Go BIG...

Lately I have been looking through some of my sketches and some of my smaller works and seeing which ones I would likely possibly blow up in to a bigger painting.

I've been trying to visualize them bigger. Like some of them have aspects of them that work small but if created bigger, would have to be reworked. In a way going bigger will allow to not only recreate the work but also revisit it. Revisiting would then help me to evolve certain parts of the original work.

The first piece that I plan on doing this with is a piece I did a few weeks ago called The Exodus. I've already reworked it once from a pencil sketch to a marker drawing or sketch. I just came up with an idea as I was typing this blog. The next few weeks I'm hoping to have something for you guys to check out.

That's all I have this week.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Show me your Warhol...

I have been really enjoying this class I have been taking on Warhol. Tomorrow I am going to do my first assignment for this class and I am looking forward to doing that. We have to create a work of art A LA Warhol and write a little summary about the finished piece. I wonder what I will do. We also have to critique 3 other people's work. It's been a minute since I had to give a critique or critiqued someone's work.

I also have been trying to work in these new ideas that I have for my "Goddess" series. I just haven't been having the proper motivation for them. My mind right now isn't as clear as it needs to be. I've tried to keep a really clear mind but I seem to be able to only hold so much positive energy at a time. I guess it's just that right now at this time in my life I am at a critical juncture. I have been trying to make sure that I stay about the positive line though. Don't want to let stress take me over so it starts to effect everything in my life...you know what I mean? That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next time...



-Namaste

Knowledge will always be POWER

Hey faithful few...I got my email confirmation this week that the work that I sent to the Rochester Contemporary Art Center was received and processed. Hopefully by the middle of next month I will have the numbers that they assigned to my pieces and some images to share with you guys.

So I have been taking this beginning programming class online and tomorrow starts the 3rd week of that class. I have been learning a lot in just this first 2 weeks. Code that back in the day that looked foreign to me, now makes sense. I got to say it's really enrichening learn something new. It's also starting to get intense trying to make sure I get the assignments done and watch the lectures. I also started an art history class on Warhol.

I just trying to keep myself busy and keeping my mind ever expanding. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next time...

 

 

-Namaste

Getting it done...

Another week...another post...Hey faithful few, how did your week fare? Mines was pretty much the same. Sort of drab. I did manage to get some work mailed off for the 6X6 show in at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center in New York. I did 4 total pieces and in my haste to get them mailed off, I forgot to take pics of them for you guys. Lol. As soon as they are posted on the site I will get pics to share with you guys.

I wasn't really to happy with what I produced this go around but I still wanted to get something sent it. I should have cut up some of the things I had been working on recently and sent that instead...

I've been perusing the interwebs for more call for entries that I can enter. I really want to keep the creative process flowing. I have been writing in my sketchbook when I get a chance to if my mind is clear. Sometimes I actually write just to clear my mind. Sort of like how I blog for you guys every week.

I really look forward to blogging every week. I know some weeks my post are short but I still mark out that time to make sure I blog for you guys. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

The Working Week...

This week has been really tiresome faithful few. Getting back into the swing of things in the workforce is quite...tough lol. I haven't had much time for anything else other than recouping and working.

I guess having a long layoff like that can be both a blessing and a curse. Now the next 2 weeks are going to be really tough for me guys. Once we get over that hump, I will share it with you guys.

Until next week...

 

 

 

-Namaste

Posted with Blogsy

New Year...

Hey faithful few...welcome to the year 2014!

So I decided that I would give you guys my main New Years' Resolutions.

1. I must make sure that I am staying motivated.
2. I will try to get to know my new city a little better.
3. I will create more ART
4. And my last real resolution is; I want to learn Screenprinting.

As you can see, these are pretty simple ones. I don't have anything to extravagant. Plus most resolutions are a gimme; "like get and stay healthy," "do better than you did last year," and "be responsible, financially."

I'm looking forward to chatting with you guys all year. That's all I have for you guys this week.

Until next time...

-Namaste

 

One more day or Art-mageddon is upon us...

One more day and I begin life anew. It seems so surreal. A couple of weeks I will be gone from this state and I will be forging a new chapter in my life. I am extremely excited yet, what's the word...not really nervous but more like anticipation maybe???

It's that anticipatory feeling that you get on Xmas morning or the first day of school. Your so antsy that you can hardly wait. There are the butterflies in the stomach, the goosebumps, and what ever else comes with the excitement.

I am so glad that I am finally doing this. It's almost like I am an explorer and I am going on an adventure. I'm Charlie and I've got a golden ticket.

It's up to me to make the most of this opportunity that I have been afforded. This is the perfect time in my life to take advantage of this time. I am going to try and focus on my art a lot. It's going to feel good to devote most of my time to my work. The next few months should be a joy. I am hoping to post a lot of work for you guys as well.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

No looking back or No Regrets...

I have been wanting to write this post for months but wasn't quite ready to address it yet. Especially know that once I did it would post to just about all of my social sites and platforms. I wanted to be sure of the perfect time to write it as well as making sure I informed people who I engage with on a daily basis before I did. Now is the time.

Over the past few months I have been alluding to making moves,  change, and moving forward...I have decided that my time here is done. Meaning to somewhat quote The Animals, I "...gotta get out of this place…" That being said, sometime before the end of this month I will be leaving Baltimore. I know...I know its a big step and big news...This past week I handed in my 2 weeks notice to my job of over 7+ years.  I have told family.  I have told friends. I have told colleagues.


This is a big step for me across the board. I have not been without an a actual "9-5" in almost 20 years.  (No seriously. I have worked since '95. A few times I have actually 2 jobs at the same time!) I have only called Baltimore home my entire life and for some, I have lived a lifetime. I am moving to a city where I know no one (Charlotte). 

In a way, I am sort of like a late bloomer if you will. The last few years I have told people that I can't wait until my Facebook profile says "From Baltimore,  Lives in XXXXXX"  I know it seems a little dreamish or almost storybookish in an insignificant simple kind of way but to me it's the simple things that matter. Through the years I have expressed my desire to leave and have heard…(I want to call them naysayers but that might come off a little cruel so I'll go pessimistic associates and friends) the pessimists say "oh you aren't going anywhere" or "you'll still be here." I have had opportunities in the past to leave but I always erred on the side of being cautious or not wanting to take a "leap of faith." The truth is because my oldest sister and my mom had been sick the past few years of my life, I didn't feel it was the right time to leave. The thought of tragedy is what kept me close to home. My oldest sister left this world 4 years ago and my mom left this earthly plane last year. After going through the last experience, I felt it was time. I still have the rest of my family but they are in good spirits. It's just as I get older and examine my life, I realize that I want to have No Regrets. I am wholeheartedly ready to take that leap of faith except now I don't consider it a leap of faith but more of a step in the  continuance of the right direction. 

I am getting to that age when I start to look back on my life and take note of how my life has been. I graduated from college with a degree in art 10 years ago. I can say that I am better off in my life now then I have ever been but I also know that the last few years outside of love, tragedy and art have been filled with contentment. I know have put myself in a place where I can focus on things that I should have focused on all the while. 

My girlfriend said to me recently, "Your going to have some time to really devote to your art..." And she is right. My art will rise to the forefront of my life. I have been able to focus on creating more work lately but now while I actively pursue jobs in my new city, I will be filling the majority of my downtime with art. I have started focusing on my Goddess Series more in the past few months and evolving that so I am curious as to how that work progresses over the next few months.

The more I think of my move, the more all I can see is the upside of my future. I am glad that I am taking this time right now in my life  to spread my wings. Not only does if feel exciting…it feels right. Don't fret my faithful few though. You guys are definitely going along for the ride.

Until next week…



-Namaste

Tell me a story or The Grass is always greener...

This past week was a pretty bland week for me. I didn't do anything too big the first part of the week but I did put some things into motion the last part of the week. At some point I'll get into it here but not now. Something's are still private after all :) Rest assured though when the world knows you guys will be the first to know.

Other than that its going to stay business as usual for me. I do plan on doing some new painting in the next week or so. I am going to be trying out a new medium. I am plenty excited about that. Well I think that's all I have for you guys this week. Hopefully next week I'll have some images to share with you guys.

Until then...

 

 

-Namaste

Naysayers or The Boy Who Cried Wolf...

Today I want to talk a little about naysayers. For a long time I have known people or met people who have doubted things that I say I'll do or the things that I plan to do so to speak. I don't really look at it as a bad thing though. Most of my life I have feed off of obstacles and naysayers.

A lot of times it comes(came) into question whether or not I am going to do something or be able to do something because of my hesitation. I consider myself a thinking man so I am always "looking before I leap" and trying to make sure I am absolutely certain that things will go as planned before I partake. It's one of those "Catch-22s" though because in some instance because I'm "thinking" I tend not to take a lot of chances.

I'd like to believe that for most of my life I have been successful with making the right decisions and choices because of my careful planning. Recently I have had friends/people who either can't believe or find it amazing that I ACTUALLY plan on doing the things that I plan on doing in the second half of this year. I have already set things into motion. Right now it's just a matter of making sure there is a smooth execution of plans. Once I do these things will I tell the naysayers that they were wrong? Will I come back here and roast them? Probably not for I know that for me it was meant to be. No need for "I told you so's" or "you should have believed's" because "I" always knew I would and that's really the only thing that matters...

I hope this didn't come off a little harsh. It's not my intent, it's just been on my mind a lot lately and I wanted to address my feelings on the matter. That's all I have this weekend. I will try to post some art that I've been working on in the next couple of weeks. Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Quick hits...

Hey faithful few, I don't have anything really for you guys this week. I did have a somewhat productive first part of the week in Charlotte though.

At some point in time I will bring you guys some good news going forward. I need to finish this painting that I started about a month ago and haven't worked on in about 3 weeks. I also started working on this panel that I had totally forgotten about. I had worked on half of it, then taped it off and put it to the side. Almost forgot I had it. Those are two pieces I am hoping to finish in the next couple of weeks. I really got to get back into the swing of things.

Until next time my friends...

 

 

 

-Namaste

 

Getting it done...

I have a lot that I want to share with you guys but not this week. This week I just have another image of the piece I sold a few weeks ago. It's still a little rough around the edges though. I should be finished it tomorrow but I wanted to show you guys where it's at now. Also next week I'll post images of the work I am putting in the 6X6X2013 at Rochester Contemporary Art Center in Rochester, NY.

I got a couple of blog posts that I have been writing on and off for the past couple of months. One is a blog that I am writing for my tech blog but I want to post it here to share with you guys so come back for that soon.

Until next week...

 

-Namaste

 

 

 

 

Projects, projects and more projects...

I have a really busy next couple of week coming up. On Tuesday, I am going to go drop off and hang a piece that I am putting in Maryland Art Place's Out of Order show which is next Friday. I am putting this piece in the show. Hopefully someone takes it home and adds it to their collection:)

 

I also need to finish this piece that I sold last week. Only thing holding that piece up is adding the background. I have a couple of ideas that I have been tossing around in my head that I am going to play around in photoshop with so as to not make a mark that I don't want to actually add to it...ah the luxuries of digital media!

And finally the last bit of work I need to get cracking on is for the RoCo 6x6x2013 show in Rochester. This is the 6x6 show that I have been doing the past few years. The pieces for this show have to be postmarked by the 20th of April. That should be a series of work to work on. I am thinking about "re-debuting" some new material based on one of my old styles of creating art. Not that I don't work in this manner any longer, it's just that I haven't used the technique in awhile. I feel like its something I want to do because it'll be a good way for me to do a little problem solving. As usual, as I finish them I will post pics for you guys. Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

 

New WIP...

I thought I would just post a pic of one of the things I am working on that I can share with you guys. Hopefully next week I have more to share with you. I know I have a rant I guess I can call it about how we as artists are influenced by other artists and how we use that influence in our own work. I'm going to try and get that out to you guys in the next couple of weeks. Until then...


-Namaste