Very late with this post, things kept getting in the way, although I do have three new charcoals for you. First is #33, the 22x22” kite above, and whose head is noticeably bigger than my own. Then there are the landscapes inspired by my last UK trip to the ruined Priory in Tynemouth and the mysterious caves further up the coast along the beach cliffs of the bay at Cullercoats. I’m not sure how many landscapes I intend on doing, but I have a vague idea of adding context through narrative to the background of future birds, and perhaps landscapes will work. There’ll be at least two more, and I’ll be breaking out of the square format I’ve been working with for years by using full sheets of large rectangular paper. I will, however, continue using charcoal because I really love the medium. And so far, I don’t miss color or the brush in spite of those reworked paintings from a few weeks ago.

Speaking of those paintings, I sold Jasper, the little hawk from that particular group, at a craft fair I worked at this weekend. The man who bought it was the owner of the gallery here in Provincetown who gave me my first show with the birds. He had been asking for a little crow every time I’d seen him lately, but when he saw the hawk, he didn’t hesitate in saying he’d take it. I believe he held it to his chest for a moment before I wrapped it up. It felt full circle, and I was glad to know Jasper was going to a good home. In the meantime, there’s some news on the window scrim project. The curator did the tweaks I suggested and I schlepped out into the heaps of snow we’ve gotten lately to take pictures. They are still being Photoshopped to fix glare and crooked angles, etc, but I will post them next time, I promise. I may also include a shot from a group show at the Castle Hill Gallery in Truro of me standing next to the bluejay portrait I did last summer. Or maybe not. Either way, onward.

I’m done reworking pieces, although I may at some point go back over the Kite from last week as he is much too tidy now. Paul says he sees this process as my continuing to resolve pieces that weren’t finished instead of reworking them. Semantics. He also says that #15 above, #23 below and #14 at the bottom, are all crackers. He means they really good by the way, and I agree. It would be hard to choose my favorite, I like them each for different reasons. They also signal that I am ready to take what I have learned these last few weeks of combining charcoal with color and move on to the next level. Meaning bigger and on the new, heavier, paper.

In the meantime, I haven’t gone to photograph the building with all my bird scrims in the windows because we, along with everybody else, got buried in snow that hasn’t melted yet. So it’s difficult to go anywhere on foot, which is how I get around. I did get a ride to the Castle Hill Gallery in Truro yesterday to drop off a piece for a group show that opens tomorrow. I have a ride for that as well, it will be nice to get out of the house and wear something fancy on top with my utilitarian snow boots and jeans. But first, taxes. And address the pile of paperwork I have been ignoring. I should give the apartment, especially the studio, a thorough cleaning. I have a powerful urge to throw things away, but later for that. Taxes first - Onward.