as part of my e-newsleter last saturday I've started 4 of the paintings I listed, today's underpainting is a quick glimpse of the grand tetons in september, back in 1996 when marge and i were in wyoming on our honey-moon this is a good start to this impression far from done but you get a look at the grandeur of such a beautiful fall image in the teton mountains. we stayed at the lodge near the lake and enjoyed no tv or radio, just the quiet of the moment and speaking as we felt the need which was not that often. sometimes silence is the order of the day and as an artist i find quiet and solitude the choice even today over visiting with many people. artist tend to be solitary people while creating so we learn that self reliance is ok and a mantra that is pleasing. being a husband  a father and grandfather is good, being one's true self, the essence of the real me is best, in the case of most people, sometimes we tend to confuse who we really are by defining ourselves through these roles. i paint because i love and painting is the only activity i know, for me, that takes away the pain of living, and that is healing, don't get me wrong living is very good, but for me not that easy or straight forward, sometimes putting one foot in front of the other while a simple task becomes very hard. for those of you who are care free, who love to play, maybe take some pictures or draw or paint or sing or write or are story tellers from long ago or are american indians or black africians or jews or arabs or monks or priets or pastors or rabbis or children or mothers or grandparents or aunts and uncles or sisters or brothers or husbands or wives, or students, or doctors or lawyers or teachers what ever you are, who ever you are, don't forget those of you retirement folks too, that haven't got a clue what's next, or just don't get a hoot what tomorrow brings good for you, because the next thing you know happiness will come when least expected, that's the gift, when least expected--not when you think or they think but when least expected, with that you will experience great joy and a humility that keeps you on earth, and not in heaven or elsewhere. enjoy the moment--that's the story for your morning-be peaceful in your solitude so that when you come out into the world your utterance will be full of wonder and joy most of all love--there that darned word is again, love, o by the way valentine's day might be canceled due to technical difficultites with hd tv being postponed and o by the way the stimulus package is in trouble again and o by the way groceries have stayed high priced even though energy prices went down over two months ago,  o the farmers needed a raise, o they didn't get the raise someone else did and pocketed the american hard earned money. come to think about it the senate and congress will get huge pay increases they say they made that law over 20 years ago so that makes it right and we can not break the law--my my how our forefathers can think can you imagine a time like this. i think since we have so much sand on earth we might consider ways to learn how to genetically change our human bio system so we all can eat sand that solves the world hunger problems because everyone has plenty of sand and you know science can do anything it wants, why we do live in the age of enchantment, the sound of music passe. That's another story for another day.

enjoy the tetons.

Jimmy