The latest 2 images above are not my usual stuff;  I did a mural of jungle animals for a baby's nursery.  The mother elephant and the bab are about a third of all the work I did.  It was enjoyble, but only took me over a week.  I was hoping for about 3 weeks of work.

     Now I'm hammering out one or two more of my life sized "Girls with Guns' paintings to take to the Old Town Art Fair in Chicago in June.  If this isn't my last art fair, it may be a a very rare appearance.  Looking for steady work either in the creative fields somehow, or just a regular job. This country is in economic trouble, and in some ways, some of it is going to be permanent, I fear.  Less disposable income, etc..

   Hello, pals.  ArtbyCedar, nice to see your lovely face and smile here on my page. I wanted to post a thread today, but it's not in 'expanded form', but I feel like doing it here, I guess.  I think it's time to give up the art full-time.  I've been at it over 20 years full-time.  I learned a lot, and went places and  met people I wouldn't normally have met.  But the cost has been high, very high due to things I won't discuss here.  And 'cost' has many meanings.  I've been looking for 'real work' for the past 6 mos..  I can't keep up the fight anymore, though I will try to paint at least some of the time.

        The world and the U.S. is changing, and it doesn't look too good.  Art is less appreciated now, unless you're a blue-chipper.  the newer generations seem to be more into the digital amusements, phones that take pics, etc..  Stuff done by hand is seen as an oddity or a hobby. 

      I went past the 50 mark a while back, waiting for things to get better and take off.  For brief periods, like 5 scattered years, they did.  I did not lose faith in my talent.  I lost faith in the art business - some of the dealers, the public's ignorances and attitudes, and too many of those "I can't afford your work, but DON"T EVER QUIT, because you'll make it someday" folks.  Well, someday I might be 60, 70 or 80.  

        I enjoy reading your comments and profiles here, and some of the enthusiasm you have for you work.  I remember when i felt like that.  If I can give any advice, make sure you get enough balance in your life - friends, partners, social life, hobbies, activities, etc...  Often I put most of my eggs in one basket - my career in an attempt to make it happen. 

    Sometimes I'm amazed that my work sold, and that people would lay out money for it.  But often it wasnt' enough.  I'd been debating leaving this state, but I've got a friend who's got a job lined up for me, and i realized that i would have a tough time leaving the friends I made up here.  So I'm gonna stick around a bit, and maybe move later, when I can get some graphic design and digital software training, and line up a decent paying job that can use at least some of my skills, and then move.  the way the economy, mortgage crisis, globalization, is going, make just jumping to another city without a job lined up, or no contacts, or depending on my art (not to solid) seem Insane and imprudent.  Haven't posted in a while.  Did a mural with some cute jungle animals, and it was fun, and I'm doing maybe my last art fair with my new work in Chicago in mid-June.  One last chance for a large audience to see my work. After that, who knows?

Yep.  Working! 

Robin -

I think I see what you mean, but the nudes were a phase I was going through, and they look a little more sinister sometimes because of the noirish lighting, which I used in my night-time paintings.  the gals with guns are tongue-in-cheek - a nod to the 007 movie poster artists of the 60's and 70's - Robt. McGinnis was one of them.  And put a 'naughty' pic on my page which got me in "The Dirty Show" in Detroit, which is quite an experience to take part of.  And this is the piece that SOLD, but there aren't a lot of shows to display work like this.  a few artist friends noted that there was a 'decadence' in my work, and that I was commenting on this country being in a stage like "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire".  Not sure about that, though, myself.  Actually, I'm looking for a real job these days - though I've done this professionally since 1985, I'm not even covering the business expenses these days.  I'll probably do some painting on the side, though.  Thanks for taking a peek at the work.