VACATION: Day Eight -

"The Old Tower"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it.

VACATION: Day Seven -

"Poise"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it. Today's post, for example, is for the irresistible Illustration Friday where the theme is poise. What self-respecting young lady wouldn't find some of that in a new, black handbag?

VACATION: Day Six -

"Working Past the Age of Retirement"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather
- click image to view full size -

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it. For instance, this Thursday Challenge piece for the weekly theme of building.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N: Day FIVE -

"The Decision Maker"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N: Day Four -

"Kings Court Walk II"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N: Day Three -

"Long Cool Woman"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it.

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N: Day Two -

"Oldest Known Monument to Futurism"
manipulated digital drawing by Mick Mather

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y to M E ! ! !

VACATION: Day One -

"Figure 5 (Reprise)"
digitally manipulated fractal flame collage by Mick Mather

I'm on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N ... I'll be unplugged much of the time but may pop in when you least expect it.

Illustration Friday: Sail -

"Sailing into Vacationland"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm finally here! V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N! As I've been saying for weeks now, I'm going unplugged for the next few weeks ... well, that's the plan at least. So, while I have enough artwork loaded in the system so there will be posts every day, I won't actually be here very often, won't be posting comments to your blogs nor answering comments here. We'll get caught up at the end of the month. Okay? Do miss me yet? Don't worry, it's going to seem like I was never gone! :D

Thursday Challenge: Blue -

"Blue"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Thursday Challenge continues with another color. Blue is this week's theme, last month it was yellow, in May we had pink and way back in January it was black. Anyway, another graffiti photograph, taken last weekend, surely seems to fit ... and, I'm already planning a Noon desertion on Friday to kick off my vacation. Let me see, who can I rope into a 3-martini lunch? Hmm. :D

Struttin' down the boulevard -

"Pretty Maids All In A Row"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Here's something quick and easy so I can return to my training. "What training", you might be asking? Why, getting in shape for that much discussed vacation that begins around noon on Friday! :D

Out and about -

"Graffiti I"
digital photograph by Mick Mather

Just as a measure of what's ahead at the end of next week - my vacation begins sometime Friday afternoon - I went out walking with my camera this afternoon. The weather was temperate and pleasant, the sky was blue with white, puffy clouds and the light just about perfect. One particular segment of my walk took me along a railroad spur and I was able to get this and a number of other photographs of freight cars sporting every manner of graffiti from tagging to bombing. This piece was interesting to me so here you have it. Gotta run, lots to do before getting to those lazy days of summer. :)

Making preparations -

"Beauty, Sleeping"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I know, I know, the same old song ... as in I'm still getting prepared for my vacation and 2 weeks unplugged. Can't stay to talk longer, there's still lots to do.

Thursday Challenge: Sky -

"Sky"
digitally manipulated photograph by Mick Mather

As the title suggests, the weekly theme at Thursday Challenge is sky. I had a lot of photographs to choose from but something about the tip of the pine tree, barely edging its way into the frame, was appealing to me. Anyway, I'm counting the days to vacation and already practicing the art of laying about!

A quick study -

"Girl on the Stoop"
digital collage by Mick Mather

I'm beginning to feel the tingle as vacation draws ever closer. Just to be clear, I'll be loafing about from August 11th thru August 24th. Not to worry, I'll be loading posts ahead of time so that you'll still get an image everyday. However, my plan is to stay away from the computer and the blog for most of that time. I think a few weeks with my sketchbook and camera is just what the doctor ordered.

Have you seen? -

"Standing in the Shadows"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Something short and sweet as I scurry about, preparing for the upcoming vacation that I seem to have been going on and on about all month. So far, I have two-thirds of the posts covered for the expected dozen days of down time. Since I'm in the middle of a creative lull this has been a bit difficult at times. Be that as it may, carry on is the theme of the week.

Back to the grind -

"Yellow Blouse"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Everything went fine with the teeth and now it's back to work with two very long days and more meetings than I've had in a while plus a festival event to site manage all day Saturday. That said, and as I've mentioned already, I'm winding down to my vacation. So, posts may be short and sweet for the foreseeable future. Ta!

Plannin' out a route -

"Toast #9"
monotype by Mick Mather

I've begun to hint about my upcoming vacation. From August 11th thru August 22nd I'm going to be doing other things than this blog. Maybe. I'm sure to check in here from time to time, to visit my daily reads and to mess around with an experiment or two without pressure, without expectation and no need to come up with anything spectacular. During that 2-weeks off, there may well be little by way of the usual writing to accompany the work and I'm on a search for short quotes that will serve there instead. We'll see and, for now, here's another monotype from The Toast Series. I have 12 pieces in the series and by the end of my vacation, the other 8 will be posted ... does anyone have a good quote about toast?

Not what you think -

"Until the Wheels Fall Off"
manipulated digital drawing by Mick Mather

As I worked on this image The Toys Series came immediately to mind. However, that body of work is based upon tempera-on-paper paintings that always precede the digital manipulation. Even though the look and the style of this fits well within the confines of that series, it must, as defined by the criteria, stand alone. I'm thinking that more of these will appear as I begin to accumulate a few weeks worth of images for posting while I'm vacation in mid-August. I'm also thinking that this may very well mean another, new series. What to do?

Getting tanned and rested -

"That Look, From Brooke"
digital collage by Mick Mather

Not a lot to say again this week. I'm on vacation and I intend to sit in the front room looking aimlessly out the window as opposed to the usual flurry and scurry in here. If you have wine to share? Please stop over! :D