Repost...

Hello faithful few, this week I decided to share a post that I wrote in response to a post that I saw on the website Medium the early part of the week. It was the wee hours of the morning and that post touched me and I just had to respond. It was also my first article or post that I did on Medium.

I encourage you guys to poke around the site as well. Click the link and you'll be magically transported to my post and if you click under "In response to...", you'll be taken to the original article I read. Hope you enjoy.

My Article

Until next week...

-Namaste

Just another Humdrum...

It's been another one of them weeks for me. I am really going through some things. So I haven't really been myself in awhile. I have almost just been going through the motions.

One thing is for sure it seems like time is really flying...I mean really flying. Just seems like it was the beginning of the year and now we only have 4 more months before it's 2015. Wow 2015!! And my milestone day is fast approaching, crazy. Whowouldhavethunkit!!!

Well that all I have for this week guys, hopefully next week I will have more to say and share.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Bleh...Blah...Blue...

I don't have a lot to talk about this weekend. It's been tough for me lately. This week I am just checking in. Hopefully I will be back in full swing of things soon.

Next week faithful few...

 

-Namaste

Beats Me or Who stole my Energon...

I started working on a couple of t-shirt designs the last couple of days. I wanted to show you guys but I don't get a chance to finish them today because I went in to work. I'm going to definitely finish them this week coming up and I will share them with you then.

This weeks post is a little light but I will make it up to you guys next week.

Until next week...

 

 

-Namaste

Let's Rock 'N Roll, Man or 'Ello Guv'ner...

So I was born in the mid 70s and grew up in the 80s & early 90s but I got to tell you one of the greatest periods for music for me is the 60s. Especially from the British Invasion years. So I thought this week I would share with you guys a playlist of mines that feature a few songs from that era. Some of the artists aren't the original songwriters or artist of some of the songs but I like their versions of the song equally or just a little better. Definitely The Animals and Nina Simone's version of the song Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. So we out further ado...

• The Animals, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.
• Nina Simone, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood.
• Petula Clark, Downtown.
• Dusty Springfield, You Don't Have To Say You Love Me.
• The Animals, The House of The Rising Sun.
• The Animals, We Gotta Get Out of This Place.
• The Beatles, I Want To Hold Your Hand.
• The Beatles, Strawberry Fields Forever.
• The Beatles, All You Need Is Love.
• The Zombies, She's Not There.
• The Zombies, Time of Season.
• The Zombies, I Love You.
• Lulu, To Sir, With Love.
• The Yardbirds, For Your Love.
• The Kinks, You Really Got Me.
  

I left out a lot but as far as The Beatles, I could have put the whole discography up LOL.

I think going forward I might do more of these type of blog post. Maybe every few months. Let you guys in on a little of my musical tastes.

Happy Mother's Day

This is one of them times of the year when I feel a little down. And I just thought I would do a little post tonight for you guys. Since tomorrow is Mothers Day and I don't blog on Sundays, I just thought I'd wish all the Moms out there a Happy Mother's Day.

You should really show your mothers all year around how much you love and care for them. You only get one! As for me I really miss my mother but I do believe she is in a better place now.

 

 

 

 

Happy Mother's Day Mom, I miss and love you...

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

Six Months and No Regrets...

Last week I talked about Adult Choices. This weeks post is more of a continuation of that post but it's more of a State of the Moment kind of post...

Six months ago to the day I walked away from my job. A job I may added, while having reached the proverbial glass ceiling; paid pretty good. I packed up my things and walked away from somewhat comfortable but boring life and I left Baltimore. I choose to take a leap of faith and pretty much walk away from it all. For all intents and purposes right now, I feel like an alien in a strange land (For some reason Sting is in my head right now, for the uninformed, Englishman in New York).

I am just getting my life really going in my new state of residency. Things are still really new to me but I am finally working again and moving in the right direction. This has probably been one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life.

Every now and then I might feel a little discouraged but something will happen that changes all of that. This past week I was texting with one of my ex-coworkers and he told me, "Be the beast...you are a testament to us all. Don't let them take your artistic soul!" And that really touched me.

I always...always said that I couldn't wait to have something as simple as my Facebook profile saying that my current city was somewhere else and my hometown was Baltimore. Well for the past 6 months I have been living that life. Whenever I am out in public or at work and I hear people talking, every now and then I kind of chuckle to myself. I am still amazed that I did it. After all this time, it still feels quite surreal. In the beginning, especially when I wasn't work, it felt like I was on the longest vacation EVER! It took me a couple of months to get used to the idea that it wasn't a vacation but that this was actually an ongoing part of my life right now. I missed family...I missed friends...I missed the monotonous routines...

For as much as I wanted to get away, there was still a part of me that was still back in Baltimore. Those first couple of months were so strange to me. I mean I was really excited but I was also kind of sad. Have you guys ever experienced that kind of feeling? That kind of...hmmm...happy guilty I think I'll call it. It's like enjoying something that you tell yourself that you shouldn't enjoy too much. I mean it's crazy exhilarating though.

There are plenty of pluses. I mean my family and I have always been close and with all the bad things and death that has happened in my close-knit family the last few years we have gotten even closer. But it is true what they say, when they say "...absence makes the heart grow fonder" because every time I talk to my sisters or dad or even my friends back home, I feel so much love surrounding us all. I never in a million years would have imagined that I would... You know some people never see themselves outside of the situations that they are in now. I mean they probably have the same dreams as most of us. They know that they are going to grow up, get a job and maybe start a family. They'll probably travel, do wonderful things, become wonderful people but they probably stay in the same circle or same town that they grew up in and don't get me wrong that perfectly ok...but for me for someone who has always felt outside of the box...someone who imagined things happening in a whole different way...it's awesome that I am building a life outside of where I'm from. In a different town.

I am truly feeling no regrets. Even when facing adversities or uncertainties at times, I have always like the Phoenix, risen from the ashes. Yet I have always been hesitant about making big choices or moves. It's funny...years ago, I wouldn't have the testicular fortitude to do some of the things I have been doing the past few years. I mean I may have talked about but I always had the fear of not being able to conquer them very same adversities or uncertainties or not being able to pull of what I said I would do. It was like I could see the other side of the mountain but I kept putting these obstacles in my way. I couldn't get past my own mental obstacles. And then it happened a year or so ago. I told myself it's now or never. From that point on, I begin to devote myself to the task at hand. And that brought me to six months ago where I seized my own destiny and took my leap of faith. It has been unreal up to this point for me. I am glad that today I am at where I am in my life and I can't wait to see how the next six months play out...

Well you guys it's about 4am and I should have been sleep hours ago but I had to finish this post for you guys...felt like I was about to start rambling, LOL. I put so much time into this post this weekend but I always have fun sharing with you guys. Who know some day I may pen a memoir and you guys definitely would be apart of it. Thanks for allowing me to share with you, the faithful few.

Until next week...

-Namaste

Working Hard...

Hey faithful few, not a lot this week for you guys. I didn't do any art this week. Been trying to crunch/cram some things and also after almost 5 months of unemployment...this one right here has started working again! And I tell you the layoff SHOWED! It's going to take me a minute to get back into the swing of things in the working world. Gotta say I am glad though.

Until sometime next week...

 

 

-Namaste

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

 

Eventually it will happen or GOTCHA!...

Hey faithful few, it's the last day of August(ALREADY, man times does fly!!!) I had a really really good post for you guys this week but I decided to wait to post it until the middle of next week. Believe you and me, it's a doozy of a post. Since I need to do other things before I post it, I figured that I would wait. When I do post it and share with your guys why I wanted to wait, I am sure you'll understand and it will all make sense.

So until next week faithful few...

 

-Namaste

Selling Work or Making Moves with Art...

So I have spent the majority of the last hour resizing a few images in Photoshop and uploading to Redbubble. Redbubble is a site where artist can upload their work and sell them as T-shirts, Stickers, Prints and whatnot's. The prices are pretty reasonable as well.  Check them out if your feeling a lil adventurous. Click the highlighted text up (You know the word Redbubble, its called a hyperlink...Use it!!! Lol) I'm going to be uploading more images there in the near near future, so I will let you guys know when I do.

I also found out for sure that my piece made it to Rochester in time for inclusion into the Rochester Contemporary Art Center's 6X6X2013 show. All of the art that was submitted by hundreds of artist around the world are up on the website for viewing.  They go on sale on June 4th for just $20! You don't have to purchase my piece (But you probably should) but you might find something on the site that you might like...and $20 for an original piece of art and a good cause you can't go wrong! The link is here. And if your curious you can search for #4493 in the "Find art by #", that's where you'll find my piece.  Well that's all I have for you guys this weekend.

Until next time...


-Namaste

Just a little update...

So today I officially sold my first piece of unfinished work.  Now its not going to stay unfinished but as it stands now its in an unfinished state. It felt oddly strange yet refreshing to be compensated for something that will fir sure change before its done. Its as if my buyer has so much faith in what I'm doing that they just know they will be getting a masterpiece.

I totally stand by myself as an artist no matter how successful or unsuccessful I am at this junction in my life but its extra special for me to have someone other than the missus and family/friends have faith in what I am doing as an artist. Hopefully next weekend I will have a finished piece to share with you guys. If not next week, the week after that for sure.

Until next time...




-Namaste

Progress...

There will always be a time when you look back on where you came from. A time when you reflect on where your life is now to where it was before. You will also find yourself reflecting on where you are headed or more like where you are going. Sometimes when looking back, we might find that in our current state that we aren't where we expected to be based in what we felt in the past. Meaning "when I grow up I'm going to be a fireman!" Whereas now that we are grown we are an insurance salesman. Not to say that there is something wrong with being an insurance salesman but we deviated from our original goal growing up. Now my example is quite a big leap but let's take a look at that for a minute.

When we were younger our view of the world, especially in the last quarter century or so, had greatly been affected by the ever-changing and rapidly changing modern society. Now when I say "we", I am talking about the generation before the Millenials and Gen Y. We saw a change in the way people dreamed...in the way we made goals. We saw how society right before our eyes were creating things that made it easier...maybe easier is not a good word for this point. Let's say...we have witnessed with the advent of the computer and the super information highway, a means of progressing through life in some aspects with ease. Again not necessarily a bad thing but still something that has contributed to the rise of lesser need of certain older skills and practices. I mean I graduated from college 10 years ago. When I was in art school there really wasn't direct degree programs for video game design. You had to take a more traditional approarch to video game design...i.e., graphic design, illustration, etc...I mean about 5 years after I had graduated, there was an influx of schools that offered BFAs in Game Design. I mean this is a burgeoning field that Millenials,Gen Y'ers and Gen Z'ers will more than likely dominate for the foreseeable future. Something complex yet simple, has changed the way we for the most part view success in some circles.

Sometimes now we are judged and we judge ourselves based upon how we adapt to this ever-changing world. Some of us cope, some of us find it a struggle. I am always finding myself question whether or not I am doing all I can do to better myself or to get to where I believe in my heart and my psyche, where I should be. Whenever I enter into this discourse with myself or my peers, I find it easy to sometimes forget that "you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet..." Now I know that nowadays there are things such as "egg beaters" and "egg replacers" that can probably make a better omelet (LOL) but at the end of the day, we should strive to measure our success not by our progress but our struggle to get where we are going.

Frederick Douglass said it best, "...If there is no struggle there is no progress..." I hope this post came off coherent and not too all over the place. Until next time...

 

-Namaste

 

First post of the New Year or Exactly one week before my birthday...

You ever have one of those moments when your entire week as an artist is noncreative? Where it seemed like you wasn't doing anything worthwhile but just trying to make the week go by faster... That was the gist of my week this past week. I didn't really feel creative, I just felt like blah! Everything just seems to be coming at once. It gets to be overwhelming sometimes when you are going through this juggling act with life. At times I feel as though I am in a great place artistically and then other times I feel like I'm in some weird holding pattern.
My problem is getting the thought out of my head and on to the drawing board. I have so many things going on concurrently and none of them are coming to full fruition. I think my brain needs a rest. I mean I've had a vacation and I'm about to go away next week on a little mini vacation for my birthday (Oh yeah! I am about to get a little bit older...) but I think lately or I should say for awhile I have asked a lot of my brain. I need to be in a place where I can just let my brain spend time with itself collecting and releasing its inner thoughts.
I mean every week I am here taking with you guys, my faith few and I let the thoughts flow from my mind but during the week save from tweeting now and then (shameless plug inserted here... Find me @artstarv9), I don't spend a lot of time de-junkifying and purging my think parts of information and ideas. So what happens sometimes is I'll get this great idea one moment and the next moment it becomes the fleeting idea that I wasn't as excited about as I thought.
I need to find the middle ground, that sweet spot, where I am able to have my thoughts and then put them to good use creatively. I know what your thinking, that's what sketchbooks are for (Man, I've used a lot of commas and parentheses in this post) It seems like an simple easy fix but in someways its not. You have to have your mind free and focused on using your sketchbook as a means of release and not just sketches. Your sketchbook then not only becomes an extension of your work but also a sort of idea book. A book where you can not down your craziest thoughts or your darkest thoughts. Which in retrospect make that sketchbook quite personal and I someways not fit for public consumption. There are people who teach and people who believe in keeping sketchbooks like that. Books where you don't share with anyone. I personally find it hard to keep sketchbooks like that because I'd get to a place where is just have to show somebody what I sketched out or have to show my close personal friends or loved ones what I just did. Who knows though, I might give it a go just to see if I can do it.
Well, I feel like I am about to start rambling so I'm going to end this post here. Next week, I'll either blog earlier in the week or come to you guys while I am a way. Until then...



-Namaste