Summer Time

Summer is in full swing. Fans and air conditioners running can be heard wherever you go. Children play in sprinklers, with water guns, and beg to stay up till the sun goes down at night. I remember these days, I recall the beauty and intensity of summer. The desire to submerge myself in crystal blue water that smelled of chlorine. The endless days of hide and go seek as the sun set into the horizon. I recall stolen kisses, and romance. So many adventures are had during the summer!! I sure hope cloud watching is still a favorite pastime. I'm learning how to go back to some of those things and be a kid again so that endless joy and whimsy can enter my artwork. The piece that has stolen my eye at the moment has those qualities I seek in my drawings. A message of hope, a bit of crazy fun, and the freedom to be an individual. I can't wait to show it, but it has a ways to go just yet. Seeing all the artwork on Deviant Art.com is definitely a draw to keep at the canvas and just keep going! I really love it here, and all the amazing creativity that lives so free upon these servers!

So my ice tea with lemon and I are going to explore the porch for fae, and watch the sun go down with my family, wishing all our friends could join us too

Illustration

My dream has always been to be an illustrator. To make the images found in the enchanting coloring books that captured my imagination in my childhood. Faced with the ability to finally focus my pen, ink, pencil, or other chosen weapon I embark on a new journey to find my true calling. I find it wonderfully serendipitous that I find Deviant Art just as I'm about to jump off the cliff into the unknown world of fantasy and creativity. I have so many things I want to create, so many things I want to pursue. With the small blocks of time that riddle my day I hope to really push the creative flow and see where I am lead and where I end up. I hope to meet many sprites, goblins, giants, and every day people on my way into the recesses of my imagination. So today I begin by working on a beautiful commission I have the pleasure of creating.

Getting stuff done!

I heard a wonderful quote today from an author I met today named Victoria Hanley. It's an excerpt from her book "Seize the Story" that just came out recently. The quote is "The more you use your imagination, the more it develops." After hearing that I drew the picture at the top of this page. I have found I'm getting more work done, and the reason for it is that I'm showing up to the page. I'm sitting down and dedicating time to work, and the results are surprising me. Every picture I get better, I find more techniques and ideas. My imagination seems to have taken hold and is leading the way to new horizons. I have no idea where this will lead, but I can feel my feet firmly on the path.

It feels awesome to let go of the fear and just create. I hope to have many more works under my belt soon. It's time to really kick it up a notch and follow my heart and my pencil.

I really love the image I'm working on right now. It's a commission piece of a dog a cat, and bird island in California. I really made it something to look at, and am seriously going to have to make a print to put in my own house!! I didn't know i could make a cat look so real - I've never tried. Nor did I know that planning out the composition like I did could make such a difference. New ideas, new concepts, and the creativity is soo awesome. If this is what it feels like to be wholly myself - I don't ever want to stop!

Finding the faith in myself has been a journey - one I plan to keep asking the question and finding the answers for the rest of my life. Each day brings a new morning with it a new chance to create something new and beautiful. It doesn't matter if they know my name down the block, in Paris, or wherever - what matters is that I keep creating.

Follow your dreams, find the faith - it's worth the trip!

Art Walk Art Talk

So I'm lead chair of this event called Art Walk Art Talk that's happening in Downtown Castle Rock. I should have been writing about it for months so that this was updated with pertinent information about the event. But as I've been incredibly busy with real life and planning the event the reality of that slipped my mind. Details - 20 artists working live outside in downtown Castle Rock - surrounded by a 1950's car show. It should be fantastic - weather permitting (prays for good weather) The times for the show are from 10am - 4pm.

I haven't had the chance to draw any artwork for the show save for two very small images I plan to bring with me. I need to get my pencils out and really get going on my pictures. I have so much I want to do!! I can't wait to see the commissions I have to work on finished - I hope they are fantastic and the person requesting them is quite happy.

Time to get all the things I need to printed and ready to go for the show!

Cogs and Steampunk

My journey into the world of steampunk has begun. I am truly inspired and fascinated with the possibilities of this concept and world. This particular piece displayed above was done in collaboration with a very very dear friend, and although it is truly an artistic piece and not of engineer detail - I love what I've created. I really want to explore more reflections and concepts. In this piece the reflections came from my imagination more than they did from a real piece - thus the more grain or weathered look to the cogs. I am aware that the teeth lean, and aren't all the same size. I kinda allowed the piece to come together as it were, and am pleased with the whimsical look to everything. For a first piece I am celebrating! I love the deep blue, and the engraving on the light silver attachment pieces. I really like how the face turned out, and had fun with the wings. The entire piece was a joy to put together, and I hope that future pieces will bring such passion and enjoyment to my world. This piece really held my attention, and allowed me to see where I could take things. I hope to find models, I hope to explore what's been done and further the field. I really want to know the ins and outs of steampunk, where it started and where it's headed. I personally want outfits I can actually wear to!! So much fun to be had!!

May inspiration strike you, hold you for ransom and show you the ways of passion and life!!

To draw or not to draw

There is a common misconception that artwork can only be created during the throws of inspiration. That to write, draw, make music, or create in any fashion you have to have a muse sitting on your shoulder filling your heart with child like passion. The reality is that inspiration is awesome, it feels good - it feels like falling in love. I know few people who don't love that sensation, that excitement like Christmas morning when you start a new project, or have a new idea. The cold hard truth is that creation requires you show up to the page more than that initial burst of inspiration. That even when the chips are down, you have cold, the weather is wrong, and you feel like doing nothing - you still show up to the page. You make a line, you dare to loose yourself in the project. Sometimes it will click and hours will pass before you realize it, and other times it's like walking up hill through a stream during a thunderstorm. The point is - every motion you place into the project is a motion forward.

This topic. although something I understand intimately - is something I still struggle with. I have been known to "misplace" my sketchbooks when my heart feels threatened. To blame others or outside events for the reason I'm not drawing or making things. I have thrown artistic temper tantrums when I think I've ruined a piece. I'm human - no matter how alien I feel at times - I'm human. so I post this in hopes it will reach someone - to touch their heart. To understand that today - regardless of how it's going - is the perfect day to create and work on that project that sit's all dusty in the corner. No completed project that is seen by others feels alone or lonely - it inspires those that view it. Even if it's only to say "Hey - I think I could do that!!" and they go and create something of their own.

Thought for today - instead of waiting for the muse to speak - make it curious about what you are doing.

Why I love to do Demonstrations of my artwork

I was recently at a Star Con convention and learned a bit more about the Steam Punk movement. I have to say an addiction has started, and ideas are flowing like crazy. I love the whole concept of "anything done by magic can be created and done by machines" I am not a heavily machines take over the world kind of person - I like my forests and my magic. But the concept has me enraptured!! I wish to play with the concepts and ideas, they've really grabbed my imagination and run. I was talking to a dear friend of mine and we discussed a picture - since I draw that's fairly natural - and we came up with a wonderful idea. So simple - yet incredibly complicated to draw. I have the under drawing complete at this point, and I am LOVING IT!! The whole concept is Steam Punk inspired. You are looking at the inner workings of a clock, with roman numerals as the actual numerical portion of the clock. You can see all the gears and springs and various other elements. Currently it's just a line drawing - but I believe it's one of the best ones I've ever created. There will be a hidden element in the picture you'll have to look for, and I don't want to spoil the surprise here. I had NO idea I would love drawing gears so much - gears and cogs and things that interact. Alot of my past work has been static - a single figure with a wonderful background. I can definitly still do that sort of work, but this whole engaging interaction artwork is amazing! I have SOOO much passion for this piece! I find it interesting to create, as well as look at - I myself as the viewer get lost in which way the cogs are going, and where it all takes place. I've never really been pulled so completely into my own artwork before - been entranced by what I'm drawing. *chuckles* I've found a style that suites me, and I can tell this is the first of many to come. It's taken me two days to get the concept drawing down, I am hoping that by the end of today I will have something to show for my work - it would be fantastic if the piece was finished - I know though that with all the reflections and shiny bits that many layers of pencil will be required for every square inch of the piece. I'm going to give my best though and see what happens. I am curious what the general public will think and how they will comment. That part I live for - negative non commital noises I ignore - not worth my time. But the truly "WOW" reactions I live for. If a child see's what I'm doing they are naturally drawn to the creative process - it would be awesome beyond words if all of a sudden refrigerators around Castle Rock were covered in cogs and wheels and things that move. My goal is to inspire, I claim no credit or fame - if you go out and create because you like what I've done - then I have done my job. I've simply passed the torch of my passion to create on to someone else and only good things come from that! Now the cool part is that it's infectious. If I create and inspire, and someone creates and then inspires - it moves down the line and creates a beautiful flow of creativity. I simply start the ball rolling and see what path it takes. I find unending joy when someone walks up to me and says "Hey - you know that demo you did way back when, I decided to do an experiment and this is what I came up with" I just LOVE that - I really do. Someone out there saw what I did, got inspired, created something and had the bravery and courage to approach me to show me what they created of their own volition! It's fantastic, you can see the beginning of a beautiful relationship with making things in it's starting phases. Even with the hesitation and questions in their eyes - it's a beginning - and I can guarantee it's a fantastic ride. My hope at that point is that they continue to share their work, continue creating - because at that point it's all them - and sooo beautiful. I will continue to push myself, to get myself out there and really focus on challenges. I will continue to grow, and change and experiment. I plan to for the rest of my life. I just hope I can touch and inspire as many souls as I can on the way - because everyone deserves the joy of a completed project they created on their own. Everyone also deserves a group of people around them that supports and encourages such endeavors. I know the concept is scary, because the piece comes frown within - but have the faith to pursue it. In the end either you've created a beautiful piece of artwork or you've thought about it - if you had a choice - which memory would you rather have! For me - the answer is definitely the memories of creating and finishing the piece!!

Go out there and make something!! I really truly would love to see it!!