As it’s just before Thanksgiving, I’d like to share a story I’m thankful for.

In February of 2010, I finished a painting and posted it on my website (as well as Twitter and Facebook). It was a fun little painting that I hoped would simply make people smile. One particular response I received from an old friend was much more than I ever expected.

She mentioned she was looking at my painting on Facebook and it caught her daughter’s eye…and it made her smile. What made this experience more than I expected was that her daughter is autistic, and made a connection that at times is difficult to do. Needless to say, I was deeply touched.

Around that time my friend asked if she could purchase the painting for her daughter’s bedroom. I struggled to arrive at an amount to charge, as selling art isn’t really something I enjoy. I simply like to recoup my expenses, especially if the painting is really enjoyed. We eventually decided to trade art, which I was thrilled about (as she’s an excellent artist). We live about 260 miles apart so I think we both felt this might never happen. But sometimes things work out, and I was able to make the trek to her home this past weekend.

Something that stayed with me since the weekend was that the walls in her daughter’s room (magically) matched my painting. It had found its home. Just as magical is how my friend’s painting filled the wall over our dining room table, located right in the center of our house.

We’re honored (and thankful) to have one of her pieces in our home (shown at left), and feel equally blessed that one of my paintings is in hers. Sharing something as powerful as art is an amazing feeling—I highly recommend it.

More of my friend’s work can be viewed on her blog. You should also check out her husband’s work here as it is as equally brilliant. If you’re thinking of purchasing some genuine art for your home any time soon, please consider theirs. You’ll be thankful you did.

Ever notice how this time of year goes together with music? New albums released. Concerts and summer festivals to go to. Well, here’s another summer music opportunity.

First of all, I’ll be back on the radio this summer starting this Wednesday night. My show will be on from 8pm-10pm on whcl-fm. Which is 88.7 locally and online at whcl.org. The format will be a little different this time around, I’m calling it The Roadhouse. Let me tell you why…

Some of you know that I’m very involved in the Kirkland Art Center these days here in the village of Clinton. This is their 50th anniversary and I decided to help with the celebration with a new summer concert series called KAC ROADHOUSE (sound familiar?) with a ton of help from Indium Corporation.

The music series is geared toward a slightly younger audience than the past…geared toward people like me (and some of you) who enjoy great music in an intimate setting and not necessarily in a bar. They have three concerts this summer at the KAC – the Sim Redmond Band on June 29th, the Ryan Montbleau Band on July 13th and Zach Deputy on August 17th. Strategically planned on Wednesday nights to not interfere with those summer weekend plans and a nice break in the middle of the week (don’t worry, the shows won’t end too late). More information can be found at kacroadhouse.org including tickets, which are very limited so get them soon. Of course, proceeds go to support the arts at the KAC, which is much more important than ever these days with all the cutbacks in local schools.

I hope to see everyone at the KAC shows, but in the meantime, the radio show will be giving you a preview of these great regional acts. I will also be giving you some good info on other great live shows in the area (like Utica Monday Night, the Saranac Brewery, Electric Company, Earlville Opera House, etc). Oh, and of course I’ll fill a lot of space with other great singer/songwriters that I’d recommend seeing live (or wish we could all see live).

So, I suggest this summer you bring your computer or radio out to the back deck, the front porch, around a camp fire or whatever, on Wednesday nights to enjoy some good music (except for the Wednesdays we’ll see you at the KAC, of course).

I don’t post much to this blog. Or should I say, enough. But, when I do it’s usually something pretty important to me. Could be an observation, a project or a life changing events.

My last post I mentioned I’d do a sketch a day. Something I’m glad to say is working out very well. Something I look forward to each day, whether it’s first thing in the morning with coffee, later in the evening with a glass of wine or squeezed into a busy day. It’s my moment of stopping to smell the roses, so to speak.

Last week I was contacted by a friend who asked if I would be interested in taking my drawings further by providing finished pieces for a magazine she was working on. The magazine is culture: the word on cheese. Yup, cheese. My initial response, “I love cheese. Almost as much as I love drawing. Count me in.”.

As I mentioned above, these blog posts are always somehow important to me. Not trying to be too self centered or pat myself on the back…I’m just excited to share. Having an illustration published is a great opportunity. So, I’d like to publicly thank Sandy Knight for believing in me and my doodles. Illustrations will be in the Summer 2011 edition, but a sneak peak of the illustrations can be seen here – they should make a little more sense in the publication : )

Last year I took on a self imposed project to complete one painting per month for one year. The fact that I was able to stay on track and accomplish the task was hugely gratifying and I’m glad I did it. I’m also thrilled that I proved to myself that I could take a step back from technology and put paint to canvas successfully. Although I think I’ll always paint, it’s not where I find the most excitement. I love to sketch, doodle, scribble…whatever you might call it.

I simply love pencil to paper more than any other medium. It appeals to my simple nature and how I came to develop a website called me-draw. It’s where ideas start and the most important part of the process.

My new project will chronicle my sketches through a visual diary. I will keep a small sketch pad with me at all times and enter a sketch a day. Could be an observation, a job, a project, a joke, a comic, etc. I really see this as an endless project and hope it gets me into the habit of always thinking visually. I also see it as a way to pick those ideas that jump from the page and are worthy of a painting, a logo, a tattoo, etc.

I will be sharing these ideas with the world, so if you follow me on Twitter, Facebook and/or Tumblr, you will be reminded of this project daily. If you feel others would enjoy taking this journey with me, please share. I’m starting this tomorrow (March 1st, 2011) and there’s no completion date at this time. I also have no preconceived notions on where this path will lead me and relying simply on inspiration and stream of consciousness.

You should see a sketch of my new logo above which was the catalyst to this project and will eventually be the hero for a new website coming soon. Special thanks to Joe Lopata who named him “Lil’ Sketchy” and another thanks to Pat Knapp who named his residence (lil’ sketchy pad down the street from the original sketch pad). As you can see I’m always open to new ideas from anyone, so share your ideas and I’ll put pencil to paper. Even if it is a lil’ sketchy.

When I bought my first CD player (that’s what we used before ipods, kids), I had to also make the decision on which CD I would buy first. I was in my teen years and was a pretty big music fan at the time (still am for that matter). Had millions of cassette tapes (which you kids may know came before CD’s) and numerous copies of Rolling Stone magazines. I researched what was considered some of the greatest albums of all time (we can still say albums, can’t we?). After much research I settled on The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band. Considered by many to be one of their finest. This started a long love affair with the Beatles. I slowly became what most consider a “Beatles Person” (it should be noted that over the years, I found my favorite Beatles album to be their transitional album, Revolver, but you probably don’t really care).

If you know me at all, you may know I like to play games and start stupid conversation about trivial things. God only knows why, but it happens (often). Along these lines, I’ve been known to ask people if they are a “Stones Person” or a “Beatles Person”. Music freaks will understand that you are either one or the other. In the movie Pulp Fiction they talk about being either a Beatles Person or an Elvis Person, but I think that’s just silly (though a great movie, and I think that scene may have been cut from the final movie, but who knows). It should also be noted that to be either person you don’t necessarily have to believe one is BETTER than the other. It’s just which speaks to you.

So, as mentioned, I’ve been a Beatles Person for most of my life (starting in the early 80’s). I go through periods where that’s all I listen to (especially around the Holidays). But, recently things have changed. I find myself listening to an awful lot of The Rolling Stones. I should mention that just because I’ve been a Beatles Person, it’s not that I don’t listen to the Stones. I listen to them quite often actually. Probably have been a fan of the Rolling Stones longer than I’ve been a fan of Beatles, but something happened when I listened to that first Beatles album (well, not their first, my first, but maybe you got that).

It all started a few weeks back with the re-mastered, re-released, re-done, Stones album, Exile on Main Street. Not usually a fan of re-issued stuff, but every once in a while I’ll make that plunge. I listened to the re-issue and enjoyed it quite a bit. There’s some new life brought into it due to the clarity and the ‘new’ songs are quite good (I say new because they are new to all of us, but were written the same time as the originals). The album also made me listen to numerous talks on NPR about the remastering and stories of the legendary recording sessions in France. It was like meeting someone you knew in high school, always liked them, but suddenly you realized they spoke your language (which is a strange parallel to how I am now with my current ‘weird’ girlfriend). So, since the re-issue of Exile, I started listening to a lot of the other classics, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Beggars Banquet! These albums speak to me. Loudly!

What am I trying to say? Am I becoming a Stones Person? CAN you change from a Beatles Person to a Stones Person? I guess I’m just asking the question more than supplying an answer. Maybe for now I’m going through that transitional stage, which seems unsettling, but I’m also finding some comfort in it. Maybe I’m also coming to grips with not categorizing myself into either? Which I’m ok with. I’m in a gray area, kinda like when you are falling asleep and you are neither sleeping or awake – I just hope that someday I don’t suddenly question if I am an Elvis Person (not that there’s anything wrong with that).

My girlfriend and I started dating almost 4 years ago. I was 37 at the time, I believe she was 35. Though this was the beginning of our relationship, we had known each other in a previous life. Ok, it was a previous time, but it feels like a different life. We knew each other in that far off time of high school.

When our paths crossed again, we met for coffee and chatted about many things. As we discussed this, that and the other thing, I took a step back and said, “you know, I remember you being pretty funny in high school, but I don’t remember you being this weird”.

Most of you would think this was the end of the date, but I actually meant the comment as a compliment. Even stranger than that, is that she took it as a compliment, too. The rest (as they say) is history.

I traveled to Austin, TX a few weeks ago for South by Southwest (sxsw). Half of the week was for work, but the second half was to enjoy the music. As some may know, I have a radio show (10am-noon on Saturdays on http://www.whcl.org), so this past week I shared what I found for some new music (to me) and some other acts that I finally was able to catch live. Here’s a recap of some of these musicians that I had on the show, as well as some others (each are linked to their myspace page):

Brooklyn Rider – this was a surprise. We caught them at the NPR day show and didn’t expect to like them. All instrumental, theatrical and felt like a soundtrack to a movie.

Lissie – Young woman originally from Illinois, now calling LA her home. Here song writing and performance was simple yet moving.

Local Natives – I like Wikipedia’s description of this band, “”afropop-influenced guitars with hyperactive drumming and hooky three-part harmonies” Nuff said

Broken Bells – we lucked out and were able to catch a preview of Broken Bells (members of the Shins and Danger Mouse) in a parking garage across from Stubbs. Check these guys out, I think they may get better with time. Lot of potential here.

Doll & the Kicks – I didn’t see this band, but my coworker did so I was able to listen to their music. Really enjoy it. Lot of energy. Will get ya moving.

Nneka – Hands down the best act I saw at sxsw. Great singer, songwriter, performer, etc. Wasn’t as impressed with her CD, but can’t wait to see her live again at Newport Folk Festival this summer.

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – Didn’t get to see them, but kept hearing great things about them. Also will be at Newport, so I’m exciting about that.

Murder By Death – This was a complete surprise. I was waiting to see Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and these guys went on before them. Didn’t think much of them based on the name, but they were fantastic. Like a haunting Johnny Cash

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears – I was walking down 6th Ave in Austin and overheard someone talking about this band. Looked them up and noticed they were playing near another act I was checking out. Thrilled I stumbled upon them.

The Hot Seats – Although I don’t have any music by this act, I saw them in the street and dug their raw bluegrass style. Worth checking out.

Matthew Mayfield – Great singer/songwriter that I hope to hear more of in the future.

Kate Miller-Heidke – Didn’t think much of this artist when she first came out on stage, but after she started in on her singing, I warmed right up to her. Her music is a little strange at times, but I think that’s what makes her appealing.

Madi Diaz – We were walking around the western side of Austin and stumbled upon an ad agency that was putting on a free concert in the courtyard behind their building. Although a little too pop-oriented for my taste, solid songwriter and performer.

If you care to watch/listen to some of the shows we attended, take a look at this video that Ryan put together. Although its not all the bands, it definitely gives you a taste for what sxsw can be like. Don’t forget to share