New Mexico beckons, graduate school inspires...

After a strenuous 30+ hour drive, what seemed like an insurmountable journey, we reached Santa Fe, New Mexico. Quickly transitioning from vast desert expanses of brush to elegant mountains and red faced rock, we descended into the valley at the base of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. This land is amazing. The school is just as exciting. I can't wait to attend. Check out their outstanding comments:

http://collegeprowler.com/southwestern-college----new-mexico/campus-strictness/

Summer Conference

This weekend I will experience LA for the first time at the SCBWI summer conference. New people, places, artistic insights, and hopefully memorable moments are imminent. It's been a while since my last epic adventure, and I can't wait to explore again...

The Difference

What is the real difference between success and failure, a fruitful fascinating career and a dead end job, a published picture book and illustration as a hobby? One word....settling. After the spring conference and an insightful conversation over lunch with another attendee with similar aspirations, it became apparent through his life occurrences that we have either of two options-to endlessly pursue our dreams envisioning them as attainable goals or stop short of achievement to stabilize our lifestyle in preparation for future opportunity. I dread the latter...

The After Effects...

What better for a gloomy rain packed day than to be fully immersed in inspiring art and writing...needless to say the spring conference was great. I met many awesome people, editors, agents and the like in addition to learning first hand the daily life of an illustrator. Tim Bowers break out session was the best of the day. After explaining his own claim to fame, he talked about many relevant topics in the field of illustration while showing useful techniques for dummy books and final paintings. Even though this conference was relatively small, I see it being the first of many that I attend. Thank you to everyone who put it together and participated!! It was highly motivational.

Spring Conference!

Tomorrow the Scarlet and Gray Spring Conference, my first major book illustration event, will comprise the majority of my day. Despite my extreme exhaustion at awakening early all week and fervently preparing, I can not wait to get up again! Putting myself to bed early is the only option tonight...

Gallery Hop

I went to the gallery hop last night. It was very exciting, since I have been in attendance only one other time. After the brief burst of sunshine with rain, I wandered the streets in search of galleries. To my surprise there were not many still open. I blame myself for not leaving my house sooner. Still thoroughly enjoyable though, the best art of the hop seemed to be located in the organic pizza shop on the return up the street. Interesting collages of acrylic and pasted paper, combinations of resin with oil paint, and even fabric tapestries covered in color. The contemporary techniques astounded me and I had no choice but to stop for awhile. This just proves that innovative things might be found in the most unconventional of places.

Infinite Possibilities

For years I have reveled in my childlike personality, playing and enjoying the simplicity of life. For me, art reawakens my true nature and young spirit. It draws from deep within the soul and brings out those initial hopes and dreams where anything is possible. Art energizes me and counteracts the draining presence of adult reality. I still hold on to the dreams of my youth and continually inspire my imagination.

It disheartens me when I hear of those who lost this lofty thinking and settled for more "realistic" expectations. One of the main reasons I teach art to elementary kids is to glimpse that fresh and limitless ingenuity, as well as promote it through creativity and fabrication. Children don't know how lucky they are that the world has not yet suppressed their ideals. They have virtually no limitations.

I am a firm believer in the fact that anything is possible, you just have to try. So many people are afraid to take risks and explore the possibilities. I have struggled with this concept myself over the years since my college graduation. Thoughts of settling into a steady routine with a stable job have crossed my mind, but allude to restriction and lifelessness. Never give up on yourself and ignore those that say what you can and can't do. Some of the best things my parents gave me were the encouragement to pursue my expansive thinking and the belief that I can succeed with hard work. For that I am truly thankful.

The Cookie Says It All

Upon opening my latest post meal fortune cookie I found this, open ended yet highly relevant quote "A great pleasure in life is doing what others say you can't." I always knew I was destined for greatness.

Funny thing is, at first glance it appeared trivial, as most generic fortunes do. Absentmindedly I pasted it to the fridge door, affixed with an over sized magnet, next to the lucky bamboo instructions. Over the last few days and seemingly endless hours of query letter laboriousness I had become accustomed to the editing frame of mind--out with the old and in with the new. Between revising the writing and cleaning the house to make way for new furniture and a new room mate, I tore down all random scraps that were cluttering the fridge.

It was not until the last day or so when this quote played intermittently through my mind that I found myself rooting through the garbage in search of the miniature paper. Fearing it had been tossed into the dumpster forever, I continued scrounging like a shadowy homeless alley way animal, until the bottom was in sight. Tracing my last few days and creating a garbage time line of sorts I figured the fortune had to be in there. Then I saw it. Stuck to the side of a couple fuzzy rotting strawberries it had been spared, protected by the lucky bamboo instructions, as the proverbial bun of this trash sandwich. I plucked it from it's apparent fate. What an inspirational quote for a transitional week. New queries, new illustrations, new roommate, and hopefully a new part time job! What will tomorrow hold? We can only guess...

Manuscripts

Today is the day. I'm sending out my manuscript. Indeterminate periods of waiting shall ensue....

I'm 24 Years Old, Look Like I'm 16, and Act Like I'm 6

To further prove that I am a kid at heart, this is true for me too:

"Children need to have a regular routine. A set bedtime and place to sleep are part of the daily routine. Read a bedtime story as part of the nightly ritual. Read quiet, soothing books to children in their warm, comfortable bed. This allows a child to associate reading with comfort and security. The association will continue a lifetime."

The Day After

I always feel so inspired the day after a SCBWI meeting. Actually, I feel hyper motivated immediately afterward but decide to let the thoughts ruminate for a bit. I am so glad I actually have the day off to rework ideas and build upon critique thoughts from last night!!

Strange Compromise

So I've discovered that upon first waking up each morning I have either one of two distinct feelings. . . extreme excitement to jump out of bed as quickly as possible, downing a couple cups of caffeine and painting for hours on end OR inherent displeasure for accomplishing anything productive, most likely a result of being entirely too comfortable snuggled amongst squishy pillows and warm blankets. Today, I have reached a compromise. Painting in bed. Yep, I devised it! I am a master of accomplishing tasks while still maintaining my hidden laziness.

Queries and Manuscripts

Spent the day pondering query letters and editing manuscripts with my critique group of two...haha I need to expand my revision spectrum. Authentic varieties of opinions are definitely welcome-any takers??

Adventure

So, sitting here at the coffee shop and looking out the window I feel some sense of inspiration. Motivation to make a change, to take a trip, or seek an adventure perhaps. After all, I live vicariously through my stories and my characters...maybe its time I took a chance realistically. If you don't take risks you will never know what you're missing! It's time to grab life by the horns (so to speak, haha) and start living it

I see the sun

Building some frames and going for a run!

It's been a while...

Oh my following, I know you were lost without me, but I have returned from the week long work binge to satisfy your inquiries! But seriously, I have been preoccupied with my picture book sketching and painting...so look for more to come!!

SNOW!!!!

Oh snow, you slippery little deviant, obliquely shifting my important plans for the day...your beautiful serenity masks treachery for me (on the roads and otherwise!) There must be a reason for your presence-at least that's what I keep telling myself

To The Gym!

To the gym I go, I'm in serious need of warming the muscles and mind...

Just another rainy day...

So it is raining again in Columbus, Ohio. At least its not ice...I'm not sure my cutie patootie can sustain another fall down the steps. Oh well, just another excuse to stay inside and paint my latest picture book "Fish Man Can"!!

Brand New!!

Just began working on the site Friday! Hope everything starts coming together soon...