Kudos # 2

It's time for another Kudos. 

This one is for someone very special.  My studio roomie, Mike Keeling.  Mike is not only unique - just ask him! - he's the kind of guy that goes out of his way for his friends and never knows a stranger.  

This is Mike from several years ago.  It's the first time we ever collaborated on a painting.  Two, in fact, and we used my studio in Art Works.  We set up two large canvases facing one another, so we actually worked back to back.  Sometimes we'd switch.  But as the paintings progressed, we wound up working together on each piece, learning from one another during the process.  Because we had so much fun, AND because we both needed a larger space, we wound up moving to a new studio in another facility.  We've been roommates ever since. 

Although our spouses have helped us along the way, Mike has been the workhorse for our studios.  He built the loft in our current space.  

Mike attends nearly every one of my night classes.  He contributes to the conversation, helps when he can, works on his own art, photographs student work, walks students to their cars when we're done. 

Mike is also the kind of guy that will stop in the middle of a highway and chase down a stray Great Pyrenees because his studio roomie said he would.  And who stays with the neighbor's baby when the grandfather passes away. 

He's also a pretty fabulous self-taught artist who absorbs everything art like a sponge.  Mike brings joy into most everything he does - has a smile on his face, a joke on his lips, a compliment in his heart.  I've not met many people with the joy of life that Mike exudes or that are as comfortable with their inner child as he is with his own. 

New Blog

I have created a new blog - Adele Castillo Art - to separate my art posts from my other musings. Both will exist for the time being. If you wish to catch up on what is happening in my studio or related to art, visit Here.  Thanks for checking in.