A Time for Thanks or Happy Times...

This week coming up is Thanksgiving. This will be my first Thanksgiving without my family. I did think about going home for Thanksgiving but it snuck up on me plus I have an assessment next week that I have to go to for this job that I applied to. Maybe I'll get back to Baltimore for Xmas, who knows.

I am still adapting to life here in the South. My life has been really peaceful. I have also been doodling down weird squiggles and shapes. They have been pretty fun. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of them...where they might end up at...

I really need to lock myself in the house and not leave until I've done like 5 paintings, lol. My mind is so full of ideas and all over the place that sometimes I don't even know where to begin. It's like someone is pumping my brain with a hallucinogenic lol. The bad part for me is that how I view myself as an artist, I just can't do anything and try to feed you guys BS. You know what I mean? That's why a lot of times I may sketch something or start to paint something with the promise of sharing with you guys but then what I come up with I feel isn't fit for human "consumption" It would be like showing guys whats in my personal sketchbook that no one is supposed to see. Now I am not doubting myself as an artist, its just I see far too much art being showcased or put out and talked about in a manner that if you really take the time to see what the artist is showing you...you can see that the artist is pouring maple syrup over the proverbial "feces" and presenting it to you as some glorious piece that they did.

As artist, we are always accused of being our own worst critic. I don't see that as a bad thing. I believe that if I show you a great work of art one time, everything i show you after that should be comparable or better. In sports you have your bad days and good days and people will see that. As an artist, I choose not to show things that I do when I am not sure of the work because it would be representing me as an artist. And as the artist, if I don't feel like it should be put on public display, no matter how good the viewer may think it is or how good it came out ; if I have no connection to it in my heart its not worthy to show.

Sure they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" but they also say "Don't bullshit a bullshitter" as well. And with that I am going to leave you guys this weekend. Have a great holiday and an even Happier Thanksgiving.

Until next week...




-Namaste

Time was definitely on my side or The 8th Horcrux...

Today...on a rare Saturday off day, I worked in one of my sketchbooks. I did a few doodles and quick studies. Nothing that held a lot of weight but it did feel good to just devote time to my sketchbook. The great thing about what I did today was that I planned for it. As an artist I should be spending a lot of time in my sketchbook, it just seems lately that I haven't done that.

So I figured if I try to manage my time more wisely than I can stay focused and on track. Who knew that it would work, lol. I am really trying to make sure I am all about time management. As I have talked about plenty of times here, it always seem to get the better of me. But...I feel I can defeat father time...maybe I shouldn't say defeat...how about play times game with it...if i can some how cross-reference time with the reverse of the inverse...lol...That was a bit crazy there. Just still feeling the high of my positive use of time today. I just need to buckle down and keep myself on track and use everything at my disposal to make that happen. That's all folks.

Until next week...



-Namaste

Where I am at right now...

So faithful few, how's it going? We have arrived at the one month that we are set aside for learning about the history of black people. I recently had a colleague remark how it's weird that black history month is set aside in the shortest month of the year. I had actually never thought about that and found it in that moment quite perplexing. I have actually blogged about the history of Black History Month but I don't believe I have ever spoke on the shortness of the occasion. That's probably a discourse for another day. This week I just wanted to let you guys know what I was up to this past week. I have still be working on the piece for the missus and I have also been working more on my portrait (which I'll post at the end of this post). I've started working more on the tonal values and the contrast some. Really like how it's evolving.

I have also been trying to plan for the rest of the year. I know it's only February but I have BIG plans for this year. I can't wait to share them with you guys. Some people already know and I'm not worried about jinxing them...but it's still just at a stage where not a lot of people know and this blog will post to the interwebosphere. Don't want to broadcast to the world and maybe put things into motion before its ready...you know what I mean...well that's all I have for you guys now. Until next time...

 

-Namaste

I was born to be a Ramblin' Man...

I have had a really weird week this week as far as sleeping. I don't think in the past 4 days that I haven't got to sleep before 4am. Mind you each day other than Friday I had to be at work 6 hours after I had fallen asleep. Very strange indeed. I know that was a pretty strange way of starting a post but..."so what, who cares..."

I still haven't gotten my review post for my new camera ready for my tech blog. I am trying to make sure I have a better handle on what I want to discuss as well as how I want to present it. I know I made mention in my last post about having the blog done a couple of days after that post but as we all know...things change. It is coming though and I will keep you guys posted.

On the art front, I am still trying to keep busy. I'm still working on getting this 6X6's done. I also have a few other things in the works for some people. It really feels good to be keeping busy artistically. There aren't too many things that can compare to a great creativity flow.

Let's what else do I have for you guys...oh yeah...I have had quite an eventful last couple of years...some good times...some bad times...but through it all I have persevered. It's seems like the beginning of this year has been quite different though. Even though I have had some bad times, my mind is more clearer; I see things in a different light now and I also have more confidence in getting things to go or should I say I have more faith that things will only get better for me here on out. I actually see things...dreams seem more closer to reality. My mindset is "more" at peace within the dharma. I truly love this feeling.

That is all I have for you guys this week and as always thank you for allowing me to share.

 

-Namaste

 

Leap before you look...

Hello faithful few.  In the time since my last post I have gotten a little older.  No really. I am older. My birthday was Thursday. :). I am getting closer to another milestone in this thing that we call life. Its again time that I take a look and my life and see where I stand.  Where do I need to be? What do I need to do to get there and how am I going to get there...I definitely am getting to that point where I have to be more of a doer than a thinker. 

One think I have always prided myself on was, that I am a great thinker.  One downside of that is that I am prone to over think things. Or I tend to think too much which leads to me not take many chances.  And we all know that you have to at some point in your life take the proverbial "leap of faith". I'd like to believe that as I get older I am opening myself to take more chances...to be more open to step out of my comfort zone. I plan on doing things differently. No that doesn't mean that I am just going to go and jump blindly into things but I am going to try to things without trying to overly rationalize why I am doing these things.  I feel I am at a point in my life where I need to have results and signs of progress.  I don't want to look back on my life in later years and have any regrets.  Now is the time and I shall seize it...

 

 

-Namaste

Note to my 26 yr old "SELF", Act1, Scene1...

So if I could travel back in time and impart you with some words of wisdom, what exactly would I say to you? I often ponder what if I had done things differently, were would I be now? What if I traveled back 10 years and say to you dude, maybe you should take more graphic design classes...mix it up a little...or maybe you should have applied to art school out west...maybe now is the time for you to become a vegetarian. I wonder "SELF" how would me helping you make those decisions then affect my now? Who knows "SELF"? Don't get me wrong, I love my life, my family, my friends, my girl and the course my life is taking right now. It's just sometimes "SELF" you have this period of reflection...a period of what-ifs...a period of "if I could go back, what would I change...".

"SELF," there are some things that I wouldn't allow you to change for the world. I would have a deep fear of what it might do to "OUR" future. How it would hurt bonds we would build going forward...it would probably change "OUR" view of things...it would definitely change things!

NO! You know what I would do "SELF?" I would better prepare you for what comes next. I would help you to be stronger. I wouldn't exactly guide you down the path but I would help you to stay focus and help you to understand that it might not happen in 10 or maybe even 15 years; but the stronger you get the more you will persevere. I would also let you know that on the way to getting stronger, that it's ok to open up...it's ok to give in to your emotions. Try not to keep them so bottled up. And "SELF"...I promise...you might not see it on the outside but inside it only keeps getting better...