Back In The Saddle: After vacation and visits from relatives, I am back in the studio trying new pieces which I hope to finish this week. Some landscape, some abstract, more drawing.

First, I found a new fun app that lets me affect my photos in many different ways. Prisma updated photo from first day in Florida almost four years ago at the Welcome Station at the GA-FLA border.

And in NC last summer

Then, I tried and successfully captured photos from the TV show West Coast Customs where they took a 2005 Lamborghini of Chris Brown and updated it to his desire for a Hot Wheels look. Added front and back extensions, new wheels, and redid the interior and sound system. Kind of fun.

So, we were able to spend a weekend near Astor FL on the St John river. Had the use of a pontoon boat (already left the dock) and cruised the river, Lake George in one direction and two smaller lakes in the other. This river is one of only three that flow south to north - kinda of disorientating. 

One our way home we spent the day touring the Kennedy Space Center near Titusville. Well worth the price of admission. Below is the Atlantis. A truly fun day.

Greg and I took sailing lessons through Offshore Sailing, a nationally recognized school. Two half day classes on the water, totally exhausting. Greg picked it up right away. Somehow, I steered us across the Gulf, up the Mississippi and close to Saint Louis...got an "F" for that one. Steve was a great teacher. The second day was rough, we were the only boat out for most of the time, not realizing that tropical storm Emily was forming to the north, which eventually hit the Tampa area that night.

Greg and an Army buddy then took off for the keys, fishing, whatever, for three days before heading back to Base. It Was wonderful to see him for several weeks after his deployment to Korea the past year.

Two shows opened up the same weekend. Below is my painting from the March workshop with Morgan Samuel Price which I entered in the Art Alliance member show. Also took the three recent watercolors to the August show for Fort Myers Art League.

Spent several days varnishing my acrylic and oil paintings from the last year and a half. Created quite a mess in my studio and two other rooms as I laid out all of the work.

Finally, I actually finished a piece, again, started in the workshop on site at Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. Tried a different method/style.

Now working on a small landscape, a layout of shells in a photo taken looking down on the beach, and trying to finish my abstract Beige, which is following Black done earlier this year. I want to try another construction/shadow box piece to go with the one I did last year. Need to draw more, maybe get out my pastels and walk around our development. 

Meanwhile, I continue to digitize my vinyl albums (about 300) so I can sell them and create some closet space. Tedious, but it forced me to listen to music I have not played in years. As I record, I have been reading linear notes and heading to the internet for related info. For example, the album Stephen Stills by SS has a track (Go Back Home) where Eric Clapton played lead and one (Old Times Good Times) with Jimi Hendrix lending a left hand. The album dedication was to: James Marshall Hendrix. And, this was when Rita Coolidge was earning her pay singing background. Also showing up for more background vocals were John Sebastian, Bass Elliot, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Shirley Matthews, Booker T Jones. Andy Johns engineered some of the tracks. Fun stuff. 

That's enough for now, off to tennis class, and if I don't hurt myself, more painting and recording.