I have had some pretty interesting conversations with other artists across a lot of different creative fields recently and I think it's time to get this started. I have come to the conclusion that it feels like I am very little butter spread over too much bread. All of my sketches and process pieces are scattered across so many social media platforms that I sometimes forget where I posted them, and it all turns into this giant slop of a mess. To consolidate my process pieces into one easy area and avoid the hassle, I am making a Patreon.

Easy solution!

The Goal is To Show More:
- Sketches & Sketchbook
- Photos used for reference/reference boards
- Timelapse videos of process
- PSD files of my work
- First grab offers, original gifts, discount codes, etc.

​The finals will also be posted to Patreon earlier than my Instagram and my website to add an extra flare for those who support me. The blog here, will be to focus on important updates and highlights of my career, where I learned something that pushed my skills to the next level or goals. I have never found a comfortable place to just collect process images and sketches, and that is the idea for Patreon. You will have access to everything. Then everywhere else that I post work will have a focus on the gallery aspect.

Everything has been a bit of whirlwind of work, anxiety, and passion. Seems like I am doing most of this freelance work properly. Things are picking up, which is great. Maybe a little too late in the game, maybe I just did not have appropriate prices to keep me going at full speed. But all of the hard work that I have accomplished will not go to waste.

I am strong, and eager to continue working within the creative fields and will not let that passion die. Therefore, at this point, I will be going back to the ole job search. With all of the new work in my portfolio hopefully push something out to rpg publishers, game developers, and animation studios. 

Here are a few projects that I am working on, that are my own.

Per usual, Monsters and dragons.

Most of this work is completed in between commission work. ​It slowly comes together but they do take longer depending on my schedule.

If you haven't heard, I have been streaming on Twitch since the start of January 2018! This was a decision that I made back in November 2017 to help grow an audience and get my work out there for people to see!

I share my work part time on Twitch. Monday - Friday from 1pm to 5pm EST. The projects change weekly or every few days depending on commission scheduling. There are days when it is difficult to be completely open on a streaming platform. As I don't just stream the good days, I allow individuals to watch as I make mistakes or work through the frustration and confusion that a piece can bring. It is a real part of the art making process and sometimes its not the prettiest to look at, but it can help another through their own artist block. It gets easier as each day passes, but it is still something I am getting used to.

As I work, I generally explain my process or speak my current thought relating to the piece; composition, color, anatomy, texture are some of the few reoccurring. Thinking out loud gives a little window into how I try work through a problem I am seeing. Then there are days that are more personal and shed light on my experiences, past jobs, and lessons that I have learned along the way about working full-time and being a freelance artist.

If there is something that another person can learn from my mistakes then I will gladly tell them all I can. As a community of artists, you can grow much more quickly together than when you are alone.

You can find some of my older streams on my video tab. (like the above image) If you would ever like to peek behind the screen and see what secrets I am hiding, everything is laid out before you! Now that I am getting comfortable with an online presence I am looking toward Youtube or other platforms like Patreon to create a polished feed of process videos and possibly courses. Everything from basic drawing lessons, such as figure drawing and perspective to understanding how to use photoshop, watercolor, and/or other artist tools. These would be edited to highlight the best of streams and recordings done on my own time.

Then maybe one day form a mentorship, which is truly one of my biggest goals in life. As an alumni to RISD, I still have a HUGE amount of debt that hinders my ability to reach out to new opportunities that might need a little bit upfront risk. Whereas it is great for students that can afford college to attend a higher education institution, I want to assist those with a similar background as I, to get the start they need. That way the only restrictions, are their own personal desire and determination to pursue the artistic path they dream of!

There are now fourty-seven days until I show at Illuxcon 2017. In the past month I have worked three weeks of overtime. Each week adding an extra hour or two to the day, just to push through the rush season of my day job. I work within POP or Point of Purchase. As of right now, everyone within the retail industry is attempting to fill their aisles with product for the upcoming holidays. But with such a small team it leaves me with two choices. Make money to pay bills or work on artwork to advance career.

Can't work on my career if I don't have a place to stay. Can't have a place to stay if I don't pay for rent. Leaving my job is a very frightening idea and I will be pretty honest. I crave it everyday. Listening to One Fantastic Week (specifically episode 142) with Gerald Brom, he mentioned working within the commercial art field for four years in his early twenties. Photo editing and designing labels for product. He stated after three years the work became boring. But it was the very next two sentences that hit home for me:

I can't tell you how much I relate to those words right now. I have been working within the POP industry in different areas. I started off painting prototype toys for designers at Hasbro. I moved to teaching during an off period between contracts. Then afterward returned to POP on a small team that fulfilled mock-up orders for POP display meetings. (I printed and folded boxes for retail companies/toys). Then after that contract ended, I was hired at a company that worked with toy production displays and other retail product. Which is were I am now. Laying out artwork to be placed on corrugate displays to allure shoppers into buying product. Then I drive home and fit in some drawings or a few layers of paint on a small canvas.

All I want to do is create magical things and sell them to people that love the same genre I do. Can you imagine how much the chart below would look if a whole day was dedicated to a business? And an hour or two of social media was schedule in for promotional purposes, emails, and looking up freelance opportunities. It would be a dream. Starving doing something that I love, already feels less stressful than sitting at a desk all day making some company millions of dollars a year.

Here's a small chart added to what my day looked like with 1 hour of overtime added to work. Not much time for business part and sleep.

Although, the final month of less activity is no excuse. It is definitely an anxiety bomb. Crunch time to prep print product/ banners/ promotional material generally lies within the last two months. But I had time before that, which could have been used much, much, more wisely. (But wasn't. And that is something I need to work on.) I do have stock remaining from my last show that I can lean on to help alleviate stress. Plus, there are framed pieces I have. And I still love to show them off, till they find their new home.

I refuse to give up, and I have been aiming to make every hour count before the show. I drive home. I paint. I plan. I have an old tv show running at the same time as background noise. I eat some sort of sustenance and I keep up with daily vitamins to stave off illness. It is working so far. Thank you Flintstones vitamins! The only thing suffering is my diet and the cleanliness of my apartment. Which can remain that way for a little bit. Bigger plans are in the works! I refuse to let my inner flame flicker out into a puff of smoke. And in the many great words of Brom:
​

​