Let me be honest, I’ve been back for a while, but shortly after my vacation came to an end, my computer decided to take one of it’s own – A permanent one. One minute it was there and working just peachy, the next it was kapoot. No hard drive, no operating system, no nothing, just a heart attack inducing blank screen.
It turns out that my hard drive had enough and simply erased itself. No two weeks notice, just “F*** you, I quit”. At any other time, this wouldn’t be a big deal. I’d just trade in the old computer, get a new one and fill it with the information from my back-up drive. The problem this time was that my trusty back up had also failed a few weeks earlier. S***!
After much freaking and peaking, some moments of despondence and maybe a tear or two, I was lucky enough to have a co-worker volunteer to recover the files from my misbehaving back-up and recover them he did. The hitch? Seems I had been a negligent backer upper; I lost anything I had worked on since March of last year. All the client files, all of my children’s book (Yeah, you heard me…more about that at a later date) music, photos, all of the last 9 months. Needless to say I’m still a little heart broken over it.
The lesson here? Back up your information like your life depends on it, your business certainly does.
Stay tuned for image laden posts over the next little while. Sketches and progress shots comin’ your way!
A few more days and I’ll be on vacation, off to the wilds of Northern Ontario. Thank [insert preferred deity here]. This could have come a lot sooner, considering my stress levels are so high they’ll take at least a week to normalize.
Some how I manage to do this to myself every year. The Christmas season starts, I’m not happy about it but I feel prepared to handle all the madness about to rain down on my December, but as the weeks pass and that jolly old fat man gets nearer and nearer my stress levels get higher and higher. Sadly, I don’t even notice until it’s too late and I look into the mirror to realize there is a dark eyed monster staring back at me and that most of my friends are boycotting me until said monster goes back into hibernation.
But as I said, just a few more days and I will bus it out of the city and head north to relaxation and holiday celebrations. It will be glorious.
Hopefully your holiday lead-up has been a bit calmer than mine, if not let me recommend some spiked egg nog and chocolate, lots of chocolate. It is the holidays after all.
Have a wonderful and safe Christmas or [insert preferred celebration here] everyone. I’ll catch you on the flip side.
It’s bloody winter again and not just “Oh yay! There’s snow on the ground” type of winter, but “Holy muther of **** my tongue has frozen to the roof of my mouth” sort of winter. So, in true Grinch spirit, I decided to take yesterday, ignore the world, hibernate and paint.
And you thought I was going to make a Santa reference.
I will, however, remind you of the painting sale. New work was added last week!
Okay, I know, shameless plug. Here are more progress shots of BFP and the commissioned flower painting. Apology accepted?
One question: Did y’all forget Christmas was coming or is logo design the new Tiffany necklace?
I’m so freakin’ busy! I’ve been staring at my poor neglected paintings for days now as I sit on my computer doing diagrams for books and researching for logo designs. Every so often I get a paint brush in my hand, but it too is client related.
By no means am I complaining, the painting and logo work is a ton of fun, but I am aghast at the amount of people popping out of the wood work with projects just before the holiday season. So, to shorten this rant as much as possible, I’ll get to the point. I have some updated photos for your hungry eyes, but they might be a few days in coming while I dig myself out of this snow drift of design work.
While you wait for that. The painting sale is still going strong! Get some of those names crossed off you list with style! (If you’re worried about delivery timing and such please email me, there are options for everyone) More paintings to be posted to the sale tomorrow morning.
My biggest mistakes in life can all be blamed on a single persistent error: Not listening to my gut. I’ve sprained shoulders, broken fingers, overworked, over painted, over paid and stubbed my toes numerous times all because I should have listened to that little voice in the back of my head say “Ummm, not so sure about this one” Well, after 26 years the little voice is getting some validation – I’m listening.
So, when this weekend rolled around and I stood in front of my work in progress realizing we were at a stalemate. I took the weekend to reboot and build a fort. 26 years old? Yes. Grown-up? Rarely.
Please, Pay no attention to the man underneath the bedspread.
On another note. It’s Christmas! and to help you all avoid the mall I’m having a sale! Up to 50% off all paintings in the gallery. Check it out fast before they dissapear.
You may notice that things look a little different around here (If you haven’t until reading these words you might want to look into glasses or avoid drinking before 11 am) I’m fiddling with the design here on Spacebublegum and it make take a few days, but bear with me and we’ll get through this just fine. Change is good.
Some progress/detail shots to calm your nerves…
More progress! Even I’m amazed at the speed at which this is materializing.
Also note in the background is the other large painting I’ve been eluding to. It was just started yesterday.
On the BFP (Big Freaking Painting)…
Often, far too often, life throws a wrench at you while your riding a high and sends you careening into traffic narrowly avoiding a mac truck, a handful of over sized roller skates (otherwise known as smart cars) and an old Portuguese lady flipping you the bird. Picking yourself up and cursing the tool who tossed…well, the tool, you take a look around and, hopefully, realize that, despite the mishap, the sun is still shining and there are a million and one reasons to be happy. In short, the wrench makes you appreciate all the more the things you might have taken for granted.
I’ve had my fair share of wrenches to deal with in my life but they’ve made the this existence, through comparison, that much brighter and by proxy, me that much happier. (Sick of hearing that yet?)
Here’s my recent ray of sunshine, among others. 4×6 feet also known as HOLY CRAP THAT’S BIG!, a bit of a primer for a large piece I’m about to start for a client. I was intimidated by the size at first but now that I’ve hit my stride I’m so happy with it I might just pop.
Better progress photo’s posted ASAP!
