Here is your hot-off-the-computer invitation for the “soft” opening of the Studio on January 19th – please feel free to print it out and stick it prominently on your refrigerator <grin>.And if you see typo’s, don’t tell me – I’m nervous enough as it is! I did discover during all of this that if you just tell people about it, it has to happen and that makes it easier to get it done, knowing that your friends know. Thanks for the support! (‘Specially since I have to have a tooth pulled tomorrow – urk.)

Studio opening – you’re invited!

Every so often, I get a note from a friend that I really want to share with you all – here’s one from Paige, a writer (and much more). I think I’ll tape the quote to my work desk.

Heartiest congratulations for a sparkling 2013 in your new studio – what a great start!  I am so happy for you – and for all of us who will be nurtured in this space, and, hopefully, will be moved to nurture in response. It’s the give and take that makes life sing – the space between the notes that makes the music.

In that spirit, I want to share a quote for the New Year by Elizabeth Asquith Bibesco. Each January I start the New Year with a focus thought rather than a resolution. This is one that extends the Golden Rule and sounds like a “Beatitude” but isn’t: “Blessed are those who give without remembering and take without forgetting.”

That has two meanings, room to paint and painting a representation of a space. This is the first large painting I’ve started in the new studio (obviously not finished, but it helps me to look at a photo in progress to see where I want to go). It’s 30×40″ and I thought it would be hard to adjust to a large canvas after the 10×10″ Twilight series, but it’s not. Working title of this painting is Valley of the Shadow. I discovered a great color today by mixing burnt umber with violet. Wow.

Work in progress, acrylic on 30×40 canvas

So many good things have been coming together lately that I wanted to post Deepak Chopra’s definition of synchronicity –

Synchronicity. This is a mysterious ingredient from the unconscious that all great leaders harness. Synchronicity is the ability to create good luck and find invisible support that carries a leader beyond predicted outcomes to a higher plane. In spiritual terms, synchronicity is the ultimate ability to connect any need with an answer from the soul.

Everyone who is a subscriber by Friday, including you loyal old guys <grin>, will be entered in the face shard drawing – and just to make it nicer in case it sounded confusing, I’ll draw for two faces – will notify the two subscriber/winners on Friday evening. Thanks so much for the friendship and support!

San Antonio Express-News cultural columnist Steve Bennett interviewed me last week about the new “Twilight” show at La Vida Gallery, and the article came out today – he really listened and wrote what I said better than I could have said it!  Many many thanks to Steve – I can read it and save it to remember just what I was thinking when this whole series went together. Click here to read the online article.

Friday night’s opening at La Vida Gallery was great – lots of people, good comments and some sales on my paintings, and the really special treat was getting to meet and see the work of Jacobo and Maria Angeles from Oaxaca. They are world-class carvers and painters. Jacobo had a carved jaguar around his neck as his protection animal. His little animals are intricate and his larger carvings are just spectacular. Here is a photo of Jacobo and me, and here is a photo of a magnificent monster carving, create from one solid block of wood – it’s an incredible sculptural achievement.

Don’t forget that there’s still time to come to the workshop at La Vida tomorrow – we’ll be there from 3-5, sitting around the big table in the middle of Matt and Carole’s gallery creating votive lights. It may be turning cold about that time! Yay! (and we’ll do a Scent Shard drawing for subscribers and workshop participants tomorrow evening).

Thanks to everyone who came to the opening last night and those who sent good wishes – I have the best friends in the world!