I quit my day job.

I have resigned from my position at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.  When I was first hired in October 2006, my plan was to keep the job for 5 years, prepare myself for self employment as an artist, and study my trade (oil painting) while gaining a better understanding of art history.

My personal goal was to complete my book "The Aesthetics of Composition in Abstract Oil Painting" and it looks like I have done just that.  I am now on a final edit of my book.  I expect to complete the final edit by the end of August.  I started writing this book in 1999.  I have been completing my formal work over the last three years.  It is intended to be a complete study for the student of oil painting.  If everything goes according to plan I will release my book through the iTunes book store sometime in January of the coming year 2013.  If things don't go according to plan I will self publish through a university press.

My 5 year plan became 5 years and 9 months.  Not bad considering that I was out of touch for a year and three months on medical leave after the bike accident.

My wife and I are moving to Maui, Hawaii at the end of August.  We will both be self employed.  I will work as a full time artist.  Athena will be opening "Such Good Dogs"  a dog boarding, kenneling, and training facility.  We are both very excited for the future, and very grateful for our past.

So long...

...and thanks for all the fish.

A new year for a fresh study of oil painting.

I normally don't take the passing of the new year too seriously.  I have never set a new years resolution, I don't make great plans for change in my life as I like the direction its going, and I don't party until I puke like the rest of the pot bellied vacationers taking a night off from life.  

This year is somehow different.  I have a real job, and its in a museum where I will be surrounded by works of art 5 days a week.  I have been visiting museums for study for nearly ten years now, and this opportunity to truly become familiar with a museums collection is one I can't pass up. 

This time as the new year comes about I set one goal for myself.  To empty the cup and refill it with a better understanding of art history.  I intend to study the works of art here at my new job, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and perfect my craft as an artist.

I want to keep my employment for 5 years.  The should be enough time to perfect my craft, set myself up for working as a professional artist full time, and refilling my cup with a better understanding of art history.  

So enjoy your new year, 2007, and make some art...

...why not right?

I got a Job at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts!!!

I was finally hired on as a Gallery Guard at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts after three years of applying.  

I have spent the last ten years living in areas where I was close enough to walk to the museum under five minutes.  I truly love this building and its collection of art.  Its better than the walker anyway.  I was told that it took me three years to be employed at the MIA because it is a seniority based job where people rarely leave.  The health and dental benefits are crazy good, and crazy cheap (less than you pay anywhere, I swear).

My goal.  

To truly familiarize myself with the permanent collection and convert what I see into my own works of art.  I have been doing that for ten years, but its not the same.  Now I will be surrounded by works of art for 40 hours a week.  With the nature of the job I wont be able to just pick where I am posted so I will be forced to look at works of art I have never considered.  

I announce now that I will complete my study of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in under 6 years.  So lets say that my employment has a shelf life of 5 to 7 years.  That is a good projection, hoping that everything goes according to my plans for my work in the future.  No expectations, no worries, here we go for another major life change.  

I might be fairly busy this first year, so the posts will come...

...maybe not as often as I would like, but they will come.