Show's are a Coming

 During the off season (the winter months)  it is my job to stay on task and get new pieces ready for the upcoming blitz of shows that are the summer. I have got a few ready, and have some more images to upload later on the site. I always worry that it is enough - my mind goes to other artist booths that look the same every year. While there is some need to be familiar and recognizable, you still want to be fresh and have new things.

 Last year I expanded into shaped canvases and that proved very nice on the show circuit. This year I may have pushed the envelope too far ( we will see at the first show coming up - Old Capital in Springfield) I know after last year that this new one will sell - it just blurs the boundery of painting and 3D. This might cause me some problems at the bigger shows - but it is a chance that I will take.

AT & T is Finished

Just in time for the First Friday CIAO ( Central Illinois Artist Organization ) at the Studio's on Sheridan, I have finished another new ballpark - A T & T.

After being shamed into starting Miller Park , I thought that I really should focus on getting a few more done for this summers season. AT & T lacks some of the major architectural features that are in other ballparks. Since it opens up to the bay not a lot of things going on past the stadium. I countered this by incorporating a stunning sunset to give the painting a very west coast feel.

Stretched some smaller canvases for some things I want to paint , but don't think they are worthy of a large canvas.

Trial

For the next two days we were herded back and forth from the jury room to the courtroom - always a word from the judge thanking us for our patience. The young man charged with four felonies had one dropped and the others left for our deliberation.

It is a little unnerving the amount of information that it actually takes to convince twelve jurors "beyond a reasonable doubt" . It seems that when you get twelve random people in a room it is very difficult to convince all of them of anything. ( This may be hope people can get away with things ie: O J /Casey Anthony )

After several hours and some bad feelings among at least one juror ( see signed I think mainly just to get it over with as she wasn't going to sway the other eleven to her point of view) So the young man that stood before us was found Guilty of the three counts and will be sentenced to jail on May 25th.

The next day in the paper the news article stated that he had been arrested 17 times since he was 17 years old - something that we had no idea of during the trial - Seems that we made the right decision.