It has been a wealth more than 4 years, and counting, since I left the site. Never intended it to be for so long, just 6 to 12 months maximum. Still, more than a year raced by since telling a few friends that I was coming back "soon". C'est la vie.

Looking in retrospective at the DA period, seems like it belongs to another time or era, even as if someone else was uploading art there and interacting within the community. Yet, it remained so intensely close, as contradicting as it may seem.

In the meantime, so many changes happened in my life that can hardly be told. Too many stories and events while moving on to something I'm not too sure of its nature and outcome. Some of these changes proved to be quite radical indeed. From great moments to total wrecks. Sometimes there's a feeling of having spent time on some other side and, after coming back, you're just not the same again. But this is part of a long (ongoing) personal story.

As for art, I haven't done almost anything during the period. Every now and then stopped by to do some "housekeeping" on my page, and nearly every time something about DA's interface and features had changed. I feel quite lost! During the process, my friends list vanished and will have to rebuild it. I may have screwed up something or just happened for whatever reason...the former is most likely.

Except for heavy Photoshop doses for different purposes, very seldom have worked with other art related progs. Thing is that I've lost the touch and even the mechanics of them! Most of my often scarce free time was devoted to pursue other interests, not a few were computer related, as a tool for something else, and had a burned out brain at the moment of thinking about art. All this while maintaining a healthy cyber silence. I know this wasn't fair to some good friends, but badly needed it...and still do. The idea of starting all over again, almost from scratch, with progs once reasonably mastered, while there are other exciting new and improved ones out there, is not very appealing. Feels like taking many steps backwards.

Some time ago, I was reviewing my whole work. Being very generous, found out that about 70% of it was uninspired, untalented and dated. This could be a good thread at some forums. How much of your work can stand the test of time?...ie. works that can be inmune and last beyond fashions, trends and obvious new or enhanced programs capabilities and versions. From my personal standpoint, achieving this makes for a genuine artpiece.  

Motivation is therefore hard to find and the idea to stop creating, at least publicly, might be round the corner. Perhaps in time, you friends can inspire (or overwhelm me) with your work. I really miss not a few of you badly, and have frequently been in my thoughts. Hope you are doing well!

I'll be uploading (how was this done?) to the site on a very limited basis, hoping to gradually gain momentum and based, wherever possible, on the criterion mentioned above. When will this happen, I have no idea, since I often can't plan 10 minutes ahead. This frequently said literally!. Anyway, my presence at DA just cannot be even close to what it once was, as my present and foreseeable activities prevent this.

Moreover, my old reliable computer died with dignity less than a year ago. Got a newer one that's giving me a lot of trouble. Despite restoring it and making several hard & soft upgrades, it's randomly unstable and, though improving a lot in overall performance, the slut can still backstab you anytime. Thinking of art projects becomes very tricky to say the least!. A couple pieces of new hardware may be coming shortly.

To a few dear friends who have expressed their concern, though a bit battered by life, I'm quite fine now. Thank You!

I wish to THANK all the new for me artists, for stopping by and keep on including some of my works into their favs. I find this amazing!. You have contributed to keep the page alive!

As some of you may know, I'm not prone to writing journals. So, this one will remain for a while, until the day comes to press one of my favourite keys...delete...

Hmm...no emoticons to make this fancier, what happened with sheer language...isn't writing enough anymore?!?! BTW, where are the emoticons (ahh there, too late), and...skinning journals...what's this???