Shipping my Merida Street paintings.

I'm just about to ship these four paintings to my gallery in New York. They are for sale individually but I think they look great as a set. Each one is a different house on one street in Merida (Mexico). They all link up, sit on the same sidewalk, and have the same roof line. But at each property line the architectural design and color changes radically. It was a fun street to walk down.

A Day in the Life of.....

For all of you out there who think the life of an artist is one of leisurely creativity - here's what I have to deal with in my studio every winter:

Mopping up the flood after the first rains of the season. (The membrane on the roof above is compromised by construction works.)

Leaks in the ceiling over my painting area.

An afternoon spent (with a friend - thank you John!) fixing plastic to the ceiling to catch all the water.

A funnel, some 3/4" bilge hose, and some duct tape....

....and voila! My own drainage system. Thank you Ace Hardware!

Relaxing in my tent...

In my opinion the only way to wind down after an Open Studios weekend is to grab your tent and head for the hills. The weather was great so that's exactly what I did. After pitching the tent by a creek, I inflated the airbed and lay back to listen to the sounds of nature (and the other campers nearby). I'm back in my studio now - rejuvenated and ready to go!

Will I be finished in time?

Three days to go before Open Studios (see last posting). I've just got back from a trip, my studio is a mess, my ceiling is leaking, and I've got walls to paint. But instead of dealing with these issues I've been working on my Mexican street paintings - I hope to finish three of the four in time for the opening on Friday evening. So don't be surprised if I look frazzled when you visit!