Playing Catchup

Paintings, Photographs, and Books

Jun 11, 2025

“There is no such thing as a weird human being. It’s just that some people require more understanding than others.”–Another Roadside Attraction

Howdy,

It’s been a while. Or if you’re new here, it’s been just right. I’ve been busy with work and life and writing so my painting has mostly taking a back seat along with this newsletter. But today I found some time to gather up everything I’ve gotten up to in the past few months.

Lately I’ve been working on a book and some short stories. I was struck by the inspiration bug back in January on our trip to Arizona and have been plugging away at it ever since. It’s been fun to write and research, and is a good reminder of what FUN can feel like while writing. Given our present moment, it feels nice to get lost in another world for long stretches of time. In my case, it’s the old west circa 1880s. But it’s hard to give real time updates on a piece of long-form writing compared to a painting. I can’t just say “here’s four chapters, would you take the next hour to read them?” So instead, here is a big ole painting I made last Saturday…

And here is a piece of media of me talking about the painting…

Last month, me, Lauren, Jeff, and Gabrielle had an art sale in Beacon. If you came by, thank you. If you bought something, double thank you. If you missed out…I still have some stuff for sale here.

The Book I’m Currently Reading with some favorite quotes

“There is no such thing as a weird human being. It’s just that some people require more understanding than others.”

“A butterfly always knows when it is there.”

“…beings never really go extinct. Their forms may become obsolete but their essential energies are eternal. The only thing that ever disappears is the shape of energy. Long aft the visible, recognizable garter snake has vanished, its energy will hang on….Dinosaurs are still with us in the form of energy. There may be some dinosaur energy in you. There is plenty of saber-toothed tiger energy around. And trilobite energy. I ran into some woolly mammoth energy just the other day.”

“Happiness is a learned condition. And since it is learned and self-generating, it does not depend upon external circumstances for its perpetuation.

“The Indo-Tibetan Circus & Giant Panda Gypsy Blues Band, being a somewhat unorthodox troupe, often aroused the ire of policemen, pastors and pursed-lipped ladies: those vigilant citizens who saw in the exotic trappings of traveling show folk a manifestation of some unnamed conspiracy to subvert their politico-moral prerogatives. Generally, however, as a result of the manager's buttery tongue, rustic diplomacy and thoughtful monetary “donations,” the show was allowed to go on (as they say), and by and large those community elders who reviewed the performance would agree that while some of it was weirdly incomprehensible, it had entertaining and even educational features and was unlikely to turn their children into Communists, desperadoes or fiends.”

Another acrylic ink painting and the water color painting that inspired it.

Four water colors I did somewhat recently.

Four Books I Read this Year and Recommend

Homesick for Another World–Ottessa Moshfegh is messed up in the head. All her characters are deeply flawed, usually addicted to or suffering from something and constantly getting in their own way. Every story is at once hilarious, shocking, and a collision course that you can’t look away from.

In the Distance–I can’t put into words how much I enjoyed this book. A young Swedish immigrant is separated from his brother en route to America. He lands in California and meets gold prospectors, criminals, naturalists, religious zealots, and more as he struggles to traverse America west to east. It might be the best book I’ve ever read.

The Drop Edge of Yonder– Zebulon Shook is a fur trapper cursed by a witch to drift like a blind man in the bardo, not knowing if he’s dead or alive, or if the unseen world exists, or if he’s dreaming. Full of mystics, outlaws, gun fights, and hilarious, kooky characters all gummy for a bite of the American dream in 1849. It’s a total TRIP and I loved it.

Train Dreams–A novella (tiny novel) about a day laborer in the American West struggling to make sense of his life and the country at the start of the twentieth century. An epic in miniature, haunting and twisted like all of Denis Johnson’s work.