We Westerners don’t have a very good relationship with death. We avoid talking about it. Children are shielded from it. Lots of folks try to pretend it doesn’t even happen. And then it does. And we’re left devastated. The cycle of life has uprooted me several times over the years, and I am always left… Continue reading On Contemplating Death
Tag: history
Holiday Nostalgia
The holidays are upon us and if you’re like me that means basking in nostalgia and reminiscing of simpler times. A snapshot of my perfect holiday includes: getting up early to annoy the parents, cinnamon rolls for breakfast, hot chocolate, Home Alone, video games, A Christmas Story, driving around looking at pretty lights and It’s… Continue reading Holiday Nostalgia
Purpose
Purpose has been on my mind lately. What is my purpose? Do I have one? Does everyone have one? For the last decade, as a trainer, I woke up every morning knowing exactly what my purpose was: to help others be as physically fit as possible. Everything I did in life revolved around my identity… Continue reading Purpose
You See, But Do You Really See
One benefit to practicing in the visual arts is that it allows for becoming a keen observer. The moment I was able to connect all that I see with the idea of shapes — and that every single thing we see is made of shapes — was the moment I knew limitations are only bound… Continue reading You See, But Do You Really See
Influences
Like anyone else, artists are complex, so for me it is fun to peel back the layers and discover more about the artists I admire most. Often times I can see one’s influences in his/her work directly, but not always. In that spirit, I thought it would be fun to share my influences and provide… Continue reading Influences
There Is No Ice Cream
Prior to making art my full time job, I had a successful career as a personal trainer. For ten years I got up before dawn and through hard work, dedication and discipline, made it my mission to help others be the best version of themselves they could possibly be. While a handful of my clients… Continue reading There Is No Ice Cream
Serendipity
Besides being a fun word to say and the title of my favorite John Cusack film, serendipity is one of those real life things that can put a long smile on my face. I’ve documented here that the last two and a half years have been extremely challenging, forcing me to look deeply inward to… Continue reading Serendipity
Black and White
Most of my artistic tastes and habits were formed during my youth. I’ve written about my introduction to Dali and surrealism and how that affected my style. When it comes to color palettes, though I do play with color in my works, my heart always returns to the simple, austere boldness of black and white.
$#%!, Just Say What Ya Want
*Warning: Includes adult language. When I was a kid, I thought “cocksucker” was just the name of a car part that Dad couldn’t ever fix. I thought it was quite the impossible part too because every time Dad yelled it he was taking his anger out on the garage. Eventually I learned “cocksucker” is not… Continue reading $#%!, Just Say What Ya Want
Noise
When I work on a piece very rarely do I see it all the way through, from start to finish, in one sitting. In general, I work on four or five different projects at a time — all in different stages of development.