1Home from a quick and heavily relational laden trip to Atlanta and ready to turn and face the call. I have to varnish the painting for the Gallery West show and begin throwing out some lines toward completing the monkey painting (have I mentioned the monkey painting?) and what will be next. "Jeff" still hangs on the wall incomplete….

These waves, these ups and downs, these battles of the mind have worn me out but I do know it is for good. I thank God for the hint. Sometimes I get it.

What now?

I have spent the month of December emptying my mind of anything related to my artwork. I have spent it cooking, shopping and doing not much else. It has been nice. I still have no answers, no direction and I am still on the fence of doubt. On one side is living my life out as a practicing artist and on the other some other vocation. At the moment dog walker supreme. I am good at that, too, all you folks who say art is my talent. I am good at many things. Who is to say one vocation is more important than another. At least with the dog thing I make happy dogs and provide a service to busy people. So there.

I came home from Christmas in Norfolk to an acceptance letter into the annual nation juried competition at Gallery West. Some people think that this is funny considering my turmoil over my calling. Ain’t funny.