Got my taxes done on Friday morning and in the mail just in the nick of time, which is my routine just about every year. Why do I always leave it until the last minute? Because it’s ICKY, that’s why.

I have started to become more and more fascinated with learning as much as I can about art supplies and materials. I feel like kind of a wacko saying this because I have been an artist for most of my life and have experimented with oodles of media & techniques, but I am eager to dive deeper and know all there is to know about all the different possibilities that exist for me. I spent some time perusing various art supply manuals & encyclopedias at Chaucer’s Bookstore in Santa Barbara and finally decided on "Artist’s Manual: A Complete Guide to Painting and Drawing Materials and Techniques." Yes, I am reading a book about art supplies. I’m sure my introductory membership card to Art Nerds of America is in the mail.

I have a couple more weeks of slightly hectic-ness with travel plans, but after that I plan on diving deep into a creative nest, getting messy and experimenting with abandon. Since I won’t have a lot of time to get too far into any art projects while I’m in the air & on the road, I will at least be able to keep my new book at my side and enjoy doing some great research.

I meandered around my favorite websites this morning and discovered a few new jewels. From Danny Gregory I found my way to Trevor Romain, whose journal was like salty peanuts on top of a hot fudge sundae – something unusual, unexpected and delectable. From there I hopped onto Keri Smith’s site, and in her entry for the 15th she has a funny exercise. This was the result of mine:

"A mildly amusing updating of The Smallest Show on Earth." (Excerpt from a review of the "Coming Up Roses" DVD in my TLA Video & DVD Guide for 2004)

You’ll have to read her entry to see what this is all about. I think I’ll do it everyday and see what I come up with.

I also found a few sites that will help fill my current insatiable desire for all things art supply-related, most notably the site for Arch Supplies in San Francisco and the site for Da Vinci Brushes. Ooh-la-la.

It really is true: being an artist is fun.