GO TRUCK ME

As many folks know, I cut and sell firewood, do some tree removals, trim work, yard work, site cleanups, hauling etc. All require a work truck. My rusty 2000 Chevy Silverado will no longer pass PA inspection, and replacing the box, rockers, cab corners and other rusted panels is not an option due to the condition of the frame.


Since my mother's decline and passing in September 2016, I have exhausted my savings, and have no means to replace my truck.


I'm not looking for big and shiny. I just need a reliable four wheel drive truck in decent shape.


My current truck's inspection has expired, and it's officially out to pasture. I need a truck on the road again as quickly as possible.


I have never found it easy to ask for help. But caring for Mom over the last years of her life humbled me, and taught me that sometimes, you have to ask. So I am.


Parnilla and I have set up a Go Fund Me. A Go Truck Me, actually. As of this morning, friends have contributed $1,375 to help replace my truck. If you'd like to donate, share with friends, or just learn more, here's the link: Go Truck Me.


If you can help in any way, I would be more than grateful.


Thank you for taking time to read and consider. Please share.


Much appreciated, friends.

'Making My Drawing PIRATE RADIO EDIT' in Strathmore Artist Papers' Spring Newsletter

A step-by-step article on the making of my recent drawing Pirate Radio Edit is featured this week in Strathmore Artist Papers' Spring Newsletter. If you're not an email subscriber to the newsletter, you can read the article here.

Earlier this year, I was also interviewed for Strathmore's blog. Here's the interview.

Big thanks to Sara Prentice at Strathmore! 

Watch Over Me

Watch Over Me                  Stippled Graphite Pencil Drawing, 5 1/2" x 4 3/4"

My apologies to any listeners still monitoring this frequency. For those who don't know, and new readers: In 2014, my mother, Eileen Hackett Reep became gravely anemic, suffered congestive heart failure, and underwent emergency surgery. She spent several weeks in hospital, and three weeks of rehabilitation followed before she regained enough strength and mobility to return home. My responsibilities as her caregiver left little time or energy, necessitating a hiatus from artmaking, gallery commitments and the like. On September 17, 2016, my mother passed away. I'm grateful she was able to spend her last years at home, and I was blessed to have her as long as I did. 

Meanwhile, in May of 2016, my longtime partner Parnilla, who had struggled for two years with an illness misdiagnosed as diverticulitis, underwent emergency surgery for ovarian cancer. Four weeks later, she began undergoing heavy chemotherapy, which lasted for five months. Side effects linger, but she's returned to work, and all reports are good. I'm so grateful. For the first time in years, we're looking forward to a good summer. 

When I was ready to make art again, Parnilla suggested I list some unframed drawings on eBay. Response has been encouraging. Some drawings have sold for much less than they might have brought in gallery shows, but commissions and costs are correspondingly lower as well.

I’m happy about this for several reasons. Most importantly, my drawings pay bills. They keep the light on over the drawing table, pay for my utilities, my internet connection. One day soon I hope they’ll pay for some upgrades, a more reliable connection to upload video files, etc. And of course, the big bills too. My goal remains a simple one many of us share: I want to make a living making art.

Another reason I’m excited about making work available directly is that more friends can afford it. Over the years, many have purchased prints, cards, notebooks, other products featuring my images from print-on-demand sites like Redbubble, Fine Art America. Now, without the necessity of maintaining pricing understandably driven by galleries’ much higher overheads, folks who couldn’t have afforded to buy my work at gallery prices can afford an original drawing. That’s important to me. Feels good. 

Over the past three years, I've neglected my website as well as this blog. Updates soon. I post new originals and prints, eBay listings, work-in-progress scans and comments, interviews, other news on my Facebook page, Twitter, and Patreon. I blog occasionally at Niume, and I'll resume posting here as well. 

Some of this blog's sidebar links to older published work may no longer be active.  A sampling of flash fiction, poetry, drawing-and-text pieces is archived at Fictionaut. 

If you're new to my work, welcome. You'll find plenty at the links above. Questions are always welcome. Hope you enjoy! 

As always, thanks for looking. 

Wish Me Luck

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Most days, I don’t feel like a graybeard, but it’s increasingly clear that if I’m ever to become productive enough to achieve the optimal Markie lifeplan (Surprised Inner Voice: ‘Hey- Lifeplan? Why wasn’t I told?’ Annoyed Other Inner Voice: ‘You were out partying, you damnfool.  Shut up and type.’) then I’ll need to learn to multitask. In all likelihood, I'll need to multitask like a bastard.  Admittedly, this is daunting.  I am a narrow-focus person.  I grind the details.  (Inner Voice: Oh that’s clever.  Admit it: You’re obsessive!’) But I am resolute, and I have a plan.  I will start small, with achievable goals.  Tonight, I will go buy bubblegum.  I will walk home.  On the way, I will unwrap the bubblegum, and begin chewing.  

I am a little afraid, but determined.  Baby steps.  I can do this.  Wish me luck.

A Stonecutter's Son

If you could build anything- if money, means were no object- if building codes didn't restrict, if laws of physics were only odd old notions, gravity no burden either-What would you make? What shape would it take? What materials would you use? -Me, I'd use stone, and today anyway, it would look like this. 'Cause dammit, I'm a stonecutter's son.

'A Stonecutter's Son' is a charcoal and graphite drawing, 5" x 7". The unframed drawing is for sale; the price is $175. I accept Paypal. If you'd like this drawing, email me: markreep4@gmail.com. Thanks for looking.

Colorblind

"She only painted women deshabille: A waitress from a café on Rue Madelaine who complained of disrobing in the cold, a dancer from McHattie’s who smoked thin brown cheroots, held impossible poses, feral stares."

Read my little story Colorblind in the August Blue Five Notebook. 

Painting: Julius Rolshoven, 'Nude Reading A Sketchbook', oil, c. 1900.

Once Upon A Time

This 2002 drawing, Once Upon A Time, isn't for sale, but over the years a number of folks have asked about prints.  I recently removed the drawing from its mat and frame for a high resolution scan, and prints are now available here: http://fineartamerica.com/products/once-upon-a-time-mark-reep-art-print.html  Hover over the image at FAA for a full resolution preview. 

For those interested in technique: I stippled the foreground, path, and tree with Sakura Pigma Micron pens; and stippled the castle and background with graphite pencils.  Working time was around 120 hours.