Number Crunching to Gain Traction (on 2018)

As the year skids to a close I find my inbox full of friends generously sharing their lists. Even Obama has shared his list of favorite movies and books of 2018. Lists of books, (now I wish I had kept track), lists of trips, lists of deaths (4 small shatterings for me), lists of births, how many candles did we burn on the cake? How many cakes did we eat?

A time for reflection and gathering receipts, I jog my memory by flipping back through date books, logbooks, calendars and am happy to find that I am closing out my 3rd sketchbook for the year, so I feel pretty much on track as far as filling in Spring, Summer and Fall. (I live in Florida so there is no WINTER).

Hibernation Mode at Max's place

In January I make a ritual of checking my inventory- how many paintings did I accomplish last year? How many studio hours did I track? How many art sales was I blessed with? Where did I show my works? And then, it's always good to keep learning... so what new skills can I say I did develop? (letterpress, spray painting, drawing on the road), what new life lens did I assume (hello institutional racisim!).

Then to be financially mature, I have add up those tax deductions and count how many ways i donated to charities. How did my raises balance out between the job and the rent? How many political donations did I accumulate? (yikes!) Might as well make a list of the monthly automatic deductions I have signed up for.
And to be immature: how many followers did I attract? How many blog postings... I had hoped to do better with both.
I count my good health as my top blessing but shouldn't I weigh in my body's loss or gain, my blood pressure, my new cosmetic addictions, and my weekly attempts to exercise? Should I add up the grocery bills, the times we ate out for dinner, my travel expenses and medical procedures?
May I suggest we add to the lists the countless hours I talked to God, the times I smiled and faked it, my handful of new friends and the, not enough, times I sat still?

road trip sketch

The end of this sums up whether I feel like a winner or a loser. But before I go too deep I must be grateful to be alive. Not everybody made it this far, and I am a 2018 lucky winner. I count my lover, my kids, my parents and siblings, and my next few days off and call this a good year after all!

I'm a Park Your Art Wynwood Winner!!!

So happy to be chosen to paint another (did it last year) Miami Parking Authority parking meter station in Wynwood, Miami's mural covered district, this weekend. Park your art is in it's 4th annual family canvas event. They have art supplies and projects for all ages to participate in a day of creativity and color.
Inspired by the intersection of highways 836 and 826 near the airport, I will be out at the curb with my paints pulling off a four sided mural of Miami highways at night. Wish me luck!

Meter maid

Because I love pushing pigment over anything, I am thrilled to have been invited to spray paint a Miami Dade Authority owned parking meter in Wynwood, the funky and vivacious arts district of Miami! The theme was "Perseverance" and I took inspiration from Hurricane Irma and the embroidery I did through out the ordeal last September.

The event was sponsored and organized by BEEFREE MEDIA. I was so happy to do my first total spray paint project. It was cool to put the fears and worries that were so pervasive when Hurricane Irma was looming across all of Florida, into an image of love and protection, and onto a machine that measures out Time into small increments. 

Look for the meter on North Miami Avenue and near 28th Street. Seven other artists were also invited to paint meters.#mpacommunity #delvs102 #mutavision #courtneyeinhorn #lardzan #hermesberrio #arts_elidea

by Hermes Barrio who taught me somethings about spray caps!

Elidea working on her international collage of "perseverance" symbols

Enthusiasm reigned

delvos102 and her message about saving the Oceans