Get Behind Me!

An Art Exhibit Update of Sorts

Feb 16, 2026

The Temporary Exhibit is 3/4 set up. Last night, I took my Valentine and her parents down to play skip-bo for an hour. We had a great time. The nighttime really made the place pop.

Many paintings you may see in the photos have not been published. You can buy them now if you wish, but you’ll have to contact me directly.

Get Behind Me, Satan

Look, I’ve told you everything. Unvarnished. I’ve showed you my boogers and my wrinkles and my insecurity. Telling ugly truths to potential art collectors is self-sabotage. I’ve told you everything, as honestly as possible, because the world hurts these days. The world is sick. The world is demented and evil runs rampant.

This world, whether you are aware or not, is a war for our souls. Straight up good versus evil. Any conversation to the contrary leads to a confusion of values and a misunderstanding of the events unfolding around us. The sins, the damage to our souls, lie in our reactions to the lies that surround us- the lies that attempt to incite, divide and sell.

But I was saying:

I feel my purpose coming into season. You know my goals (heaven, simple commerce, free the trapped), but this voice is now due for amplification. Greatness is en route. I am a snot-slinging, verbose, moody, emotional child of God. I am ugly and profane and selfish, but I am, in God’s ridiculous economy, great. To be reverent, you must know irreverence. He uses broken men to mend the woes of the world. Greatness is the free will of saying yes or no.

Now, am I a chosen one? A watcher? No, not to my knowledge. We are all called to be Saints, though.

I’ve told you that I am breaking out. I’ve come to a new opportunity to run my art game in a wonderful building, in the place I’ve called home for 30 years, with a great friend. I’ve been painting for months. I’m still painting for the show. Still grinding.

Since I’m so close to the break out, the Devil is looming. I’ve tried to raise funds for this show for months and barely got it set up. I’ve scrimped and saved and squeezed and I still fell short of presenting it in the manner I hoped.

As I progressed nearer to the hanging, I’ve been attacked with a 2 week illness, a broken truck that cannot be fixed, drop foot, jealousy, imposter syndrome, doubts about my work, shame over being broke, warped frames, cellphone problems, Facebook problems, website problems. I got a ride to the studio last night and I forgot the key, further inconveniencing the driver. Everything takes longer than it should. I perform everything with less acumen than I wish. The show doesn’t even have a name yet. And worse, I don’t think anyone around me actually gives a damn about this thing I’m doing. This is just off the top of my head. Very uncomfortable.

I told you that I am coming into my season! Does it read like that? No?

This ain’t poor me shit. I’m only telling you the attacks, that’s only half of it. The other half? I see the lies. I see how preposterous these things are. And, most importantly, I see the finish line.

I see where money showed up in the nick of time. I see where I asked someone for help where my pride wouldn’t have allowed it in the past. I see my Valentine’s parents moving paintings around helping me decide where they should hang, and my father-in-law saying: “This is my favorite painting you’ve ever made, it goes in the front window!”

People who do not acknowledge the etherial war that surrounds us believe in coincidence. I do not. On the whole, this world and all of its beings are connected. Events are connected and intertwined. The energy of cause and effect is never destroyed. This is a foundational truth that informs me.

Let me tell you straight: My greatness will not be measured in dollars or paintings sold. My success will not be achieved with perfect execution of beautiful artwork. My reward will not be upon this earth.

My greatness will come from exercising my free will in this way. Yes = yes. No = no. I say yes to serving God with my given attributes. I say no to the temptations and accusations and attacks. When I fail, I seek forgiveness. I keep moving.

Do I think I am better than you? Do I think myself more holy? No. I tell you all this because it is true. I tell you because the world is sick and you and I are rowing in the same crap boat on the same fetid water. The why is always greater than the other four questions. The thought and energy used to create my angel paintings is more important than the angel paintings themselves, way more valuable than the measly grand I charge for them.

I believe that the thoughts and energy, THE BELIEF, I put into each Angel Painting somehow blesses all of us. There are no coincidences, right?

I am on the last leg of the race to great and the devil is trying to make me quit.

Get behind me, Satan. In the name of Christ: I reject thee, I renounce thee, I rebuke thee. In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, go immediately to the foot of the Cross.

I’m coming into my own over here.

I was not made for comfort, I was made for greatness. Just like you.

I am not conformed to the patterns of this world.

I am being renewed and transformed as I search for the perfect will of God.

Pray for me. I’ll pray for you.