Art Plunge

Fist Pumps! Cool rainy weather has hit Dallas. Just in time for the opening of the State Fair of Texas and Oktoberfest...which I just happened to be at yesterday by happenstance. Oktoberfest that is, not the Fair. No, I did not have any bier. I did have a fun time walking around between biergartens and weiner dog races in the rain with good company though! I had to drop off my piece "FLOURISH" to a place in McKinney Tx called ORISONS who will be having a gallery walk in a few weeks. There were a lot of people down there for the festivities so they wanted the work to show off to all the traffic. It's been quite a week(end) and I just wanted to pop off a blog to say thanks to everyone who has been supporting by coming to the shows and making purchases and just high fiving me on facebook, etc. THANKS SO MUCH! I've been working my tail off in the studio- that's the part you don't see...but hopefully you can see it in my work when it's done. All the t...

"The Path of Intuition" 24" x 24" acrylic/krylon on gallery wrapped canvas Well, there it is. What I've been filling my hours with daily of late. This is the second canvas in the "Path of" series...if you'll remember this little guy is the predecessor: "The Path of Fruitfulness" 24" x 24" acrylic/krylon on gallery wrapped canvas And they both come hot on the heels of the one who started it all: "The World of Traceable Ghosts" 30" x 40" acrylic/krylon on gallery wrapped canvas It looks like a new little body of work is slowly coming together! I've been getting asked to participate in a lot of art shows lately and unfortunately I have all my work tied up and have no other work to show. This means it's time to paint my ass off....even more than I've already been doing...which has already been full throttle! Luckily I have ideas flowing through me now like a hot current. A lot...

A very zoomed in zoom of my newest work in progress I'm totally addicted to working on my newest painting. I will wake up at 4:30 am and want to go right in there and paint but tell myself that is insanity and sleep would serve me better through the day. Then I end up getting out of bed at 5:30 and coming into the studio to stare at it and make mental notes. It is like that sometimes, like you've fallen in love and can't get enough of the work. Yes, I realize I'm maybe a little crazy too. It's Art Week for me. I say that because I have 2 art openings in one week. Let's recap in case you haven't been paying attention... THURSDAY AND THE TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO 7PM! This should be a fun little show that has gotten quite a buzz because it's kinda mysterious. I've had people asking me what the scoop is and even I don't know. So, come out and we'll figure out the mystery together! Looks like free vodka. Looks like a good time! He...

Art for the 3 x 3 show has been DROPPED! (Read "DROPPED" like the Beastie Boys would say it) I've decided to use this weekend super selfishly. On my own work! >:) I've also decided to make and eat pancakes for breakfast. Just because. It was what popped into my head the minute I opened my eyes this morning so we're gonna go with that magic. It can only mean good things. Good, sticky, syrupy things! The week ahead has 2 art openings in it for me and I've got lots of little opportunities floating around that will require a lot of work in the coming weeks so I decided a little ME painting was gonna have to happen now or not for awhile. Yesterday I heard back from the place I interviewed at that they were gonna hire internally after all and thank you very much. Like I mentioned in my blog before I didn't care one way or the other. I get to stay being my own boss and not have to commute at night in a not very well populated area. Somehow I think the...

"Mick" acrylic on vinyl record... on view now at The Wine Therapist It's very strange to have ALL your art out of the house. I kind of feel like I must create more just to put some color and soul back into my studio. Today I'm going to clean the studio and make a list of stuff I am out of and sketch out new ideas for upcoming work. I have a few commissions trickling in and I'm starting to see more OPEN CALLS I want to jump in on so there is lots to do! I've also been invited to contribute some work to a local shop so that's also on my plate...FALL IS THE BUSY SEASON! And it looks like it's already begun! I dropped off some work to be photographed last week and was pleasantly surprised when the place called me back and asked me to participate in their Fall Gallery Walk on OCT 13. They are a FINE ART and PRINT shop and the clientele definitely seems to have money to spend. It's nice to feel wanted. : ) It's a neat place too, way out in M...

Today is interview day! I seriously haven't done an interview in about a year or so. I've been lucky leap frogging into one awesome freelance job to another and meeting fun good peeps along the way. Nevertheless I'm not going to get all sweaty and nervous about this. I'm actually feeling confident- not just in my experience for the position but in my life in general as an artist. The commissions are still coming in, there is work to do that people want me for. Opportunities are popping up at every corner. There is a LOT to do, who could ever be bored or lazy? Not me! Not me I say! Last night found me crawling around on giant wine barrels hanging my show at the Wine Therapist. I think it looks pretty darn good. It did make me wonder how Donkey Kong was able to throw those things because those barrels are pretty solid and heavy! Donkey Kong deserves more props for his strength. Hanging an art show was no easy feat either, luckily I had wonderful help and I'...

baby goats in sweaters. why the hell not? It's raining. That's your weather report for the day. I need to gloss all the records today and put hanging attachments on them....and finish up a few more if I can before tomorrow. That is your report on what I'm doing today. No more sneak peeks. Ooh so mysterious. So, how bout them baby goats? Cute. As. Hell!

A ZOOMED IN CLOSEUP of a new painted record...SHHHH! A friend of mine has been giving me hell about showing all my pieces online before the show so the rest will be zipped up tight and you'll have to come to the show to see them.  I think these would make fun prints so I'm going to try and shoot them as best as I can and see if I can have some made at some point. It would be really cool to turn them into little coasters or faux wine labels. Oh the ideas in my head are endless! This is Saturday- what some of you call the weekend but what I call...Saturday, another day to paint. I'm going to try to fit some fun into the weekend somewhere though. I need the exercise. I've been in my studio just about non stop- although I did hit up the Vinyl Thoughts toy show on Thursday evening to see some friends cool creations. Here are a  few shots The Etch a Sketch Dr. Doom and Viewfinder Cyclops were made by Artbot 138 , I think you've heard me give him props he...

"Mad for Merlot" acrylic/krylon on vinyl record $65 for VINO and VINYL at Wine Therapist 9/28 Happy Friday everyone! I'm in the thick of painting records so I'm going to make this short....oh yeah  I have a graphic design deadline today too. YIKES! Monday is the deadline to turn in all my artwork for Wine Therapist. YIKES! Tuesday I have a job interview....wait hold the presses, that's right I said job interview. What's funny is how when I post I'm interviewing for a job everyone cheers and high fives and I appreciate that, I really do. But don't you know I'm doing the best job in the world right now painting my heart out and offering my skills up for everyones use? Unfortunately the world doesn't value that as highly as it should. It's not like it was back in Michelangelos day... where if you had artistic skills you were highly sought after and regarded. Artists really are thought of as slackers these days. People WANT you to be wor...

I'm doing some WINE themed records specifically for the WINE THERAPIST show. And a date just popped up for the opening so get out your little red pens and mark this on your calendar....SEPT 28! More details pending as I get them but that's where I am right now. I'd like to say I'm shooting for a certain number of records to have completed for this but I decided my life was stressful enough with out that so I'm just painting as much as I possibly can every day and wherever I land on the number board is where I land. These records are fun little throwbacks to the trashy vintage pulp novels of the 60's and 70's and will feature different wines. I'll also have a couple of the rocker records for the show and some of my canvas works so you'll get to see the many facets of Patricia Rodriguez. I took this photo before Summer kicked in. I was working at a mural studio and this was on my way to 7-11 around the corner. It reminds me of going to get Push-...

Blondie (Debbie Harry) as photographed by Mick Rock and filtered through my paintbrush and brain Yesterday I started painting at 7:30 am and took short breaks for three things....a quick lunch at 11:30, a 30 minute nap AND a walk to get a slice of cherry pie (shhh, yes....with ice cream) and then it was all WORKY WORK on new records for....The Wine Therapist. I'm having a solo show there in about a week. I think I clocked out around 8pm with a sore back and my right arm about to fall off. And today....MORE OF THE SAME! WHEEEE! The record above is one I just finished for the show, I've decided to not give sneak previews of them all to entice you to come see them in person. So take a good look at her and imagine what other vibrant artistic treasure will be waiting for you! I'm out of coffee and drinking yesterdays remnants that have been microwaved. This makes me feel like a poor punk rocker. I need to take a break to go buy coffee today. The portrait commissions...

"Roly, Poly, Rolled"  3" x 3" (3) acrylic, krylon on canvas I have somehow lost track of time. I have a deadline to have new works completed on the 17th but had some commissions pop up that needed to be done so I could pay rent. I also had an opportunity to try and enter into a show called 3 x 3 and heard about it practically the day before deadline day and whipped up this creation (above) to see if it would be fruitful. Add into the mix a little personal time mourning the loss of my friend and trying to visit with friends to assuage the pain and my time is quickly ticking away to get new work done. Today I finish the last commission and get down to serious business...new works for the show. Nothing will get in my way! All commissions on hold till after the 17th! Please! Being busy in my studio will help immensely with dealing with this recent loss. I also have the opportunity to get my work published into a catalog so I'm going to squeeze that into the w...

I wonder where the term "good grief" comes from? I remember first hearing it on Charlie Brown...something my Mom would say. I never really thought about it until now I guess, good grief. What is GOOD about grief? I went to the service for my friend yesterday and felt a little bit of what this "good grief" is. Let me explain. Grieving for the loss of someone you love is so very complex and everyone does it in their own ways. In a lot of ways it feels like a little bit of yourself has died along with that person. You and that person shared experiences that only you two were privvy to- that person took that little piece of history with them when they left...it feels like. Of course you have the memories but now it is you alone with those memories so when you grieve- you are also grieving for yourself. I try very hard to remember when I'm in this position that I should not fall into SELF PITY. POOR ME! LOOK HOW SAD I AM! I try to remember the death was collec...

The sun rises after the sun sets Just before my birthday I had the task of inviting people to a birthday dinner. I thought about people who usually come support me by coming to my art shows or out to see my band (back when I had one) and people I hadn't seen in awhile who were dear friends. The ones who stayed in touch and made an effort to be a friend, essentially. So I invited them to a birthday dinner and one of the people on that list was my friend Mitchell Yuan. Mitch and I met and worked together at the Dallas Museum of Art and we became fast friends. You see someone 5 days a week, almost 8 hours a day and add that up over 8 years and you've created quite a bond. Add into the mix that the environment there was dysfunctional and negative and you begin to cling to your friends there like life rafts. They are your confidants and compatriots, your war buddies and your sounding boards. You tell each other your fears and stresses and try to glean any kind of joy you ca...

You will remember we are all small and fragile... You will remember to show kindness and care... You will remember that we all deserve to fly our own path without judgement... You will remember to be a friend.

"The World of Traceable Ghosts" I was a bad little freelancer and took the weekend off....sorta. I did WORK Sunday night doing a DJ gig to make a little scratch so I don't feel TOO guilty. The weekend was fun and full of friends but today it's back on the pony and off to work. Supposedly my work (featured in photo up there)  is on magazine stands now but I have yet to secure a copy of ORIGIN MAGAZINE to check out the little feature. Maybe today if there is time I will go a huntin'! It should be at WHOLE FOODS, BARNES AND NOBLE and perhaps CENTRAL MARKET. I'm super excited to see it! For my birthday I got a ton of cool little buttons from ARTBOT 138 . He pressed up some from my record art and paintings so you can have a little mini detail of my work to wear! How cool is that? I'll have to divvy them up into little sets and create a price. I was pleased to see the new Bowie record piece I painted made into a button! I also had two wonderful thi...