Biography of artist Gene Haynes
My head 1999
Gene Haynes 1984: Contractor Gene
Before arthritis; with hair.
Contact me info@waterheatertimer.org
Visit my self-help site about water heaters
Personal summary: Every skill you develop is important so never throw away your work and always work for your dream.
I threw away work and burned more due to bouts of disappointment.
I hope you come to see periods of self-doubt as opportunity for learning instead of imperative truth. Find a way to move forward and enjoy what you do. My hands are limited from arthritis, but now I use older pieces of art to make new images with photoshop. 60+ and still going forward.
Formal art training: Attended a summer art class in high school and quit. Elected to take jewelry-making class in high school and was thrown out. Worked on my own starting in 1973. In the late 1990's, attended 3 painting classes at Glassell Art School in Houston [actually took beginning painting class from now world-famous Julie Mehretu <> my only brush with greatness].
Learned that art is a free-wheeling world of self-promotion and harsh peer-review. Saw that only the best inspire others and lift people into the future.
Learned that I would never be a professional artist, yet discovered that my body of work is important.
Overview: Lived for many years in Bloomington, Indiana and attended Indiana University and received a degree in marketing. Greatest time was riding a bicycle from Tampa to New Orleans in March 1979 and camping out along the way. Worked as a house painter and handyman. Finally settled in Texas in 1984 and built a house in 1987. Resumed working seriously on art in 1994. Retired from house painting in 2001. Fought rheumatoid arthritis for many years. Disability from arthritis starting in 2001. Began working with Photoshop Elements in 2003. Began writing crude web code in 2009. Used web code and Photoshop skills to produce art-post.net and waterheatertimer.org web pages.
Colored pencil on paper 1976
The last thing those termites saw.
Without photoshop
Why does she love me?
It's a miracle.
Photoshop Gene taken 1984, revised Oct 2011
100,000 miles and 2 knee replacements, and I'd do it over again if I were young.
Colored pencil on paper 2001
I retired in 2001 with disability, and suddenly had time to draw.
More work from 2001
http://art-post.net/2001.html
Age progression: Vandal - Hooligan - Wedding - Contractor - Idiot
Yes, I meant to egg your car. You were the guy who swerved at me when I was on a bicycle.
1987
 | Art Gene This art was burned. 1999 House paint on masonite, framed with pre-cut 2x4's |
Colored pencil on paper
Put your best face forward
Larger image
Working in the shop
Always the stylish dresser, I painted houses for a living. Had a few employees.
Despite vocational painting, paint didn't make sense for art.
My medium was pencil/ colored pencil on paper.
 Larger image | Arthritis Gene Oil pastel on paper Arthritis has been central to my life since 1985 |  Oil pastel on paper |
Larger image
Arthritis progression halted with new medicines 2001
Hopefully this technology will be lost when the drug becomes generic
 Larger image | Geno University Photoshop collage using art |
Drink American beer.
Photoshop version 2011
Original work: Marker on cardboard June 2007
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Inspiration for my art | ||||
 My Mom who carefully raised us |  My sister who defies description |  My older brother who went joyriding in stolen cars |  My younger brother who 'tells it like it is.' | |
 My father who berated me into becoming the success I am today. Oil stick/ oil pastel on cardboard |  The house I built after mom died. My home embarassed my father because I used left-over sinks and windows from remodeling business, but he loaned money anyway. Not sure I thanked him. | |||
My mother-in-law who told my wife 'she could do better,' and paid for the wedding.
I like her hair. Really.
I like her hair. Really.
Galveston 1997: We were stylish.
New electric meter on my water heater.
It ran backwards first few days, and my wife was laughing.
But, running backwards proved we were saving money.
Water heater timer page