Thee Wise Dudes

It's always good to have wise friends that know just how to bring a smile
to face and heal your broken heart.
Thanks guys!

IF's Word of the Week "Routine"

Fip Garrett's morning routine always included a huge cup of joe and her morning happy pill. Without them
she was just no good.

Clowning It Up

I have been blessed to do many different things in life. My first job was as a cashier in a local mall. Then I became a vampire or phlebotomist working in a hospital for many years. There is one job that I don't talk about much, but something that I really enjoyed doing and that was clowning. Yup, my sister and I clowned professionally for a number of years. It was wonderful, until the day I went to a kid's party and they tried to undress me. They wanted to see how far the pink makeup went. I was traumatized after that. The very last time I clowned was for my daughter's third birthday and to this day she still doesn't know it was me. Ah, the things we do for love. I'm still a clown at heart and I may be even a little bubble-gum pink too. Have a creative day.

To Many Styles

I hear thiis quite a lot. "You have so many styles. Too many" I have about 5 styles really. It's how I am wired and made. It can be frustrating for some people I guess. I watch and learn. It's very important for me to stay teachable. My parents could not afford to indulge my art fetish as a child. I am self taught. Maybe that's the reason. I find I am learning something everyday. I have been drawing since I was three. Being Dyslexic, this was my way to express myself. It developed over time, many different styles of illustration. I love exploring new things, new media, new ways of saying the same thing over and over again. Some of us are so afraid to put our stuff online because someone will copy or steal. That really makes me mad, but you can't stop them. A mentor that I had long ago, told me that when someone is copying you it is the highest form of flattery. I couldn't see it then. I just felt like they where trying to take something away from me. Then I really got it one day. What I do is what I do. What comes out of me through pen and ink, gouache, charcoal, digtal, watercolor, collage, or paint is from me and my creative process. I promised myself that I would not get upset any longer. It only blocks my creative flow. When I stay open I get more ideas. These styles have developed over 30 years. I didn't sit down to pen and paper yesterday. It's been a long time coming. I have no degree from Art and Design school. I am taking classes now. Whether or not I get one will not hold me back from experimenting with new media or techniques. I am ever learning. When you stop learning you stop growing. I've got lots more growing to do. Stay up and keep pressing forward to your artisic goal.
Have a very creative day friends.
V