Two new sketches as we get ready for a north east snow storm.  The one sketch is of a cat who was enjoying a drink today from our birdbath and the other is a furniture study of a kitchen chair.  I also recently went down to New Brunswick to pick up my watercolors that were in an exhibition.  I've hung two of them up to enjoy and remind myself of summer days.
  My brother's coming back home today to stay for the three day weekend.  I haven't seen him since he took a Christmas vacation with his girlfriend to Hawaii.  He's bringing me back some cool stuff like a really nice ukulele and some Hawaiian shirts.  Hawaii would be really nice right about now...stay safe in the storm everyone. 

  As 2019 gets underway, I've decided that this year marks a vast improvement in my own skill level and work quality.  Because of this, I am splitting my work from here on into individual years, but 2018 and years prior will be under one category.  The period from approximately 2012 - 2018 still had a lot of lesser quality work, but now I see that my work is improving a lot so each year from 2019 onwards will be archived in its own list.  I noticed a positive shift in my work's style and quality beginning in the fall of 2018, which I attribute to the large focus I put on my work to distract myself from a lot of loneliness and sadness that I had been feeling.  I always try and change negatives into positives.
  Make sure to check out all the new work that I've been doing and I'll be posting a lot more as I continue to work.

  This connects very well to my thoughts on painting and being in a flow state instead of adherence to rigid technique.

  There were a lot of ups and downs for 2018.  There were good times and positives, such as traveling to Spain, getting my full-time position teaching studio art at Ridgewood High School, hitting new strength goals in the gym, painting and drawing a lot and reading some good books.  But it seemed like 2018 had mostly negatives.  I went through a very difficult breakup,  I cut ties with some old friends, two of my pets died and the year ended with some low-life stealing my bank information.  There was a feeling of general sadness that pervaded the entire year.  So I'm happy that 2018 is done.  
Looking forwards, I have some goals for 2019:
-Do a lot more paintings, including portraits of people I love.
-Sketch a lot more.
-Keep reading a lot.
-Continue working hard in the gym.
-Ride my motorcycle more.
-Skateboard more/spend more time outside.
-Meet some new people and make some new friends.
-Keep battling my personal demons.
-Try to be more of myself and keep trying to find out who I am.
 I feel like I've never been stronger and my skills have never been sharper so cheers to 2019 (2018 can go jump in a lake) and I wish the best for you all.