This guy might just be my new favorite illustrator!

Direction?

This blog continues to gyrate wildly; from personal outpourings of momentary emotion, to stiff, mechanical appreciation of others' [art] work, and everything in between. I started blogging years ago with a similar thought (I believe) to many bloggers at the time---create and regularly update a slightly toned-down, public version of my personal journal (if I kept a physical one, which I don't). What I was thinking about, learning, hurting over, or simply things I found that I liked. This didn't change much until about 2008 or 2009, when I decided I wanted the blog to be more of an 'art discovery' endeavor; with a strong showing of my own work as well, which I would deftly and charmingly post with weekly or even biweekly frequency---the not-quite-pro-yet-but-getting-there artist who quietly wowed everyone with his skill. Heh. Finally, I basically stopped posting. Even when there were things I wanted to write about, I couldn't seem to get around to posting them. I almost deleted the blog several times. Who wants years of their own silliness, emotion, immaturity and lack of direction readily available to anyone, especially when starting out on a new career, I thought. But then again, every post is a part of me and the life I have lived. Snapshots of experience and reflections of things I felt and thought then but perhaps don't anymore. There are great things and stupid things, but it's all me. I am not embarrassed by the timeline of my life's progress. If it causes any head-shaking, I'm okay with that. It's all honest, and though I still don't have a specific vision for this blog and almost never know beforehand what I am going to say, I do know that I am not trying to make it anything in particular; that it will continue to grow and evolve organically. It's kind of a living experiment, and I am curious what I will talk about in another year or two or five. Right now, I'm back at the beginning, back in February 2004---writing as if this were a private journal; just telling the world what I am feeling, what I find interesting. And I am making no promises... but you'll probably see a little of everything here.

Awesome!

Peru & Illustrations

In case you missed it, I have put up some new work on Behance. Still working on rebuilding a personal website, but for now, you can view some of my portfolio here.

Inspiration

It has been a day of awesome art finds.

Cleaning up the Imagination

As an artist that all too often feels a tremendous creative block, or dryness, I have been thinking lately about the importance of nurturing and protecting one's creativity. These days I find that at least 50% of the times I sit down to make something, I sit staring at the paper or screen, just as blank as they are. Everyone experiences occasional blocks, but I can't seem to shake mine. Sometimes I can even see a sliver of what I am seeking, but can't quite reach out and take it. So what's wrong?

Inspiration flows from within, usually prompted by external stimuli, often entirely dependent on mood and surroundings. If there is too much distraction, too much information to parse, not enough time to make a note of the vision, the creative moment might be lost forever. Now, I fundamentally disagree with Rilke's advice to the young poet, where he advocates for isolation, loneliness---freedom from the distractions of other people and society in general. I would argue that the richest beauty and creative expression comes from engagement with others, in the sharing of lives, experiences, and ideas. It may be true that when it comes time to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, one needs some peace and quiet to get it done, but being a loner on purpose can only end ultimately in dark and narrow thoughts. That said, I think something that may be too often overlooked is the need to care for one's daydreams, to protect them and nourish them with good things, not bad or indifferent. I think this may be part of my problem. What do I mean?

Take as an example a person who gluts on really crappy comic books, but has the ability and vision of a truly great writer. Or an artist who could draw beautiful children, mothers, fathers, who is looking at pornography. How are they going to fight through the fog of their choices (or lack of) and create something beautiful? Less dramatic examples could be people more like you and me, who are slogging away at jobs that are less than inspiring, constantly worrying 'all that stuff that has to be done', too tired to ward off lame movies, mediocre TV shows, and too much time on Facebook.

We can't be great all the time, but it seems to me that taking time to meter and guard---to judge quality and appropriateness---of one's intake of info and media, challenging oneself to read and watch things that are actually really good, and perhaps most importantly, listening to our instincts about life and human experience, would do us worlds of good. Don't let the Digital Age destroy freedom of thought. Don't let the baseness of the world blot out what is worth expressing. Don't let distraction or weakness of will keep you from making good things.

This is pretty awesome!

Designer Pricing

I wish I could have read this awesome article from Jessica Hische a long time ago...

The Dark Art of Pricing

I love this...

Out of the blue, after months of practically nothing, I suddenly have several freelance design projects. More work posted here soon.

But for now, here's a lonely spot in the Columbia River Gorge that I found rather haunting---what with those gigantic, silent windmills turning slowly in the background...

Amazing Polish Design. peak21

New Drawings

I did these drawings to commemorate Fixed Gear Gallery's 10th year. They might even get put on t-shirts, WOOT. I still love my Fixie.