Category Archives: Musings on Life

When a pen is more than a pen

(The next in the Autumn 2024 series of excerpts from my illustrated memoir, “Double Take”) April 25, 2015 – journal entry about pens and my pen history Back before the invention of markers, gel pens, roller-ball pens, and ballpoint pens, … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Musings on Life, My Story, Pen & Ink, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity), Watercolor | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Do your pauses refresh or agitate?

A brief note first: This latest series of posts has given me an unexpected gift:  the feeling of reading “Double Take” for the first time. When writing, editing, proofing, final proofing, final-final proofing any piece of writing, it’s natural to … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Musings on Life, Pen & Ink, Seeing and looking, sketching, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The bumpy journey from “yeah, but” to “yes, and”

It’s amazing how the mind works or doesn’t. I worked fast and furious the whole spring of 2024 to finish editing and publishing the 2nd Edition of Look at That!,** which is available now on Amazon as an eBook, a … Continue reading

Posted in Look at That- Second Edition, Musings on Life, My Story, Second Edition of Look at That!, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

I never have to sit waiting for the pencil to start

I just spent a chunk of time trying to open a properly-saved file on my computer that, for some reason, now needs to be recovered. Couldn’t do it. That file was a blog post draft in MS Word, so instead … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Musings on Life, Pencil sketching, sketching, Watercolor | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

“Look at That!” Second Edition will arrive Spring 2024

On August 27th, 2023, I wrote an enthusiastic post about the work I am doing on a revision of Look at That! So clear-headed. So excited. So methodical. Then Life happened. I can smile as I write that now. Long … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Book #2: Double Take, Look at That! book, Look at That- Second Edition, Musings on Life, Seeing and looking, sketching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

My book “Look at That!” is getting a makeover!

Three years after publication, and after over 5,200 copies have sold on Amazon alone, I’m thrilled to announce that my first book is getting a major makeover. The changes feel substantial to me, and yet I realize that when you … Continue reading

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What does global warming have to do with watercolor? 

(Note: This isn’t a quick read, but it’s well worth your time.) Marc Taro Holmes gave me my first glimpse of this connection between art and climate change when he published his seminal work, “Apocalypse Variations” in 2019. The art in this … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Look at That! book, Musings on Life, Seeing and looking, sketching, Urban Sketching (On-Site Creativity) | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Say no… so you can say yes.

Your time is precious. Sometimes my time feels so precious, and I have so many creative ideas, that time flies between blog posts as it has done lately. (Your overflowing inbox appreciates that though, I’m sure!) This is why it’s … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Musings on Life, My Story, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

More from my hero, Danny Gregory

In my book, Look at That!, on pages 55 and 67, I gave kudos to Danny for being a wonderful creative mentor to hundreds of wannabe artists. Then in my second book, Double Take, I pretty much gave Danny credit … Continue reading

Posted in 3- Magic: Art Epiphanies, Beauty, Cartoons, Musings on Life | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Never cut the warp

(Note: this post is about twice as long as most. Good story though!) Many years ago, I owned a weaving studio that catered to helping people who lived on the riverbanks of mainstream culture. The people I worked with were … Continue reading

Posted in Beauty, Musings on Life, My Story | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments