Truly inspired...thanks, Sarolla.

Kelly and I took a trip today to The Hispanic Society of America in NYC to view paintings by one of my favorite artists, Joaquin Sarolla (1863-1923). The paintings just returned from a three year stint in Spain. I have seen a few small works by the Spanish great at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but never of this size and breadth.

Sarolla was the best known Spanish painter of his era. It is easy to see why standing dwarfed beside his series, A View of Spain. Lots came to mind as I viewed these masterpieces. I believe the digital era has dramatically improved possibilities for picture-making. I wondered, however, if the computer is diminishing the language of painting.

I have fewer conversations with narrative artists about painting; the physicality of a brushstroke, the tactile quality of a painting's surface, incidentals native to oil painting, enigmatic qualities of painting that speak to artists on a deeper level.

The computer has increasingly become a valuable tool for my creative processes. I am a painter, in love with the romantic process of applying paint to surface, used art books splayed out around my easel, the smell of Belgian linen, the struggle to remove that one freakin bristle from a delicate part of my painting with a palette knife. I learned much today about painting from my friend, Joaquin Sarolla y Bastida...there is always room for inspired painting for this artist.

Homemade trailer, baby!

Since graduating last Friday, I have been eager to clean house. I normally take junk to the dump myself. I decided to call Paynes Waste Removal to order a 12 yard dumpster. Lots to remove from our property; doors, a couch, remnants of house projects, etc.. The dumpster rental was almost $400, not including weight, tax and service charges.

I purchased an old 5'x9' trailer a few years back. The walls and floor were rotted and the lights no longer worked. Rather than shell out money for a one-time removal, I decided to rebuild the old trailer. It took four days of work and @$350. I stripped the trailer down to the frame, scraped and repainted, rewired with all new lights and electrical, resurfaced the trailer and built new post walls with treated lumber (the walls come off).

My final addition will be a bumper sticker that reads, "YES this is my truck and trailer, NO I can't help you move." :)

Classic Oil Painting Studio

DeCesare Studio

Picasa Image Album. Not sure how all this functions yet. Three posts...image, movie and album. Probably spent more time than I should have. Learning!

Today is a day of firsts...first time Blogging, first time making an IMovie, first time finding a large Locus in my salad. I think this movie is better than my lunch!

Homeless Hero Illustration

Well, second time attempting to Blog. Actually, I am rather excited at the new possibilities. Setting up this Blog is part of a larger plan to utilize new technology. My traditional sensibilities as a painter and draftsman are slowly transitioning into digital media. Nancy Stahl and Zina Saunders patiently helped guide this...my first fully realized digital painting without relying on hand-drawing line work. Creating a Blog, using programs like Painter, Illustrator and Photoshop are profound steps (especially as an educator).

I was truly touched by the story of Gustus Bozarth, a homeless man. The story made national news; surveillance capturing a man folding a flag military style that fell during a storm. A simple act of patriotism by an unlikely samaritan.

I graduate tomorrow with my MFA from the Hartford Art School! My goal for this degree was to embrace technology and find ways to lend my sensibilities to something scary and new.

My first post of my first Blog.