Did you ever see Private Parts, the movie about Howard Stern? Well there is a scene in when he tells his wife that he feels he needs to be more open and honest with his audience and that he was going to be more candid...at which she asked what there was to be more to be candid about, really...but gave him the green light. So what does this all have to do with me you ask, well I have been encouraged by a few friends who have the pleasure of hearing my rants and gushing on the events, both mundane and thrilling in my life, to share these with the world, as my takes on them are quite amusing. At the same time I started reading Dooce, a fantastic blog written by a woman who does NOT hold back. So I thought, hmmm...should I open up even more in my blog...do I tell the stories that I tell only close friends right now? Do I start a personal one that is not Manic Trout? Well I decided at 5 in the morning while unable to sleep because some insane painting ideas were spiraling in my head that the answers are yes and no.

I am Manic Trout, there is no separation...if you know me in person, you know this...so the blog will be all for one and one for all. I will continue to share my life and my work just as I have been...but as I have started doing tentatively, I will start to get a bit more down and dirty with what I share. Consider yourself warned.

Now back to our regularly scheduled broadcasting...

I am so enjoying my life right now! I have time to actually work, and not just the, I have to fulfill orders and make some new stuff kind of work, but experiment and explore other mediums! I will have to go back to bartending a few days a week next month, but until then I have been in my studio day and night...except to go on dates with a new beau, which is great too btw.

So here is an experiment I am working on...I am finally...like a year later...updating the images in my many sketchbooks and inspiration boards and decided to take my love of collage to a digital level...I laid down images right on my scanner bed, without seeing what I am doing and voila!

See...blogs are the new sketchbook...this is exactly what I do in those too...