Today is almost a palindrome: 1-31-13
Almost.

I saw Bobby Bare Jr. at the Spider House (was the 29th Street Ballroom) a few nights ago. It was great, there were only a few people and it was almost like a private concert for us! Sadly, he did not sing “The Terrible Sunrise“, but everything sounded awesome and he signed my LP album cover (picture forthcoming). Then, he sat right next to us taking video of the band who played after. The video below is not from the show I attended, but he did play this song (without the trumpet though).

Last week I also met Sonia Sotomayor, I mean Justice Sonia Sotomayor. She was at BookPeople promoting her new book, “My Beloved World” which apparently is a NYTimes best seller, #1 to be exact, for February 3rd.

It was really great to hear her speak and to actually meet her. It was packed, apparently to the brim! I was able to get two books signed, one for me and one for my oldest sister Lisa. I finally found a gift for her previous birthday (which was in November).

And the week kept going…I found out Cat Power was playing at the Moody Theater. I asked a few people and heard back from my friend Carl who had an extra ticket. So luckily, I got to be up close and personal!

On the art front, I have two new oil paintings that I need to photograph and post and another two I am currently working on.

And then there are these:

Philip Guston

Cher

Synchrony in a matter of minutes

Rothko

And a new facisnation with Mary Cassatt

Completed January 1, 2013
Good start to a new year.

I really liked making this one, perhaps I’ll make more!

I started a new painting on Tuesday. It’s on a 36″x38″ panel I recently purchased. It’s pretty big and I am excited to continue working on it. I have a couple of other ideas in my head, I was even inspired today during my walk to work. I have been dabbling with oil painting but this new one is in acrylic. I’ll get to more oil painting eventually as my comfort level increases, I promise.

A couple of weekends ago I attended the Austin Stringband Festival out in Driftwood. The festival was fun although I only was there for a few hours on Saturday (that evening was the AVAA opening). If I didn’t have the opening then I would have stayed later to see an awesome duo named Anna & Elizabeth present their crankies. While I was there I was able to buy their CD, Sun to Sun and I’ve been listening it over and over again. I highly recommend you get it. I wish I was half as talented as these ladies. They have blown me away and have been inspiring with all the things they do.

At times I wonder if any one else noticed it, or if they just hurry on their way and forget to look up (as I have done so many times). The image above doesn’t capture what I saw that morning, but I took it one evening after a run. Still amazing and I was happy my camera phone was able to focus on it.

This is a song by Geeshie Wiley. She is one of my favorites. So little is known about her and not much music recorded. A friend let me borrow the American Primitive Vol II Pre-War Revenants (1897-1939) CD and I loved the first CD, but I put in the second and this song came on. I felt like life had been holding out on me. Like gems have been hidden along my path to find throughout my life, and this was one of them. I played it over and over again, and over and over again even now. I don’t get tired of it. At times I hear something different, something I didn’t notice before. When I first heard it I had no idea what she was saying, and it didn’t matter. It wasn’t about what she was saying, but how she was saying it to me.

I’ve been playing a lot of banjo and fiddle lately. I should say “clawhammer” banjo and “old time” music. The sound is a bit different than most people think of when they think of banjo. I guess I’m kinda figuring it out myself…why it resonates with me and why I think I want to be a part of it. My family isn’t particularly musical but it’s been part of my life for so long in some form or another. First piano, then guitar, then bass, and now the banjo and fiddle. I’m by no means even decent at playing any of them, but I’m making my way. I do what I can. But this also means I haven’t been painting as much. I do think a lot about painting, especially when I’m playing. I’m actually going to have a booth on Saturday for the Mexican American Cultural Center’s Dia De Los Muertos celebration. I’ll have some older work for sale. Hm, maybe I should have bought some face paint after Halloween. I’m sure many will be dressed up!

After the AVAA opening, Jennifer and I headed to photoGroup to see Polly Chandler‘s show. photoGroup has a great space and Polly’s work is beautiful. The show will be up until October 31st, go see it!

Below are a few pictures from both shows. Not many to share since my lens is broken and with no auto focus, it makes it pretty difficult to get some candid shots. Enjoy!

This painting was accepted into the juried Austin Visual Artists Association Fall show. Not only that, but it made the email/flyer. Very cool.

If you’re bored on Saturday night (October 20th) between 6 – 9pm, come out to Austin Artspace and check out my painting and the work of several other artists!

Painting: Missing (2) – acrylic on 30″x 40″ canvas – 2012

Referenced a photo by C. Horton.