Dave, in 2014
Rest in peace, my friend.
Obituary for David Leroy Thornburg
You know, you were 38 when we became friends in 1978. I was 22.
When you died a couple of weeks ago, you were 85.
Well, here I am, 69, finally getting up there myself.
I’m gonna miss you in many ways.
The hydraulic fracturing market, not just in the Appalachian Basin, but globally is projected to continue growing, with market analysis expecting it to nearly double between now and 2034. It’s argued that, to meet the energy demands needed to power AI data centers, more fracking is justified.
I asked AI if fracking is considered clean, and here’s AI’s response:
“No, fracking is not considered clean because of its environmental impacts, which include water contamination, air pollution from methane, and the creation of large volumes of toxic wastewater. While the burning of natural gas produces fewer emissions than coal or oil, the fracking process itself has significant negative consequences for air and water quality, as well as public health.”
Click on image to enlarge
Technical: Sketch Club app on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil, some additional work in Procreate and iColorama. Here’s some Sketch Club stats, click on arrow to see a tiny progress video.
Here how I pictured Van Morrison as he was:
Traveling down an open road with youMaking plans for all we hope to doSo much to say to you, so I’ll drive slowWe can drive to France, or down to Monte Carlo
Once in a Lifetime Feelings – Click here for the soundtrack on YouTube.
Van Morrison
So much to say to you…
You’re on your way somewhere. You see apocalyptic orange signs in the distance. Then, the orange flagman.
O’Hooley’s Dry Irish Stout at Jackie O’s, Athens, OH.
Was that too dark? Try these:
Sketch Club app on an iPad Pro w/ Apple Pencil and iColorama app.
Annyth and I called the audible at around 3:30 pm today, Thursday, September 11, 2025. Go to the West End Ciderhouse for a Guinness and some live Celtic music here in Athens, Ohio. Yes, we were up to our ears in 911 sorrow, not to mention the more contemporary, constant, and ubiquitous GOP-related horseshit not worthy of elaboration; but, the thought of draft beer and Celtic music helped us come to our senses.
the scene at the West End Ciderhouse
I had my iPad for some live digital painting in the Sketch Club app and was able to focus on one of the local Athens musicians, guitar and fiddle player, Rusty Smith. I finished him before I finished my first Guinness.
Rusty Smith
“I have never in my life seen a talent like this.” Quincy Jones
Sketch Club Stats
We were in “Ireland,” yes, the Emerald Isle, for nine short but glorious days divided almost equally between Belfast and Dublin. Glorious… Divided… These words didn’t just pop into my head, but that’s a different story. Among the many common denominators, Guinness!
An airplane doodle…
Squint and you’ll see they’re enguinnessed.
What a pleasure to see Sir Van again, this time in Belfast! And what a performance!
Oh, and dinner included a little birthday cake to celebrate his 80th!
This freehand digital painting was done on an iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil using the Sketch Club app, with a final sharpening tweak in iColorama. I started it yesterday on the train from Belfast back to Dublin and finished it off in our room last night at a residence hall on the campus of Trinity College. The whole image took me a little under two hours. Obviously, I’m rounding things up to the nearest 1,000 for the fun of it. One of these days I can come back to this image and finish her off, but for now I’m still enjoying the tunes in my head. Hey, I painted Van on my iPad back in 2014, click here for that.
Here’s a look at the whole team, virtuosos everyone of them!
Van with the whole band
Play list: June 24, 2025.
After Gloria, and once Van had left the stage, the band played on for another 15 minutes improvising their asses off. We all stood in amazement.
Click here to learn more about the Hotel Europa
Hotel Europa, Belfast, Northern Ireland
For this post I got to spend some lagniappe time with Albert Rouzie, another local guitarist-performer also on stage the night of 5/22/2025 at the Bob Dylan tribute show at Casa Nueva in Athens, Ohio. He performed:
Senor (Tales Of Yankee Power)
Man In The Long Black Coat
Highway 61 Revisited (Mason-harp)
Blind Willie McTell (Todd-harp)
The program, organized by Steve Zarate, went kinda like this:
Mason Alexander Ault
Mason Alexander Ault – See Lagniappe Time: Part 2
It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry
To Ramona
It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Just Like A Woman
Bob Stewart
I Pity The Poor Immigrant
Girl From The North Country
Mr. Tambourine Man
When I Paint My Masterpiece
Caitlin Kraus – See Lagniappe Time: Part 1
It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Albert-guitar)
Masters Of War
Queen Jane Approximately
Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright
Steve Zarate
Subterranean Homesick Blues (Todd-harp)
Love Minus Zero/No Limit
I Want You
Mama You Been On My Mind
If Not For You
Todd Burge
Jokerman
You’re A Big Girl Now
Gotta Serve Somebody (Steve/Caitlin/Mason/Albert-b/g vox)
All I Really Want To Do
Bruce Dalzell
When The Ship Comes In
Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Dark Eyes
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go
(Closing songs)
You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere
The Times They Are A Changin’
My Back Pages
“Lagniappe” is a concept and a term I became familiar with while living in New Orleans. In Cajun culture, “lagniappe” (pronounced “lan-yap”) means a little something extra” or a bonus. It’s often a small gift or extra item given by a merchant to a customer, usually as a thank you or to show appreciation. it’s kinda’ like the notion of a “baker’s dozen.” Lagniappe time, then, is being able to spend a little extra time with live performers sketching freehand on my iPad Pro mainly in the Sketch Club app. I’ve illustrobloged elsewhere about lagniappe.
portfoliolongo 