And now for something completely different....

I always try to make the most out of sick days by getting some work done in my studio. Today was the third day of this horrible head cold, which I think is feeling worse than it actually is due to the approaching snowy weather. The barometric pressure always plays with my head and makes me feel like there is a giant balloon being blown up inside my skull.So I took the day off from work and got an early start in the studio. The first couple of hours were a complete disaster and were an indication that, when you really are sick it's best just to rest and not try to get anything done. I started on two small panels which turned out to be total messes.

Tossing them aside, I got dressed, went outside for some provisions, including some Mucinex (for $27!!!!), put my laundry in, and then climbed back up the four flights of stairs to wait for the mucus to start pouring out of me. When that didn't happen, I got tired of waiting and started on a couple of new panels. They actually turned out OK, although somewhat different from what I've been doing. I've always been awed by artists that can create masterpieces from one single color or tone, so I tried my hand at some (mostly) monotone pieces. I'm not completely disappointed with the results. Actually, quite the opposite. Although I'm not sure these two are total successes, it was good to take a slight detour and risk doing something a little different. What tends to happen with me is, once I get on a roll with a series that is going well, I end up hitting a wall and lose my spontaneity. I always gotta keep things fresh by throwing a curve ball to myself every now and then...