2016 Happy New Year!! Starting a new year today gives us all an opportunity for do-overs or to make plans for the coming year. Perhaps one might want to make this year a better one than last year or merely continue the great ride last year was. That’s probably where I am at. I have a number of great things on tap for this year and I’m anxious to get started in 2016.

THIS JUST IN: The Historic Sherbino Theater in Ridgway, Colorado is home to various events, one of which is their monthly SHERB Talks – Conversations with Extraordinary People, as they call them. These are talks patterned after the renown TED Talks you are probably familiar with. One of their supporters learned of my ride to Alaska on a motorcycle in 2014 and has invited me to give a talk on the adventure. I am very proud and honored to have been included with many notables who have come from afar to give a SHERB Talk. “The Long Ride North, A Motorcycle Adventure to Alaska and Back” is scheduled for Thursday evening January 28th at 7:30pm with doors open at 7:00. You are all invited. Spread the word. They ask for a $10 suggested donation at the door to help support their Sherb Talks and the operating expenses associated with. Here is a promotion from the September Sherb Talk.

Mine hasn’t been developed yet but I will post it as soon as it is available.

2016 is booking up fast. I’ve scheduled 10 plein air painting events and shows this year. They range from Escalante, Utah to Duluth, Minnesota and points in between. I am planning on riding the Harley to Minnesota this summer and touring over to Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior anyway so I might as well pick up an art show while I’m there.

Plein air painting is nothing more than a fancy French term for painting out of doors on location. I’ve done it for years and now it is all the rage. I’ve done these shows in the past and have always really enjoyed them. Not only have I purposely gone and participated in these shows to paint out of doors on location but it is something I have done naturally as a way of recording my travels. I kind of got away from the show aspect several years ago but I think it is time to enter the arena again. I’ve got 10 shows identified that I’m going to enter this coming year. If you find a plein air show near you this summer, you really should go. I’ll keep you posted as these shows get confirmed.

A little known fact for most of my follows is that in the past I have dabbled as a silversmith making ladies jewelry and what I call cowboy jewelry, conchos and the like for bridles etc, in days gone by. I have been bitten by the urge to develop some jewelry designs again and am once again setting up my smithing bench. I inherited a number of tools and materials from my grandmother a number of years ago which I added to and worked with. Earlier this week Kathy and I went down to Albuquerque, NM to a large supplier where I picked up a few more things to more fully equip the bench. I’ll keep you posted on developments.

Along with adding my own designs in metal, I’m proud to announce the addition of jewelry from Patrick Malone of Terror Creek Designs who creates some beautiful beaded pieces. You can get a glimpse of his work here. I have a large selection in the gallery.

I’m not going to tip my hand on all the exciting things in-store for the new year so you’ll have to sty tuned. I promise that’ll be worth your time or I’ll happily refund your money to include shipping. Happy New Year.

P.S.

Due to technical difficulties, last weeks Christmas post did not air in it’s original time slot but you can pick it up here.

I’ll leave you with this shot of the Million Dollar Highway from yesterdays drive back from Albuquerque.