Mitzi

CJ meets the Inn Keeper

CJ walks into an inn, where he meets the Inn Keeper, a man sitting at a wooden table with a candle illuminating his face. CJ looks a bit worse for wear and the locals notice. Someone murmurs about seeing coyote fur on his leather jacket. CJ winders if anyone saw him as a coyote previously. The locals are stunned to see him as they remember when he was last seen in his coyote form. He pays up the Inn Keeper for the night, and he takes a seat at the bar and orders a drink, chatting with the bartender about his journey so far.. Others begin to hear his tales and start to gather around him, eager to hear about his adventures. Unsure of whether or not he should relate his story about becoming a coyote at first, as the drinks continue to flow his tongue gets a hit looser, and CJ enjoys the attention and begins to spin a tale about his time as a coyote. He captivates his audience of miscreants with his stories of running wild.

Painting on the couch today

Painting isn't really relaxing, but still I wouldn't change it for anything. I made a resolution on January first 2022 to paint every day, and so far I've kept it up. A couple days ago I felt like I was pushing my boundaries. Something that happened a couple times through the year but usually I'd just get started and it'd pass on time. But anyway, I thought “maybe I should take a break. So I spent the day on a long walk with Inka and then chilled on the couch. And then… I made a palette for myself out of a plastic folder and some duct tape. And started painting. Here's what I came up with. There can be pressure to create something beautiful or good, but the good thing about painting every day is that I really just bang em out. Some days are better than others, but I don't feel slot of pressure to keep creating regardless.

Return to the body

Reconciling the cowboy as a character

How can I reconcile the problematic nature of the cowboy character yet also use him as a protagonist?

I think the first and most important thing to do is to acknowledge and critique the problematic aspects of the cowboy character. At the. Same time one can also humanize him and explore his complexities. One should question the cowboy's actions and beliefs. This will portray him as a flawed and multi-dimensional individual rather than a one-dimensional caricature.

The most difficult part involves including historically accurate depictions of the injustices committed by cowboys which can help to paint a more nuanced picture of the era and the character himself. Nonetheless writing also involves a desire to craft a compelling protagonist, who can connect with the reader, or in my case, the viewer of the painting.

Cj looks at his aura portrait photo

CJ was uncertain of how many days he had wandered now, the sun beating down on him relentlessly. He stumbled upon a small trading post which seemed disconnected completely from the rest of its surroundings. Weren't even any roads leading to it. He noticed a woman selling photographs. Intrigued, he approached her and she explained that the photos could capture a person's aura. Dubious of her claims, CJ remained curious. He also did have plenty of money stowed away in his saddlebags to make such a frivolous purchase. He allowed her to take his photo. The camera clicked, and she pulled the negative straight from the camera and took it into a small caravan behind them. She came out, her face contorted in confusion, and inspected the lens of her camera. CJ took the photo and was astonished to see his face wasn't present at all but instead a contorted mess of colors and shapes. The woman explained that he was a protector, a warrior of light.