Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The Secret Ingredient Is How We Mix It All Together

Here's something different. My daughter asked me to do a set of portraits of her two dogs. Not what I've been working on the past few years, but I gave it a shot anyway. Honestly, maybe one of my problems in getting noticed by the publishing industry is that I enjoy both styles of drawing: realistic and cartoon.

I've heard that you need to stick to a certain style in art so people will think of you when they want that style. That makes sense, but, you know what? We are all made up of many parts. We all have little bits of good and bad, male and female, serious and funny inside of us. Some of these traits we want to overcome. Others we mix in with who we are occasionally just to liven things up. That's what makes us truly unique. It's not that I am an older male who tries to be good. It's that I have a tendency towards dry humor and love to watch serious documentaries. It's how we combine our ingredients that makes us each an individual.

I remember a co-worker years ago laughing about her daughter's first attempt at baking. According to the mother, she gathered all the ingredients together, then plopped them all in a pan, stirred and baked. The daughter was heartbroken at the result, but her mother finished her story by laughing, "Everyone knows that baking is all about adding each ingredient at the right time."

And I've known that ever since that day.
 It really was a lot of fun to sit down and draw these. I didn't even mention the thrill of working with pencil on real paper again. I enjoyed this so much that I decided to offer it to other pet owners. So I have a new listing on Etsy! Get your pet immortalized!

Monday, September 14, 2015

Good morning

All I need in the morning is a strong cup of coffee and a little love.

Okay, I don't drink coffee, but I have a cat (I'm also not a girl if you want to get picky). I just wanted to do something for a coffee mug. You're allowed a few liberties on a coffee mug, aren't you?

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

The Perspective of An Old Wise and Out-of-Touch Man

This guy has been around a long time. He's seen it all. At least that's the way he sees it. And it doesn't impress him.

This guy may be wise, intuitive, insightful, whatever, but the world has moved on. It's not interested in what he thinks anymore. He's not as sexy as the Kardashians. He doesn't sing a combination of rap and disco. He doesn't make speeches insulting whole groups of people and thrilling the anti-PC crowd.

He's just an old man who doesn't understand the world he lives in anymore.

Sometimes I feel like that old man. Sometimes I'm so out of touch I can't for the life of me figure out how to talk to people anymore. Where did I make that wrong turn that took me so far from modern society? Should I just sit there like he does and contemplate the inevitable downfall of this ignorant generation?

In a better mood I realize that what made me different is my perspective on this world and what I came to value. In other words, my spiritual beliefs. I realize there is a higher purpose to life than keeping myself entertained. I believe in something more than money. I believe there is a God.

I haven't moved into a cave and ostricized myself from modern society yet. I've been known to turn up the radio and tap my fingers on the steering wheel when Taylor Swift sings about shaking it. I just find it harder and harder to feel that passion for success in this world - not when I've caught a glimpse of the next world. I've been passionate about fads that faded away. I've watched childhood relived by my children. I've been promised and betrayed more times than I can count. I've lived through the death of those I loved so much I still wish I could have died in their place. You don't look up from that and say the important thing in life is to be at the most happening parties.

Wow, this blog took a much deeper turn than I intended. All I wanted to talk about was how I'm different. But when I look into it I'm different because I live for something beyond this world. I don't sit around moping about it like the gentleman above. Maybe I do have a place in this world. Maybe it still have some usefulness for me. That is, as long as I never forget there is more to this life than what I see in front of me and there is a higher reward than the approval of people whose eyes are focused on the world in front of them. And maybe, because of my perspective, I can still offer it something as well.