The New Year ~ Playing the Blues but not Singing the Blues!

Quite a few artists are singing the blues these days because of the sluggish economy but not me!  With all of the bad news on TV, I’ve decided to turn off the TV.  I’ve also decided to cut way back on one of my favorite pastimes, golf.  Well before New Year’s Eve arrived, I already knew what my resolution would be for 2013; spend more time in the studio being creative! 

I’m enjoying painting more than I ever have.  I’m working on a small portrait now that is extremely challenging.  As hard as portraiture is, for some reason I’d like to do more.  I’m also enjoying painting Virginia landscapes and can’t wait to hit the road and discover new locations to paint.  Maybe even some snow scenes this winter!

It already seems like I have more quality time to paint.  With the TV off and music on, my painting time is that much more enjoyable.  All of the music seems to rekindle the spirit.  We went and saw the movie Les Miserables on Christmas morning and the music and passion blew me away. 

I’ve always been a person with many hobbies, never single minded.  I don’t want to be at the easel all of the time but my time away from it should be somewhat limited. Here is a colored pencil drawing I drew of me at the easel back in the 1990’s when I was putting in long painting hours painting for MBNA (copied from an original work by Norman Rockwell entitled, Self-Portrait:  The Artist was Faced with a Dilemma).

Over Christmas my wife and I were walking the beach and she asked me what I would like to excel at other than painting, if I could.  The only thing that popped in my head was music.

When we arrived back from the beach, I dusted off my old alto sax, put a new reed on it and somewhat painfully started playing again.  I also watched a bunch of YouTube videos on how to play The Blues on the piano and then opened a few old piano books and started practicing the piano again. 

So I’m trying to teach myself to play The Blues on the piano and saxophone and Jen is now sorry that she asked!  :-)  It’s even more challenging than portraiture.  But for some reason they all seem to go together.  Practicing the piano or the sax a little here and there every day puts me in the mood for painting.  Then putting on CD’s instead of the TV allows me to keep the right brain going and energizes me and my brush.

That’s the plan for 2013!  Work hard, be more creative and continue to enjoy life.  I would like to thank all of you, who are interested in my work, read my journal and have been so supportive of my art over the last many years.  I hope 2013 is a good year for all of you. 

Here’s to good health and happiness and remember, it’s OK to play The Blues but not to sing The Blues!