Lately its been really hard not to realize that  we are indeed in the Great Depression of our Era.  With the USA on the brink of bankruptcy, what does that leave for the rest of us?  Raising the debt ceiling just delays the inevitable.. and someday this financial mess the entire world is in is going to have to be dealt with.  We don't produce much in this country any more.  What we do produce is so expensive or so highly regulated or taxed that nobody can make a profit.
   
    Being an artist has it's benefits. During hard times we have the ability to create things that make people realize there is still beauty and peace in the world amongst the chaos.  As small as it may seem, the brief moment it takes to stop and gaze at a beautiful painting, work of art, or listen to a great play or see a great film or theater production temporarily takes us away from all the despair going on in the world these days.
  
There is so much wrong with the way things are going right now in politics and the world economy.  There has to be a way to use creativity and foresight to find a way through this.  We are too smart and too great a nation to let this bad governing and bad decisions of late ruin our futures and our children's futures.   When people have worked their entire lives  to build a secure future and then all of a sudden have nothing to show for it.. losing savings, house value, every financial security for so many ..  creating such great stress, loss, and dispair, something is very very wrong. 
   
    We need good leadership again, we need innovation, we need to solve this problem instead of making it worse every single day.  We are failing and are falling.. and falling very hard.. history books are being written in our own lives right now.  That's a fact.

    Throughout history when people have lost everything and are fighting to feed their families and be able to work to provide for themselves revolutions have occurred.  I think we are on the cusp of such a time.  People are not just going to sit by forever and let these fools in Washington ruin our future forever.  Something drastic needs to happen to change the course of history.  Eventually it will happen.  I just hope it isn't too late before a real disaster presents itself and we aren't able to handle it.

Just my vent on what seems to be a very very difficult time right now. I have gone through great loss myself because of this mess and I am ready for things to turn around. Each brush stroke takes me there.. and each step I take is hopefully toward a brighter future.  I just hope the same is true for the USA... and all of my friends around the world.

I have recently joined the San Dieguito Art Guild and will be showing in some of their upcoming shows.  The Gallery is located in the Lumberyard on South Coast Hwy 101, Off Track Gallery.  I hope to eventually get some wall space there.  Over 200 artists are members of this very important Art group in San Diego County.  I am excited to continue painting and exploring my new surroundings in San Diego.

I am uploading a few new paintings. Check out my available artwork page!

Summer in San Diego rocks!!

I have had a busy month in May. My regular work is in the middle of busy season and I I have been scrambling for time for paintings. I am currently workiing on great new painting of an African Lion, and a new California Ranch Painting! 

I hope to enter some shows again soon. I was just a part of the latest show at the Municipal Gallery in Escondido, Contemporary Realism.  I will be entering a upcoming show there called "Local Color" which should be fun.
I am currently looking for a gallery to hang work locally on a full time basis..hopefully in Encinitas or Del Mar.  I will post when I have something to tell about that!

Have a great summer everyone!  So nice to be in Southern California again! 

One thing I wonder.. what would happen if all the lazy slackers in the USA would get off their rear ends and work .. and stop costing us  taxpayers, hard workng people our own money.  What would happen if all the folks.. generations of people on the "system" actually got up and worked, and worked together to make things in this country if we could actually recover from this depression we are in?  

One thing that really bugs me is people that milk the system.. so they  don't have to work. In a time where we are in a real depression, people are losing homes, well being, and jobs every day, and there are still people milking our broke system of every dime.   It's time to stop that.  Make them contribute .. if they are able to work.Why can't we make our own jobs, create new things, new ideas.. not depending on someone else all the time?   Why is it that 3rd world countries, with a different work ethic.. make everything we use?  Why can't we figure a way to do it and get ourselves out of this mess?   

We are all sitting around waiting for Obama or a state governor to fix everything for us.  That is the problem. Why can't we all as a nation figure out together how to get out of this mess?  With the way we can create, innovate, and technologically produce such amazing products.. why can't we fix our current economy?  Where are the ideas?

We need jobs. so let's create them..    We need to make things, create things, come up with new ideas, instead of waiting for someone else to fix the problem.   We need to do things smart.. and win this thing because we all still have to live here.. and make the best of it.

Ok ... off my soap box ..  I'm just sayin...

Today I sat in traffic.. and wondered why it is that so many people don't dare to venture off the beaten path.  Why do so many sit in traffic on the old clogged route instead of being bold and trying that side street.. seeing where it might lead.  I normally take back roads to and from work.  Each day my commute is different, different light, different obstacles but rarely do I encounter a clog beyond compare as happens on the freeway or main highways, as most motorists take to work

Today I ventured to do the "norm" and took a main route.. it was such a mistake.. I sat and sat..thought to myself why did I do this? I guess it was to remind myself to keep making my own path, keep going forward no matter what obstacles come in my path.  I sat there for awhile.. and when I had enough, I ventured off onto a new road I hadn't tried before.  I wound around until sure enough it led me to a great alternative and I was on my way home!

People need to seek new paths, new ideas, and new inspiration. Its what keeps the world vibrant, interesting, and leads to such great ideas. These days people are so stuck on complaining on what is wrong with everything.. why are we in this mess we are in? Why not come up with some new ideas, new ways to solve problems, and reach goals with a new enthusiasm? 

This crisis in Cairo has me thinking too, we are witnessing a country in revolt.. too long have the gone the same path, been told what to do without any room for expression or individual ideas.  Its boiling over now, and there is a revolution... hopefully after the smoke and wounds have healed a new and better Egypt will emerge with ideas for the future  and for the better of its people.  The world is in such tumoil everywhere these days..  there has to be something to be learned from all of it and try to make the world as a whole a better place.  Eventually we will get there.. if we can just be smart and creative and think of new ideas.

As far as painting goes, I am in a new area, trying some new ideas in my art. I will be posting some new work very soon.    I am inspired to try  new things and stir up my old brush strokes.

I have been accepted and am now showing a painting in the Escondido Municipal Gallery. Reception is Jan 8 th 5 30 to 8 pm.  It's my first big show in San Diego!  Read about it on the EAP  website http://www.escondidoarts.org/details/details.php?p=exhibitions

I am moving my studio and myself to North San Diego County!  I am very excited about this move. I lived for a few years in the area in High School and love the area. I will be working on setting up in a gallery down there soon!  Great weather and great subjects to paint! 

I've added some new paintings to the available gallery.  Check back soon because I will be adding more shortly!