This is the pen and ink bear I did for the sketchbook project. I really like this one and am a little sad that I will have to send it away!!

The Sketchbook Project

I decided to sign up for this "Sketchbook Project" thing.

Boy, what a challenge it is!!

It is a 5"x8" moleskin book that has 80(both sides counted) pages to fill up! It has to be postmarked by January 15th - but I'd like to have it mailed by the 10 since I am in Canada.

What they are doing with it is sending all the books on a tour of the USA and then archiving them in an art library in Brooklyn, NY! Pretty cool I think!

I am afraid I am not going to be able to fill it up completely, and I have chosen to attatch some of my favorite photos in it as well. I called it "Inspiration". I am excited to have so many people see what I do. The place that is putting it on is also going to upload it to the net, so once that finally happpens I will post a link!

For now, I am uploading the cover. I am documenting the creation of it as best as I can.

I am treating it as if it were a resume of sorts.

Also, in other news, I am going to be teaching a few drawing workshops down in Nanaimo in the spring!! A fellow equine artist found me - on here of all places and contacted me! I am very excited to be doing this! Check out www.broodyrooster.com!! That is where the workshops will beheld!! One on mid February and another possibly in March so far!! Details are available on the website! I am just hoping I can teach myself to teach others!! It's going to be interesting and a very fun challenge for myself as an artist! It is like a dream come true to beable to do something with my artistic talents and to be able to share the experience with others!!

Grizzly Photo

One of the bears from the tour!!

Getting Back Into It!!

Hello!!!
So... I finally got the guts to quit my toxic, soul sucking, inspiration killing job and have been able to resurrect my creativity!! I feel like a million bucks! I have been taking some time for myself and drawing and being creative and it is great! I feel so good! I am hoping to have some more time and desire to want to create and share it with everyone!

Life is good right now! Good things have been happening to me and it is really encouraging me to keep rolling forward!

I had a rough go earlier this year. My mom passed away late February and that was tough on me. It really sucked a lot of life out of me and I had no urge to do anything outside of basic functioning for a while. Then, once summer hit I got to thinking about how short and precious life was. My mother was 54. If I were her, I'd be at the half way point of my life! I started to take some chances and do things that I normally would wuss out and not do. I flew from Vancouver island to Winnipeg and saw Bon Jovi... something that she and I wanted to do together. My fiancee was working out there and wanted me to come visit and I was hesitant to go because of cost and taking time off of work. Then he casually mentioned that Bon Jovi was playing (non really knowing about my deep seeded LOVE for them) and I had flights booked and tickets payed for in a matter of moments!! I say - it was one of the best weekends of my life!! I ate lunch at Hooters, went to Cabela's and Wholesale Sports all in the same afternoon!! Went to Huntfest 2010 and the Winnipeg Zoo!! All between Friday afternoon and Monday afternoon.

Then come August I woke up on a Wednesday morning and decided I wanted to take a road trip up to Dawson Creek to see my fiancee. While I was up there, on the Saturday, I decided I wanted to go down to Edmonton to see my brother and my new baby niece(my mom never got to meet her). I called work and told them I needed a few more days. I drove there on the 6 month anniversary of her passing. I didn't tell them. I just showed up. Then I headed home and rode on the Hells Gate Air tram and stopped everywhere to take pictures!! That trip spawned 1200+ photos!!

Then to top off the summer, I got a chance to take a grizzly bear tour! My best friend's boyfriend does them and I got a chance to go. I had never seen a grizzly bear in my life! I will never forget the feeling I had when I laid eyes on that first bear. It was unlike anything I have ever felt before!! THEN to top the day off we saw a bunch of orcas on the way back!!!

Needless to say, I had one of the best summers of my life. Unfortunately, that summer was born of tragedy. And I hate to say it took such an event to make me learn how to LIVE.

Thanks for reading about how I spent my summer vacation!!! It was amazing and I wanted to share!!

Here is another piece I have in the works. A zebra.... from a photo I took at the zoo in Winnipeg!!

Here is an update of the bear painting....

Well... I am trying to upload an update photo of the bear painting but I have been unsuccessful in doing so!! I will keep trying throughout the day! Geez the internet is frustrating sometimes!!!