I've come a long way from my adventures in Miami. I took a trip back through Tallahassee on the basis that I utilize my painting chops on a couple of murals. I had the privilege of painting with my long time friend Matthew, who is expecting a baby, his son, Miles. We discussed the possibility of painting a large mural on behalf of the occasion, and soon thereafter sat down to make plans. We thought to make a painting with a stork character and a piece of graffiti that said 'Miles'. Matt thought of a great building to propose the mural to, a carwash and window tinting business on a busy street in Tallahassee. We proposed the wall to the owner, and he agreed. After our pitch, he didn't even want to see our sketch- he was just down.
It went likewise a few blocks over, where I pitched a great mural to a tobacco shop. I drew for the project and submitted a printed mock-up. He signed a waiver and advanced me cash for supplies.
With the two murals set up, I rented a car and spent a few rainy days gathering thoughts and supplies for pre-mural planning. I ordered paint from Miami. I bought a ladder and put it in the nice rental car that I didn't get insurance for, along with three five gallon buckets of paint and a chainsaw. (The chainsaw- A part of the creation of the Miles wall was clearing out a large amount of brush and two small trees. I rented a chainsaw and cut the two trees down. It felt horrible, though I was getting the occasional encouraging lumberjack joke.)
I worked the two murals back and forth over the course of one week. It was a blissful trip.
I returned my rental car in Jacksonville, then boarded a flight to New York City, to meet with friends and to create promotional stickers for Leah Meyerhoff's forthcoming debut film. I stayed on a few couches, and met with friends, but after over one week, I had little to show in terms of sticker production. I sought to rent a studio space for a few days to complete the project. I asked a friend Owen, if I could use his studio in Bushwick, to which he obliged at a very fare rate. I managed to get a long way on the stickers, but not finished. I began to feel like I was inconveniencing my hosts, and I felt that I needed to get out of New York.
I rented a car and drove south to my folks house in Crystal River. At my folks house, I completed 500 stickers, and made a few charming pieces and drawings. I bought a car with help from my beautiful mother. I went for walks with my father and the dogs. I stayed for two weeks, then took a drive to Jacksonville to scout a studio opportunity. I spent the night in my friend Shaun Thurston's studio after a day of assisting him on a mural and a round of drinks.
I left in the morning for Tallahassee, where I had a meeting with Maureen Raferty to discuss a mural commission for Pyramid Inc.- a corporation which serves individuals with developmental disabilities. They are opening a new center in Tallahassee. I met with Launa, Maureen, and Amy at the construction site to discuss the murals. The women were wonderful and helpful in communicating their needs. I listened to them and took measurements. They wanted to start with two walls, then move from there. One of them will be an aquatic scene- that one I am very excited about because I love aquaculture. The other will be a wall in a classroom which is 27 feet long. They want something which will be stimulating while not distracting. This one sounds like a very fun challenge.
I bought a camera in Tallahassee and will soon invest in a projector which can communicate directly from my phone or camera or computer to tighten up quality in my mural painting. The set-up is going to be tremendous. I'm dreaming of a studio space in Jacksonville, I will know for sure tomorrow wether I will be able to call a warehouse on Roselle Street mine for the next year.
