By way of explanation.

Posted on by dannygregory

I have been received occasional emails and comments from people wondering why I have stopped posting on this site. Let me begin by saying that Jack and I are doing quite well, despite the silence. We have both had milestone birthdays in the past month; he turned 16 and I turned (gulp) 50. We have been making a lot of art, spending time with each other and friends,moving our lives ahead. There have been setbacks and moments of deep sadness and anxiety, but as each one passed, I felt stronger and clearer.

I have decided however that I am less comfortable sharing enormous amount of detail here. I have received a lot of encouragement, wisdom and support from visitors to the site,  but I feel that these enormous passages in our lives should be expressed somehow differently, with more care and perspective. So, while I continue to write and draw about these days in my journal, I will be much more selective in how I share them, here and elsewhere. Instead, I shall use dannygregory.com as a place to express myself as I always have, about matters creative and artistic, rather than as deeply personal as the posts I put up in the early summer. I promise to share a lot of this material with you in the future — just in a different shape and form.

I don’t regret that public airing of my private feelings, but I no longer have the same need to do so. I’m sure you understand.

Also, after being plagued by malware and paying a consultant to repeatedly exterminate the vermin in my site, I have decided to radically redesign dannygregory,com. I will launch the new site soon and on it I will share a lot of material from my sketchbooks which I  hope you will find useful.

If you have visited this page over the years, you are probably quite used to my occasional bouts of ambivalence about leading a public life and know that inevitably I shall prance back onto center stage, neuroses in full display and reveal more than a sane person probably should about my experience of the world.

Until then, I remain small and timidly yours,

Danny

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Oh, one more thing  —  Seth Apter has just published an interview with me in which I explain, for the first time, the real origins of Everyday Matters. You might find it interesting.

22 thoughts on “By way of explanation.”

  3. Danny, thanks for the update – We were all getting a bit antsy I think when we didn’t see any updates.

    Just to let you know that I look forward to anything you “publish” and especially anything that will keep my naturally lazy tendencies at bay and get me sketching on a REGULAR basis. I enjoy hearing about equipment people use and your post about spending vast amounts of imaginary money on a studio and equipment had me nodding my head in energetic agreement and lmao because I spend vast amounts of time daydreaming about “stuff” I’d like to own – then I give myself a shake and promise myself to get to work and use the stuff I already have (but for a watercolourist those flat files in Daniel Smith’s catelogue make my mouth water…come on lottery win!!!!)

    Thanks for all your wise words, keep them coming!

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  5. Hey, Danny…thanks for letting us know how you and Jack are doing these days. Actually, I am glad that you have decided to hold your personal life a bit closer than the last few months. And while I have personally benefited by reading about your “journey of grief”, I know that there are many things that you and Jack need to leave private. I, too, have had some emotional “setbacks” recently, since the loss of my wife in April. But there really is no “roadmap” for this process…there’s not even a road!! Blessings to you, and thanks again for sharing your life. As always, I look forward to more of your creative and artistic postings yet to come.

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  7. Dear Danny!
    You have absolutely NOTHING to explain
    This is your personal blog and we had been invited to be part of it
    I am glad you and Jack are well, that is the most important thing
    All the very best and keep up the excellent work of inspiring us to enjoy “the everyday things”
    Lots of love from down under
    marianela
    xoxoxo

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  8. Love Seth Apter’s interview of you Danny. What a smart editor you had – Everyday Matters changed my life (positively at a very bad time) and I don’t doubt it has done the same for thousands of others, just as she predicted it would. Am so glad you wrote that book and shared your life with me and so many others. I’m happy to read anything you write, look at anything you draw, but you are of course entitled to private time and space. Enjoy it!

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  9. Can well understand your thoughts on this one; I’ve often gone through the same revolutions in my own blog. Love the photo of you and your son. Also got a chuckle out of that old decanter!

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  10. Wow. You’re son kind of resembles Prince William in this photo. Handsome kid!
    I haven’t been on this site in quite some time. I’m glad to see you’re doing well, and have been drawing still, but man, you got old. Age 50? That’s ancient! LOL! (I am one year behind you! I turn 49 this year. Funny how time flies). I’m looking forward to a new website, and your awesome rantings. I can’t believe how tall your son grew. I love reading your website, with all of the interviews, drawings, podcasts, and stuff. No need to go into your very personal details. Those are private after all.

    A mad rant about something once in a while will suffice. 😉

    Cheers!

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  11. It’s good to read “I no longer have the same need to” re: sharing your private feelings. Though it’s good to continue to share them, this comment shows healing is progressing.

    Be blessed, both you and Jack.

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  15. Hi, Danny,
    I am someone for whom your book “Creative Lisence” was a healing touchstone that served to move my life in a positive direction. I hold that book in great reverence! Perhaps it is your capacity to wear your heart on your sleeve that has helped so many people. I think that is what artists do anyway, mostly visually, but often verbally. And then sometimes we feel a little overexposed (as I will feel once I post this message). Don’t feel bad about stepping back, we all do it, and I know that when you have something that touches you in a way that you need to share it with us, mostly because you want others to find a way to have that feeling, you will. In the meantime, consider that what you have done is to show others a way to make life make sense. Which possibly it never will, but at least drawing makes you feel better. Magical things happen when I draw–inside me and around me! I’m a graphic designer, but I do have a drawing section to my website, as it is really the most important part of who I am as an artist. Take a look. I have also dedicated the drawing page to your wife, as I was very sorry to hear of your loss. Her accident made you who you are today, and through you, she has had an affect on me. God bless her memory, and also you and your son.

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  16. Well, you both look terrific in this photo! And I have to agree–Jack DOES somewhat resemble Prince William. You both look slim and handsome. Good to hear you’re bearing up ok–looking forward to your new site.

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  17. For computer reasons, I have not been able to access your website for a while, so this is the first time in months. Dude! You’re looking good at (shhhhh) fifty. You been working out? Keep your chin up and your eyes forward – you’re good.

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  18. Thank you for keeping us updated, Danny, and take care.

    And above all, thank you for being an inspiration. You’ll never know how many lives you changed- just the simple act of going back to drawing after decades of just graphic design has been amazing.

    Thanks again.

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