Duncan is a new character developed from an ink drawing from my series, the Back Rooms of My Mind. If you go back through a few of my posts, you will see that I extracted this character and decided he had enough charisma to stand out on his own.
The physical form and features of this bird, literally came from the Back Rooms of My Mind, however, the music I was listening to is what stimulated the chords, deep within my soul to develop and then create this character.
Duncan was named after the brilliant comedian, Duncan Trussel. He's a comedian and actor with a very open mind. He is a man in the middle of his own voyage to find the answers to his questions as he continues on his journey through the multiverse.
I took a break from painting for about a year and switched gears to work on some drawings I have been wanting to create as well as some watercolor drawings. It was nice to finally paint again and truth be told, it's been hard to put down the brush.
I am currently working on about 15-20 pieces right now. They are all in various mediums and are all in various stages. At times it can seem chaotic, but that's how my mind works and I am okay with that.
I have a few more of these paintings ready to go and I can't wait to share them with you!
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” - John F. Kennedy
If you want to be a great artist or just great at everything and anything you do in life, you need to be healthy. By keeping your Mind clear, your Body in shape/well nourished, and your Soul free of bad vibes/negativity, you will allow yourself to succeed in life.
Think of yourself like the engine of a car (every once in a while you need to have repairs done), by taking care of these three things, you will allow yourself to perform at a high level and your body will be able to fire on all cylinders.
I have found that living a healthy lifestyle (eating well, working out, taking breaks away from art and enjoying life) makes me a better artist. Life is all about balance.
There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.
~ Carl Jung
Working On The Body
About two years ago I started making small changes in my day-to-day life. Small changes eventually work their way up to being big changes. It all starts with baby steps. We all live busy lives and changing or doing something out of the norm., can seem like such a giant task.
Let me back track a bit. As long as I can remember, I've never been one for working out (still to this day, I don't like going to the gym). I always thought it was a waste of time and that I could be doing or working on something of higher importance.
I use to play high school hockey and we had to hit the gym, to make ourselves stronger than our competition. I hated this then and as you know from above, I still do. In the off-season, I joined the cross country track team and quit after the first practice. Why you ask? Yup, you guessed it, because they wanted us to "hit the weights"! Seriously?? Lift weights for track? I knew right then and there that track was not for me!
I carried this mentality with me after high school and essentially the rest of my life till about a couple of years ago. My mind set was, the gym = meat head and I personally didn't care about being "jacked". I've always been athletic, playing hockey, basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, wiffel ball, bocce ball... Bocce ball is athletic right??
Fast forward to a few years ago. I was listening to a podcast and later on speaking with a few friends and they were both saying the same thing.
Working out doesn't mean getting "huge" "ripped" "jacked" or having muscles upon muscles??? Boy was I wrong! It's about being healthy and keeping your body performing at maximum capacity. If you're body running well, your mind will run well, and you will be able to produce more quality art!
* Remember, you don't have to work out to have a six pack, working out = staying heart healthy!
Excuses
Believe me I know them all- it's too hot, I can't afford the gym, I am sore, I am tired, it's a holiday, etc. Have you seen the video about the couple talking about working out?? It's hilarious because it's true.
Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2JSWgkwRL4
The point this is making is nobody really wants to do it, but if you can make it a routine and think about creating art after you are finished as your reward, it won't seem too bad. Start slow and make small goals and each day or every other day, add on a few more reps each time.
I am currently up 50 sit-ups a day. I started at 0 because the only way I could do them was with the couch holding my feet down (using it as leverage). I know I remember a friend doing this in elementary school gym class too! * Now I can do them all by myself- like a big kid! :)
Here are some items I recommend buying if you are thinking of working out at home. I bought some kettlebells and a kettlebell video to help with some exercises. I personal love under armour gear and it helps reduce the sweat when working out while keeping me cool.
Eating Right
It's easy to eat every meal of the day via fast food places and restaurants. Who doesn't love getting a donut or cheeseburger every now and again? I am sure there are many people. (There is always an exception.) Either way, it's worth taking the time every day or every week to make meals at home instead of eating out- plus you will save lots of money doing this too! I'm sure your thinking oh yah right, I'm not going all vegan or vegetarian, I need my meat, I need my beer! I hear you loud and clear and I am the same way... All I am saying is think about the choices you make and cut back on some of the drinking (if you are drinking everyday, you know it's too much). Remember it's all about balance in life.
I try to eat really good during the week and some times 6 days a week and have one or two cheat days, because like I said, I like my beers, meat, chocolate, and ice cream too! This is the kind of diet where you can have your cake and eat it! I am on the whatever I want diet. I eat whatever I want once or twice a week. Nothing in excess is ever good.
Why Should I Care About My Health?
I am going to keep this short. You only have one body and one life. If you aren't working out and not eating healthy, I doubt you will be creating any art. Besides, does anyone really want to be sick or feeling so bad you don't want to create art? I sure as hell don't!
Now, get off that couch, step away from the computer! Clean out your fridge, buy some weights (gym memberships can be costly) and get to work on helping your body (your minds engine) fire on all cylinders. Once you do that, go create some art!
Best of luck to everyone on your path to a better you! I can't wait to hear from you and see how this helps you become a better artist. To quote What About Bob, "It's all about Baby Steps".
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Amazon will give me a few pennies from every purchase which helps pay for the blog.
Boy oh boy, has it been hot and humid or what?? It appears that Summer is finally here, espically after kicking off another 4th of July weekend! I hope you all had a fun Independence Day and didn't get into too much trouble.
I've been doing everything I can to keep cool and one thing that helps is wearing less clothing! Hey now- get your mind out of the gutter, I am talking about wearing tank tops!
Here are the Summer Ultimate Frisbee tank tops I posted about in the Winter. I figured it's time to make some more noise about them now that Summer is finally taking over.
These tanks are sure to keep you cooler (and looking cooler) all Summer long.
*These designs are also available on a t-shirt. Please specify this on the order form.
Stay tuned for more clothing!
Are you looking to order anything from Amazon.com (affiliate link) any time soon? Click on the web banner I have to the right of my blog or on the link.
Amazon will give me a few pennies from every purchase which helps pay for the blog.
It's an honest question and one that typically goes without being asked. Is creativity a gift or a curse?
“ Having once found the intensity of art, nothing else that can happen in life can ever again seem as important as the creative process. ” — F. Scott Fitzgerald
I feel that the general consensus would say, " ...of course it's a gift" and not think twice about it. How can it be mistaken for anything else? While the creative people may take some time to debate this question and discuss the pros and cons, they may end up siding with the general consensus.
It's A Curse!
Don't get met wrong, I do believe creativity is a gift, however, there are times when it can seem like a curse. For me, creativity comes flying at me from every direction, at a million miles an hour- even when I don't want to be creative.
I think creativity might be similar to being a medium that communicates with the deceased. They try to connect with you at odd times and when you least expect it. Especially when you just want to be.
As an artist, my mind is constantly working and creating new ideas for creations and new projects all the time. I am serious too, it's really hard to shut down and turn my mind off. There are very few times when my mind is actually switched off.
It's A Gift!
Being creative is a gift!... Right? What am I contemplating? Of course it is!... Right? In all honesty, I do believe that creativity is a gift. However, I all too often hear people say, "I wish I was creative" and "I'm just not that creative".
If it weren't for the creativity of people thinking outside the box, going where most minds can't or won't go, we would have never evolved nor would we continue to advance in life. For all intents and purposes, we could still be hunter and gatherers living in caves. Clearly creativity has been percolating all along. From hunting with your hands and using sticks and stones. Gradually, man continued to evolve and created bows and arrows, setting traps and eventually developing guns.
The point is, creativity is vital to our lives and our existence. If we didn't come up with new ways to survive, we would have died. Even to this day, scientists are creating new ways to fight disease and developing new technologies which allow us to live longer.
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." -Pablo Picasso
I feel that everyone has creativity locked up inside them. However, it may take more effort for some to access their hidden creative talents.
"I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way." -Carl Sandburg
All in all, I am glad I am blessed with this curse... I mean gift!
Well what do you think? Is creativity a gift or Is it a curse? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Are you looking to order anything from Amazon.com (affiliate link) any time soon? Click on the web banner I have to the right of my blog or on the link.
Amazon will give me a few pennies from every purchase which helps pay for the blog.
I know I've been MIA over the past few weeks, so let me catch you up to speed.... I've been busy! :) Likely story right? I know you've heard it before but hey it's true. Between working the day job, working on new/old projects, trying to figure out what to do with my computer situation, trying to help plan a wedding (trying), trying to enjoy life, workout and stay healthy, as well as submitting art o galleries. I've also been working on some art and it's hard to scan a drawing when you don't have a computer.
Anyway, enough bitching- Here is a sneak peek look at one of the drawings I've been working on. This was taken with my ipod touch, so the quality is low but no scanning necessary!
I'm not sure if you new this but I love chess and I have been wanting to work on a new chess related drawing. I had some left over paper and decided to go for it.
I will continue to take photos and update you on the progress!
Staying Healthy is vital to the success of being great at anything and everything you do. I feel that being healthy is so important and is a pivotal link between happy and unhappy people. A topic of this magnitude cannot be answered in one blog post therefore I will be breaking this up into three sections- Mind, Body, & Soul.
If you want to be a great artist or great at everything and anything you do in life, you need to be healthy. By keeping your Mind clear, your Body in shape/well nourished, and your Soul free of bad vibes/negativity. By doing so, you will allow yourself the opportunity to succeed in life.
Think of yourself like the engine of a car (every once in a while you need to have repairs done), by taking care of these three things, you will allow yourself to perform at a high level and your body will be able to fire on all cylinders.
I have found that living a healthy lifestyle (eating well, working out, taking breaks away from art and enjoying life) makes me a better artist. Life is all about balance.
For a good read, check out Mr. Fulghum's Book "All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten" here:
Keeping My Mind Right
About two years ago I started making small changes in my day-to-day life. Small changes eventually work their way up to being big changes. It all starts with baby steps. We all live busy lives and changing or doing something seems like such a giant task. If I were to say I wanted to create 52 or more drawings every year, I probably would try and then loose focus and never finish that goal. That is why I started a One A week Art Project- inspired by the TwinGeekz Art Project.
Every week I have one goal, to create and post a piece of art for my One A week Art Project which is due on Sunday or in some rare cases Monday. :) This small incremental deadline keeps me focused each week to create something new every week. Thus, at the end of 52 weeks, I have 52 pieces of new art!
Like I said above, We all live busy lives- Really. Busy. Lives. But that's no excuse to avoid doing what you love and staying healthy.
Taking Breaks
I don't know about you but I love being in my studio... I LOVE IT! I love being so isolated from everything in the world so that I can allow my mind to expand, get lost, and create masterpiece after masterpiece... or at least try! :)
That said, even I know when to take a break!
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once and a while, you could miss it."
-- Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller's Day Off)
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Did I mention that I was a movie buff? Because I am and you will find me quoting a few movies every now and again. Have you ever seen Ferris Bueller's Day Off? If you haven't, it's a classic and I highly recommend it!
Aside from watching movies you can:
Go for a walk, hike, bike or run
Read a book
Play a game
Go to the beach
Hang out with friends or family
Meditate (I would like to start doing this)
Take a nap(I would also like to start doing this)
and the list goes on.
Can you think of any others? Leave a comment with things or ideas you do when taking a break from your routine.
Here are a few books to help expand your mind.
Ordering from Amazon.com (advertisement) any time soon? Click on the web banner I have to the right of my blog or on the link.
Amazon will give me a few pennies from every purchase which helps pay for the blog.
In the middle of working on many projects, it's not always easy to finish when they are all in different stages. I went through a good streak where I was completing a lot of drawings and posting one a week. I have stepped back from cranking out the smaller drawings and have shifted to working on some paintings.
In between paintings and waiting for the paint to dry, I routinely go back my sketch pad. This is where I allow my mind to go free and conjure up new ideas for future series.
Here is the newest addition to the Back Rooms of My Mind series- Door# 10513
I was thinking of water coloring this drawing in as I mainly leave them Black & White. If I do decide to work in some watercolor which I feel would really work well with this series, I will post the changes.
Here are some pens I started using for my ink drawings a while back. They are worth buying as they are waterproof and work great!
If you are looking to order anything from Amazon.com (affiliate link) any time soon? Click on the web banner I have to the right of my blog or on the link.
Amazon will give me a few pennies from every purchase which helps pay for the blog.
