I have been busy doubling the size of my book, "An Artist's View of Santa Cruz". It is both a collection of landscape paintings and a tourist guide on how to get to the scenic spots I've painted.

I am currently working on a commissioned piece based on a painting I did of the carousel at our Boardwalk here in Santa Cruz.

My book is now over 100 pages! The proof looked pretty good, but needed some changes. I am working on some new paintings to put in it.

January started out with a book idea: A collection of paintings used as a guide book to scenic places in Santa Cruz. I am currently working on it with my landscape oil paintings and oil studies.

I finally finished my two paintings "The Rotation of Pluto" and "The Rotation of Charon". Is it ok to admit that they were really difficult to paint?

I am now selling note cards of my oil paintings at Scotts Valley Artisans in Scotts Valley, CA. I also sell them at the Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz This part of art isn't easy.

I am convinced I am not crazy. People liked my more experimental work when I displayed it at Open Studos Santa Cruz. My paintings are actually pretty conservative.

Summary: I showed, I talked, I sold some things. The interactive display on immigration went very well. Two people got tears in their eyes just thinking about their family. Pretty cool.

These past few weeks I have been preparing my studio for the Santa Cruz County Open Studios event in October. I have hung work high, I have hung work low.

I decided it would be a fun idea to have an interactive exhibit at my Open Studios. The theme is immigration. I have a grouping of paintings called "A Boat to America".