Art and Beyond Magazine

Work is featured in this month's Chicago-based Art magazine!

http://issuu.com/art_beyond/docs/art_beyond_online_novdec_2013

Sun Dance Warrior

True Story: One day, I'm driving with my daughter in my car. She begins to talk about what she wants to be when she grows up. She says, "So, I found out what I want do be when I grow up, Daddy. I want to become a sculptor, a teacher and a chef." I said, "Really?" She says, "Yes." I Explain to her, "Well, there are a lot of things you need to begin to learn. If you want to be a sculptor, a teacher and a chef, You need to learn art in its totality. Start playing with clay, look at how your parents cook, and begin to start looking at the works of historical and legendary artists for inspiration."

She tells me, "I already know ONE legendary Artist. He is my father."

Sun Dance Warrior ( Pencil and Digital Colors on Canvas - 18x24)

First Sistah Lady

First Sistah Lady - 2013 11x17

HAPPY PRE-4TH OF JULY, EVERYONE!

The Challenges of Coming Back

I'm ready to make a comeback into the Art world.  I'm ready to do Gallery shows, Face Paintings, Portraits, Album Covers, Illustrations, Books and eventually, a Graphic Novel.  Sometimes it's very hard to do everything by yourself, and then you end up asking yourself; "So many, ideas, so much work to do, but where do I begin?" 

Finding your place as an Artist in the big city within the 2013 Digital Age is tough these days, unless you are filthy rich. Yet, the irony of every Artist is that we are very creatively rich.

 I think that in every Artist's heart, there is a cry to be known. An Artist need to have his/her voice heard through the radios of colored pencils, markers, pens, pencils, erasers, watercolors, oil/acrylic paints and Adobe Photoshop. But then there are the blocks. A huge frustration from people that surrounds you who cannot understand your so-called, "weird" mentality. The extreme madness of viewing your work as trash once its completed; yet it's a masterpiece in everyone else's eyes. The struggle in maintaining your confidence and the feaf of recognizing and understanding  the possibilities of your true talent. The reality of how your seasoned skills and hard-working committed years in perfecting the style and technique of your craft; yet wondering if you can rightfully say the your are master at what you do. The headaches of developing exposure, getting clients, meeting deadlines, hanging up pieces on walls, art budgeting; and becoming blind to what you are truly made out of. The demands of rapidly developing ideas for your clients and most of all, your next journey on the canvas. The energy and the momentum you need to possess to get a million things done; yet at the same time, age and fatigue usually creeps up on you. The challenges of changing the "Starving Artist" theory. The decisions of whether you are creating art for yourself, to get celebrity status, to become stuck within the intense streams of pop culture; to get into a woman's pants; or for those whose hearts you have touched; or whether you are creating art for those who continue to become moved and inspired by your messages to the world and most of all, the universe. 

These are the things that I contemplate about constantly. Most times, you just gotta do what is best for you and your craft. The key is to believe in yourself and that you are a powerful being on this earth because you have something others may not have. It is also a flow of energy that must come naturally. I have also discovered the youth of today's aggressive passions to express and free themselves through works of art and music. Yet, most of them function primarily within elements of oppression, hate, violence, crime, and most of all, lack of home training. I feel it is time for us veterans of the visual arts to finally step up to the plate and bring back the true essence of what art meant to be, or used to be; and bring some sense of formal guidance to the troubled youth of today.

I have finally realized in my life that I have become a master at my craft, although there is always room for learning newer things. Like it or not, we have become the true masters and true legends of what we do; for we came from a time where the bar was set so high to prove yourself to be the most talented and professional Artist that you can be and those times are pretty much over. We were all born to change the world. So can we do the right thing and change it for the better?