Why do I Paint?

Over the past couple of years I have been asked over and over Why do you do art? What made you start creating things? That my friends is a wonderful question. The answer is actually quite simple.

I do art because it is a piece of my soul. Every painting is an expression of my heart and of my soul. Over the past year my art has become very personal. It has become the only way that I can truly express how I feel. Happiness, Sadness and pure joy for me can only be shown through art. My skills have improved dramatically as I work my way to an art degree. I can only begin to express the appreciation that I have for my wonderful art professors.

I do art because I love it. People tell me "Oh you are so talented" or "You have a gift." Which not to sound big headed I agree with them. But I don't do art because I was gifted with an ability. I do art because it I love it, I enjoy it. Even if I was terrible and I had no artistic ability whatsoever or I suddenly lost my vision I know that I would still do art. I know that I would still lay awake at night waiting for inspiration to hit me. I know that I would still have what I call artistic visions, I know that color would still speak to me. I know that no matter what I will always have a desire to do art.

I paint because nothing makes me happier. I paint because it's my heart on a canvas. I draw because my hands were designed to create great things. I design because inspiration runs through my veins.

I am an artist.

Bark of Color

This weekend was the peak of the changing of the leaves. Looking up at the trees you could see beautiful color. Reds, yellows, oranges, and greens all blend together in perfect harmony.

Lately all I can think about is lying on the ground in the forest, looking up and seeing the sun glow through the leaves. Letting all of the color just pour into my soul. If you haven't ever just looked up and admired the beautiful trees you need to take 10 seconds to let the color run over your face.

When I saw this tree I thought it was pretty. The rough bark, and the multiple colors that show through the browns. Sometimes I get so caught up in what the leaves look like that I forget what holds them up in the air. The trunk of the tree is the most important part. It may be rough, and some may say it's ugly, but without it there would be no beauty. So in it's own way it is beautiful.

Without the rough tree trunk there would not be any colorful leaves to pour over my face. It's beautiful.

Wide Open

As I was sitting in class today my professor said something that just inspired me. We were discussing life and he was talking about taking life as it comes rather than stressing about everything. "Be Wide Open." This was the phrase that just hit me. To wake up everyday and except everything that comes. To be wide open to the things God has planned for you. To be wide open to the possibilities, opportunities and experiences that every day brings. Taking life in stride, to remember that the more open you are, the more you will enjoy life. Let people into your life, have intimate relationships with people and Be wide open.

I chose this picture to represent this phrase because if you look hard enough you will see that this log has a hole through it. The log, normally a solid mass of wood is wide open, taking in animals, snow and leaves.

Be Wide Open. Let Inspiration take you. Take Life in Stride.

Today is the Day!

Today, I begin the journey into a new painting. The inspiration came quickly, and I have been dying to paint all summer, and today is the day I will start.

If anyone is interested in buying any art work of mine posted on the blog, please let me know!

Overwhelming Inspiration

Sometimes as an artist you just have this need inside of you to draw, paint or whatever. That your artistic ability is just spilling over. Your mind is overwhelmed and the only way to fix it is to draw. Lately this has been happening to me alot. I wake up with drawings in my mind, and when that happens the picture never goes away. Sometimes I don't even know what the picture means until I draw it.

I had forgotten a sketch book and all I had was the book that I was reading. So I grabbed a pen and let my mind do the rest. This is what happened. At first it was a squiggly circle and then it became a tree. I didn't have a plan. I just let the inspiration and thoughts fill the page.

Sometimes when I get in periods like this when I have pictures in my mind going all the time of good ideas, I just get headaches. I can't stop seeing it. My mind is full of color and thoughts and inspiration and without anywhere to put it my mind overloads. Because I can't forget a picture until I draw it.

The Beginning

Everyday is an adventure. But no day is finished till I do some sort of art work. Today I painted my first set of TOMS for a paying customer!! Business started.

Nothing gives me more joy than painting, let alone someone thinking you are good enough to paint something for them and they pay you! When someone tells you "You are talented" or "I would love to buy your painting." Its like a rush. When they tell you that you have a gift and they want to invest in you.

Finally I am starting to become what I have dreamed of my whole life. An Artist. Professionally. The older I get and the more I practice and learn the closer I become to what I have always dreamed of.

This may be only a little step, but a little step is the beginning of a great journey.

These are two pairs of TOMS that I have painted. Palm Trees and SunFlowers. If you are interested in purchasing some please email me, or comment below.

Good Day

Things always have a funny way of working out. Everyday I learn something new. Everyday is like a little adventure.
I started a painting the other day and I haven't had the desire to finish it. I'm not sure why that is really. I think it will be really cool once it's completed but it's getting the finished product that can be the battle.
Isn't life like that sometimes. Some days you just have to "get through" in order to get to the "good" days again. But I'm tired of looking at life like that. Everyday has good in it, sometimes it's just a little harder to find.

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow nor sun without rain, but he did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.

Colors of My Mind.

I know I haven't posted in awhile. But I'm back! I have some art work I'm going to share. And I'm going to be posting more of just my art and photos from now on. Explaining why I did them. My inspiration and such.

This is a self portrait believe it or not. I did this painting in about two hours. The inspiration would be myself. As I am reflecting on who I am I wanted a painting to show who I was. I always paint nature, but I wanted to paint something that meant something to someone. I wanted to show me. My hair shows all that makes up who I am. The colors and creativity, certain things that are important, and certain things that have made me who I am. When I go through life day by day I see things in colors. Like every person has a certain color and all my feelings have a color. Most of those colors are shown here in my hair.
That's the inspiration, now to how I did the painting. The background was done first. I mixed acrylic paint with water to make it thinner and to make it splatter better, and also run. I then mixed a color that looked like my skin tone that is under the figure, then I added all the colors of the hair. It was painting in 5 sections each their own color and then slowly it all mixed. Last I painted my face black. I painted my face black to show that I wasn't the focus. That the focus was on my hair, my world.

I hope you like it!