Red Rice with Chicken.

tempura!

Epiphanies

So, the semester ended with a strange explosion of ideas and a sour taste in my mouth. Mostly from when I checked my grades. Man, last semester was harsh.

As an artist, our greatest foe is the "artist funk", or when you can't get anything to come out right, or you just can't develop ideas at all. It's like that special way of seeing shuts down for repairs. Well last semester I was plagued with it. My artist eyes took a very long blink if you will. All ideas became a single strange of idea. Which I will scan and post later. But needless to say I was fucked in all of my classes. The solution for me? Introspection! Its painful at first, looking at your self. You see everything bad as well as good. And most of the time for me I encase things with the bad, so it took a while before I saw the good. But, once I carved away at the bad stuff the pain they brought was less and less. Then I discovered a wealth of good things, and I've been exploring them a lot lately. To my joy, this has cause several epiphanies and literally thousands of ideas for both my paintings and ceramics.

I'll have to go into this later tonight. I'm still cleaning house from the surprise (but very welcomed) party we had. :)

Cioa!

losing weight!

Hey,
Its been a long time since my last post but now I think I'll have time in the mornings to work on this thing. Today starts my new workout and nutrition routine. I figure it will take me a at least a month to get start to get to where I want to be.

I'm 5'11'' (I think! haha) and I'm about 180-95lbs. Which is the problem at hand. Its a big problem for me; for my self esteem and just for general health reasons. I'd like to get down to 155, but I also want to get a little bit more muscle mass so I imagine I'll get to about 160-70 but look much better. haha. Either way it's time to lose the weight and take back the insane amount of (as carson would say, chaotic evil) energy I use to have.

I'll post some pictures later... maybe a before and after picture! haha. (maybe we'll do that when I have the after picture, its so much easier to look at yourself when you know its what you USED to look like hahah).

Other than that I met a really nice guy who has extremely similar interest as me! (what are the odds?) haha. So I've been talking with him a lot lately and enjoying it.


As for my art, I've been jumping around ALL semester about what to do and where I was at in the art world. I had no idea as to what would happen! haha. It's a really long story so I'll try to post it tonight so I can see if I can get it all out of my system. But I do feel I have come full circle with JUST enough time left in the semester to make it out alive. :)

Well I'm off to make breakfast and head to the gym! Wish me luck!

Nathan

Holy Crap!

So! Its been a while... I haven't had much time to post anything due to a hectic school semester. Graduation is coming soon (like in a semester or two) and thats really fucking scaring me. there is so much I need to think about... so many things I have to do get into graduate school and so many places I have to apply to... if I had hair, I'd be pulling it out. But I'm not going to freak out, I know I can do it.. but still... Gya!

In the love department, I've destroyed myself, I've entered into the arena even though I knew I would be leaving in a nominal time. That being said, I regret to say I've discovered someone who i really like. SO, you can imagine how thats going.

On the arts, I was in a show the other day at the new gallery here in stillwater. They are going to have a few more shows while I'm here, so I'll do my best to enter in to all that I can. I sold a vase as the last show! I also had a drawing in the show for $500 but I priced it so high because I didn't really want to sell it... it has some nostalgic qualities.
My watercolors have been neglected lately... I've been having trouble working out a schedule that includes my ceramics and watercolor. Speaking of Ceramics, I don't throw for class anymore. I just couldn't take the hypocrisy of it. I was just tired of making something I love and then having someone tell me to change it for the better, then after following their directions exactly, only to have them punish me for the change. Really, there isn't a lot of people (the professor especially) who specialize in throwing. It's apparent in the students work, there is no traditional background, just a free for all that I think ends up in shallow designs. Its just to much for a student to not have ANY direction. Maybe I'm just bitching... But I'm fed up with it. So I will never turn in thrown ware ever again for this teacher.
On the watercolor side, I've announced my alliance to fantasy artist! haha, whatever that means. I'm going to be painting fantasy scenes, and themes. Who knows, maybe I'll spiral out of it and start doing something no one has ever seen before. Who knows right?

Well when I have more time I'll give you my spill on the russians, time travel, building a universe, and aerogels! haha Its pretty awesome stuff! (thanks Joseph)


Ciao~~

I crushed her leg.

Today was kind of hectic. I woke up early to go to work so I would be allowed to take two lunch breaks and one would be 2 hours long. So I knew i would have to work my ass off at work today. Which is okay, I don't mind working hard and the work at hastings isn't all that stressful.
The reason for the dual lunch breaks is due to the fact that my ceramics professor felt that it should be required to meet a visiting gallery artist. So, today, I got to meet Stan Welsh. He was pretty nice, I'm not a fan of his work in the least. Don't get me wrong, you can ask everyone, I gave him an honest chance, I even stayed for the entire lecture. I also spilled my friend Anna's drink all over her lap too. It was pretty horrible. I felt so bad, and was completely embarrassed. During most of the lecture I thought about why I haven't had any urge to make any art, or really, to make the art that my teachers want me to make. I'm pretty behind in my classes due to some personal stuff thats come upon me. I shall give you the tip of the iceberg:
My great Grandfather died, My mother had another Cancer scare (don't worry she's okay now!!) and next week I have a biopsy because my doctor thinks I might have cancer in my neck... Wouldnt you be stressed?? Aside from that, shits been peachy.
I'm currently reading Brian Jacques Redwall, a tale of clerical mice who overcome much trouble. Currently I'm on the first set of books (there are 19 sets I think , each with about 3 books inside them). Today I also bought three new books. Mercedes Lackey's Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, and Magic's Price. A three book series called "the Last Herald Mage" I've heard its really good. So, we'll see.
Lately, I think more and more about just being totally focused on my art and my creations and not to worry about other matters. Sometimes it seems hopeless. Like jumping in the white rapids of a raging river.
My love for Fantasy and Medieval has reclaimed a lot in my heart. Reading all these books and just thinking about life has caused such a renaissance of the Renaissance! I've sent off for a medieval cookbook; which I am desperately waiting for. I can only imagine the meatpies and goblets of wine! Mutton and Grayling! Oh it all sounds so wonderful and fantastic. All the breads and sauces, spices and flavors... I just can't wait for it to arrive.

Well, I should get to bed, I have work in a few hours. Ciao.

I'm back!

Hey, its been a while!!! lol. Well I'm back and I have a new computer now! I bought an iMac a week or two ago, and I love it!!

quick update:

I'm reading "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman and I love it! (almost finished)
I'm making domestic wares in ceramics (strange i know)
And lastly, I've paid off my credit card!! woo debit free!! :)

here are a few fun pics!