The creative juice is flowing

So I seemed to have regained my creative juice and discipline and I feel so good about it and the future is sure looking bright. I've been painting and drawing like a maniac for the last few weeks, I'm actually juggling three pieces at the moment and enjoying it. I once preffered the one piece at a time but so far it's going just fine, I paint my b-52's piece in my studio and the other two I just take to work and work there. There's no doubt I'm getting better with age, my knowledge and skill is ever growing and my confidence is also getting to the point of authority, at least for now. I have to admit I've let stress, lazy procrastination and anxiety get in the way of alot of what of could've been great work but I'm trying my best to refrain from that and just have fun. Other than being a great artist again, I've been working and just taking life a bit slower, trying to live in the moment and not three years down the line or behind! The weather in Helena sure has warmed my soul and my grandmother is doing fine. My friends are all popping out of the woods and I have much to be thankfull for. I'm off this weekend but I will be painting and really would like to clean my bathroom! Talk to you soon.

Disappointing News

Well, your getting the news first. I have some rather disappointing news, due to overwhelming financial issues over the study abroad, I've decided to not go italy this summer. Yes, I'm very disappointed. There were a few obstacles that I certainly didn't see coming a few months ago including applying for a personal loan which I was turned down over five times and it was hard to understand because I have perfect credit but I gather it's the economy situation being what it is. Then it looked like I was about to get a loan and I recieved word from the financial aid department that I owed an additional 4,000 for tuition alone and I was planning on using my financial aid from the government to cover that and they told me it was already maxed out. So with these two heavy obstacles, I decided to cancel italy. However as bummed as I'm, I actually feel a weight of stress lifted off me as far as finances go, also I'm greatfull I got to go last summer because most people don't get chances like that ever in their lives. So I'm taking the summer off to paint and draw solo, relax and catch up with my freinds. Hopefully I will be able to shoot for italy next summer, I'd love to go one last time while I'm still at the Academy. See you next time!

Hi Folks

Hi Folks, well I finished the spring semester on a high note, it's great to have more free time but I'm in the process of recommiting myself to my art, I mean seriously recommiting myself. I've gone back to oil and this weekend I finally returned to my studio after a five month hiatus and began work on my B-52's painting I've been ranting about. The underdrawing is now complete and transferred to canvas. I had such a great weekend off, I basically locked myself in my studio to complete the underdrawing and finished it around five AM. This ones a bit more challenging because I don't think I've ever drawn so many heads at the same time. My knowledge of color is stronger than ever now after three years of trying to figure everything out. So I will begin painting this week. I also had a great visit last night with my friends Travis and Andrea. Their kids are just so cute! I really don't want to go to work tonight! Todays my brother Billy and my dad,, Robert II's birthday so I have to go drop some cards off. Have a great night everybody!

Final countdown!

Hi There! So today is the last week of the spring semester and I have three more quizzes and I think I'm done. I had a great time in both of my classes, illustration 1 has given me the knowledge of how to create an illustration and History of film more or less enhanced my knowledge of film. I don't know if a break is anywhere in sight because I'm very psyched to get back into oil painting. Also I have one single major stressfull snag thats holding me back from going to italy this summer and that of course is financial issues, grrrrrrr! I've been shopping around for a personal loan and I'm sure all of you know how stressfull that is. However I'm trying to stay positive about the whole thing and hope for the best, so please keep your fingers crossed for me. Well on a good note my studio is finally cleaned and ready to work in, it feels so good to be organized. I think the one best way to keep organized is simple, after your done using something, even if it's scissors, PUT THEM BACK WHERE YOU FOUND THEM AFTER YOUR DONE USING THEM because if I don't, eventually stuff starts to pile up and before I know it I have a cluttered mess. So I'm beginning a new painting soon, I'm going to paint my first Rock group portrait of the The B-52's. Well I have to work for a friend tonight so I must go now, see you soon! Robert

Finals are finally here!

Hi there, well it's been a pretty good week since I last blogged. My grandmother had hopefully her last chemo treatment monday but unfortuantely hasn't felt good the last few days, that's usually the case, she'll be fine for a day after chemo and then the pain begins but I'm taking good care of her. Finals for the spring 09 semester is finally here but strangely I'm not as stressed as I usually am during finals, I think it may be because I'm happy it's almost over. I have two illustrations in the works and hopefully they'll see the light of day, one is an editorial of Sarah Palin the crazy wolf murderer and the other is of rock legend Stevie Nicks, I'm also revising my red riding hood illustration, all due monday along with a final exam. I decided not to participate in the Helena artwalk due to other important stuff I have to take care of and I'm just not ready to take on another major task right now while gearing up to go to italy in june. I'm hoping to be ready by fall though so I apologize to anyone who was planning on seeing me there. I'm almost set to go to italy except I have one giant snag I'm trying to get out of, which is the most stressfull of all, STUDENT LOANS, GRRRRRR! I wish I didn't need them but we all have to make sacrifices for stuff we want at times and with the economy the way it is, it's just more difficult financially. As soon as I take care of this I should be almost ready to pack and go. I've been off for the last two days which has been great, I had a nice visit with my friend Emily last night which is always great, we sipped pomegrante infusion tea and caught up, then I went to see my dad and by the time I got home it was too late to do anything else but watch tv and be a lazy couch potato. I wish I could've got more done but I slept in till five thirty! Working nights is a dogs life and horrible on your health and I'm not sure how much longer I can handle being a vampire. Well my plan for tonight is to get my studio cleaned and ready to work in again, I haven't been in my studio for five months and it's a disaster area. I'll leave you with that for now. Robert

A Reunion!

Hi Guys, Yesterday, May 2nd was a wonderful day for me. My dear friend Amber Corbett whom I've known since 1997 turned 30, recently we renewed our friendship with an all day visit at her house catching up from noon till ten o clock at night and it was great. I felt our friendship was renewed and the ice was finally smashed after five months. However the best thing is everytime we get together, whether it's three days or six months, it's as if we never parted ways and the chemestry and magic about our freindship is always still there. Those are the freinds you keep forever, no matter how far you go! I also got to see another dear friend whom I've not seen in eight years or so, Brandi Billie Spanking Spangler! She looks terrific and it was great playing catch up. Anyway a few days prior to this visit, Ambers mother Theresa secretly called me and told me a surprise birthday party for Amber was in the works at Dan and Theresa's lakehouse. I was delighted to hear this and wouldn't miss it for anything and it was such a perfect way to come out of the woods and see old friends again which I intend to keep on doing after being cooped up all winter, working nights, taking care of my grandparents and painting, all which basically keep me secluded and fairly grounded. So I got off work friday morning at 6:30, got four hours of sleep and then went and picked up Brandi and off we went to the lakehouse, I really enjoyed visiting with brandi on the way while rocking out to the The B-52's, one of my favorite groups. The party was wonderful! I got to see old friends,some that I havent seen in many years including Mike, Jamie, Christine, Melissa, Danny, Theresa, Rudolf, Joey, Troy, Kori, Bradlee, Douglas and little Saphron and the energy was just great. I was a bit disappointed not to see Colin, Ambers bro, he had some care trouble and couldn't be there but now that everyones coming out of the woods I'm sure I'll see that little fucker soon. We ate great food, drank tons of great booze and mingled with each other, reflecting on the past, present and future. Lots of great laughs and the mother of all places to go landscape painting, just beautiful scenery. I left just before dark and took brandi home. As I drove home, as tired and tipsy as I was, I felt rejuvinated to be back in touch with my old friends and so glad to have finally got out of the house. I'm also very inspired to plein air paint again up at the lakehouse and as soon as the weathers a bit warmer, thats exactly what I'll be doing before embarking to italy in June. Overall the main point of this post is to tell you all how blessed and proud I'am to have all the great freinds that I do. I don't really care how many friends I have but we all have to have at least one and you're set for life, as that old song says by Bette Midler goes, "You gotta have friends!" Okay Thanks for reading!

Hi again! So I guess I may be getting a bit better at updating my blog after much delay. I want everyone to know I'll be posting new work soon!

Clint-Watercolor 2009

Here's a mixed medium of watercolor and Mr. Sketch marker I did in 2008 right before heading to italy! Clint Eastwood!