Being Sick Stinks

I have been having a real hard time getting rid of the flu. I don't know if it morphed into some other disease, or just hanging on. I have had to cancel out of classes, and painting sessions with other artist. I have managed to keep up with my New Year's Resolution to draw every day, but some days it isn't very pretty (especially when I was in the depths of the flu).

I think it is important to get consistent practice and that takes discipline. I am trying very hard to do that, even when I am sick. I find that being sick, I have more time for art, since I can't follow my normal routine. This has helped me to keep practicing my art even though I am missing out on most of life.

I am attaching the image I did at the demo for the school. It is a pen, ink & brush drawing of my children when they were very young (they are both grown now).

Is Mac Kid Rock?

This past week I was at a local school, demonstrating pen, ink and brush drawing. There was about 250 families there, adults and children from about 6 to 14. I have to admit I was anxious going into the school. As so often is the case, I misjudged the time to arrive, had just enough time to get there, and then there was a car going half the speed limit. I guess it was someone with night blindness, but it did not help me to get there. I was about five minutes late instead of 15 minutes early and that put me even more on edge. I don't know about other people, but I know I don't do my best art when I am agitated, and I was agitated. I had to ask another artist who used to work at the school to flag down a maintenance person, so I could get my table set up and start. By the time the table was up, and I was unpacked and my display was up, I was really jangled.

I did pre-draw the image in light pencil, so I would not have to struggle with composition, and proportions, and I could just concentrate on the pen and ink and brush work. I had to really concentrate hard, and relax myself before I started. Ink is not forgiving, and a mistake would have been a disaster for the demo.

Things went well, but the best part of the demo was talking to the people there. They really were interested in art, and interested in my brag book. I often put out this book of my art images, and people look down at whatever page I had it opened to, but never leaf through. At the demo, not only parents but kids leafed through. I really appreciate the kids comments and excitement.

I did a carbon pencil drawing of a local musician called Mac, and had it made into a bookmark to give to the children. Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find Mac looks like Kid Rock, and I was suddenly popular among the kids. I think half of them think I knew Kid Rock, but just was not admitting to it. The other half seem to think Mac is Kid Rock, but I didn't know. Either way I was a very popular artist that night.

I have a mission in life. I want to encourage kids in art, in art appreciation, and just enjoying art. I felt the demo helped me reach and talk to six kids, and that made the time really worthwhile for me. As well, the demo went so well I finished it off after wards in my studio, framed it and set it aside for the next show.

So, even though the start of the demo was nerve racking, the results were better than I thought.
The enthusiasm of the students at the school is the greatest shot in the arm I have received in a long time. I don't know about you, but as an artists I need my ego feed regularly, or I start to feel depressed.

Well now only one question remainds -- Is Mac Kid Rock? He is going to pose for us this week, so I am going to give him a bookmark and pose the question?

Getting Back Again

Sorry I have been away for a while, but I was sick with the flu, and that puts an end to all my plans and ideas. I have been busy, though, and managed to draw everyday, even if I did not get to paint as often as I would have liked. It was tough drawing with the flu, and some times I only got 15 minutes in, but my goal for this year is to draw everyday. Drawing is a very difficult skill to master, and it takes constant practice as well to maintain the current skill set.

I am painting on a watercolor (the third in a series) about BC Ferries. I have also set myself a goal to complete at least six in the series, and get a show for the series early next year at a local gallery. I really love the water, and the ferries here, and feel people take them for granted. My series is contemporary, and are my impressions about being on the ferries. I am planning a number of ferry trips this year to round out my reference materials, and because it can be a fun day trip or short vacation.

I am also struggling with my exhibit life. I just closed down one show, and hung another, and find I am getting behind in finished works. I sold one painting at the last show, and several shows coming up in the next couple of months, but find myself drawn to sketching alot, and lose works of art. I am trying to become loser in my technique, as well as in my life. It is like relearning how to live, and how to do art. It is a step backward for a while, but I believe it is worth the learning curve because it will improve my enjoyment of art, of life, and create more fun.

When I was sick with the flu, I found that I had a big depression (I always get depressed when I am sick). While depressed, I got thinking, what am I living for. I was pretty miserable, and despondent for the moment. I am just so glad I have my art. It was what kept me going, and I never once wavered in my desire to create it.

I get compliments from many people about how eclectic my art is, and how astonished they are that I am able to create in such a variety of ways. To me I always feel bad when I hear this, because I have always been told to specialize, develop a recognizable focus, that is what galleries and collectors want. I feel I have a focus, people, but somehow it seems too broad. I will continue with working the way I do, though, because I think it is important for an artist to create what moves him, not to be too straight-jacketed. I know as an artist I need discipline, and I am working on developing it so I produce art even when I don't feel like it, even when I am very sick, even when it is inconvenient.

I struggle with managing day to day life, putting my art first, and not getting to discouraged at how slow my career as an artist seems to be growing. I struggle with the business end, the creative part, and my lack of artist business skills. I must stay focused on the progress that I have achieved in the last year (really a big step forward) and not the pace which is slower than I like.

I am adding another image to this blog. This is the still life I did. I know my focus is on people, but I did the still life as a counter point, to stay fresh, to not get bored and tired of doing people. I try to include people in all that I do, but this one is missing people! Maybe I am as eclectic as people say I am.