57 - Confined #1

Fell asleep on the couch (trying to brainstorm for something to paint). I woke up at 8am and I needed to leave the house by 10am. Holy crap! Will last night be the first time in 2 months I didn't do a painting?! I have trouble remembering my dreams when I sleep in my own bed, but usually, when I sleep in a strange place like on vacation (or on the couch) I remember something. I was dreaming about having famed Mad Magazine artist Sergio Aragones over at my folks' house for Thanksgiving. He's one of my heroes and I recently discovered he's not only a prolific, lightning-fast cartoonist, but also a trained mime, which enters into that other arena of my life. In the dream, as would happen in real life, all I could think to talk about with him was "well, it's nice weather for November..." I have always felt like such a dork around famous people, but I've always been told that I could be the cool one "in your dreams." Anyway, when I woke up, I was compelled to paint this. Maybe it symbolizes something about confining my soul around my heroes. Or maybe I have a fetish for naked guys in boxes with footall-shaped heads.

56 - Impression of Nature's Mysteries

I still don't see myself as deft with the abstract realm, but this is the second time I've come out with something I kinda like. Any women want me to paint their naked bodies and roll them around on canvases? Keep in mind, these are 5 x 7 inches!

55 - My Doggie

Who doesn't love huskies? You have to be dead in the heart and have a huge dead spot in your soul not to just melt when those crystal blue eyes and that innocently nefarious smile worm their way into your melted brain. He's a total mama's boy. He has time for me once the wife has left the house. But with him, I'll take what I can get. He's worth it, even if he snitches cat food (I painted that into his expression).

54 - MP3 Ugh!

This idea was probably first depicted in the 1980s with a Sony Walkman, but back then, we didn't have those spiffy in-the-ear headphones, so I'll take the credit for, if not innovating this idea, then at least updating it.

Besides, I like painting people who are happy doing their own thing, even if the mammoth is judging. Eff the pachydermal haters!