A b&w photo of a painting begun today. 28"x22", oil on canvas. And...it doesn't look like this anymore. I moved the girl to the far right. Changed the background. But I'm excited about it. On Wednesday I began painting. Worked on two little canvases...just to get my hand moving. Today, I began this piece - a self portrait from when I was little. At the beach. Can't wait to see where it goes.

Found in the grocery store near my apartment. Guess they don't want you to miss out on the experience if you can't get to Boston for a game.

Mother Earth: "Each day is a choice of what to do."

I know this 9 minute short may be a little long for the Twitter generation...but it is filled with all sorts of massive amounts of awesome. Dizzy Gillespie as Father Time. Maureen Stapleton as Mother Earth. Great score by Gillespie.

From the NPR link, which includes the story and summary:

A Concerned Dizzy Gillespie Explains All Of Human History

"The iconic trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie is best remembered as a jazz pioneer. But somewhere in his 50+ year career, he also lent his talents to a trippy animated parable made for an activist think tank. For "Voyage to Next," he voiced the part of Father Time (alongside Mother Earth, played by Maureen Stapleton) and scored the soundtrack. Everything about this screams "the '70s" and is, not incidentally, wonderful."

Embedded video:

It's been a day.

Actually it began at 11 pm last night when people next door decided to party outside. At 2:45 am I called the cops. They came by, told folks to hold it down, and everyone disappeared by 3 am. I slept until 6ish. Frustrated and angry. I hate having my sleep disrupted.

So...I woke out of sorts and sleep deprived. Opened up the blinds and the thing came crashing down. Broken. Jumped in the shower and the shower curtain came crashing down. I had an interview at 10...which also included testing on data entry and excel. Great. Always fun to do with major lack of sleep. Picked up a new blind and attempted to hang it. Nothing was working. Dropped a saw and it almost hit my apartment mate's bare toes. She kindly put up the blind for me. This afternoon the most I could do in the studio is pick up a tube of titanium white and hang more paintings. Then came home and spilled my big glass of water all over my apartment mate's grandmother's hope chest.

Now I'm safely tucked into bed at 7 pm needing a little familiarity and so am watching episodes of "The West Wing" with a cup of tea and looking forward to a better day tomorrow. The world is a little safer if I stay put this evening and do much of nothing.

Chocolate would be good.

The Sophia Room v2 - Providence









Almost nine months after our eviction from the 619 Western Arts buildind...I am ready to dig back into oils this afternoon. Just needed to hang the sign.

I've been working in the studio since Saturday, slowly attempting to figure out where to put things, how to organize the space, and simply get a feel for it.

For now, all the amazing art from various Seattle artists will be going in my bedroom in the apartment I'm sharing. But when I unwrapped this wonderful piece by the more wonderful Joseph Keppler, I knew it had to go in the studio.

Crazy 85 degree day in mid-April.

The summer heat is the only thing I was dreading about returning to New England. And today we had a preview. My roommate invited me to go to the beach with her this afternoon. Yes it's my passion and one of my centering places, but now that I'm settling in, I'm holding off until a few more things are organized. It's the same with exploring certain areas of the city. I need to wait until the studio is fully set. Or...fully set for now. The beach will be my treat to myself.

Although far too hot for me, it was blessedly at least 10 degrees cooler in the studio. It's one of the advantages of being on the north side.

Here are a few New England sea treasures that roomie brought home.

I took a couple photos of the studio today as it is coming together but they were with my cellphone. And...I don't know how to email those to myself so instead, here is one of the over 300 photos I took at Easter with my family. My niece and her friend's daughter. All my nephews and niece are older so it was great having a little one around for the day.

It looks like I should be able to begin painting tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday. It's been almost nine months since I worked in oils. I guess I can look at it as my gestation period. Spending time today and yesterday afternoon alone in the studio reminded me how powerful the space is. Self, alone...with the work. There is room for everything to come up. For me, it's more potent than play because there is no reliance or bouncing off another. So if I can make myself stay in that space...there is no distraction.

We need people. Connections. But there is something about that aloneness...facing yourself. I've been so consumed with leaving the 619, leaving my job, my friends, the town I love, the logistics of a cross country move, multiple painting shows...that I haven't engaged in that quiet space. I know I didn't make time for it because not only was I crazy busy but the biggest reason was because I feared the silence. I feared that all sorts of stuff would come up and I didn't want all I had to do be derailed by big emotions. I needed to go go go.

Now that I'm settling and making myself sit in the quiet while in the studio, it is coming up. And it is good. And it hurts. And it is healthy. And it is needed.

A corona margarita. And no, it wasn't my drink.

As I was sorting boxes (studio in one area, apartment stuff in another, and books in a third pile) I found this box.

On the pod-loading day in Seattle, I had asked Gryph to pack a few remaining things for me, including my holiday stuff. Here is his endearing handiwork.

Seeing this little note from home was perfect.

My nephews arrived and they rocked big time. Super phenomenal. Within 2 hours not only was the pod emptied with mostly everything in the studio but we had driven to the apartment and dropped off two dressers, a tv and a couple large plastic storage containers of clothes.

I am so friggin' tired and sore. Some food, a little rest and then back to the studio to begin sorting through the mish mash of boxes. Methinks a bottle of red is in my near future. And a long, hot bath.

This is a view from my studio window.

My moving pod arrived at the studio at 10:30 (EST) today. Two of my nephews, Luke and Ben, are driving from western MA to Providence tomorrow to help me unload it. Most of the apartment stuff will be stored in the studio until I get my own apartment but we'll bring the bedding, some more clothes and a dresser to this current apt. Yeah!

It will feel so good to have paintings, art supplies, my books and my stuff around me again.

I texted Craig and he replied with: "woohoo! be careful unloading. get the guitar off the top early." Considering he loaded it with Travis, I fully appreciated the tip.

After meeting the Pod people...or in this case, the pod person...I went up to the studio to drop off a couple things. On my way upstairs I noticed a sign for a free chair. Someone on the first floor (next to the freight elevator) was giving it away. 10 minutes later this beauty (very comfortable) is now my new comfy studio chair.

It's large, soft and other than a couple stains, which doesn't bother me because I'll add to it in the future, it's in excellent condition. I then return to the apartment and upon walking in get a phone call from someone near Brown U who has a free table to give away. I'm picking it up this evening or tomorrow.

Some of you know how I loathe shopping. I tend to hold off as long as I can before buying what I need. What I detest more than shopping is the mall. It's loud. Clangy. Sharp light. And it's contained consumerism. I tend to feel claustrophobic in a mall.

Because I could dress down at work I haven't had business clothes in years. So yesterday I braced myself and headed over to Providence Place - the mall in the center of town. Walking in I was pleasantly surprised. Massive skylights and big windows overlooking the canal that flows beneath the structure assisted with not feeling overwhelmed. And the bonus that made shopping almost tolerable was the fact that the mall was carpeted. What a difference it makes.

I'm still don't like shopping but may not drag my feet when I need something knowing there's a space that feels not so frenetic and harsh. And how can one argue with the view of the canal?

There is a teepee in my backyard.

A few Providence scenes while on my walk this evening. There are lots of hookah bars here.

Slowly settling in. Can't wait to unpack the moving pod on Saturday and finally see my paintings and supplies and living things. Sent out 5 resumes yesterday and another today. Have an interview on Thursday. Walked around today to get more familiar with my neighborhood. Limbo is a little discombobulating.

After six months of nonstop crazy busyness, this is the first week where, other than looking for work, I really don't have plans. Can't do any painting until next week when I'm officially in the studio. I also have to get work tables and a few supplies and am hesitant about how much to spend before having a regular income. Trying to go with the flow.

The light was quite beautiful while walking after an early dinner.

My bedroom.

It longer than what you see. But I have luggage on the floor at the other end. My dressers will arrive next week. My bedding is also in the moving pod and so mom let me borrow a bedspread and the afghan. Yesterday I picked up sheets, the little area rug, the green blanket and the table lamp. The little table came from Matt.

What I didn't realize, until I put everything together is that it feels like the beach. Perfect.

Right now I'm enjoying a cup of chamomile while curled up in a blanket on a very comfortable couch in my new digs. My apartment mate is at work until late tonight. The house is quiet. I'm exhausted. And...content.

This morning I left western MA very early to meet the mover from Boston at the studio. I filled up my car with the boxes I had shipped home a few weeks ago. And I grabbed a few boxes that had been sitting in my mom's basement since I moved to Seattle. While waiting in the studio for the mover, I unpacked a large flat box and found this painting. I had painted it in 1996 and I haven't seen it in about 14 years. Honestly, I totally forgot about it and so it was a nice surprise. It's now hung on the studio wall...waiting for the remainder of my art stuff to arrive.

I've been back at my mom's for the last few days, finalizing details.

As of today:

I have a mover who will move my bed and a few other things from Boston to the studio and to the apt on this friday.
So as of Friday, I'll be in my new home.

I've called ABF u-pack to deliver the pod to the studio next Friday, the 13th. Some of my nephews will drive to Providence to help me unload the pod. Most of my things will be stored in the studio until I get my own private apartment. Because I'm renting a bedroom, I don't need my kitchen stuff, etc.

Yesterday I spent most of the day compiling and copying paperwork, receipts and other things for WA State DOT and finally sent it out priority mail. They will be reimbursing me for the cost of seeking a studio - mileage, expenses, and time. Today I emailed my DOT relocation guy with photos of the 3 studios I looked at including the one I chose.

It will be nice to finally...finally be settled. Then I can actually begin looking for a job.

Moving 3000 miles, with an apt and a painting studio of stuff, by yourself is not the easiest thing. I'm superstoked that I'm coming up on the tail end of this very wearing process.

The photo is a pix I took of Bodie on my last night in Seattle.

Last weekend I acquired the painting studio. This morning I made a choice on an apartment. Hopefully this week I'll try to get my bed from Boston to Providence and then can begin the move in.

Yesterday morning I was all set to take the little place near my studio in Pawtucket. I had one more appt and almost cancelled it. I've been utterly exhausted. But, I pushed myself to go and it was a good thing I did. It's an apartment share in Federal Hill. Couple blocks away from Julian's (that cool restaurant from Friday)...and in a great neighborhood. Everything is pretty walkable and my art studio is a 10 minute car ride or an easy 1/2 hour bus ride.

The reason I forced myself to see the place is because the bedroom has its own bathroom and its own private entrance. The woman is a little older than me and works a couple jobs. Her daughter is in college in Boston and not often there. I'll be paying $550 a month for absolutely everything. Laundry in the basement and off street parking.

So there were interesting pros and cons to this space versus the little apt in Pawtucket. The other had full privacy. This one had location. I opted for this one because there's no lease and I think it will help for me to have people around periodically. Being new to the city, if I get depressed I will isolate myself and that's no good. Not without my lifeline of friends.

I decided to take 24 hours to think it over. Being emotionally and mentally spent, I didn't trust what I was feeling. This morning I knew I was taking a bit of a risk but chose the apartment share. It also makes the most sense while I'm looking for a job. I'm pretty excited about it. Hopefully I'll be moving in this week.

Next week I'm moving into my art space.

Once the painting studio is set up I plan on holding a couple open studios: one for the other artists in the building so I can meet them, and a second for all my friends. I'll make sure to post details here.

Here is a website about Federal Hill.

The photo was taken at Goddard Memorial Park yesterday.