A Year in the life.... and another one around the corner...

Less than a week left in 2016.  I'll be glad to see it over.  It's been a year of loss for many people.  Many of the people who influenced my early life have passed on.  I've lost friends due to both death, and life.  Some I will miss greatly, some not so much.

This past year has caused so much turmoil for many.  It seems that I see a world more full of hatred than at any point in my lifetime.  The newsman was talking about terrorism on television a couple of days ago.  He was talking about how violence and fear is the "new normal" that we must learn to accept.  It saddens me that we are being told to learn to accept hate.

Once at an art show, a lady came into my booth and was looking at my art.  As she walked away, she looked at me and told me that I was a "Living Paradox of Love and Sarcasm."  I've used that description many times over the years.  I think it describes me rather well.

What do I want for 2017?  I want to keep being me.  I want to be that same asshole, that you've all come to know and love.  I want to continue to make art without allowing myself to put filters on it so that it fits into someone else's ideals.  I know that I don't get invited to things sometimes because people are afraid someone may be offended.  I often get reminder emails from show coordinators that they are a family friendly event, and to please choose carefully the art I display.  That always makes me smile.  I've also burned some bridges, and have no regrets about doing so.  I want to find new people to show love too, and share more love than ever.  I want to work on building "World Famous SamG Land!!!"

I'm totally up in the air about how to show my art.  I have absolutely no plans of showing my art locally, except for events I have here.  I moved here because it was one of my better markets, but as soon as I was local, it for the most part dried up.  Some of those burnt bridges are to blame for that as well.  During my recent Grand Opening, over 90% of the people who visited were not locals.  Even had one friend drive down from Ohio to be here.

Part of me wants to hit the road and do shows way outside of my normal areas, but part of me wants to become a recluse and make people come to me.  I hope to figure out a decent balance of the two, but don't expect me to do as many shows as I've done in previous years.   You'll be much better off making your plans to visit SamG Land, if you want to see me.

with bunches of love.....

SamG