Secrecy!

SECRET

I recently took part in a project involving a community building. Since said project will be completed with the assistance of highschool art students, I don't feel comfortable sharing the piece in question. I don't want to doxx minors, and this was always a volunteer, community "giving back" project, not a "LOOK AT ME!!!" affair. I even instructed the persons in charge to not tag me in posts or credit me in anyway in print. However, it did account for 24 hours/four days of painting time--to say nothing of recovery time!--so I can't not account for it here. More "good deed" art is part of why I have a Patreon, after all, granting me more financial wiggle room to give back the best way I know how. Now you know, sorta, what I've been doing with my time!

Not Secret: Mats, Ahoy!

I recently was gifted a bevy of free mat board from a friend who works at a certain perpetually-going-out-of-business chain craft store. They've reached the point of telling employees to take what they want, and my friend was generous enough to pass on the mat board wealth! Full sheets of mat board are nigh impossible to store in my carefully arranged 10 x 10" studio, so I've already cut down half of it to my usual sizes (8 x 10" and 11 x 14"). I've just a few more cutting sessions. To give you an idea, I've already increased my mat inventory by over 50, with likely 25 to go!

Not Secret: Studio Improvements

My studio is on the far/south end of the house and always has its door closed thanks to our midnight trio. This means it doesn't get air from our one air conditioner (which is otherwise perfect for such a small house) or from our magic floor furnace (ditto).

Orson Welles, Former Street Cat (TM) and Azrael, Angel of Fluffy, Fluffy Death demonstrate said floor furnace.

Space heaters and fans are plenty save for extreme temperatures, but it is aggravating to have my painting schedule weather dependent. (For the record, my previous studio in our apartment of 12 years had the same problem, but we lacked the "It's OURS!" freedom to do much about it.) Before the armpit of July comes a'callin' for my painting time, I decided to (hopefully) beat it to the punch!

I've been gradually double-paning our interior windows, with plexiglass cut to fit and caulked into place.* It was my studio's turn this past week! The insulation factor was further upped by adding:

• Rainbow privacy film for when I pull back the...

• Velvet floor-length curtains (bought "used, like new" for half-price, baby!) and...

• Re-hanging the original shorter curtains on tension rods I already had, beneath the velvet set

*I'll also be re-glazing the exteriors and re-insulating the storm windows this fall. Both need done badly. Not only is it their turn on the Joys of Home Ownership project list, but I'm a far more confident/skilled "Let's do this!" DIY badass than I was when we bought our castle in 2022.

Not Secret: Paintings!

As for actually painting for me, believe it or not, I have been! I've a series of small papyrus pieces in progress to fit odd-sized frames. Not to sound weird, but I'd forgotten how fun skulls were to paint. :P

White has to precede gold or it just won't shine right.

Here's hoping for having several finished pieces to share with you next time! Take care of yourselves, friends.