Things that make my brain smoke, and then not

Hmmm.  Wondering what to do with this guy.  I designed him quite a few years ago, first in an eyeglass case size and then this bigger version. He was always a bit of an outlier.  Never got stitched up, didn’t paint him very often.  When I did paint him he sold pretty quickly so there was never one around to be seen.

I’m currently casting around for a project; I’ve misplaced the sample I was working on. No, I don’t want to talk about that. Here we are in happier times.

Ugh.  I’m sure it will turn up in a bag somewhere, with a sketch book, maybe a journal, and hopefully not a library book.  But with a bit of a break coming up I’d like to get some stitching done.  This bigger rockfish and I crossed paths the other day and I thought hey.  Where you been, handsome?

But do you know how when you come across something you did a long time ago you always feel like putting a new slant on it?  Or is that just me?  I look at that border and think hmmm.  How would i do that if I was doing it now?  Do I still like that dark teal background? And I designed it before I started my deep abiding affection with lime green. That feels a little weird with none of that around. Those oranges are so bright. Those oranges would look so good with charcoal.  But water isn’t charcoal!  Then my mind starts to smoke a little and I have to go do something else.

Maybe sketch some cold cuddling hummingbirds.

Maybe stack some firewood.  (This picture lies.  There was so much more than it looks like here!  I swear there was enough to make about a hundred woodpiles and my driveway is so steep that my boys and I had to rope ourselves up with armfuls of wood.  Both ways.)

Sometimes I just need to walk down to the beach and breathe in some fresh salty air.  Watch a race.

Last night I stayed up wickedly late working on a bit of block printing. Just for fun.  I’ve always wanted to do a bit more of this.  More coming.

But back to what to do with that rockfish. I’ve asked this loner what he thinks I should do.  He’s thinking it over.  Said he’d get back to me.

Snail mail.

of course.