Kingston Gallery

Hi Friends, 

I've just returned from an awesome weekend in Manhattan to some wonderful news. I have been voted in as an Associate Member to Kingston Gallery at 450 Harrison Avenue in Boston, MA.  Having been a fan of  Kingston since my early days of attending First Fridays I am very, VERY excited to be a part of this group.  Associate Members are involved in most of the gallery's activities and I'm looking forward to gallery sitting and being a part of the First Friday celebrations. Associate Membership also raises opportunities for a solo show in the Center Gallery! An Associates exhibit is scheduled for August 2011 as well as an Associates/Members exhibit in January 2012. 

My membership doesn't officially begin until January so stay tuned for details as they become available to me (i.e updated website, fellow associates, etc.)

Thanks for reading! 

Road Trip!

Hi friends, 

I'm going on a journey! One that I've dreamt of for years and years now.  A cross country solo expedition! Like I said in my last post I really like to explore - so this time I'm going to jam across the country and back and see what's what in this land of ours. 

Here's the deal-y-o.  This trip is a month long, beginning November 21st and concluding December 22nd. I will be driving across the country with SanFran as my destination. This trip is neatly planned to pass through where I have friends or where there are parks that I'd like to see/camp in. When I'm not staying with friends or in my tent (Dan's tent) I'll be treating myself to a shower and laundry at a local hotel.  Here are the stops in order, what I'll be doing and why:

Denver, PA - eh, as a kid growing up between DC and RI I've explored all the tourist attractions in this area - but I can't drive more than eight hours a day so this is where I'll pitch my tent and stay a spell in Amish Country. Suggestions are welcome! 

Hardy, VA - similar to the above but I'll stop by the Booker T. Washington National Monument and the wildlife refuge.

Asheville, NC - Hi Eli! A good friend lives here who I hope to meet up with - I say hope because he is awesome and has been on the AT  - making him hard to get in touch with. Are you BACK YET?! Either way I'll be tenting here for two nights enjoying hikes and views as well as the very cool downtown.

Nashville, TN - Asheville to Nashville, yes I know. I'll be driving through here for lunch on Thanksgiving Day - I might make a stop at the Grand Ole Opry.

Memphis, TN - Sun Studio and Graceland! I'm here for two nights and the second night happens to be the last Friday of the month which means it's gallery night. An old time trolley brings people around to the galleries! 

Wichita, KS - PJ LIVES HERE! A friend of mine since highschool is going to show me the sights - if KS has any. 

Dodge City, KS - This is a pass through just so I can say "I got outta Dodge"

Denver, CO - Jen and Bre are kind enough to let me stay with them a few days - maybe they'll even want to hang out.

Boulder, CO - Remember Chase? After Hambidge he went on to University of Colorado at Boulder to get his MFA in ceramics - I'm going to go see what this is all about. 

Moab, UT - Two days camping and hiking at Arches National Park.

Page, AZ - A half a day stop at Lower Antelope Canyon - my brother just visited this area and said it's beautiful and somewhat overlooked by tourists.

Grand Canyon, AZ - Nothing cool here - just a place to rest my head. LIE. Grand Canyon for two nights!

Death Valley, CA - Two nights camping in Death Valley - it's got a great history.

Tulare, CA - Staying in a hotel next to Sequoia National Forest - I think I might appreciate a bed after six days of camping.

Big Sur, CA - Camping in the Julia Pfeiffer State Park right on the coast. Apparently in winter months you can watch whales migrate off the shore!

San Francisco, CA - I'm going to drive up beautiful Route 1 and stay in SanFran with my friend Nate for a few days. A walk over the Golden Gate is the most solid plan I've made. After SanFran comes the reason I am taking this journey:

The California Zephyr! 


The god of all North American train trips - I saw this and said "I need to figure out a way to get on that high speed locomotive." Remember the hint I gave? Go ahead - check it out. 

So the return trip is not really set in stone (I guess the trip out isn't really either but it's pretty close) but I know that on December 13th I will be getting on the Zephyr and arriving in Chicago fifty-six hours later where I get to see my long lost friend Samantha. From there I think I'm going to Ohio and then definitely on to Niagara Falls for some winter festivities and hopefully meeting up with some family to take the train back down south to Rhode Island for the holidays. The whole way back will be bus and train - I'm sure it's going to be really nice not having to drive after three straight weeks of it. So there you have it friends! I can't wait! For those of you visual people out there who just skipped this mega long post:

(the long O - P stretch is when I'm on the zephyr)

I will be updating along my journey and will have a map tracking my progress as well in the side bar. Two other big pieces of unrelated news on the way.

I'm off to NYC tomorrow for the Graduate Portfolio Day at Parson's. We'll see!


Thanks for reading friends - you da' bomb! 

Finding Inspiration/Losing Guilt

Hi Friends! 

I really like to go places and travel and explore. Sometimes though, I feel guilty leaving my studio for a long weekend - like I'm a neglecting my children (paintings). Like if I was really serious I'd be in my studio all day everyday, with no friends, no travels and eating stale cheerios because that's all I have in my pantry and I can't make time to go shopping. Shopping?! I can't shop! I'm painting damnit! 

BUT...

I have found, and a wise soul helped lead me to this path, that while I may not be in my studio putting paint on canvas, I'm still working. Because really, what is more inspirational and thought provoking than this:

Sorento Harbor, ME (pictures don't do it justice)

This past weekend I went to Maine with my man friend Dan and saw the most inspirational sights. We climbed, hiked, canoed and walked and everywhere we went I saw things and thought about how exciting it would be to paint them - or at least derivatives. I am positive that when I get into the studio today, this weekend will make itself known (much like a camping trip in the White Mountains did here...)

A few more:

 Our shadows at the top of Beehive Mountain in Acadia National Park, ME - one of the funnest (hardest) hikes I've ever done - with an amazing reward at the top.

At the top of Black Mountain which provides a 360* view of the grandeur of Maine at sunset.

I have many things in the works which I will be sharing with you soon, so stay tuned my friends, stay tuned. And hey, you're awesome - thanks for reading.

PS - It seems I'm not alone. Check out the post Joanne Mattera did on her blog about the "guilty vacation" and read her readers comments. 

PPS - Do you ever feel guilty for not being in the studio? What inspires you?

Where I've Been...

(taken from the Staten Island Ferry in the pouring rain)

Among other places. I'll be back with another update soon.  Some good news on many fronts coming "atcha."