December 31, 2009.
Lac Ouareau, late night.
Begin what became #1 January 2010 made from “old pieces from years past.”

January 2, 2010
Lac Ouareau, day.
“We use what we have to make what we can to say what we must.” I have no new images. I use fragments left over from the past to make “portraits” to say what they tell me I must...

Night.
It’s hardly a breakthrough to the new, but at least it’s adequate and it’s message is the one I need to hear.

January 5, 2010.
Montreal, so late it’s already 3:00 am January 6.
To every age a task, from every age: how to do it.

January 2, 2010
Lac Ouaureau, night.

From my notes about this painting...

January 11,2010.
Lac Ouaureau, so late it’s January 12.

Making the final draft of the of 2009 Paintings/Notes—
And what does it all mean? Only, notes in passing. We is always only leaves budding, feeding our trees, dying and blowing away. Let the last be lots later.

Even later tonight.
So far to go, so much to know and, as the light fades, forget.

2:30 am.
A last look across the frozen lake toward the South East… there’s a star back there seen though the trees. Go outside, see a few more. The sky is clearing… maybe all the way. Let me clear too.

January 9, 2010.

Lac Ouaureau, afternoon and night.

What it says on the painting...
"Always tell both sides."
 

From my notes about this painting...

January 15, 2010
Lac Ouaureau, late afternoon.
Thinking of old age I heard, “Watching the lights fade, seeing the stars die.”

January 25, 2010.
Montreal, morning.
Thinking about making a New Year’s card (sure, it's a month late), and to use #1, December 2009, with the following note---

I made this painting in late December
when I could see only darkness spreading over the earth. \
But in the making of the dark came a point of light that cut and spread
through the blackness and down to us below.

Please accept this year’s too tardy reminder that light will always come.

And then I made the card.

Later morning.
I heard,…
”So much is lost, never to be found,
So much is broken, never to be repaired…”

And a little later…
“Too much, too much”

January 30, 2010.
Oakland, very early am.
I heard,
“How far to go, how much to know and then to lose it all.”

January 11-12, 2010.
Lac Ouaureau, nights.

#3 January 2010
Acrylic on paper with collage scrap from another painting perhaps ten years old.  44 x 30 inches.

What it says on the painting...
"The River."