In Rememberance of an Artist: Writer Steve Robinson

It had been a tough week for many of us with the passing of two exceptional artists: David Bowie and Alan Rickman, both who made notable impacts on our culture. But the untimely passing of another artist from within my own circle left me shocked, stunned and without words. It's been just over a week now, and have once again found my voice. I'd like to share a few memories of another exceptional artist: a talented writer and very dear friend, Steve Robinson.

Steve was a tremendous writer, storyteller and performer: a true artist. I first met him several years ago when my husband and I found our way to Story Salon when I was looking for a venue to try out  material for a future solo show.

Among that night's performers was Steve Robinson. He impressed me with his words, brutal honesty and engaging storytelling.

Later, as I got to know him, I learned that I was familiar with some of his work. Since 1981 he had watched TV professionally when he worked for TV Guide writing listings, Close-ups and criticisms for TV GUIDE Magazine/Online. But I soon learned that Steve was an amazing writer who, over the years, would share stories of Hollywood, women and nighttime drives along deserted two-lane highways.

Many of Steve's stories can be found in his book, Why Stevie Can't Date, a collection of autobiographical short stories.

In his own words, Why Stevie Can't Date grew from my participation in Story Salon, L.A.'s longest running storytelling venue. I like to say it's about a couple of cars; a couple of girlfriends; a couple of wives; a couple of hookers; and a couple of days in jail. But not necessarily all together.

Jay Leno said, "Steve's life is a lot like Hugh Hefner's, but without the money, the women or the mansion. Most guys lie about sex. Steve doesn't. He makes the same mistakes we all make, but he tells you about them. A funny look at growing up on the fringes of show business."

Steve had an incredible sense of humor and the most wonderful laugh. He must have inherited this gift from his father, 50's radio host, Henry Morgan.

After a Story Salon performance

Steve always supported his friends and fellow artists. Not long ago, I began to produce fiction nights at Story Salon. I was the newest producer at the salon, and unsure of  how receptive our Salon members would be to something different. (Our storytellers tell true first person narratives.) I wanted strong writers for this first show, and Steve was the first person who came to mind. However, I was hesitant to ask him.

By now, Steve had moved to Laughlin, Nevada, almost three hundred miles away. He made the four and a half hour drive to Los Angeles every four to six weeks to attend and perform at Story Salon. He'd drive directly to the Salon, then immediately afterwards, drive back to Nevada. I often feared for his safety driving alone so late at night, and once asked him about the long drive. I knew he'd often steer clear of the interstates to travel the forgotten desert roads that many times were only lit by stars. His reply, "Donna, I love it!"

I did ask him to participate in the first fiction night and at first, he hesitated. "I'm flattered, but I've never written fiction."

This surprised me, but I also had a feeling. "But I believe you can! If you write something, I'd love to have you on the show."

And he accepted. The drive and distance was never an issue. The important thing was that he was supporting a friend. As a result, he pushed himself in a new direction. His story that night was incredible. I dropped him a line to tell him.

 

Donna:

Hi Steve. Thanks again for coming to LA  last night. Your piece was weird, wonderful and more than a little creepy...in a good way. Thanks for going there! I'm so glad that you allowed yourself to stretch by venturing into the realm of fiction. By asking you to participate I may have opened the (fiction) door for you, but you walked...or ran through that door on your own power, and the end result was excellent. It was in you all along! Take care. Donna

He responded the next morning.

Steve:

Donna, thank you so much for opening that door and for these most kind words about the result. A wonderful, exhilarating experience! See you soon. Steve


He would return to Los Angeles a few more times to read more of his original fiction. I was always grateful.

Steve's performed his last story at the Salon on November 4, 2015. I was not there. I was under a self- imposed deadline of November 13 for the publication of my second novel Fall Again: Lost Boy. In a rare move, I'd stayed home to work. When I learned that Steve,( a supporter of my writing and my series, Fall Again), had been in town I was disappointed that I'd missed him. I looked forward to seeing him later.

 

Unfortunately, later sometimes becomes never.

A heart attack took Steve from us on January 13. He was 63.

Steve was a kind, generous and creative man. He was respected, well-liked and much loved. He touched many lives and will truly be missed.

My words truly do nothing to describe Steve. To know him is to experience him through his own words. Here's his last story performed at the Salon on November 4, 2015.

There are many gifted and talented people working in the artistic and performing arts. Most of these artists will never achieve fame or notoriety, though neither of these thing are measures of talent or ability. Most tragically, the general population will never have the privilege of experiencing their work, artistry...or magic. During a week when we lost two artists named David and Alan, we lost at least one more. His name was Steve.

As I remember Steve, I find it strange that I don't visualize him where I saw him most--onstage telling one of his stories. Instead, I see him behind the wheel of his car. He's driving down an infinite two-lane highway. Above him are the moon and stars of a brilliant nighttime desert sky.

Goodnight Steve.
Safe journey.
 

Why Stevie Can't Date

Story Salon

Fall Again: Lost Boy

My Husband is Seeing Another Woman: A Matter of Style

Claudia Wells with Tony Figueroa

I'm enjoying a rare morning home alone. There's a cup of tea at my side, a cat at my feet as a Chopin piano concerto plays in the background. I'm catching up on my recreational reading (Maria McKenzie's new mystery, From Cad to Cadaver). All is right in my world-that is until I receive a text from my husband, Tony. I open the message to find a photo-and I know immediately. He's with her!

I study the photograph and can't help smiling. There's no denying that Tony looks great in the well worn leather jacket, something that he probably wouldn't have gravitated to until fairly recently, when she came into his life. From his expression, I can see that he's also loving the jacket. It seems to be bringing out different part of his personality-that I'm liking a lot!

 She's good. Really good!

I set my mystery aside and respond to the text.
Love the jacket! Tell Claudia hi.

Sure, I'm perfectly fine with this. You see Claudia, is Claudia Wells: a woman with an incredible sense of style, and the owner of Armani Wells; a high end men's resale shop located in Studio City, CA. Here customers can find high fashion men's apparel at below retail value. Her prices are fantastic! But for many men, like my husband, Claudia will forever be known as Jennifer Parker, Marty McFly's present day girlfriend in the film, Back to the Future.

Tony has been visiting Jennifer- or Claudia, at Armani Wells on a semi-regular basis for about a year now. The first time he visited her store, he came in only to purchase a "Save the Clock Tower" Tee shirt that he hoped she would autograph. But once in her store, she began to select items from her inventory for him to try. A few hours later he returned home with a newfound sense of style and some very nice clothes.


When I first met Tony, most of his wardrobe consisted mostly of tee shirts-most obtained for free during assorted promotional giveaways. There were a many, many logos. I often told Tony he looked like a walking billboard. I'd like to take at least partial credit for improving his wardrobe when we were dating. I considered it a small victory when he started to purchase and wear plain tee shirts. I was flattered when he asked me to go shopping with him he first time to purchase some new basics. He wanted to update and elevate his wardrobe. I'd bragged about my shopping expertise, so he was going to put me to the test. I guess I did okay, because a year later he married me.

I consider myself an athletic class shopper, always in search of the ultimate bargain. (I recently purchased a brand new unworn pair of Brazilian boots-leather upper/leather sole for $4 at a church thrift store.) I rarely pay full price for anything. My shopping has taken me beyond the mall to small boutiques, estate sales, thrift stores, and vintage and resale shops. I love searching for unique pieces wherever I can find them.

For me shopping is a recreational activity-something that my husband, and many other men, just can't understand. Maybe Tony didn't hate shopping, but I'm pretty sure he considered it a necessary evil and shopped for clothes as little as possible. Over the years I've assisted him in building a current versatile wardrobe. But since his first visit to Armani Wells, Tony has developed an excellent sense of personal style. And I can understand why. Claudia's store is well-organized, easy to browse and the selection  high end of items is excellent.

But the best part of Armani Wells is Claudia and her equally stylish and knowledgeable associate, Sissi. These ladies know their customers and inventory. I've seen them in action as they pull specific items for their customers which most of the time (at least in Tony's case) have been perfect for their physiques and lifestyles. This makes for a pleasant and stress free shopping experience. Claudia and Sissi are no less than amazing, not to mention friendly and personable.

But I'm sure that many guys make their way to Armani Wells to meet Marty McFly's
girlfriend, Jennifer Parker.

Tony and I recently had lunch with Caseen Gaines, author of We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy. I asked him why he thought there was an allure surrounding Jennifer Parker. He told me that Jennifer was smart, pretty, personable and supported her man. In other words, Jennifer Parker is the ideal girlfriend.

I'm sure many of Claudia's customers come in to hopefully meet Jennifer, but I'm also sure that once they enter the store and meet Claudia, they're won over by the fashion. And guys, this is a very good thing-when you look good, we look good!



Tony visits Armani Wells whenever he's in the neighborhood. He was there last week to pick up the current Jennifer Parker tee shirt.  He took a look at Claudia's new offerings and sent me photos via texts. Yes, he still wants my opinion, but I know he's in good hands. Claudia (and I) assisted him in his choices. A short time later he left the store with some beautiful shirts and a great leather jacket.

So Claudia, Sissi-many thanks! Thank for helping Tony improve and find his personal style. He looks amazing!

Yesterday, after seeing a few photos of Tony on social media, a friend commented that Tony is always dressed so well, and asked if I picked out his clothes. I responded:
    
     Lately, I've been letting two other women dress him-Claudia Wells and her associate Sissi @ Armani Wells. Now if I could only find a way to get George Clooney to dress me.

You see guys, we have our own ideas about an ideal boyfriend. But then, that's a topic for another post.

Thanks for dropping by!

Visit the Armani Wells site @ www.armaniwells.com

And do check out We Don't Need Roads: The Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy

And Maria Makenzie's smart & funny mystery, From Cad to Cadaver

 

A few thoughts on David Bowie

It's been less than twenty-four hours since I learned of the death of David Bowie. I learned of this last night as I was checking email for the last time before going to sleep. The post, via Deadline Hollywood, had appeared in my inbox less than a minute before: David Bowie Dies: Rock & Cultural Icon Was 69.

Like so many others, I was shocked and for a few moments couldn't speak.  I quickly showed the headline to my husband who asked, "Is this appearing anywhere else?"

That's when multiple posts from many other sources started to appear. I went to sleep sad in the knowledge that this world had lost another phenomenal talent.

But when I awoke this morning, I was still feeling profound sadness-and for the life of me couldn't explain why. I was never a huge fan of David Bowie and had never purchased any of his music, but his passing had affected me.

I first heard David Bowie's music on AM radio as a kid growing up in the Midwest. I remember thinking that his voice had a unique quality while his  melodies stood apart from the majority of the sound alike pop music of the seventies. His sound was different than anything I'd ever heard.

He came to my hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio to perform in concert. I was much too young to attend, but heard about this concert through a family friend, Geri Sowell.

Geri was different than any of my parents friends. She was an artist and very active in the cultural scene. She seemed to be at every gallery opening, and attended live performances of just about anything coming into town. While my parents would never attend a huge concert, hating crowds and dismissing the music as noise, Geri had attended the David Bowie concert and told us about it the next morning over brunch. I can sill see her siting in our solarium in a long gauzy Indian dress, huge turquoise earrings and sporting a new shag haircut. She'd experienced something incredible.

"The venue was packed! There were tons of lights around the arena and over the stage, so I knew we were in for something big. The house lights went down, the music started low and got louder before the lights came on full and Bowie took the stage. I thought there was going to be a riot! People started yelling and booing-and this joker next to me is yelling that he wants his money back."

She went on to explain that many of the concert goers knew David Bowie's music, but not his race. Many in the integrated audience learned that the David Bowie, was white.

She continued. "But things calmed down pretty quickly. This man's music transcends race, and by the third or fourth song everyone was into it. I've never seen anything like it!  He put on a great show, but this was so much more than a concert. This was an experience that I'll never forget!"

Geri Sowell's story made an impression on me. I'd never thought of David Bowie's music in terms of black and white, simply because in my young mind I'd always thought music was colorless. I'd certainly never thought music could have power; in this case the power to win over a difficult audience.

Over the years I followed David Bowie's career and was continually amazed as he reinvented himself. I enjoyed seeing the transformations that were more than just costume and makeup changes- he evolved from the inside. He was much more than a singer or actor; this man was a true artist.  He dared to be different, which, in a way told me that conforming to the norm was merely an option in a world full of options. 

When I was studying acting in New York City, I went out with a group of friends and fellow acting students. We eventually found ourselves in a Greenwich Village club that had a dance floor. I heard the first few notes of a favorite  David Bowie song blare over the speakers and heard myself say, "I love this song!"

That's when one friend, (a guy I was majorly crushing on), grabbed my hand and pulled me onto the floor. "Then c'mon!"

For whatever reason, while dancing that night, my life suddenly made sense. I was genuinely happy. I was in New York City, studying acting and in essence, beginning my career. I was with a group of very good friends and dancing with an incredible guy. My future was ahead of me and filled with endless possibilities. It was a rare perfect moment. That night, Let's Dance became my personal anthem for embracing life. To this day I can't hear that song without vividly remembering that night and smiling.

I suppose it's simply a part of life. As we grow older, more and more people who've always been in our lives pass on. Sometimes, it's hard say goodbye. David Bowie's passing was unexpected. Through his artistic talents, he touched countless lives.  He became part of the soundtrack of my life when I was very young...and am so grateful.

Much love to Iman and his family.

Funny, I can't seem to get that song out of my head.

Let's dance,
Put on your red shoes and dance the blues
Let's dance,
To the song they're playin' on the radio
Let's sway,
While color lights up your face
Let's sway,
Sway through the crowd to an empty space...

Goodnight David. Safe journeys.

A Delicate Balance

 

That incredible wonderful weird feeling washed over me as I was suddenly struck with inspiration and unbelievable clarity. My fingers moved quickly over the keyboard in a desperate attempt to keep up with my mind which was racing frantically. Prior to this moment, I’d struggled with a pivotal scene in book one of my romantic series, Fall Again: Beginnings.

The scene involved my two main characters, Marc and Lauren, and the first time they're alone together. They’re just friends. He thinks she’s a spoiled little princess while she’s labeled him an arrogant New York actor. By the end of the scene these negative perceptions must become mutual respect as an attraction begins. This shift in attitudes needs to happen honestly and organically, and until moments before had no idea how this would happen. But suddenly my hands were effortlessly flying over the keys as Marc and Lauren began to discover each other’s true selves.

“Donna!”

I was startled away from Marc’s New York apartment to find myself in my own Los Angeles apartment, in bed with my laptop. In front of me is my husband, Tony.

He hands me a cup of coffee. “We need to leave for work in twenty minutes.”

Tony had interrupted my impromptu morning writing session. He's been more than patient with me since I began writing. He’s never complained that I don’t always cook dinner, (our favorite Chinese delivery place is on speed dial), and our home is not always as neat and clean as it could be. But Tony fully supports me and my writing, which helps me believe in myself.

Thankfully, Tony also knows when to pull me away from the world I’ve created and drag me back to reality. Twenty-two minutes later, I was applying makeup in the passenger seat of our car and sulking as we pull out of our driveway. “I only need eight more hours a day to stay on track…but I guess I can’t quit my day job.”

Tony pats my knee. “So quit… after you win the Pulitzer.”



I never dreamed that writing would take over my life! And no one bothered to tell me that with writing comes editing, marketing and keeping up on social media. Once I began writing seriously nothing else seemed to matter. My weekends of movies and malls became a thing of the past. Date nights with my husband turned into ordering food in…and I may or may not have always joined my husband after the food arrived. I found myself stressing when I left characters in precarious situations as I attended to the business of my life-hoping they’d be okay until I returned.

For a time, I found the smallest tasks overwhelming and was having trouble managing my time between my writing and the rest of my life which at the time involved a day job. I reached out  to a friend who has been writing for at least two decades and asked for his advice. "How do I do this?"

His answer surprised me. "Sometimes, you'll just need to stop writing, regroup and recuperate. You'll know when to start back up again. Give yourself permission to take some time for yourself!

I listened. I’m happy to report that now, out of necessity, I've  found more balance in my life. When I need to take a break from my writing, I do so and no longer feel guilty. I’ll read someone else’s book, have drinks with friends, or a date night with Tony. He planned an amazing New Year's Eve for the two of us a few weeks ago. I managed to leave thoughts of my current project at home.  It wasn’t easy, but I’ve learned the value of eating properly, getting a good night’s sleep and socializing.  As a result my writing is stronger and life in general is better!

While everyone is different, I've found a few ways to help me decompress, recalibrate and recover a sense of balance when things start to shift.


     Shift into domestic mode- it's amazing that doing something as simple and regimented like vacuuming or preparing a home cooked meal can take your mind away from matters that are cause you to feel unbalanced. The upside is that after you're done you have a cleaner home or a good meal.

     Spend quality time talking to a friend or loved one- shifting focus beyond myself and my own personal universe makes me remember that there is a real world with real people who I care about(and who hopefully care about me) beyond my current project. Meeting in person is great, but so is the ancient practice of talking via telephone.

     Revisit your childhood- escape by watching a favorite movie or an episode of a favorite TV show from another time in your life. Your focus may shift to a time when things were simpler. (For me it's the classic Peanuts specials.) 

     Exercise- seriously, exercise (or simply getting up and moving) will positively effect every part of your life. While a visit to the gym or taking a class of some sort are great, sometimes just getting outside and walking can do wonders for your psyche and help to clear some of the clutter from your mind.

     Taking breaks from social media- this will help to keep you grounded. Remember, there's a whole world beyond the computer or phone screen . Not posting for the duration of a meal or movie will not cause the world to end. There's a lot to be said for face to face conversation (though I'm afraid that this basic and valuable skill could be going the way of the rotary phone). 


Never let your writing take over your life. Having balance  in your life will help keep you focused in all areas of your life ...and keep you sane! It's okay to STOP  and take time for life's necessities...and  yourself! Life is far too short not to enjoy it while you can. Your writing will be there when you're ready to return.



With Tony on New Year's Eve

Today, I finished a rewrite of a scene in the next book of the Fall Again series- California Girl.  I'd had trouble with my primary character's motivation which had caused me to lose sleep for the past few nights. But now the scene reads smoothly and I've been able to maintain my main characters integrity. To celebrate, I'm  going to clean house and maybe cook a nice meal. You see, I need to decompress and hopefully find that wonderful feeling of balance.

Write well.

 

Artists, Angst and Tee Shirts.

I just naturally assumed that my first post of the year would be filled with enthusiastic words about the year ahead. That was until the other morning. I sat in the terminal of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport awaiting my (two-hour delayed) flight back home to Los Angeles. To pass time, I scrolled through my Facebook feed.

A friend had shared a photo of a child's tee shirt from a major retailer, featuring what I felt was a negative message. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this story. After reading several (mostly negative) comments about the shirt, I decided that I would not share or comment. This had  been done sufficiently by many others. My feeling was that  by the time my flight arrived in Los Angeles, the shirt would have already been pulled from store shelves and removed from the online site. In reality, this occurred before my flight departed the Midwest. The next day I read the retailer's apology.

But here it is a few days later in a brand new year-and I'm still thinking about the shirt's negative connotations about artists.

Unlike defined career paths in traditional professions, there are many ways and paths to follow for those pursuing careers in the artistic and creative worlds. Every artist has a different path and subsequently a unique career. Many artists earn degrees from colleges and universities, while others may go directly into their chosen professions.

I am a working actor living in Los Angeles. I am surrounded by other working artists who are productive members of society. We work to pay our rent, mortgages and bills that are a reality of life in today's world. We have insurance (health/auto/life) and retirement plans. Many of us have families and are taking care of children and or aging parents. Many of us volunteer our time and talents on a regular basis. We pay taxes. We contribute.  Basically, we're doing exactly what others in traditional professions are doing. So why aren't actors, dancers writers or musicians given the same respect as, oh...maybe an astronaut or a president?

I believe that in part,  this attitude stems from the majority of the population not knowing exactly what we as artists do for a living. Young gifted aspiring artists are too often discouraged from pursuing careers in the arts.

The conversations are eerily similar.  An excited young artist reveals that they're interested in pursuing a career in the performing or creative arts. "Mom, dad, I'm going to be a dancer!" (feel free to substitute actor, writer, musician, etc.)
Many parents are horrified as they imagine their child ending up unemployed and homeless. Some parents laugh. "How can you possibly make a living dancing (acting, writing, playing music)? It's alright to dance (act, write, play music, etc.) as a hobby, but you need a real job!" The underlying message is that the young artist will have no family support.

 Many people have simply put aside any creative ambitions to please family and others around them. I know a  gifted young writer whose family steered him into law school. This was despite the fact he had won several writing competitions and had been awarded a full scholarship at university with one of the best writing programs in the country. His father was afraid of his son living in the land of make believe, and refused to entertain the idea of his intelligent son working in a creative field.

“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” ― Albert Einstein

Obviously, the father in this example has no idea what types of jobs a writer may have throughout his career. This is, or has been a problem for many of us.

My own parents couldn't understand my desire to be an actor. I heard them more than once say that they did not want me hanging around those people, (artists and other creative individuals), and persuaded me to pursue broadcast journalism-since this respected field was just like acting. I spent my freshman year at Ohio University in Athens Ohio which  had one of the best broadcast journalism departments in the country.  While there, I worked at one of the campus radio stations, reading and writing newscasts two to three evenings a week.  I did well in my classes and excelled in anything communication oriented. I was miserable. I did however attend every production done by the drama department which reinforced my desire to become an actor. That spring I transferred to the drama department and the next year transferred to Emerson College in Boston as an acting major. I was very lucky in that I was hired by a professional theater company in Chicago immediately after my graduation.

 In Chicago I learned one of the realities of being a working actor...it's hard- just like anything else worth pursuing.  After my contract with theater company ended, I had a difficult time finding work. Money was tight and I was extremely depressed. After several weeks, I came home to Ohio feeling defeated, (in part due to a breakup with my first serious boyfriend). That's when my parents made an amazing offer-graduate school! They'd pay in full, but there was a catch. I could study anything other than the performing or creative arts. In their eyes I'd had my little acting adventure. It was time to buckle down and find a real career. In my case, the easy way out would have been to  accept their generous offer and enroll in a graduate program. But instead I chose the more difficult path. That afternoon I was on the first Greyhound bus back to Chicago to follow my true passion. While I was terrified, I also feared looking back years later wondering why I had never pursued the career I truly desired.

What did I do with my acting degree? Over the next three years I did  industrial and educational videos, several television commercials and theater. I supplemented my acting income by singing piano bar in the evenings. In Chicago I learned the business  of the business. Within a year I became eligible and joined  the Screen Actors Guild (SAG). After three years in Chicago I moved to LA where I've continued to work as an actor. The industry continues to change which means I've also had to change by evolving as an artist and performer, just as anyone in any other profession must do to remain relevant. There is no shame involved in working a day job when necessary to make ends meet-just like those outside of the artistic and creative communities.

Another problem for artists and others working in creative professions, is that many outside of the industry can't fathom that working artists are actually paid for what they perceive are frivolous activities and not actual jobs. (My father once asked me if I got paid for working on soap operas and in commercials.) Nothing makes me angrier than when artists are asked to work for free. (Unless this is a donation of time and talent for a charity event where everyone involved will be donating their time and services.) An event planner or business owner will usually promise the artist some sort of exposure, which of course is much better than monetary compensation. This is a disrespectful and exploitive practice that deserves it's own blog post.

A few years ago I began to explore another form of creativity, writing. I've been writing for years but had never thought about writing professionally until 2012. In 2015, I published two novels.  Fall Again is a romantic series set in the world of working actors and other artists. While I've always loved the romance genre, I wanted to provide a glimpse into a world that is often misunderstood and maligned by the general public. My characters are hard working, talented and grounded. Too many times I've read novels that portray actors (musicians, dancers, writers) as lazy or dysfunctional undesirables.  Many will find redemption-only after leaving the industry-that is if they don't end up dead beforehand. In Fall Again, I wanted to present a realistic portrayal of working artists. www.fallagainseries.com

The target audience for the Fall Again series is women, so imagine my surprise when I realized that several men, mostly from the creative world were reading my books. They could easily  relate to my narrative.  One man commented, "I've lived this! I've built a good solid acting career but my family practically disowned me for becoming an actor ."



Many professional and  performing artists, as well as those in other creative fields, may never receive the respect that is reserved for doctor's and lawyers...and astronauts. But remember, artists possess the power to take and an idea, and turn it into something that can be felt and experienced; turning nothing into something, and often turning nothing into something wonderful. The moment when an idea connects to an audience through the artist is magic.



One of the best responses to the (anti) artist tee shirt was this tee shirt.

https://www.booster.com/proud-artistsshare=7481451490745437&utm_source=fb_share_desktop&utm_campaign=proud-artists&utm_medium=fb_share_on_campaign_page_v2&ref=fb_share_on_campaign_page_v2


There has been an improvement on the Arts in Education front as was recently reported by NPR:
School Arts Advocates Cheer New Education Measure http://www.npr.org/2015/12/16/459936069/arts-education-advocates-cheer-new-education-measure
 It looks like the arts will once again be included as part of a well-rounded education. Working artists have known this for centuries.

It's a New Year. I resolve to remain creative, artistic and ever hopeful that one day my family will understand what I do for a living.

I'll leave you with the words of sociologist Charles Horton Cooley.

 

 Have a happy, healthy, prosperous...and artistic 2016!