Just an ordinary day.

It feels strange not to be under the gun, with a finish line approaching.  

I'm getting ready to submit a painting or two to the next juried show 

at Newburyport Art Association on Sunday.  

My lovely compound miter chop saw.

Gluing up the frame.

I made a frame for a 30x40" acrylic painting that I want to submit.  They are renovating the galleries at NAA and they may not want to choose large paintings because of consideration of the space available.  So I think I'll see what else I can submit that is smaller.

I like to frame the large paintings with wood strips.  I miter the corners, easy the edges, glue and nail it up and paint it, in this case a dark gray.  I'll finish the fine points today, repaint it, attach wire, etc.  

I called it "We Run" when I finished it.  It is of a Boston street scene last March and there is a poster on the right edge that says "We Run Together" about the Boston Marathon.  

A cursory view of the painting doesn't match up with the name very well.  

I have a small painting I like and just remembered that I bought some gorgeous new style frames a couple of months ago and never even opened the box.  That's how busy I've been.  Maybe I can find something to put in that frame, don't even remember what size I ordered.  

They are the new Taos frames from Randy Higbee Frame in California. I had to order five of them to get the price discount, and at the time, I definitely wanted one, so there you go, that's how it goes.

In the News TODAY

Elizabeth Rose, the correspondent for the Newburyport Daily News, 

wrote this article and it was in the news today!

Pyche Show Opens - The Merrimacians

The Merrimacians show installed today!

9 gorgeous portraits by ELIZABETH PECK
and her husband, Mason.

30 portraits by MARY PYCHE

Today was the day, hooray.  I'll need one more visit to complete the installation as some of the artwork hadn't arrived yet (some delays due to the storm) and I have to attach the labels and hang a few more paintings.  The show looks really great, a fine presentation for the library.

Poster Glue Test Report

I am thrilled to report 

that both the items I used for the poster test worked perfectly as regards coming off the wall easily and without leaving any residue!

The poster was up on the wall for several days.  

The Scotch removable Poster Tape, a 3M product and a 2-sided tape, is my favorite because it was easier to apply and the poster laid flat on the wall without any wrinkles, etc. and peeled right off when I wanted it to from both the wall and the poster.  

The Command Brand, Damage-Free Hanging, Poster Strips were a little more difficult to apply and hang and the poster didn't sit totally flat against the wall.  There was a tiny amount of skill needed to remove it from the poster and extremely easy to get off the wall, leaving no residue.

Scotch Poster Tape is my favorite.

After the storm

After the storm in more ways than one.  

I didn't mind the Blizzard of 2015 since the snow was light and fluffy and not heavy to shovel.  

After getting the project ready to go out the door and be installed (that's the other storm), 

I took the day off or tried to, 

I'm just not good at doing nothing.  I tried, but did all the usual household things and made an effort actually not to do art.  I'm glad that's over, now I can get busy again.

Moving on...

To help me to get started to get back on track, today I'll go up and clean and organize the studio and reorganize the 'piles' (work that needs more work).

Here is a fun art video.   2-minutes long, PG13 from British TV show.

Blizzard coming, and thinking about the year ahead.

New Business

Try a little confabulation.

Old Business

One more artist dropped off her work.  

We have a big blizzard warning so now the installation might be postponed again.  

I'm ready, that's all that counts.

I'm running around doing a few things before the snow starts, and found that my car battery was dead, called AAA, replaced the battery.  

I tested out the trunk and I think that the automatic feature only works when it's about a few inches from closing, so loading up by project to take it to the library should work out OK. 

It will feel really good to clean up and get organized again, and I can work on my 'first of the year' things that I didn't have time to do because of these portraits.

I have about 3 weeks before the reception so preparing for that should be fairly stress-free.

How does it feel to be ready to install?

In the a.m.:  The boards are now all glued up, hangers attached, wires attached.

Repeated all the steps of arranging and attaching the 12x12" Gessobords to the mounting boards.  I cut the Velcro squares with a different pair of scissors, and wow, I can't believe how easy it went this time.  Who knew different scissors could be so different.  Could it possibly be that this time I'm cutting face up and yesterday it was backing up? 

Met with 2 artists and collected their artworks for the show.

I went to Staples and they can print out my online book, but I suspect that the images won't be the best and the binding isn't great either, but it will still be a good reference at the show and a good souvenir for me.

I was thinking I'd load up the boards into the trunk of my car, then I realized that it has an automatic closing feature.  So I called the dealer and he couldn't tell me anything about how that will work, couldn't find anything online,  so I guess I'll have to do another test... 

.... Guess what?

I'm done and ready to install at the Library!

This is Motley looking out at the snow, should I go out or not?

Putting the boards together

First thing this morning I took a trip to Lowes to pick up the sturdy hardware.  It was snowing and it was slippery driving.  I didn't go to the Bradford Church to pick up paintings from some of the artists who are putting their portraits into the exhibition because everything was cancelled because of the snow. Now I'll have to meet each one somewhere, sometime before Wednesday.

So I had choices to make about how to wire up these boards.  They will weigh just about 25 lbs when they are completed, and I'll have two hanger strips coming down from the picture molding to support each one, so about 12-13 lbs on each. I had about 5 ways that it could be done. I enlisted a neighbor to help with the decision and we agreed on a method where you use only the two D rings and you use two wires.  It's a little hard to describe but here is a drawing.

I realized that the cross braces were not glued down so I took another hour out of the day to glue them up.

When the first one was dry I started to lay out paintings and the little thumbnail photos.  I didn't want to put names on them (even though, if you look closely, their names are on those thumbnails), but it lacked something, so I introduced some color and that looked better-- brought about a little more balance and color, so I'm listing the names with a number which was when during the project they were painted.  There is no real reason for this, but for me, it adds something.

The top row just has the thumbnail and the bottom has some experiments on shapes and sizes so you can make a comparison.

Now, I've cut up 80 pieces of super industrial Velcro tape just for one of these boards and attached it to the backs of the painted boards, lined them up accurately with all kinds of jigs, etc., and tore off the little backs of those 80 pieces of tape and I'm ready to attach the small photos and name tags.

I was a real cut up today, 120 sides of these name tages.  My nice paper cutter is at another location.

I had to use Goo Gone on the scissors for every 40 squares because they were sticking together.

Now another test.  This time to see if I can remove the paper tags and photo squares after the show because the product is called Elmer's permanent glue spots.I went online to check the specs on it and they don't say anything about whether it could be taken off.  Catherine mentioned that she liked glue sticks, so I tried a piece of paper with the glue stick.  I don't care about the papers in this case, but I would like to use the backer boards again.

Results, the glue stick won.  I am very surprised.  The paper adhered very well and went on very smoothly, and very easy to peel off with no visible residue on either surface.  The permanent glue dots were excellent if you want to adhere your panel to a floating frame and can be removed (although I didn't try it with Masonite) with the Goo Gone.

glue stick won.

I persevered through the dinner hour to get the first board ready to accept the small paper squares but couldn't go any further without the above glue test.  The first board took time with measuring and making the jigs, and now the rest should move right along.

Cruising

Finally, the lumber guy came!  The job was not done accurately, but I can (and more or less must) live with it.  At least the price was right.  And free delivery 5 days late.

So I'm preparing to get the boards completed.  Here are the tiny actual photos of the people.  These will be placed in the right bottom corners of each 12x12" painting on the backer boards.  I really don't want to clutter up the boards with their names.  Their names are on these small photos but fairly hard to see.  There will be flyers with a list of names.  It's not so much about who they are, what their names are, but it's about the portraits.

Naturally, Murphy's Law prevailed and I needed to buy more ink.

The boards weigh a bit more than I expected so I'm off to Lowes to get sturdier hardware and wire before I go any further.  I did create the signage on one of the boards--it was a vinyl sign by Right on the Walls.

We're getting closer.

--Got a call this morning from the lumber guy (no you are not reading yesterday's post again).  He wants to deliver tomorrow and I said I needed it today and I'd pick it up.  He promised to deliver tonight.  We'll see.--Nope, he didn't come and didn't call.
--I finished the photo book. But for some reason it can't be ordered as a hard copy.  Now I have to make it again in another program, probably Shutterfly.  In any case, the one I did make has the advantage of being able to be viewed online and forwarded by email, etc.  So here is the link for that:
Click here to view "The Merrimacians Exhibition" photobook.
--George's painting is done and I took pics, made files, added him to the book, etc.
--The banner test.
I used a two-sided tape made for posters, and you use 4" per 1/4 lb.  While I was hanging it, I thought, oh no. this second side is hard to grasp the corner to peel it off, you know how that goes.  Well, the tape itself is very thin and the removable part is a little stiff, so it is actually easy to grasp and peel off.  The Command Poster Strips were used as well on one half.  You must press for 30 seconds.  I wanted to re-position

Command Poster Strips (3)

Scotch 2-sided poster tape (3)

Poster with the 6 tape pieces

I only taped at the top for the test.  The left side with the 2-sided tape layes better.

them after hanging and pulled one of them off straight and some of the paint came off, but this would not happen (at least I'll find out) if you peel as directed.  I'll leave it up for a several days and then remove it and report.

Good news day.

What was I thinking with this title, it turned out that it was NOT a good news day.
I start entering news or updates on my blog during the day and download it the following day.  Thus, the discrepancy now and then between today, yesterday and tomorrow.

--The lumber guy said he was coming this afternoon with my panels, but he never called and never showed.
--I toyed with the idea of making the photo book myself, and to that end, I looked at HP's creation section and they are with Snapfish.  I found that I could make the book with Snapfish the way I want to do it and have been playing with that software today and having a good time.  Hopefully, I'll like the final product.  After creating half the book, I couldn't find it again on Snapfish, but I had it saved on my hard drive, so was able to bring it up with HP creations.  Then I had some troubles because some of the previous backgrounds were changing on their own as I progressed.  Then I saved with each page, and finally finished all the photo sections.  I only have a few pages of text and I'll be done.  I'm not sure how it works from here as you can even print it yourself, but I'd rather send it off.
--I realized that I should devote a page on my website to this finished project and will work on that later.
--I was able to work with George a little yesterday and will work on his portrait again later today.
--Tomorrow I have to do another adhesive test, this time with the 8 foot banner.  I'm testing 2-sided tape and Command poster strips.  The library absolutely doesn't want anything put directly on their walls.  This vinyl sign would not look right if it was hung by it's corners with string.

Another day in limbo.

--I met with one of the artists for the library show who has a lot of paintings to be sure we arrange things to everyone's best advantage.
--The exhibition coordinator called to say that the installation date has been changed by two more days, so I'm coordinating on my end with the artists and the new drop off date.
--I still couldn't get in touch with my lumber guy, so I went up there to pick them up myself with my big car.  He wasn't there and my job was no where in sight.  Seriously, I should have made them myself--it would have been quicker and less aggravating.  He probably has them on his truck.  The mystery continues.
--I worked more on the photo book pages that are being prepared in Photoshop and I'm almost done.
--When I went to do the photo book, I found that the companies all have themes and other choices that do not work for what I want to do.  Very disappointing.
--I did another test of removing the torn off clumps of masonite from the painted plywood and getting the silicone off the masonite panel.

Using a product called Goo Gone, I applied some to the spots with a Q Tip and let it set for maybe 5 minutes.  Then with a razor scraper I was able to remove everything without any trouble and the surface remained unscarred.  That was a surprise.  So using the tiniest amount of silicone might be a good solution for a somewhat permanent application with floating frames.

Adhesive Decision--Test Results

The test is completed...and the winner is

#2, Velcro INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH, HEAVY DUTY, 4'x2" black tape with superior holding power.

This comes is various sizes but I got this one so I'd have enough to hold up 30 boards.  As I tested it, I cut small (about 1/2" squares) and it worked perfectly, held tight and come off with a slight amount of pressure but won't come off my mistake. I also removed the sticky sides from the art board and the backer board without any problems.  It was solidly attached to the art board and I was able to roll it off with pressure from my fingers and on the painted plywood surface I inserted a thin sharp knife blade to loosen the corner and grabbed it with pliers and peeled it off easily without any damage or residue on any surfaces.  It is not thin, but I like the look of the small shadow that is created because it stands off the backer board slightly.

#1, Velcro Clear Transparent clear coins.  These are thin and I have used them on smaller art panels with great success.  Perhaps because this mounting board was warped, it came loose on one corner, understandable, but since this job depends on a perfect presentation, I didn't want to jeopardize the project.

#3 Command Picture & Frame Hanging Strips.  This is rated for 18x24" frames and up to 12 lbs.  I chose to use only one piece in the center top because of the weight (for the test) and it worked perfectly fine and came off easily following the directions, but would stay firmly attached otherwise.  It kind of snaps together and the directions to apply it are a little time consuming.  I mainly decided not to use it for this job because lining it up to hang level and straight, etc. is not as easy as the velcro.  If 2 strips were used, one on each side at the tops, it would probably line up quicker and easier.  These strips are excellent for being easy to remove and leave no residue or damage to either surface.


#4. Silicone.  I used three small dobs about 1/4 teaspoon along the top edge and clamped it.  It was very firmly attached.  After 2 days I couldn't remove it by pulling it (like opening a door) from the bottom edge.  One spot (with the least amount of silicone) did come off, leaving residue on both surfaces.  The second and third spots tore material from the painting panel which remained attached to the painted plywood mounting board.  I purchased Goo Gone and have not yet attempted to remove the remainer of the torn materials from the plywood base.


#5.  Scotch Super 77 multi-purpose adhesive.  I had high hopes for this product but decided not to test it this time because of ventilation.  It is highly flammable and states that even pilot flames are a risk.  So because it's freezing outside, I will wait for better weather to use this project.  According to Blick, it will work very well and I'm sure that I will give it a chance at a later date.

Excitement is building

Today seems like delivery day.  My mounting boards should come in today and some print materials arrived this morning.  The banner sign is enormous!  Holy smoke:

The brochures and business cards also arrived:

I've been working on the setup for the mounting boards and the vinyl sign is here and I've prepared everything I need to mount the paintings on the boards.

The last painting is not going to get worked on today either, hopefully tomorrow, as he has a busy day today and can't sit for me.  I hope the paint will be dry by hanging day. Nothing like getting right down to the wire.

Shifting to show logistics

--I couldn't finish the last portrait because it's my husband and he wasn't awake during the daylight hours and I want to try to do the last part of the portrait while he is sitting by the window where the photo was taken.  He's not doing all that well these days and I didn't get to sleep until 4 a.m. this morning. 
--I did finish the others, some needed signing, etc.  I set up the camera and shot all of them with high settings and various settings for the best color so they might come out well for the photo book.  I loaded them up on the computer, made files, learned something new on Photoshop and worked on about half of the book's pages. 
--I don't know yet about when they say it's 20 pages for a certain price, if that means both sides of a page or each page. 
--I received the sign for the show and laid it out so it's ready to stick on the mounting boards when they arrive.  It's a vinyl sign something like a decal that you rub onto a surface.
--I heard from the lumber guy, and YEAA, it will be ready late tomorrow and I asked him about delivering it in case my son and his truck are busy.
--The adhesive test is still ongoing.
--I have other commitments today so I might not get to do much art work.

Will I finish painting the project today?

--Yesterday I met with the correspondent from the newspaper and she was so thorough, she spent an hour and a half with me.  It was like a reunion because she was the 'start' of the project and here we are at the end. 
--I had to check all the backs of the portraits to be sure I had written the information on them and had the model numbers, dates, etc. Things were moving so quickly at the start of the project that I'm happy that I got the names right.
--I found two that need the tiniest bit of work left to do on them.
--The adhesive test is going well, one came a bit loose because the sticky stuff on the back of the velcro industrial buttons didn't stick to the masonite panel in one spot.  Perhaps because of finger oil so cleaning with alcohol would probably help with that.  I haven't tried to remove them from the test board yet. 
--today 1) I'll set up to photograph them.  Since the photobook is mostly for me, my camera should work good enough and 2) I'll try to finish #30.

Right now, with the temp outside at 7 degrees, I have to go to the grocery store. :( 

Working on #30

--I was supposed to meet with a photographer this morning to take good pictures of my portraits so I can have good pictures in my photo book, but she now has the flu.
--I'm meeting later today with the newspaper correspondent about the story for the exhibition at the library.
--I did the test for the various methods of attaching the panels to the mounting board.  First I'll wait to see if any fall off, then I'll see how they come apart.
--I painted for a few hours and finished Chad, #29.  It went well, I held my old old big palette, the type that you see in photos of ancient artists.  I used to use this one a long time ago.  It really did work better and I moved right along being better able to match the colors I was seeing and somehow better mix my colors.  Maybe it's a majic palette.  I hope so.  I'm using the Daniel Greene palette for colors with a few of my own.
--The last one is of my husband and I worked on it for days already but I want to bring it down when he is sitting by the window where I took the photo and maybe be able to better adjust the light and colors.
--No word today from the lumber guy. 

Making headway - 11 days to go.

Yesterday was a good painting day, of the five portraits that weren't finished, I worked on three paintings and finished two of them.  The third one will be done today and then I have two more to work on and if I have any luck by tomorrow I'll only have one left.  Who knows, with some luck I could be finished today.

I'm hoping to get the photos done today of the finished works and get busy with the photo book.

I hadn't heard from my wood guy and yesterday I asked my husband if he thought the wood guy would do the job, and he said, no I don't think so.  I was starting to think the same thing.  But this morning I heard from him and he's working on them today!

My print orders are starting to arrive and I've created all the other publication materials I'll need for the show, so as soon as I can get to the store to buy some printer ink, I'll run everything off.

What's left?  Well, I have many types of adhesives, some of them will work, so I still haven't tested all of them.  I'm trying to preserve the mounting boards to reuse them as actual painting surfaces, but if all else fails, I'll just have to use screws and repair the backer boards before using them as painting surfaces.

I'm in Limbo

--Waiting to get the show on the road.  I went to the lumber guy yesterday and he wasn't there and there was no sign that he is working on my mounting boards.  Oh no. I left him a note.
--I painted for about 4 hours and got no where--had to keep wiping out, Oh no. I started to fix a nose on one portrait and ended up doing it all over (That's what I do, I can't help it.)  I hope I have better luck today.
--I did design and order lots of brochures, cards, banners, etc for the show and designed and printed out flyers and a sign-up sheet for new people to sit and new artists to paint models.
--I have to get my Etsy shop up and running soon and I'm checking out instagram.  Here is a link about how to do that. 

Logistical stuff for show and #30

I've been painting everyday but not for long as I have lots of other logistical stuff to do.  I am actually now working on painting number 30!  I have 5 that I'm working on concurrently.  I wrote to all the models and all the artists and I'm working on brochures, flyers, photos, and testing glues.  I might even had to drive again up to the woodworkers shop to see what's going on with my mounting boards.  For some reason these guys know how to shut off their phones and emails and not let it take them away from their work.  Let's hope anyway, that he is busy making my boards.  I'm also out of printer ink, so other shopping can be done during that trip.  Since it's about 0 degrees out, I'll wait until mid-day to go out. 
Here is an interesting link about a color tool (app). 

15 days left and LOTS TO DO!

It's just around the corner, yet there is so much more to do.  I met with the exhibition director and have all the details necessary to inform the other artists and coordinate things to be ready to hang on Monday, January 26th at 10:30 a.m.  

I've been working every available minute, I have three more to touch up, one to finish, and one yet to start! --that pretty much equates to 5 days right there.  So that's the painting angle.

Other logistical items are taking good pictures of all my paintings and putting together the flyers, brochures, business cards, and the photo book which will be a good reference at the show.  I've ordered my mounting boards, the big sign for my section of the show, planned the positions of the other artists' work, need to have them deliver their works to me either before the hanging date or at 10:30 that day.  Big important aspect, deliver information to the newspaper correspondent for Newburyport.  Catherine Dullea will take care of some other newspaper advertising and adding information to the library web site.  

I'm still testing various adhesives to mount the panels onto the mounting boards.  When they arrive I will adhere the boards and the small thumbnails of the actual photos of the models to that board and prepare it to be hung.  I may need to put the names of the models there as well.  Their names are on the thumbnails but maybe not big enough to see when they are reduced to a 2" square.  This scenario will be the same as in the photo book--the large photo of the painting and the small thumbnail of the actual photo of the person.

I'm very glad that this show will be up for 2 months.  The reception will be held on a Saturday, February 21st at noon until 2 p.m.  All are invited.  

Twelve (12) artists painted with us in this project, and nine (9) will be hanging something in the show for a total of 36 pieces of art from the other People Painting People artists, and an additional total of 30 portraits of mine--PLENTY OF PAINTINGS for everyone to look at!

Oh no, one more?

I'm short one portrait!  I wrote to a couple of people who might jump in, I need to do it right away.

Yesterday I made the email distribution list of the models and made a lot of progress with Charles, that cute kid with the red hair.  I can see that I have improved in many ways.  I was able to make the proportion corrections and attack the massing in of the lights and darks.  I'm not at all afraid to scrub something out that is not right and make the changes.  I'm going up now to get Charles finished today.  I took photos of George yesterday as well to paint him.  The light wasn't too good so may take more today with him sitting by the window.  I will be able to have him 'in the flesh' to check on things if necessary.

I'm still investigating the prospect of how to attach my panels to the backer boards, and at this point, the industrial Velcro looks good, another experiment is in order.  The industrial buttons I used before worked pretty good and even they were hard to remove from the wall I put them on.

Working hard, fast, and with anticipation

This project has enabled me to go into the studio automatically every day and set up the palette and get to work, a very good habit to have formed.  I have plans for right after this project is completed and can't wait to start on other things so I have a good chance of continuing my good habit.

I started early yesterday and had to stop in the early afternoon to bring paintings to the Newburyport Art Association for the upcoming show.  I hope they get in.  I noticed work from a couple of upper level artists among the pieces received, so I'm very happy to see that the show will be high class.  The NAA shows have been looking better and better. I think, for a while, the better artists have not been showing so I hope the competition gets harder and harder.  I love a challenge.

Today I completed the one I started yesterday (or maybe the day before, who can remember) decided not to touch one of the sketches, and decided to only the the background on another sketch, which I did do.  I'm starting on another sketch this afternoon that needs considerable work, but after this one, I hope the next three or four will go fast as they don't need a lot of work.  You know me, I don't know how to 'just do a little bit' on them.  We'll see.

I have heard from a newspaper correspondent who is doing a story of the project, and I'm working on narrative material for the photo book.  I just realized I need to do another distribution email list for the people who were models for the project.

Research day

I had some appointments and couldn't get started very early, so then I started to look up and write to people about various ways of attaching my boards to the backer board.  Various art sites didn't reveal anything I did't already know about.  I wrote to some companies and hope they have some ideas.  I had ordered some adhesive hangers and they came in, I experimented, and they didn't work.  I ordered some other ones today and in the meantime I have another experiment to conduct.  I remember once I had a very heavy thing I was mounting and I tried about six methods before I landed on something that worked but it was a permanent attachment, this one can't be. So they have industrial extreme strength Velcro, check this out here.
The famous Rose Frantzen mounted her panels the way I'd like to hang mine, on a backer board, from which I'm sure they were later removed.  I tried to reach her, but could not get a contact address anywhere.  I can write to her husband, but that might not be the right thing to do.  Katie Swatland might be helpful.  I could try that.
I did talk with my mill work guy a week ago and wanted to email him the drawings and specs for the mounting boards I want him to do, but he never sent his email address.  All his mailboxes were full and I haven't been able to reach him, so I bit the bullet and drove up there.  His grandson is taking over for him at this location in New Hampshire and he is working at the other location in NY.  I gave the specs to Nick, the grandson, and now I feel a bit more relieved about getting that part of the project done.  Luckily someone was there, but I would have left it in the mail slot.
So then I cooked up some meals for the week ahead, and thought about my approach for tomorrow.

Mostly, feeling good.

8 hours again yesterday and maybe 6 today and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It is amazing how your attitude or well-being effects your work.  Usually, on an ordinary day, when you don't feel like painting or the painting isn't going very well, you realize it and decide to other things, clean up the studio, etc. but, and I read about this in the magazines, if it's your job or you have a deadline, you have to stay put and get it done.  One of the last four paintings was like that, it wasn't coming along at all, getting worse by the minute, but I had to pull it together and get it done.  It was a good fight, and in the end it wasn't too bad, but certainly not what I was looking for or hoping for.  Then, the same day, I cleaned up and laid out the palette again, and voila, it all came together again.  Then I'm thinking, well, maybe it's that every other one doesn't go well, but that's not true either.  Now I'm thinking that this art stuff is like riding a bucking horse in the rodeo, you just have to hang on as long as you can and wait for the calm at the end.  I have to say that sometimes it is that exciting!
Sorry no pictures yet, and all this text is pretty boring I'm sure.

Happy New Year to YOU

If you are reading this, you are a special friend.  I value and appreciate my friends, so a big thank you for hanging in with me on this art journey.  Oh Boy, a new year ahead!  Usually I'm thinking a lot about what happened last year and what might happen this year but I've been tooooo busy to think about it.  25 days left to hanging the portrait show, so this will be brief.
I worked 8 hours yesterday and didn't get all that far, but did get to jump a few more hurdles.  I'm nothing if not optimistic.
Lists, that's what keep me going.