Hopefully looking towards creating some great new art with some newly found inspirations based on hurt and sadness and regret.  Not anything big, but perhaps finding that things could have, would have, and should have worked out differently, or maybe I'm just thinking too much. My life as it is right now is fantastic, could I ask for a better day to day existence? Sure, but why?  Am I missing something? Yeah. Am I happy with it? No.  Am I going to go on? Damn straight. Why ponder over those things, those experiences I missed, the opportunities that I didn't take, or was scared to.  All of that made me into who I am today and would I change anything about me? No, because what if I hadn't turned out as conscience as I am about myself? Life's lessons teaches only how to resolve situations, because situations are not stagnant. I grow, and I am constantly growing.  I learn each and every day to be the predator and not the prey.  I am strong, willing, and determined.  Fuck those who have hurt me, yes, but what am I going to do about it now? Go on. What else is there to do? My new piece is a collage, bits and pieces from things that I love, things I hate, wrapping them all up into one big mess of a piece and hopefully calling it a success. It takes a lot longer than a painting. I can paint fast like nobody's business, but this is challenging because I'm used to creating art from scratch.

What shall I call her? I mentioned I'm a predator, getting what I want as long as I'm determined, perhaps a small bird in the clutches of the amazing falcon who's eyesight is as sharp as her talons as she swiftly approaches the small helpless bird and clutches at it with speed so fierce, that the leaves around the poor screeching bird shake with fear themselves. The weaker me, and the stronger me, which one overpowers...

Holy crap my laptop is hot!!

Well a nice fruitful day today!! And yesterday actually... in art. I'm working on a few new animal heads out of the bicycle saddles and they look pretty sweet, but that's one person's opinion. For being a pretty laid back day, I booked myself a solo show at a place in Cherry Creek, this place sells high-end mattresses, but they are supposed to move them all in order for my art to "show".  It's a win-win.  Hopefully it reaps more fruitful than Santa Fe does.  Not anything against the strip but it's a little dissapointing when there's heaps of people but there's not the revenue to make it worth my time.  Sorry Arts District, that's just how I feel. On another note, I am really excited to finish these heads!! Some days just feel good, and other days just feel so-so.  It's a good day! I also made myself a pearl milk tea, also known in the US as bubble tea (I just learned to say it that way in Australia, when I learned what it was!) Wonderful stuff!! I found a fantastic Asian market to go to and grab all the goodies. There's Pacific Mercantile Co in downtown Denver, and then there's the Pacific Ocean International Supermarket. So delicious!!!

As for my next at show, it shall be posted so that Denverites may be able to come, I'm so excited to have a place to myself! It will take place the first Thursday in September, so the 6th of September.

Why I don't like it when....

When I am riding my bike to work, or to get groceries or wherever I am just in an area frequented by bicycles and cars cohabiting together, I do not like and sometimes am downright rude when cars wave me through stop signs when they clearly and logically have the right-of-way. Why is this? They are being nice when they wave me through, when they should be clearing the intersection while I come to a close stop after them, but I have had cars wave me through milliseconds after they stop as well as ten seconds. This morning i wasn't even near the stop sign when a car who had stopped already, proceeded to continue through the intersection and see me as he was in the road. But upon seeing me, which i was still at least 50 feet away from the intersection, he stopped suddenly, at this 4-way stop, in the middle of the intersection. I was in a hurry, running late for work anyway so I just passed around the front of him as he confidently waved me through, unknowing that he potentially put me in danger for being in the other lane to actually pass him. This is a moment i realize that was a special instant but nonetheless sums up my feelings. I will usually do one of two things when cars want to wave me through stop signs illegally, blatantly ignore them while looking the opposite way, or stop completely while they wave me through and look into their eyes while I lift my hand up and point to the stop sign. Yeah I get it, you're trying to be nice but you are also causing me, a law-abiding cyclist, to break the rules of the road. I am too smart to fall for the 'cars are nice to me because my acceleration is slower' crap, but there's a lot of vanity and accessory cyclists out there, especially in my neighborhood who will and do consistently break this rule because they are given the mercy treatment. They know it, and they take advantage of it. If cars would like for me to act like a vehicle on the road like I am supposed to, then don't wave me through stop signs. How do I know you're not a raging aggrieved just waiting for me to do something wrong in front of you do you can slyly have your vengeance by running me over? I don't. So I'm going to play it safe, put my foot down and let you pass.

Goin to the beach and Getty married!

This Saturday I get to marry Ryan, the perfect guy for me. I never thought i'd be getting married now, and ever even. I'm a happy single Hal, but it's true that when you find the person who knows your every flaw and STILL loves you even after that, well then, minds can change. I love him:) yay!

A new set of paintings

Kind of like sunshine!  I'm always thinking new series to start with my art.  When I can't think of anything to paint for a while, there's a whole list building up inside my head of potential future works! They all excite me and then frustrate me because I want them to be done like, NOW.  Like as soon as I think it up, I want it on canvas at THAT MOMENT.  When I finally sit down to paint "said" piece, it's been a few days or so and I just don't feel as motivated anymore.  I stick beside what I say 100%, I have the attention span of a 10 year old.  And no crap about ADD or ADHD, what-the-fuck-ever. I don't believe in mind disorders, I believe in people characteristics!

So I got off track, but likely, I can talk so fast sometimes that it's like I'm having three conversations in my head at once but I can only keep up with one via my mouth so I can just jump back and forth between conversations and if I get my thoughts out in time, I can jump back to what I was saying just prior to my deviation and continue without falter. I woke up this morning thinking I wanted to paint my nails two different colors and then I fell into a routine.  This routine was switching the brush from one hand to another and continuing the orange/pinkish color onto my other hand.  So anyway, I make a video of some stupid abstract art. YAY!
Metal ABstracts!

Too long ago!!

Art is the sense of my being. If it cannot be expressed, I'd rather explode.

Life at Turin

I make a paycheck working at this bicycle shop called Turin in Denver. It's 41 years old and still going strong. I have them to thank a lot for the random parts that I pick up and turn into revamped pieces of art. The beauty of bicycles is unmatchable.
Beasts.