Four consist of some head-nods, finger-taps,

and maybe even a choral sing-along...maybe.

By listen number Five (if said melody has made it to this point),

you're really into it.

Like. You are in love with this song. Period.

...this goes on for a few more listens and, sure,

it's a rosey relationship for that brief window of time;

but after you've heard that same track so many damn times,

you eventually can't help but get this nauseated feeling

every time you hear the first three seconds

come through the stereo.

...Immediately you [I] think to your[my]self,

"I really need some new music.",

and skip to the next track...

...but one lucky day might come around

for your sad little music collection.

On this day, it will be redeemed and temporarily forgiven

for its redundancy by this singular,

superior piece of music,that makes you forget

about every other thing in life except what is beautiful

and positive and inspiring and pure.

It reminds you [me] of everything

that you [I] want from life.

Everything.

All at once.

(or at least within four-and-a-half minutes)

For me, this is that track.

I've been listening to it consistently

for a few years now,

and it still does it for me.

Also, the mustaches are pretty fantastic.

Add this song to your playlist. You may love yourself (or me) for it later.

Christmas gifts

Here's a little thing I made for a very good friend,

Ms. Shannon Len, who resides on the Central Coast of California

and hand-crafts some of the most exquisite and unique

jewelry I have yet come across.

Her work is notably inspiring.

Acrylic on wood

and here is one for Mr. Morgan Maassen,

whose work I'm sure you are all quite familiar with...

Acrylic on wood

...such a failure in comparison to the actual photo it was inspired by.

(Morgan, please stop setting the bar quite so high;

it makes it impossible for the rest of us to reach.)

*Thanks to Mr. Jack Belli and his Ford Econo-line van project for providing the wood-scrap canvases for the above finger-paints.

**also: JACK, YOU RUN A BLOG!???? WHY DIDN'T I KNOW THISSSSSSSS??