End of May 2025

I am back in the northeast, and the weather is cold, even for Memorial Day.

I have not been writing. A part of my creative process is doing other things, fresh new things, like moving to the tropics. At the moment, I am enjoying a cup of coffee, wearing winter pajamas, and watching the cold rain hit the deck outside my door. I want to capture this feeling.

While I pack, I come across photographs, nostalgic albums, and music. I am donating winter clothes and boots, as I will not need them anymore. Even my car died! If that’s not a portent, I don’t now what is.

JTS, BA, and Street Music.

I tend to give my novels nicknames, and JTS is my third novel, titled Jumping to Sounds—an aversion to noise. My main characters are the same ones as Battery Acid or BA, and the first novel that introduces them is Street Music. I get asked why the titles don’t match the stories. Of course, they match the stories. Street Music is the sounds of Lower Manhattan as I heard them. Battery Acid is the toxic amniotic fluid passed in utero, and Jumping to Sounds is a person with no memories to recognize what he hears, so he startles easily. Also, as an abstract painter, I let you, the viewer, and the reader, decide what to take away from the stories and the art. That’s not done by design, I should add. It is what the characters demand.

Decisions, decisions...

After all this time, I should listen to my inner voice when it tells me to stop. The creative process is fickle.

There is always a reason why I don’t paint or write. It is time for me to read or crochet because what follows, in spite of my ego saying I’m lazy and wasting time, is that something better comes in when I leave it alone. This is one of those weekends.

2025

I continue to spruce up my website after neglecting it for so long. I have added new work as well as old favorites. Currently, I am writing my third Novel, Jumping to Sounds.

I'm baaaack...

Thank you for stopping by and visiting. I am sorry I have not been diligent in keeping up with the blog. A very wise man said I should get back into it, and he gave me sensible advice on how to do so. A lot of good things have happened since 2017. I published my second novel, “Battery Acid,” available on Amazon, and it is selling well for a self-published novel. My first Novel, “Street Music” also available in Amazon, is still going strong.

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BOOK

My book is being edited. In the mean time I paint

2017

Between painting and writing I've been busy!

Here I come 2017!

SUMMER!

On June 6, 2016 I had an art exhibition at the Jadite Gallery on 46th street and it was a success selling two painting.   It is always mind blowing when I think about how my art is hanging on someone's living room or office, someone I've never met who loved my work so much they bought it!

I've been busy with my daughters college graduation then preparing for the show to sit down and post; however, now that my schedule is finally clean I can pick up where I left off a month ago.

There are so many people I have to thank for the show, Miquen Tan the faciliator and a long time family friend, Roland Saenz the gallery owner for giving me the gallery space, Cary Kaufman Hindi, my very first friend who came up from Florida for the show. Joani, Carole, Julia, Jake, Fran, my daughter Erin, and my Pookie...I don't want to forget anybody.

And all the wonderful guests!

First day of Spring!

I haven't posted and not for lack of trying. I've been busy re-writing Marauders and when I'm not writing, I collage. I've also enrolled in a free online Creative Writing class and I'm totally enjoying it while sharpening my grammar.  I've also rescued a black kitten named Nina and we are getting to know each other.  At this moment she is exploring behind shelving's where I keep the art supplies.

Writing Marauders has a lot to do with the current Collage work I'm doing. It's not much simpler than cut ups or paintings because like all my art projects, the word dictates the pace and what goes in it. Cut ups and Collage is how the protagonist in my story finds her voice.

I also play act when I write to get the feel completely of the character I'm writing about. Last night I was reading how Metropolis the film came about and its inception is no different than William Burroughs' cut up writings. At least to me it isn't.

I've added Collage work I've completed as I write. I hope to incorporate it in the book if I'm published, even if its the back of the book.

2016

January 13, 2016 at 10:49 PM the book was finished.

Just have to go back and repaint some scenes and it'll be complete.

I'm already mentally writing the sequel but I've decided to take time out and replenish my thought process by painting and catching up on other things I've put aside devoting all my free time writing.

Cut ups and Collage work will also be an important part of the sequel and because of it I'm finding myself in the future story telling. The characters are the same, older and maybe wiser and always on a journey. 

Christmas 2015

Wow, the last time I posted was back in October! and this going to be my last entry for 2015. It's not that I don't enjoy posting here; more like I don't post because I'm always on FB. If you're interested in what's going on with me, simply go to my FB page.

I am in the last chapter of my book. Almost finished.  I am very excited how its turning out and it is almost finished . 2016 is going to be a fun year for me. Whether I find a publisher or not, this story wanted to be said and it has been fun writing it.

2016 is just around the corner, I had hoped to finished the first book by now, take time off taking a break a break; for me is to empty myself out and decompress, then somewhere in there  paint and start writing the second book of the Trilogy.

Who knows, if I stay away from FB I might be able to stick to my imposed deadline.

I am looking forward to a new year and the exciting things I'll help co-create.

October

I've been working on cut ups trying to recapture work I did in the late 70's. Foolishly I threw them out because at the time they caused me too much pain to look at.  I'm currently writing about that particular journey, chapter 6 and hoping my new collage-cut up work does it justice.

I also finished NYC anywhere.

A typical wall you find anywhere in a City where nothing lasts for ever.

Cut up Message...

Here it is.

I cut words and letters from newspapers, threw them in a folder and with eyes closed pulled them one at a time, I had no clue what message I was getting and the message is on point to what's going on right now in my life today. Sadly, the original cut ups I made in the early 80's are gone and following the thread of energy in the story I came up with new ones.   I also think the message relates to what's going on with the painting too.  I'm researching the message as it relates to the nothingness in the painting. Will work on it this weekend.

Writing update and painting

I have been very busy writing and painting.  I started chapter 6 over Labor Day Weekend and worked on it in between strokes of paints.

I am feeling very good about both pieces and the collage work for the book. 

I've also been re-reading The Third Mind by William Burroughs attempting and completing cut up sentences also for the book.  Below are a few samples of both.

Write

The book is writing itself.

Today I play acted the protagonist's first step towards art work by cutting up cut ups. That's the kind of fun I'm having writing because I get to be hands on the project in order to feel the process.

Book

I have completed 5 chapters of my book and I am very excited how it is coming along.

There is not book without the paintings. 

End of July

I haven't been painting much because I have been writing. The art and the story are the one and the same, with extras.

I am feeling really good about it because it is flowing practically writing itself. 

I just completed another chapter and going back to it, I don't believe it requires much more editing. That's why I'm going to paint for the rest of the day or until I am too tired to go on.

The body of work I started about a month ago is an idea of what emptiness lays beneath the skin. I want to capture what's on the inside as opposed to the outside.  I don't want lines or boundaries because space has neither. 

Leaving it at that. I'll let the painting go where it wants to.

I'm back....

Miami

I put the idea of painting out of my head this time around and simply enjoyed paradise. Didn't feel the anxiety I felt last year when all I could think about was my art and studio back home. You could say I did normal things for a change instead of feeling anxious the whole time I was there.

Last night during a lovely thunderstorm I caught up on all the shows I missed and this morning I woke up cleaning and burning incense.

Time to start my new work.

Happy

Three of my portraits are on display at Mother Earth Gallery for sale. 

I can't think of a better place for them to be.