Six Degrees

Me & My Friend, Michael
PBS (the station Michael & I watched tonight)
Emile Norman (the program that was on PBS)
Big Sur (the place Emile Norman lives)
Henry Miller (a neighbor of Emile in Big Sur)
To Paint Is To Love Again (a book Henry wrote, and I bought)

It is interesting to connect the dots of how the spirits of connection can happen. What six degrees have you experienced lately?

Water Melon Scares Dog

It was a great Saturday. A breakfast at Katz Deli with friend, shopping at Aaron Brothers penny sale, a drive to the woodlands, dinner with new friends and collectors of my art. While visiting them their dog, a cute black cocker spaniel started barking wildly.... at a watermelon on the kitchen counter. Funny, and it took some time to get the dog calmed down.

Lillian

Old paint on canvas, as it ages sometimes, becomes transparent and when that happens it is possible in some pictures to see the original lines, a tree will show through a women's dress, a child makes way for a dog, a boat is no longer on an open sea, that is called Pentimento, because the painter repented, changed his mind.

What was there for me once
What is there for me now

Dad's Day

I painted in the studio today

I created on the computer

I took a photo

and combined everything...

A check arrived in the mail, another sold painting ! Yeah, we like that.

Happy Fathers Day!

Interesting people

I have had an interesting few evenings with artist friends who I have randomly, and quite spontaneously ran into. Each person has their own stories. I like stories. I remember Robert speaking about the comfort of sitting in this chair. "Wow, this is a deep chair" he said. I created this drawing from memory of him sitting in the chair and we swapped stories. Another artist friend, Alex, dropped by yesterday evening. Alex is deaf... but he sure can talk alot, anything but silent. My evening have gotten me away from the lonely routine I have found myself retreating. Re-energizing my creative thought processes, re-energizing my social skills and making plans with other artists and friends.

Some things they don't teach you in school.

Crispus Attucks

Melvin Beaunorus Tolson

Art effects

Karachi & Salman Ahmed

Drawing Blanks

Some things they don't teach you in school.

Thank goodness for freedom.

Art Chatter Night

Tonight was my night to be the artist that gets critiqued. It was the last night before we break for the summer becuase it just gets tooo darn hot! The evening was well attended and the dicussion around my painting versus my digital art and the space inbetween was just the discussion that I wanted to have with this diverse audience.

I walked away with some great things to think about, sift through and ponder. What I do know is that the commentary will help make me a better artist.

Now I need to get back to listening to my inner voice, focus on the skill level of my handiwork whether that is by hand, brush or computer --- push some limits, change some of my own perceptions, expand into some unknown territories.

So what now.... ? In the immortal words of Ru Paul - "You Better Work"

Thank you to my Art Chatter Buddies - if you happen to read my blog.

Creative Block

I had a weekend where not much happened. The couch, the tv, the games on the computer, the bed, the shower, and the toilet were my friends. My inner voice said earlier in the day "rough patch" -- had a reached a rough patch? Then I got busy... I rearranged the dining room... I did some laundry... I wacthed a movie...and during the movie the character "was stuck"... and artist also... their mentor gave them a block of wood. The block of wood was to represent themselves... the block could be anything it wanted to be... but you needed to believe that... self believe... it was coming back... I needed to believe in myself... believe in my work. So I created this piece to remove my creative block.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Another Title needed

Any ideas what this brings to mind?

Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

Needs a title

Created this new digital piece... it needs a title... leave a comment with your suggestions.




Copyright 2008 William H. Miller All Rights Reserved

...ING

Blogging, Twittering, Painting, Digitizing, Working, Sleeping, Reading, Listening, Calling, Watching, Dreaming, and more... It was a busy weekend with traveling to and from Dallas & Fort Worth --- the show at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center went well and is running through the end of the month. Now it is back to Houston. I have art projects both personal and commissioned that are needing to get done. I came home to the airconditioning unit not working...not fun when the temp was a record high of 95 degrees. So now it is back to DOING.... thanks for continuing to read and checking in.

Chastity & Me

more to come...


in the meanwhile I am off to Fort Worth for a show at the Fort Worth Community Center -
2008 – Fort Worth, TX, my work is in
Gallery One – Paintings - Rthymn & Chaos show. The show is part of
- More Life: The Arts and Science of AIDS

http://www.fwcac.com/?exhibitions

wikipedia people meeting

Met Chastity Bono today.

Tomorrow I meet Dee Dee Myers and Spike Lee .

I am lucky to meet people that are have large impact in the world we live.
http://www.texasdiversityconference.com

I watch them bloom...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pe5p1BXNCQM

I think to myself what wonderful family and friends I have.

I am lucky and blessed.

and I love you too!

From Wall to Wash

Created these images from photos taken today as I walked the streets of downtown Houston. One was of a mirrored sculpture piece on a wall that was exposed building. The final was that of my windows going through the car wash. In filtering the images (the B&W is my personal favorite)... and then combining them to create new works. Not sure what they say as they remain abstract.

When in doubt return to the creative soul. It will lead you in the right direction.





2008 Copyright William H Miller All Rights Reserved

painting in studio

It was 2nd Saturday and I painted in the studio day. It is very free-ing to work in the studio. The number of people through the studio was few, but it was great conversations

Connections

It has been a busy week. Connections have been the theme. Connecting with friends, connecting with art, connecting with artists, galleries, customers, work, taxes, charity, creative spirit, with laundry, with relaxation, with stress, with my breathing, old collections, old friends, old memories, new memories, , drag queens, strippers, twizzlers, big brother 9 shout outs to Josh on the Texas highway 45, rain clouds, tornados, and memories of recent earthquakes.

Now as we approach mid week, I am trying to get centered, back to a routine, back to some normal efforts - focus on returning to the work. Looking at the creative elements of my life and concentrating on my expression. This is a start.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved

When Dragons Fly Among The Sea

I created this today during the I.C.Art Studio Tour. In addition to drawing and painting details, I used details from two previously created works. "Dragonfly", an acrylic painting and a digitally created word painting called "Because" were combined and modified to create this work.

Being back in the studio is good thing. It brings peace to my soul. something I need to remember.

2008 Copyright William H Miller All Rights Reserved

Under Pressure

I have seen the billboards and the ads in the newspaper and even been told by a friend and an artist about the RED BULL Art of Can - Call for artists for the Houston, TX show. Of course mostly they show sculptures of made from the cans. But that's not me.

Then I learned that you can submit any artwork as long as it is inspired by RED BULL. Mind you that the time is 3pm CST and the artists must drop off their art by 5pm. I run home and get the one last of sugar-free RED BULL left in my frigerator - I run around the house looking for good places to take photos of the can. Then run to my computer to begin my master manipulation of the photos - since there was words on the labels it kind of fit with my word series. I wanted it to be visually abstract but remind you of a clock, and hopefully you get the feeling of pressure.

So I finished the piece, I printed it off as an 8"x8" framed to a 16"x20" (good thing to have spare matts and frames around) - then I printed off the entry forms and ran to Winter Street Studios where they were collecting all the entries this week (and I wait to the last few hours!). Well I made it and the piece was well recieved.

They will be judging all the entries this week and the lucky winners based on Creativity, Concept Execution and Construction - if my piece ranks high enough it will be chosen to be shown at the Galleria in Houston.

Now I need to have a RED BULL and relax! Pheeeeew.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller / RED BULL - All Rights Reserved

Passion Zones

It has been awhile since I last blogged. This is a photo of a painting now residing in Ennis, TX. Many have not seen it since it was sold shortly after it was created. But I got the pleasure of seeing it in it's new home, and it looks great Jerry!.

It is called Passion Zones.

It reminds me of what another artist friend, Van McFarland always says "Art marks Time"- so true is that statement.

Very busy working on new projects and new art - and focusing on that.

Copyright 2008 William H Miller All Rights Reserved