First month of the year down.

The daylight is noticeably getting longer now and we are into the new year. The new calendars and pocket planners are being used and blocks are starting to be penciled in. I personally enjoy having something on my calendar that I can work towards or having something I can look forward to. So, we are putting our goals, tentative travel dates, upcoming events, all that stuff and just making some plans. That being said, I’m not an over planner or a 4 AM cardio type person. I enjoy my time where I can be an unproductive member of society probably the most! I just have to be organized enough that things get done.

I did have to give up on a book this month after an honest 120 page effort. I tried, but man, I just could not get into it. It was becoming worse than a homework assignment. But, my favorites were Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson and Dungeon Crawler Carl by . One is an exploration of fear and decisions where 4 characters in a maze find out their cheese has been moved. The other is about aliens coming to earth and forcing Carl and his ex girlfriend’s cat (Princess Donut) to survive a game show for the intergalactic party which combines feelings of hunger games, any open world videos you may have played, magic, sci-fi, and belly laughter.

Januarys also had some great exercises in humility. Life has a way of pumping you up, then settling you back down. It builds confidence but keeps you humble.

This January the Colorado Wildland Fire Incident Management Academy held an art show where all submissions were works from Wildland FireFighters. I submitted two works, a Mounted 24inx12in Paper Print of Passing Time and a Mounted 24inx12in Paper Print of MS460. I didn’t know this, but the academy was giving awards for best works, voted on by the staff and students. MS460 got 3rd! Man, that was unexpected and a cool pump up!

Now follow that with a rejection of the same works by a panel of jurors the next day! (Humbling). The feedback from the jurors ranged from, “I love this style and vivid colors” to “I don’t get the subject matter”. The art world is a funny place man. It reminds me of music; we all have our style. But it’s part of the game, on to the next cheese or come back next round.

Back to January, I want to say thank you to La Plata Mountain Coffee Co and Wines of the San Juan for sponsoring my work. I currently have 6 of my works on display.

Sun Dressed– Canvas 4ftx2ft

Colored In– Framed Paper Print 12inX24in

Graphix– Canvas 20inx16in

Swing Shift– Canvas 24inx12in

Mood– Canvas 12inx24in

City Colors– Framed Paper Print 12inX24

With the wrapping up to January it also closes out my 2nd official year of PMtz Art. It has been a slow and steady wins the race process. With each step taken there is a whole behind the scenes to-do list that must be completed first. The universe has its own agenda and sometimes the only thing that can be done is to wait. Wait for the paint to dry before I can add the next layer, wait for results before we can move onto the prep list, and then wait for that show to get here! It is a very good exercise in patience, and my wife tells me I need more of that.

New work and work in progress.