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its all about the recovery
Hey Everyone;
As we make our way through this creative lifestyle you soon realize that you’ll be faced with set backs and challenges…. this past week was one of those weeks… First.. the painting I was hoping to have finished ended up as a complete mess.. so I had to push the reset button… then not only my fridge, but my freezer compressor went out… so it was a mad dash to save food… Sean even commented that he thought it was a good thing because apparently in his eyes we had food that was in there when the pilgrims crossed the ocean……lol… then the pool valve for the hot tub went out and we had to have some minor construction to get it repaired and working…. so now we appear to be in a state of clam… and the cloudiness has passed….whew!… with all the distractions this week I was still able to get some time to sew out some great designs with our new machine…… I have included so examples below……. all I can say is that at the end of the day I think its all about the recovery….. with all the ups and down that you can experience, you just need to recover and keep driving on… so heres to hitting the reset button… here’s to starting anew…..here’s to a great new week!… have a great week everyone… talk to you next week….
………..peace
…………………james
pics of recent sew outs…
what was he smoking?
Hey everyone…
Hope your having a great week…. the studio is filled with that fresh paint smell again… hope to have new work out this week… Lately I have been out and about and spending some time looking at others art….always interesting to me is what some of the patrons are saying…. being an abstract artist I have heard it all… from “what the hell is that?”…. to “what was he smoking?”…. to my personal favorite…..”anybody could do that” …….. One of the things I have found is that those making those comments really don’t have an understanding of what they are looking at …..It got me thinking about the different themes of art….maybe they need a little help …for me I think when viewing art you need to understand the theme of it first… doing so will give you a greater appreciation of what you are looking at… an understanding of what the artist was saying…. and assist in developing a connection with the artist….
There are a lot of theories about the different themes of art…and a lot has been written…. for me I agree with most that there are 9 themes of art…
1. Visual Delight and the Arts of Daily Life– Visual Delight: Holds aesthetic appeal and is engaging to the senses. Art for Daily Life: Slice of life may be recognized by functionality. Art for daily life may also attempt to capture a moment of the mundane.
2. Sacred Realm-Often visually communicates abstract concepts dependent on faith on a more concrete way. Works may be used for worship or to contain holy objects…etc.
3. Politics and the Social Order– Political art often has an underlying agenda and uses imagery as a means to an end. Social art lend to class status, economic conditions, gender roles, ethnicity in a given time/place…etc.
4. Stories and Histories– are visual arts that portray the actions that were accomplished by heroes and legends of the past. This includes stories such as the folktales and the lives of the saints that have been in existence and application in all the generations.
5. Looking Outward: The Here and Now- Often time or site specific (time capsule). Allows you to glimpse at a given culture or time period through the object.
6. Looking Inward: The Human Experience-Introspective, has a contemplative and/or empathetic quality.
7. Invention and Fantasy– Pulls from the realm of the imagination. This type of art is not often founded in logic or reality.
8. Art and Nature– May use landscape or rural settings to evoke emotion.
9. Art and Art of the Sacred Realm-Often borrows from commonly used content or from preceding works, e.g. Rembrandt’s sketch of Leonardo’s Last Supper. Can borrow through content, technique, style, medium or theme.
so next time your heading to the galleries and viewing great art… start with what theme the artist is working with…. you’ll be miles ahead and understanding more…… then instead of asking me what I am smoking…. you can join me!!….lol… have a great week everyone… new work out this week….
peace…
…………….james
pic of Studio 7 in the arts district…can you guess what theme?…
Support comes in all forms…..
Hey everyone;
Hope your having a great week… looks like our break of cooler weather is over and we are heading to the famous Vegas Hot weather…. When its too hot to move around I like to spend the time generating support…One of the worst feelings is to be in that creative space, with the creativity oozing out only to realize that you have nothing to work on and your left hanging… From an artist perspective, support is all the materials and supplies needed to help keep the creative process alive… I always like to have at least 2-3 canvas’s ready for when I hit my creative stride.. being in that creative space and having little or no support to work with, is a real buzz-kill…. The difficulty for me is due largely to the size… because they are larger than what I can buy at the stores, I have to make most of my canvas’s……. so when making my canvas’s I start the support process…from choosing of the frame, to stapling the unprimed canvas… then gesso, (couple of coats depending on quality of the canvas)… Some sanding, trimming, and addressing all other misc issues…… then we are ready to get started…. when living the creative lifestyle its very important to have support to work with… For me, I usually designate one day a month and make it a support making day….. Although it seems like a long and difficult process, it is the only way I would go… I think it really adds to the overall concept of being original and one of a kind….. besides that….I just think its very cool……. for me there is nothing more genuine or more sincere than original art……. Now I am off to get the other kind of support……emotional support…….lol…… Have a great week everyone…. talk to you soon
………peace
………………..james
recent studio pic of support drying and hanging on studio wall….
this is the start of my support……how it all gets started……. 
Studio watchdog…
Hey Everyone;
Hope your having a great week… just trying to get back in the scheme of things since the holidays… Not sure if its the lingering holiday hang over or the 110 + temperatures we are having,….probably both…. If you come by the studio these days you will notice that we have a new addition to the staff at AOJ…. yes.. its our official studio watchdog…Sieglinde and I have owned dogs our entire life, but we are really excited about Madison.. she was a rescue from the Animal Foundation here in Vegas…. Surprisingly she took to everyone quickly and has already put her stamp on the place.. I think rescues make fantastic pets…. you really do save a life and then change a life. We do what we can to promote rescue animals… I can’t tell you how many stories we have heard of these rescue pets changing peoples lives…all for the better… so when you are in the market for a pet and really want to have a positive impact…. adopt a rescue… you will have given the best possible gift…. a new life… have a great week everyone….new work out shortly….
…….peace
……..james
Introducing the latest employee at AOJ..Madison, Studio Watchdog
sand storm
Hey everyone…
here is a recently completed abstract piece. .. it is oil, framed 41½ x 29½ .. (wired and ready to hang) it is titled “sand storm” hope you all enjoy.. I’ll have another one out shortly….
………peace
…………………james
price: 600.00 USD (through Sept only!)
Cinema Americana
Hey Everyone….
Hope your having a great 4th of July weekend… we are really excited to release our new work this holiday weekend
…. Here are a couple of pics of my latest work… this is the 7th in the americana series… when you think of americana whats more iconic than the drive- in?.. some of my fondest memories growing up are when my mom and dad packed us in their station wagon, full of snacks and headed to the drive-in…..this one is mixed media, oil, and collage… it is 5 /12 ft x 4 ft…. it is titled “Cinema Americana”... hope you all enjoy.. I’ll have another one out shortly…
……peace
………………….james
Entrepreneurial Artist?…You bet!..
Hey Everyone;
Officially today we launched our 2nd company, Indiscretions Lifestyle …. I have always had a tremendously strong pull to the entrepreneurial side of things… I think I got this gene from my Dad….lol….. I often wondered why the pull was so strong, but then I realized that the answer was right in front of me… I am an artist!…most artists I know are driven to this side.
It used to be that being an artist meant not making money (“starving artist”) except for a tiny few who hit the big time (such as Dale Chihuly).
A few months ago I read an article the really did a great job talking about the entrepreneurial artist. Briefly stated the author wrote about the artist entrepreneur, noting 3 underlying trends supporting this broader trend toward combining business and art skills:
“…While making a living as an artist continues to be difficult, 3 broad trends are combining to create new opportunities for artist entrepreneurs:
1. Consumer interest in unique, one-of-a-kind or handcrafted products is growing, broadening the market for works of art.
2. The Internet is creating new and effective methods for tech savvy artists to find an audience – and for art buyers to easily find art that interests them.
3. Technology is reducing the costs of producing many types of art, allowing artists to price at levels that attract new buyers and expand the art market. Technology also gives artist entrepreneurs the ability to create and manage small businesses with multiple revenue streams. This greatly increases the likelihood they will generate enough revenue to succeed.”
When Sieglinde and I first committed to this lifestyle we used to own several art galleries, and were literally stunned when we started dealing with artists in a business relationship for the first time. Many did not have practical business skills — and a surprising number lacked even basic organizational skills. If we wanted to reach out to a specific artist on a very creative piece for the gallery, we were usually unable to get ahold of them as they have either moved or changed their phone numbers….
But now times are changing for more and more entrepreneurial artists… I am seeing them embrace the need for business and art to be connected as one….I think this is a critical key for success when you live this lifestyle… Combining your creativity and applying sound business principles puts you in a position for success and allows for you to set yourself apart in this competitive environment….
So as we move forward with this journey, I know it has to be a blend of talent, economics and hard work that will open us up to the next level….. Looking forward to a great ride…. Come and join us… its going to be awesome!… Have a great week everyone… new work out this week!!
……….peace
………….james
Creative Director
Indiscretions Lifestyle
Below is the new company logo…
Ready, set, go…..
Hey everyone,
Ready ,set ,go…. Go, go, go !!! …. Seems to be the operative phrase these days…. Between painting time, starting a new business, negotiating contracts on a new studio space, working at a large healthcare company, and of course keeping a eye on Sean, one has no time for anything….. after maintaining this pace for several years I found it necessary to incorporate much needed and necessary “battery recharge time” (BRT)…. Lol……so this weekend we are writing from Redondo Beach, CA…….just breathing some different air can work wonders on the creativity and the mind…. I think actually taking a dip in the ocean doesn’t hurt either… with keeping pace in our busy lifestyles its equally important to take a break and breathe… this is one aspect that we all tend to forget…
“The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is profound,” said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management. “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out.”
Clinical psychologist Deborah Mulhern of Bethesda, Md., also has found that people who don’t take enough time to relax may find it harder to relax in the future. “Without time and opportunity to do this, the neural connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker, making it actually more difficult to shift into less-stressed modes,” Mulhern said. “What neuroscience is showing is that we require down time in order for our bodies to go through the process of restoration. It is only when we are safe from external stresses that our bodies can relax enough to activate restoration.” So the evidence is there… we just need to continue to program ourselves that balance between the work life and the personal life are really the key to success…. Have a great week everyone… and just relax….
peace…
………..james
pics from the weekend relaxing in Hollywood, CA at my favorite flea market..Melrose Trading Post.… almost forgot tomorrow is Monday…lol.. 
ha, ha, ha, ha… omg…. lol.!
Hey everyone… Hope your enjoying a great week…. lately i have noticed… just as you all probably have, that the news coming out is bleak and horrible… as one who sees the glass half full I decided to take a lighter look at the art world today… so many times we get stuck in deep and impending doom that we really forget to laugh… I think I have read somewhere that a daily belly laugh is the ultimate in a healthy lifestyle… I can’t agree more… for me laughter is a core necessity for my creative lifestyle. Nothing can get me “unstuck” like a great laugh. Seriously at the end of the day is all the stress and negative feelings really worth it?… nope not even close…. so enjoy a great laugh this week… if your struggling for a good one I have included some dumb and funny jokes to get you on your way…. Have a great week everyone… talk to you soon ………peace ……………….james You just might be an artist if….
- You were more concerned about the color of your car than the fuel consumption.
- The highlights in your hair are from your palette and not Clairol.
- You are having lunch with some friends and the fragrance you wear is eau d’linseed oil.
- The only piece of new furniture you have in your home is a $2000 easel.
- You butter your toast with your fingers, just to feel its texture.
- You are over 50 and still have no health insurance.
- You know what shade of green the lichen on the trees is.
- You can’t find any clothes for your date because everything has paint smears on.
- Your date ends up with paint smears on her/him.
- You’re late for the date because you suddenly knew exactly what that detail of your latest painting needed and just had to fix it while it was fresh in your mind.
- When viewing a sunset, you think in terms of cadmium yellow (light hue), salmon and gold, a tinted teal mixed with gold for the water….”
- There are Prussian blue fingerprints on your phone.
- You clean your brushes in your coffee.
- You have watercolor swatches on cardboard in your pocket.
- You do judge a book by its cover.
- You draw your letters instead of write them.
- You like to get plastered and paint the town red.
- You know that art does not match your sofa.
- If dust bunnies are part of your mixed media.
- You buy expensive brushes, and have nothing to do your hair with.
- You get a feeling of calmness from holding and stroking the bristles of your clean paintbrushes.
- You know the difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
- You know more than 28 colors.
My personal top 10…. #10 Why was the artist afraid he might go to jail? Because he’d been framed!
#9 Which barnyard animal is a famous painter? Vincent van Goat! (or Pablo Pigcaso!)
#8 What did the artist say when he finally finished his Bas carving? What a relief!
#7 What did the artist say to the dentist? Matisse hurt!
#6 What did the artist draw before he went to bed? The curtains!
#5 How many modern artists does it take to change a light bulb? Four. One to throw bulbs against the wall, one to pile hundreds of them in a heap and spray-paint it orange, one to glue light bulbs to a cocker spaniel, and one to put a bulb in the socket and fill the room with light while all the critics and buyers are watching the fellow smashing the bulbs against the wall, the fellow with the spray-gun, and the cocker spaniel.
#4 How do Japanese artists bid farewell? Cyan-nara!
#3 What do you get if you cross a painter with a boxer? Muhammad Dali!
#2 Haiku about getting out of bed: no no no no no, no no no no no no no, no no no no no.
#1 Why did the artist cross the road? To see the other side
Iconic Americana
Hey Everyone…
Here is my latest… 20 x 24 framed… Oil and collage… titled the “iconic americana” ..its the second in my series of my Americana paintings…..hope you all enjoy.. I’ll have another one out shortly peace ………james
