Happy Friday!!!!!!! June 20,2008

Happy Friday to everyone! No matter what craziness happens in life we always find a way to make it through it and I think to myself "you know life is good if you let it be." Be sure to let yourself have a good one! I have been busy with shows and working on new art but before I release my new work I would like to share some work I created in 1998! This was a really creative time for me and a lot of the work is the basis for some of my later work. Check it out on my site and let me know what you think. Till next time, take care of yourself and have a great weekend! J

Happy Fathers Day!!!!!!!!!! June 16,2008

Happy Fathers Day to all the fathers as well as the women who play the role of both mother and father. Being a parent is not an easy thing but it is a blessing to have the job to guide a life through this sometimes crazy world. This is your day of recognition! J

Happy Friday/ Mother's Day!!!!!!!!!!!! May 9,2008

Happy Mothers day to all the Moms and the daughters of Mothers that are Mothers themselves. Your job is not an easy one. Im a father and I know I give my all for my daughter but it doesnt compare to what Malayas mother gives and thats something I had to accept (its hard coming in second!)There are no instructions that come with children but yet and still you find your way to do right by the life you are put in charge of. Even if you couldnt give all that you wanted to give to your child you did give all that you had to give (and thats more than enough.) I am first to admit I dont know all the reasons behind the things that my mother has done but I do trust that they came from a good place and she felt they were the right choices for me and my siblings. On Sunday celebrate your day with your Mother (or Mother figure) with something as small as a call just to say your thinking of them. For the ones that Mothers are no longer here or you are not on speaking terms right now, send out kind thoughts to them and reflect on the sacrifices that were made for you to be here today! Love and blessing to all the Mothers, we couldnt be here without you! Till next time, dont forget to take care of your self! J

Happy Friday!!!!!!!!! April 18,2008

Happy Friday! April is a special month for me mainly due to the fact that it's the birth month of my daughter (4/11) as well as myself(4/16). I made 35 this year and I feel blessed to still be here to be able to complain about the little things (there is always something!) I have a lot of new work on the way but if you haven't been by the site (www.austinsart.com) in awhile you may see a few new things. Remember to focus on things that are important to you as well as goals for yourself, with out purpose it is easy to fill lost in the world. Enjoy every day you have, life only seems short when your not doing enough things that you enjoy, live a full life! Till next time, don't forget to take care of yourself! J

The passing of a fellow artist........Mar. 24,2008

It saddens to share the following information. A friend and fellow artist Casper Banjo(the main running theme in his work was images of bricks)was shot and killed Friday the 14th in Oakland near his home. I was fortunate enough to spend some time with him a few weeks before his passing (even though I had a busy schedule with family, in the middle of moving to a new home and art.) He had recently been on my mind and he happened to call me to see about getting together to catch up on things. Casper had pulled his life together after many life changing obstacles only a year ago and was now in pretty good spirits and was looking forward to future plans. We talked about life, family, hats and art (what else is there?) He shared with me some of his new work he was working on in his note pad he always keeps on him for his ideas for new pieces (and he even let me do his portrait in it!) Casper was dear to me and would pop into my life at just the right times with encouragement and words of wisdom. When you get those calls out of the blue from friends and loves that are on your mind be sure to make time for them, even if it's just a phone call. I don't believe we just walk around with happy accidents happening around us, things happen for a reason even if the reason isn't obvious at the time. I will greatly miss my friend and follow artist. Remember to take care of yourself! J

Here are two links about him:

video from channel 2 news
http://www.ktvu.com/video/15638020/index.html

article from an Oakland paper
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_8610629?source=most_emailed

Happy Friday Mar. 7, 2008

All I have for you this time is to remember to take time out to regroup and enjoy the spoils of all your hard work! Everyday can't be workday (we get weekends off for a reason!) Don't forget to take care of yourself! J

Happy Friday!!!!! 2/22/08

Happy Friday to you!!!!!!!!!!!! Please send happy birthday thoughts out to Rachel and John this happy Friday happens to fall on their birthday! This month for me has been all about change. I always have mixed feeling about change (well mainly the journey part) it's so easy to stay where you are and convince yourself that you are happy or fine with the situation when inside you know it not to be true. I always seem to go back to this song that I love by "speech" from the group arrested development that said something along the lines of: asking to be able to cope is not the same as asking for change which is the opposite and not the same! One you stay in the situation and you suffer though it and the other you are relieved from the old situation for a new one (preferably a better one!) So if your coping get to changing, you never go back by moving forward! Also I put on my site under "biography" then click "videos" is a performance by 3 of my favorite musicians! I hope you enjoy! Don't forget to take care of yourself! J