More art going on here in Ashland....

A portrait of trumpet man 'Doc' Cheatham that i just completed in watercolour. I am getting ready for an art exhibition that I will be featured in for the month of January at a local bakery/ cafe here. These past 2 months have been like an alternative school for me in regards to my art and music making...like a choose your own adventure book.

Robert working on my portrait....he paints, i learn.

I usually post pics of landscapes and just things that catch my attention here on my visit in Ashland, but truly, I have met some wonderful people while here, so I thought I would post some pics of those that I have spent time with, played music with, and been inspired by...

Bill's a good friend that was introduced to me by Shelly and Bunli who brought me to Ashland; my buddy Tom (drummer) and his friends know how to hammer out some good steel blues numbers; a Sunday jam to which I have an open invite...7 guitars, a mandolin, a banjo, an accordian, a bass, a ukelele and percussion give me a great rhythm for singing along to; my buddy Lance and I are doing a cool little swing jazz project over at a local bakery; Bill's new dog - Tikka and me just kicking it on xmas eve; the Karen Lovely blues band with which I sit in for a few songs; my friend, Robbie Dacosta - a living vessel in which Chuck Berry and Elvis still live; a fun night at the Bella Union in Jacksonville with Beth on the fiddle; me and Shelly visiting a local artist's house; one of my newest paintings of Toronto saxophonist, Chris Gale. So that's who and what I've been busy with (at least the stuff I can put on the world wide web :))

Some holiday pics from what's been going on here lately....at least those that I remembered my camera for....jewish mama Jolie fries up some latkes for the local musicians; hungry bluesicians chow down; this dude Ossie played the full Ball Of Confusion song on this keyboard..guitar and all; and Yumiko...these pics of xmas lights are for you, cause you said you were missing the bright lights of energy happy North Americans....Happy Holidays!

Been working hard on learning the various methods of watercolour and have been enjoying doing smaller portraits while trying them out.... Here are a few of the small portraits that I have done...its very different than my usual style, but a lot more fun seeing what sort of shapes come out from mixing the colours and water together....still doing larger portraits in my monochromatic style.