Me and Harold 1949

My niece , Cathy, just sent this to me.  My bro, Harold Hatfield was a star foofballer at USC.  He died a few year ago, and I miss him so.  

Back In Action--But Laughable

After listening to lengthy YouTube discourses on representational vs abstract oil painting I was moved to post--so here goes.  To begin with--WHO CARES?  Not many give a hoot in hell about the issues surrounding the differences between art movements today i.e.--abs vs figs, modernest vs traditional, abstract vs representational.   The discussion is dated, boring, and has no current application.  Most of the commentators I listened to are not intellectually qualified to run their mouths about such cultural phenomena.  Robert Hughs' treatment in "American Visions" is the best out there on the subject, but, of course,  he was not referenced in the YouTube rants.  The occurrence of mediocre representational oil painters turned experts in art history is something I am familiar since I oil paint and consider myself an art history expert.  My bona fides, however, are laughable--but I will admit it once in awhile!  Anyway, in case you are interested--I am now set up in my new studio and back on the commission trail, dammit--but my over head is now $1200.00 rather than $12,000.  I need to make enough to pay my green fees and to feed a few addictions.  I now paint in a twelve square foot upstairs bedroom in a condo in beautiful downtown Yountville, Ca.  I have a north facing window with a box fan on the sill for ventilation.  My new Mac 10.6.5 blazes and ComCast provides me with the latest from the NFL--go Pittsburgh!  My Social Security deposit is direct, the hot tub is 104 degrees, and the golf course is 500 yards away--so look out.  Now these facts are verifiable, interesting, and of cultural significance.  So, as Winslow Homer said......."stick to your easel and keep your mouth shut."  Who loves ya, Don.