Blogged By Ben

Wow! What a cool day this has been! Jessie & Dad brought me a special surprise today. It was a huge race car like the one Dale Earnhardt, Jr. drives! How awesome is that?!

I've been so excited all day. I just can't help but stare at the big car and laugh. Miss Vickie also told me today that her husband has some new go-karts and she will take me for a ride in one real soon. Man, I love those fast cars. I think they are so very cool.

"Is this like my birthday or something?"

"Hey Jessie, check out the paint job on this hot rod!"

"Are you sure this is really mine?"

"What do you think, Vickie?"

Let's Go Racing!

Ben's first look at his new toy: a giant replica of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s car from this past weekend's race. It's the one with the special "cammo" colors. I'm thinking since DEI now has an opening for next season Ben might like a try at it. Think he's excited about the prospect?

The Redhead with a Red Throat

***Updated 10:35am EDT***
Tomorrow is supposed to Jessie's last day of school. Unfortunately we think Tuesday was her actual farewell to the 4th grade. She woke up to a sore throat and feeling puny yesterday morning so we held her out. By evening she was running a fever of 101. This morning she has white splotches on the back of her tongue. Just what she needs to welcome the summer! Strep Throat.

Jessie is at this very moment headed to the doctor for the "official" test. We wouldn't be so convinced of strep had it not been running rampant through her school the past week or so. I guess we're all now paying for one of the mildest winters and springs on record here in the Upstate of South Carolina. In fact I woke up this morning to one of the worst sinus headaches I've ever had.

Fortunately for Jess antibiotics are far better than they were in my day. She'll be back to full strength in a day or two. Unfortunately she is now quarantined from her brother. That's like making a fresh batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies, taking them out of the oven, waving the cookie sheet under her nose and then telling her she can't have any! To cheer her up I guess I'll be making another trip to the grocery store for some ice cream.

We'll also be keeping our fingers crossed that no one else ends up with it before our beach trip next week...I'll update this entry later today.

***Update***
Thankfully the quick test was negative for Strep. It looks like a bad sinus infection has made life miserable for my eldest. We're off to pick up drugs and ice cream: two of life's good things! Check back again later today. Ben has a new toy to tell you about!

Loving Adobe Photoshop!

With the new printer I needed new software to handle the demands required for the larger prints. Although not the "grand daddy" of the Photoshop choices, Elements 5.0 has some great things about it. I've already mentioned how well the giclees are turning out. Today I spent the better part of the afternoon working on some layout and design ideas for the Kelly Motorsports tee shirt.

The car (a Pontiac Firebird) is nicknamed "The Outlaw." A few nights ago I came up with the concept of a old western "wanted" poster for the shirt concept. Me and my good friend (and new boss at KMI) Paul Constantine kicked around some ideas earlier today and we got real excited about the possibilities!

Anyway, the creative juices got to flowing and I thought I'd pass along some of the fun possibilities that Photoshop generated. The first photo is one that I "stole" from the IHRA website. I cropped it down and used it as a starting point. By the way, Paul is the guy at the the top right side of the picture. He's the one holding his ears like a little girl...

Tuesdays With Ben

Some of you might recognize the slight reference the title of this blog entry makes to an outstanding book by Mitch Albom. Tuesdays With Morrie was/still is an outstanding read and I highly recommend the book if you haven't read it yet!

While Mr. Albom "chose" to spend time with his friend on Tuesdays I've kind of been "forced" into spending my recent Tuesdays with Ben. The company that provides nursing care for Ben hasn't been able to fill that day since Jenny took another case so Dad became Ben's personal nurse for a day.

Don't get me wrong. It's a job I love particularly now that I have a few weeks off from traveling to shows. We've had time to play and watch cartoons together the past two weeks rather than have Dad screamed at by Ben wanting to work on Dad's paintings. One other good thing about No Nurse Tuesdays is the trip around the block to meet Jessie after school. The other parents and children always treat Ben as he wants to be treated: like a regular little boy.

It's a great time for us both since we talk about birds, squirrels, and flowers along the way. Most of the time I just listen because I honestly don't understand him since he speaks "Ben Talk." That always happens when he's happy. To me it is the greatest sound in the world!

Ben loves the outdoors and I think that's why we love camping so much. We never thought about air quality warnings until he came along and there are so many days we can't let him outside unless we want a trip to the doctor's office. In fact so much of his life has been spent indoors that Ben can sit in front of a window and be entertained more than if he were in front of a TV. That in itself has taught us a valuable lesson in appreciating the color of the sky, the hummingbirds at the feeder, cars passing by, or just the changes in leaf colors as the seasons pass. These are things we've learned to treasure as a family living with our special loved one.

I know that soon Tuesdays will belong to another nurse and I will miss my solo time with Ben while I'm gearing up for another art festival. Until then I will spend my Tuesdays hanging out with my best friend and seeing the world through a different set of eyes. Eyes that probably view God's creation in a better light than I could possibly see.

On the Palette

Brilliant Blue: That is the color our pool should be by now but we are having a devil of a time getting the water to clear up. The main problem is that we were too lazy busy last fall to put the cover over it. Therefore all of the leaves from my neighbor's oaks ended up at the bottom of or pool.

Have you ever been around an oyster or mussel bed near the ocean at low tide? That's what the stuff coming up from the bottom of the pool smells like. Nasty.

Fortunately we're getting close. Unfortunately it took up most of our yard work time over the weekend which means a full week ahead of blood, sweat, and tears. I'm shooting now for a Thursday swim just in time for...

Cadmium Orange Hue: School's out for summer! Friday at 12:30 PM I'll blast Alice Cooper at full volume when I pick up Jessie from school. It's an annual rite of passage for Jessie into freedom for the next 2 & 1/2 months. In fact a week from this actual moment the family will be at Furman University to watch Jessie's year-end dance recital then it's off to Kiawah Island for a week or so.

Manganese Blue Hue: Thankfully my next art show is still three weeks away because I have an awful lot of work to complete. Besides building up inventory for the next few festivals I have a special project I've just started work on. I mentioned a week or so ago that I've been recruited to do artwork for a local drag race team. One of my best friends is the marketing/media director for the Kelley Motorsports team competing in IHRA which is just one division below the big boys (NHRA). It's the equivalent of the Busch series in comparison to the Nextell Cup cars in NASCAR.

Okay, I'll admit it. I've become pretty much a car junkie in my old age. Even if you're not a racing fan you'll enjoy reading about Andy & Pat Kelley, a father & son team. Mrs. Kelley even mixes the racing fuel!

A Wise Quote...


Barry Lopez:

How is one to live a moral and compassionate existence when one is fully aware of the blood, the horror inherent in life, when one finds darkness not only in one's culture but within oneself? If there is a stage at which an individual life becomes truly adult, it must be when one grasps the irony in its unfolding and accepts responsibility for a life lived in the midst of such paradox. One must live in the middle of contradiction, because if all contradiction were eliminated at once life would collapse. There are simply no answers to some of the great pressing questions. You continue to live them out, making your life a worthy expression of leaning into the light.

from Arctic Dreams

Dedicated to all of you who visit here and particularly to those of you that for some reason are hurting today.

On the Palette

Bright Aqua Green: We went to a dear friend's high school graduation party tonight. I feel old. Honestly I don't feel old it's just that I guess I'm getting old(er). Let me explain. I'm now now 44 years YOUNG. My lovely wife will turn 45 in the next few weeks and as much as I'd like to pick on her and say some smart-assed comments about that fact she still looks at least ten years younger (if not more). We had our children later in life than some folks; not by choice but circumstances (we got married in our 30s, so there) . The reality is that three of my best friends kids are graduating and headed to college in the coming months.

Each one of these young people represent a part of my life that I consider milestones in my own life. The incredibly beautiful Kindal, whose party we attended tonight, was so very small when I left that rock band I refuse to mention. I was her "boyfriend" during her toddling years. At the time I wore long hair and lived the life of a fun-loving bachelor. Of course I was the only bachelor of the gang so it was an easy choice for her. Although she had garnered scholarship offers to play soccer she's getting close to a full ride for her academic achievements. Oh yeah, for extra money she models.

My "nephew" (he still calls me Uncle Bennie) was the baby that me and my songwriting partner let into the studio to break up the tedious work of programming and writing songs that would catapult me and his dad into the limelight of rock and roll. Our music dreams never became reality but Jacob is just beginning that journey that could lead him to success in music. Just like dad he is an incredible self-taught musician running a studio of his own from his bedroom.

At Kindal's party tonight I got to see Heather who is traveling to Vermont this fall to pursue her dream of managing a big time theater one day. These are some of the incredible folks I've gotten to know through the years. Yep. I feel old because I literally saw these "children" when they were just out of the womb.

I love these families and I know their expectations will be met beyond what they expect because they raised their kids in a way that encourages their creativity talents. So Jacob, Kindal, and Heather: God speed in your endeavors. We love you and wish you the best in all that you do!

The Artist's Life Just Got Better!

Today has been a long time coming. Joan and I paid a visit to CompUSA where we found the best prices on printers in stock that can handle the demand of printing giclees larger than 8" x 10". This day and age prints are the bread and butter for working two-dimensional artists which I happen to be.

In a nutshell a "giclee" (pronounced GEE-clay) is a fairly new way for artists to reproduce their work. Long story short, in the past artists had to send off their reproductions (usually by scanning) to printers just to receive prints they are unhappy with. The color and design was most likely at the interpretation of the person that actually does the process. That would be like Cezanne asking Bubba to make sure the color looks right once the printing process began. Bubba doesn't really care since he's got a deadline and so he prints the lithographs just like he gets them. Cezanne gets the final result and he's pretty much screwed. The lithographs suck but Cezanne still owes the money for printing 1000 lithographs.

Giclees give the artist more leeway in determining the final product. Essentially the prints are done on an inkjet printer. Photographers actually perfected the printmaking process over the past few years. Those of you that print your own photographs know how much the technology has improved. We painters have caught on to this printmaking method and are using it to produce the best quality prints we possibly can do. I have been limited over the past two years at printing 8" x 10" giclees due to the size of my printer.

I've watched other artists make much more money because they have prints that are much larger. Also the inks are far better at recreating the original painting and require less treatment in making them archival (lasting longer than a few years). Most of my artist friends have told me that my originals sell for less than their prints. That means working my butt off those two or three days between traveling to shows.

Well yours truly had a great Spring schedule. We purchased the Epson R1800 this morning. The prints I've produced are OUTSTANDING!!! I can now see brush strokes and things I haven't seen in paintings over the past few years! We are very excited because many of Ben's paintings haven't translated into the printing format.

I'll keep you informed about Ben's prints. Regardless this has been a great step toward our art endeavors!

Blogged by Ben
(and tagged by The Moosh)

It wasn't really The Moosh but her mom, Casey. She wants to know 8 unknown and utterly odd things about me. We've brain-stormed as a family this evening trying to come up with stuff you don't already know about me like I drool a lot, I sneeze through my neck, and I laugh all the time. My family thinks that is nothing new to you friends that read our blog regularly. So I put my thinking cap on, coughed some phlegm up trying to get their attention (THAT always gets their attention) and came up with with new stuff that might be interesting or at least gross you out.

I really think this will be lots of fun. At least its funny to me but just about everything is funny to me! So here goes...

8. I love the feeling of flying through the air. Most of the time it requires jumping directly from where I'm sitting or laying down. Unfortunately I'm not real pleased with the landing part because most of my flights last less that a second. Mom and Dad won't let me comment further since neither one will take responsibility about my ability to fly. Wimps.

7. I wear sunglasses when I'm outside. Dad picks out some really cool shades for me like the blue lenses I'm currently sporting. My folks tell people I'm sensitive to sunlight since I'm inside most of the time but let's face the facts, I'm just too cool not to wear them.

6. The next one is like Dad saying he doesn't snore. I've heard him. Mom's heard him. Jessie's heard him. People in the next county have heard him! They tell me that although they put me in bed at night covered in blankets and cuddled up with snuggly friends I usually end up turned 180 degrees with my feet against the wall with nothing on except a diaper. I think they're lying.

5. I could sport an orange afro like you wouldn't believe but Mom keeps cutting my hair short. I really don't mind the haircuts since I get one when Dad gets a trim but I sure do like the Einstein look. In fact most of my family likes it as well. Not Mom.

4. If you've ever watched my videos you'll notice that my head leans to the right...often. I even do that in my car seat. The nurses hate it, my parents hate it, and everyone who rides with us hates it. I just laugh. Let's just say I do it MY WAY!

3. I love water. I love taking a bath with Dad. I love being carried from the van to wherever when its raining! I love the pool and the ocean. Mom hides. Wimp.

2. People think I've lost my front two teeth and therefore I have "fangs." Nope. My top gum is curved due to my cleft palette. My upper teeth disappear when I smile. So the rumor about being a vampire is just a rumor. But I WILL drool on you if I get a chance!

1. Personal stuff here. I'm constipated. Sorry but it is the truth. I take a laxative. Things seem to work their way out of my body real slow. Evidently I make some rather strange faces as the chute is opening as in I kind of turn purple. I also have (what seems to be) an endless smile. It is just the pushing process. I'm positive this comes from Mom's side of the family because they have a a great deal of....oops...Dad told me to quit.

Anyway, this has been fun! I don't think Mom & Dad think it's funny...

With Nurse Jenny taking a new patient our good friend Vickie has been able to fill in until those two days are covered. It was obvious that Ben had missed seeing Vickie on a weekly basis. It was also obvious that Vickie missed painting with Ben.

Off the Deep End

No, I'm not talking about the side of the gene pool my family evolved from. In fact those of you that have actually met me know very well the shallow end is most likely where the Waddells got their start. I'm actually referring to the studio name of the folks I'm about to introduce to you.

The handsome couple to the right are Mary-Anne and Bill Collins. Since we've last crossed paths they've added a most precious young man to their clan. Meet six-month-old Aidan! It seems Aidan is already an "old-timer" living the life of carnie folk! If I'm not mistaken, Artsplosure was his 8th festival this season having already visited the state of Florida earlier in the spring. Let me repeat: Aidan is 6-months-old!


Talk about jealous! I truly wish me and Joan could ourselves have a "do-over" and have the opportunity to travel with Jessie during those early years. Unfortunately hindsight is 20/20 and so telling you about the Collins family will have to suffice.

Mary-Anne is the artist of the family. This is her tenth year of working full-time at her craft. Bill joined her a year or two later and neither regret the decision to live the life of traveling artists! When Aidan was born it was a no-brainer adding him to the entourage.

Not only is the little guy handsome but he had an awesome personality to go with the looks. During the two full, long, and fairly warm days as a neighbor I heard nary a fuss. He's obviously ready to embrace mother's art and keep it a family tradition!



Mary-Anne's creations are made with polymer clay. I'm privy to the process she uses but some things artists share with each other are better left as a secret. That's not to say that her work would be easy to accomplish. Her works require a great deal of skill and patience. She is also very clever with her designs which include Cat Fish (pictured to the right), Blow Fish (above), Mermaids (below) and Dog Fish. She also sculpts other critters such as bugs, lizards, and frogs.





These whimsical characters are brightly colored and bring a smile to their collectors. She also has some functional pieces that include light switch covers and pull-chains for ceiling fans. There are no molds involved so each sculpture is one of a kind.

Just like Larry & Gail Smith from a few weeks back, I found that not only are they a charming and special family but their art is unique and worth bringing to your attention. The Collins do not have a website but they can be reached at BubbaTheBlowfish@aol.com.

I look forward to sharing more artists' stories and their crafts in the coming months. It is honestly a privilege to get to know folks like Bill, Mary-Anne, and Aidan. I hope you get to meet them as well somewhere along The Artistic Highway!

Artsplosure 2007
Raleigh, North Carolina

What an awesome weekend! How can an artist complain about great weather, huge crowds, delightful art buyers, and a volunteer staff that welcomed our participation with respect and wonderful amenities! The only downer occurred during the return trip home when I ran over a long piece of steel lying in the middle of the interstate. Even that could've been much worse. The end result was a punctured exhaust pipe that made for a loud journey back to Greenville. Oh yeah, the best part? I made money.



This will definitely be an annual event I hope to attend. It is a fairly large show that features about 200 artists. If the amount of artwork available isn't enough to satisfy shoppers they can enjoy great food, entertainment at two stages, and a children's area that provides some unique things to keep the young ones attention throughout the day. Folks can even challenge their friends to a game of chess on a board that features playing pieces the size of a 5-gallon bucket. And for you dog & cat lovers, I've participated in over 40 shows the past three years and this was the first time I noticed plastic kiddie pools filled with iced water for pets.



I also got to visit with some artists I had not seen in awhile. Linnea Lockwood-Gambino is a terrific jeweler whose work has been featured in national magazines and even on HGTV. Her husband Russ is her official "art slave" and a New York-state-of-mind guy who can dish out smack with the best but also can take it just as well. Just ask my friend, Christy.

Unfortunately we didn't run into to each other until late Sunday afternoon so we'll have to share some pasta and road stories later on in the summer. They are just another example of the good people I get to hang out with on a weekly basis this time of year and who I now consider "family."





Speaking of family I was reacquainted with a lovely couple I had not seen in almost two years. Mary Anne Collins and I participated in the Atalaya Festival at Huntington Island, South Carolina in the fall of 2005. Ironically Linnea's booth was situated between us so I didn't get to spend much time talking with her or even get the opportunity to meet her husband Bill, another art slave! Her creations definitely made an impression on me because as we were setting up Saturday morning I was able to tell Bill where I had seen her work before.

In tomorrow's blog entry I'll introduce them to you and tell you about Mary Anne's unique artwork. Oh yeah...they have a fairly new "creation" I think they're a bit more proud of these days! I'll talk about him too!

The last photo is of Wilbur, the sweet mutt belonging to one of my art neighbors. He made himself at home in several artist booths throughout the weekend. I sure would love for Balloo to be this laid back. I'm not holding my breath.

Fed Up With Blogger

If any of you blogging buddies knows of a better blog host AND a way to migrate our historical past here to another host, we'd sure appreciate it! Either leave it in the comment area or better yet, e-mail me at benwaddell@bellsouth.net. I finally got to my own blog this morning after trying half the evening last night. Now I can't access YOUR blogs! Rats!

I'm headed to Raleigh for the weekend so I'll report back here Monday to read all the awesome ideas you've left for me. I can also try again to tell you about the drag race team and the cool t-shirts we'll soon have for sale! Have a wonderful few days off from work!

Blogged by Ben

Hello my blogging friends! I've been fairly busy since Dad has been at home more.In fact after this weekend's festival he'll be off for a couple of weeks. During that time we're going to the beach to see all of my cousins! I'm already getting excited!

I really wanted to get outside today to sit in my special swing while I watched Dad cut grass. It is a little cooler than the summer-time temperatures we've had for a couple of weeks now. Unfortunately the air was filled with smoke from some forest fires way down in Florida so Dad and Lisa decided it might hurt my breathing. Instead I sat in Nurse Lisa's lap and watched Dad cut grass from my therapy room. It still makes me laugh to see him pass back and forth in front of my window. Sometimes (when he's not grouchy) he stops and waves at me through the window. He didn't wave today.

The only bummer is that Dad tried to start the pool pump today so we might be able to go swimming on Memorial day. Evidently he ran into some problems with the pool pump which didn't help him with his mood. He also wasn't too happy with Baloo, our family dog. On the phone to Mom I heard Dad call him a billy goat. I'm not sure what that means but it may have something to do with all of the things Dad found partially eaten in the backyard.

I'm working on some more canvases! Dad needs to get to work so he can finish our paintings. He told me we were going to take our supplies to the beach so my uncles can see me work. I might paint some palm trees or the ocean while we're there.

I sense Jessie is getting excited about school ending for the year. Her last day is June 1st and I'm sure she can't wait. She's different than me. I love school and I'm already missing it since my year has already ended. The good thing is that next year I will take the bus to school three days a week! How cool is that?

Until my next blog entry I wish you all health, happiness, and peace!


Photo: Ben helps scrub paint off his hands after an art session.

On the Palette

Permanent Green Light: Plans have now been set for a family reunion of sorts. In early June ALL of the Waddells will rendezvous at Kiawah Island, South Carolina for a huge family vacation. This will be the first time in a couple of years that me, my mom, my two younger brothers and their families will be together. In fact this will be the very first time all of our children are at my mom's beach house at one time. There have been some much needed vacations in the past couple of years but I don't think I've looked forward to one as much as I am this one.


Brilliant Purple: I haven't had the chance yet to mention my trip up to Asheville, North Carolina this past weekend. Saint Mary's Episcopal Church in Biltmore Village hosted a one-day arts & crafts show. It's in its beginning stages so I had very little expectations but I wasn't surprised that I made more in 6 hours than I did in three days at Macon, GA.

The cool thing about this show is that a old friendship was rekindled. Father Brent Norris was a very close friend of mine back in college days. We were drama majors together in the early 1980s. I ended up moving on to the art department and so we lost touch. When we ran into each other last summer it had been over twenty years since we had seen each other.

I still find it strange how little folks change over time and a long forgotten friendship picks right back up where it was left. Of course we have collectively gained a good bit of weight over the years and we didn't share a doobie like we would've back in the day.

Cadmium Orange: I'll be headed to Raleigh, North Carolina on Friday for Artsplosure which is probably the most well-known art show in North Carolina and one of the best in the Southeast. Lord knows I need an excellent show this weekend so if you can send up some good thoughts to The Man I'd be much obliged.

Manganese Blue Hue: There's more on the back-burner for next week. For instance I've been recruited to do some artwork and graphics for a local IHRA drag race team. They compete internationally at a level that would be equal to the Busch Series in NASCAR. My first job is to design some t-shirts but this could be a foot in the door for bigger opportunities. More next week including the team's schedule. They will be racing in cities that I know are very near to where many of you regular readers live! For now check out...

...playing on the Jukebox: Ray Wylie Hubbard

When we uploaded pictures from the weekend to our computer Joan and I were pleasantly surprised to find some photos and video of Ben painting with Lisa on Friday. Ben is working on a Mothers Day gift for Mom. We're just wondering if Ben ate more paint than he applied to the gift bag...

By the way, Lisa perfectly captured Ben's personality. Since he's very shy many folks don't get to see this side of Ben until he becomes very comfortable with his surroundings. Enjoy our son as he sings, laughs and paints.

Happy Mothers Day!

To my Mommy...

...and my Me-Ma (Daddy's mommy)...

...and Tootie (my Mommy's mom)!

And I wish a very special day to ALL of the mommies that read here!

The Good Stuff

Mom reads the Mansions & Moonlight brochure to Ben.

Jessie sketches while Ben relaxes on big sister's lap.

Later in the evening Ben watches to make sure Dad orders from the menu properly
at the Fish 'n' Pig. Awesome food!

Dad & Ben have a love fest.

Yesterday afternoon Ben worked on a new painting which came from this moment last weekend. He blurted out the title very distinctly: "Geese!"

As Joan would say, here's a portrait of all her children.

A New Painting by Ben & Bennie! Finally!

Title: "Garden Butterfly"

Description: This is an 8" x 10" acrylic painting on panel (standard frame size). Ben did most of the work on the painting. I outlined the shape and filled in most of the blank areas. There is a great amount of texture where Ben applied the paint (mostly by hand).

Price: SOLD (Thank you Andre & Colleen who now own three of our paintings!)

To purchase this painting please e-mail me at benwaddell@bellsouth.net . We accept PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, and personal checks.

Be Careful When You Comment...


On other folk's blogs. You just might get tagged with a meme. Sort of like I was doing last night when I wasn't completely sober and visited KimmyK's site. I began to read that she likes to sniff her dog's paws and eats condiment sandwiches so I wondered in writing why she chose to reveal these things to the Blogosphere. It seems I skipped over the part where Spanish Goth had tagged Kim with "7 Random Things" to list about herself. By the way, I don't read Spanish Goth's blog often enough - the guy is absolutely hilarious.


So with a slight twist to the original rules I've come up with a few random things you might not know about me or Ben (5 for me, 2 for him because I said so).

1. I found it interesting that Kim mentioned right off the bat that she started taking vitamins recently. Well yours truly started this morning. It seems I've been getting The Cramps all too often the past few art shows. Joan would tell you that it's hormonal but I find that odd since they're occurring in my calves (no, not the livestock but the lower half of my legs). Ironically I'm very good about keeping hydrated on very hot days so I've been a little baffled by this problem.

Nurse Lisa heard me discussing this with Joan recently and suggested I might not be getting the proper vitamins while traveling. Yes, I read between the lines and understood exactly what she really meant. I'm getting old and body is finally breaking down.

2. I'm seriously addicted to Sirius satellite radio. Seriously! Specifically addicted to Sirius 63 - Outlaw Country. I'm serious! I got the radio package so I could choose from about a hundred different talk shows (sans Howard Stern - he's there I just couldn't tell you which channel), sporting events, and about any style music you can name. Therefore I'd never be bored while driving to shows. My receiver stays on one channel: 63.

Where else can you listen to Johnny Cash followed by Lynyrd Skynyrd followed by Wilco followed by The Naked Trucker & T-Bones followed by The Byrds followed by....I think you get the idea. Plus you have complete retards like Mojo Nixon and Fred Imus (Don's employed younger brother) hosting shows...uncensored.

3. I bite my fingernails. Usually the day after I return home from a show. I'm not as bad as my dad who would nibble on his nails until they bled.

4. I've always been and will always be a bad procrastinator. If I have a commission piece I'll wait until the week I'm supposed to deliver it to start. All of my papers in high school and college were written the night before they were due. I generally send in my applications to festivals right at the deadline.

This fact drives my wife and daughter absolutely bonkers because both of them are the complete opposite. Although it is not required of her like some other of here friends Jessie generally will complete her homework right when she gets home from school. I think this characteristic of me is funny since...

5. I never ever ever never ever never want to be late for anything. In fact I usually arrive early for almost any appointment, date, meal, movie, death, funeral, wedding, bar mitzvah, shower, bath, flood, car wash, illness, keg party, frat party, political party, quilting party, etc., etc., etc. Unfortunately if the two females of my immediate family are to be included in the previously stated events then we will be late. It drives me bonkers.

6. Whenever Ben is concentrating on a task (painting, television, therapies) he almost always leans his head to the right. We're not quite sure why. Theories have ranged from that he hears better through his left ear to that he's using the right lobe of his brain for creativity. I can just tell you that it drives the rest of us bonkers because it looks very uncomfortable. Evidently it's not.

7. If I were to give a percentage estimate I would say that Ben is smiling about 75% of the time he is awake. In fact many times we see him smile or even laugh while he is asleep! I'll even through in another neat tidbit: when Ben really gets cracked up he literally shakes all over. One of these days I'll capture that moment on camera. It is absolutely infectious.

So there you have 'em. Instead of tagging a few of you I'm tagging all of you that want to participate. Just leave a comment to let me know you're participating so I can read your 7.

Inspiration in Macon

One of the pleasures I've discovered about becoming a blogging traveling artist is introducing you to my fellow artisans. Whether they be old friends or new acquaintances I get a kick out of talking about fellow "road warriors" who not only have incredible talent but great personalities to boot. Occasionally I run across an artisan that has a story that inspires me almost as much as Ben. Larry Smith is one of those special artists.

First let me tell you about Larry's craft. Larry (pictured to your right) builds wooden birdhouses. Not just little decorative or functional pieces we all occasionally see at craft festivals but homes for birds that at first glance resemble a doll house. A closer look reveals much more!

Each house is actually a replica of a historic building built in early America. Many of them no longer exist due to fire, natural catastrophe, or urban growth which rarely appreciates the architecture of previous generations. Given that Larry has to do some extensive research to find renderings, layouts, or oral descriptions of the structures. In most cases he is fortunate to find photographs of them. The key element to his choice of work is the story that is told about each home, church, railroad depot, or government building. In fact each one of his creations includes a a tag that details the history of the the building.





Even more interesting is the material he uses to build each one. The wood he uses is 200-year-old wood brought up from the depths of American rivers. Loggers, long before semi-trucks or barges, used to float logs to the saw mill. Some of those logs sank along their route to the mills and more recently have been brought by divers and are mainly used to replace damaged wood in historic homes or buildings. Such wood is incredibly rare but Larry has a connection with a saw mill in Gay, Georgia that specializes in log recovery and he uses their scraps to build his birdhouses.



The detail is pretty incredible. He even uses the wood scraps to construct windows, frames, and dormers. Only the metal roofs are modern. Once he has sold a structure he will never again rebuild it so each house is one of a kind. And he guarantees his work for as long as he is living. Big deal right? He's rebuilt three birdhouses lost to Hurricane Katrina. To me that speaks volumes about the man and his craft!


Now the real nitty-gritty about the artist. His wife Gail, who helps with shows and sales, told me more of his story. Larry lost his left hand due to a freak accident while their home was being built. Several years later and at a fairly early age they discovered he had MS, which as you read from a post last week is an extremely debilitating disease. Larry prayed that God would give him a hobby that would not only inspire him to keep living but help him thrive. Thus began his love for woodwork and researching historic structures.

Almost twenty years later Larry is more than thriving. Retired from the textile industry he continues at his craft because in his words "I have to - it's now a passion." I'd say it is a very successful passion. His work and story will be featured in the August issue of Southern Living magazine and one of his birdhouses appeared in Vogue last year.

To me the best part about Larry was his immediate charm and charisma. The man can tell a story and have you mesmerized for hours. From the lovely Southern drawl to his knowledge of just about anything else made him one of the best "neighbors" I've ever had at an arts/crafts festival. It is a privilege to call him "friend." Once you meet him I'm sure you will feel likewise.

Achin' & Bakin' in Macon

Given that this is just year number three of the Soulshiner's World Tour of Art and Carnie Living (read still wet behind the ear at this career) I'm going to make some wrong choices of shows to do. I definitely had my share last season. When you participate in 29 events over a 365-day cycle there are bound to be some stinkers along the way. So many variables must come together to make a successful festival (weather, location, advertising, time of the year, etc.) that it's probably just as likely to have a bad weekend as it is to have a great weekend.

An excellent example occurred almost a year ago this month. At the encouragement of my friend Christy (it's forgiven but not forgotten, sister) and to the discouragement of another friend Courtney (you're not always right - most of the time but not always) I participated in the Atlanta Downtown Neighborhood Association's 5th Annual Spring Festival. This seemed like a no-brainer. I had an open weekend, friends with whom to stay, a show in the aorta of the heart of the South, and the patronage of a lot of gay men living in downtown lofts who collect contemporary art. A perfect show, right? Wrong.

Ultimately the layout of the show led to poor sales for the weekend; not just for me but for just about everyone else participating. Basically the artists were located at the entrance to the event so that potential buyers had to pass by our booths to get to the beer, food, and entertainment. Unfortunately the beer, food, and entertainment were excellent. By the time those potential buyers returned past our booths they were a little too intoxicated to find their wallets or it was after the artists had left for the day.

In the end I made a grand total of $45 in sales. For me it's the lowest earnings ever for a show yet it was $45 more than many other artists took in. It was also the first time I'd ever witnessed an artist packing up and leaving a show early. That is considered the ultimate response to a promoter or event planner to say that "your show sucks" and it's agreed the artist will never return. I gotta say so far that is the most putrid art show I've attended....until this past weekend.

There were so many signs and omens pointing toward disaster that I could've easily been one of those who'd punched a ticket for a ride on the Titanic. While Macon, Georgia has a great deal of historical significance to the Old South it wouldn't be labeled as a "cultural hub." Still I had made decent money in the past at places like Walterboro, South Carolina and Milton, Florida. Macon should be no exception, right?

It's an interesting thing when the mind is faced with certain disaster. Most folks have that innate sense to flee. Yours truly says Pavlov was a quack so let's just hit this nail right on the head even if the nail happens to be a screw.

The Good: for the second time in three weekends I was at a well-known community garden show vendor market. Folks were there to buy. And many of those folks have money to burn to decorate their estates.

The Bad: unlike Augusta's show, vendors other than those with botanical related products were a surprise to patrons. Even my description in the program called my paintings "botanically influenced." That is partially true. I like to paint palm trees. I'm sure we could've found at least one within a 100-square mile area of Macon.

The Good: there was a "vendor preview party" where the sponsors fed us. I even saw Fred Schneider of the B-52s ("Love Shack" & "Rock Lobster" fame) with his significant other. Gay guys with money! I even talked with a really cool gay couple whose historical home was the first listed on the home tour.

The Bad: the vendor party featured chicken tenders from Zaxby's and home-made pimento cheese sandwiches. The gay guys told me how bad the neighborhood was behind their house. In fact their doormat had recently been stolen. Oh yeah, the home tours and garden tours just meant there were more opportunities for the wealthy patrons to be somewhere else than the market.

Ultimately the "market" was as putrid as they come for artists and crafters. The really bad part is that this could really be a good place for an arts and crafts venue if the community actually knew about it. The folks that normally sell plants and gardening tools told me they did okay but they were not happy since the "market" had been moved away from the historic Hay House to the city park which is located in an industrial side of town. Evidently most of the advertising and lure is aimed at the home & garden tours that take place over the same weekend and the only push for vendors happens to take place on Friday night while the locals socialize and get "happy" at the open bar.

Adding to the pain were the long days expected of us. Set-up only in the afternoon Thursday. Open your booth on Friday at 9 in the morning, close at 6, and open again at 7 until 9. Be back by 9AM on Saturday and then close at 6. Open once again at 10 on Sunday and then close at 5 with load-out afterwards.

Needless to say I walked. Three O'clock yesterday afternoon I started to break down. The conditions were awful in regards to heat all weekend (old building with no air flow) which just added to the misery. When I returned to the camper around 5:30 I iced down my calves due to the cramping.

Honestly I never thought I would pack up early for a show. I just didn't think one could be that bad. I learned a new lesson: sometimes you just gotta use that hammer in the right place.
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There was some good that came from the weekend. Joan and the kids were there for me at the campground, which I highly recommend if you're ever near the area. Also the residents of Macon are some very good people. Just like most places in the South they are friendly and kind. Although most visitors to my booth looked at me like I had a huge booger on my cheek when they first saw me and my work, they were highly complimentary. Fine art just wasn't expected.

Finally the coolest story of the trip to Macon will be told tomorrow. One of the special things about this blog is the ability to tell y'all about special folks. I was a neighbor to one over the weekend. His name is Larry Smith. I'm excited to tell you about him and his craft. My guess is that Larry is the reason I was led to Macon. I will certainly enjoy doing future shows with Larry and his lovely wife Gail.


The photo is of The Round House which housed some of the vendors including me. There were two doorways and one fan up in the dome that tried to circulate air. The darn place is an exhibition place for the Georgia State Fair. I hope to God livestock is not featured here.

Blogged by Ben

Hello my friends! I can't begin to tell you how much fun I'm having these days. I don't like Dad being gone so much but Mom and Jessie keep me busy when he's away. The good news is that we all get to go with him this weekend! Dad is going to let me hang out with him to raise awareness about exceptional kids and promote our paintings together! This will be the first weekend we have together in a month.

Today was awesome. We went for a doctor's check-up and stopped at the art store on the way home. Miss Lisa let me help her pick out paints for her! She kept choosing stuff on the shelves in front of me. I wanted to see the good stuff they try to keep out of my range.

The best thing that happened was that one of the nurses that took care of me way back in the early days of my life came by to see me. I was real sleepy when she visited but seeing her made me perk up and talk. Me and Jessie got to tell her all about stuff we are up to. I guess it's time for bed soon. I'll be excited to tell you about our trip to Macon, Georgia early next week!

Lisa asked me which blue paint she should pick.

I spot the good paints!

Yeah! We need yellows and other bright colors like Dad uses!

Man, we've got a lot of paint here.

Shopping wears me out!

From Dad: Nurse Gail and her partner Tracey came by for a visit this evening. I can't begin to tell you how special that visit was for all of us. Gail was there the morning when Ben was three weeks old and we were called to the hospital to say our goodbyes to Ben. For some reason Ben held on to life over the next few critical days. She was also with us the first time Ben ventured into the ocean.

We had not seen or heard from her in awhile because Gail revealed to us that she has MS. It's an affliction that can hit anyone at any moment in one's life. She has traveled a difficult path over the past year. It broke our hearts until we realized she has the same resolve as Ben. This is an another example of how your life can change in a heartbeat and you become one of us. The support systems you have in place and the "insurance" you have become flimsy at best.

At some point you question God. You ask why, as a good person your life becomes a struggle to support family, pay bills, and find ways to manage that comfortable living you're used to. Inevitably the comfort disappears and you wonder where have all those tax dollars you paid into the system been spent. Bitterness sets in when you discover the once middle class citizens of America have been screwed.

I belong to neither party and never will. Each one is supported by interests that concern neither Gail, Ben, Simon, or any other folks that have an interest in our plight. I just hope that continuing to advocate for the weakest of our society like Gail has been doing will at least help us gain our fair share.