and what have you got to show for it?  I hope a lot.  If not, there is of course, 2014 to make up for it.  I know 2013 was very very good to me in the sense I was able to ride that creative horse, galloping and bucking through each painting, at times were a slow trot...but hey, that's life!  Ok so, like I say so 2014 could be your year to make up for lost time like I did 2013, course, I didn't get nearly as much done as I envisioned but sure got a whole lot more done than I ever have in any previous year (over 70 paintings this year and I didn't start til Mid-March!).  So yeah, just sayin, it feels good.   That's the best part too, looking back at it all and leaves you with a real sense of accomplishment.  Well, with that I wish you all a happy new year.  I got lots more paintings to do but before that I'm working on update my portfolio, really just going to be a book of 8x10 prints that I put together myself, and then probably sell them individually.  I have about half dozen paintings still to post yet and then I'll be, in spy terms, "gone dark"  Off the radar, probably til Spring sometime when I'll have a bunch more works to post.  Anyway, have a wonderful, terrific, fab fab fabulous 2014!  As long as it works for you then it's just right, and that's all I needed to say for now. 
Tony

Just wanted to show some support back to a handful of deviants I've met along the way and feature them here.  Enjoy!
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Mature Content

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...then suddenly brought spinning back to life.  That's what I thought when I turned on my fan for the first time this summer.  I wish I was like that fan, a machine that could come to life instantly at the flick of a switch.  But I'm not.  I'm just a human, who has difficult time in getting to maximum power.  Last month I had reached my top speed and screaming along nicely through my creative process, creating paintings that are arguably some my best work, but then not a moment sooner after turning 37 my motor seized up and I took a spill into bad health.  Plagued with a chest cold for the first week, and then spent 2 days thereafter in a fog of fatigue, thinking I was on the mend, only to discover that I was not on the mend as I began to experience further misery with summer allergies.  Pollen had never been a problem for me in the past but now it seems we are to be mortal enemy's for the torture it delivered in the time I've been this summers prisoner.  Currently, I am experiencing some alleviation from my ailments but hard to say for how long.  What I really mean in telling you all this is that this has thrown my artistic spirit off course and getting back on track, for me, is the hardest thing to achieve.  For you see I have this thing where I just can't be artistic when I'm sick, it takes my optimum energy level to be as creative as I need to endeavor the processes I go through to render a project.  Just as well I don't because even when I'm sick I still have to go to work-work, no choice in that, and doing the artwork in between just assures that I'll delay recovery.  Burning the candle at both ends is most likely how I got sick in the first place, though, some things can't be helped.  We just have to do the best we can.  So I dedicate this journal to all those striving, struggling, clawing-for-dear-life artists who are sitting at home in misery and longing to feel good enough to pick up a pen, pencil, brush.  It seems there's never enough time, never enough energy, and that things will never change.  All I can say is to hold on to hope, for those good days, the ones where you finished a deviation that was really extra special to you or to the world, remember that, and you can get through the worst of storms.

...with all sorts of ideas for paintings.  Remember before I had no canvasses to paint on, well, now I have a TON of canvasses I ordered last spring, and even got this one MEGA-sized 4x5 foot canvas, which, I have no idea what I'll paint on yet but ooohh it'll be a BLAST, yeaaahhhhh!!!!  But before I can get to that, I am working on a wildlife/animal series of paintings which I've already finished a couple of em with plans for several more.  On top of that, I have fired up my youtube channel with brand new painting videos, and got plans to do more of those as well.  Oh, and when I get done with my wildlife series, I plan on doing more conceptual work painting humans and other creatures.  I also tinkering with trying my hand at something more technical like classic cars and trucks. I really excited to get into it all you can see.  So yeah... lots to do, but alas, such little time as me ol day job takes up most my time and energy.  Anyway, just thought I'd update my doins a bit more as I'm currently uploading videos to my youtube (and golly, it can take forever!) Thanks everybody, and stay creative!

and wow!  There were a lot of awesome deviations patiently waiting for me to enjoy, and I did.  Sorry I was rather brief in going through them all but want everyone to know it was great in seeing all the beautiful works you've conjured up in those incredibly creative minds of yours.  Keep up the great work, keep challenging yourself, keep opening those doors even when you're afraid of whats on the other side because you don't know...it could be something unimaginable.  
As for myself, I have been through some ups and downs and maybe for awhile more "downs" than "ups" as I lost myself creatively for quite some time but I had that old spark reignited this spring and have been gaining steam.  Still struggling to find time and energy to fit my art amidst my busy and draining work schedule, but I'm working on balancing the two as best I can.  Thanks for your time, happy painting-drawing-creating, etc.  All the best to you!!