the woodshed

Leave it to an old musician friend to lay down a story that motivates me and pushes me into positivity.  I started this year off consciously locking myself in the studio to work without concern for shows.  I set a goal, and I will hit it.  At times I feel an incredible sense of isolation and longing for my own kind, so to speak.  But I've come here and I've done the work despite +100 degree temperatures, fiscal challenges and the pressures of familial responsibilities.  I love what I do.  I was at the cigar bar earlier this week to restock my humidor and one of the guys asked if I was staying for a drink.  I said no, I had to go to work.  He said, "sorry man," and I just laughed.  I told him work was the studio and aside from loving what I do, I could smoke cigars on the job.  What a life.

The story my friend hipped me to is about Charlie Parker, Bird.  Seems he locked himself away for two years in a woodshed in the Ozarks and perfected his chops, then, when he knew the work was ready went to New York and changed jazz forever.

I've worked without distraction for years now.  In a sense I've been on a private artist's retreat for close to five years, just doing the work and not worrying about scenes or the pressures of people asking for more.  But in these years I've also pushed myself continuously.  Somewhere along the way, I found my licks.  Now it is time to take it to the City and find someone and make them understand so that they in turn can make others understand.

Somewhere in the last few weeks I had that moment where I looked at the work on the painting wall and I just knew.  It's there.  I think you just know it, and I'm not sure how to tell you I know.  Every painting in here is not brilliant.  But consistently they are damn good, and a few are something truly without comparison.

The 50 was always an open-ended project.  In truth, I never saw it ending, even with canvas number 50.  I always knew at about number 40 I would need to re-stock, re-load and push on through.  But I never anticipated where the work has gone.  Now I know the work is ready.  Now it is time to bring it.