sketches, work in progress, dreams, books

Yesterday I took a trip to Borders to say my goodbye - there are still a lot of good things there. I might go back, but I don't really had the room for more books! I found a neat book "Art Revolution: Alternative Approaches for Fine Artists and Illustrators" - - amazon link
Pretty too look at, probably fun to read - I'm inspired and frustrated as always when I pick up a great book like this - inspired because its neat and I can identify. frustrated because I feel less unique and talented. (Stupid words, stupid thoughts, but valid thoughts none-the-less, and I know I'm not alone in these thoughts - they are good to share)
I realize I need to take a picture of all my bookshelves sometime, just for fun. Maybe next post. 

Also, a good chunk of my day was spent figuring out my next step with my phone company. I am now on a slightly cheaper plan, but have upgraded to a *gasp* smart phone with a data plan. This is so I can use that squared app thingy that takes credit cards. This is so I don't lose sales at my next event due to my inability to take said credit cards. Hurrah for keeping up with technology and being a *gasp again* business person!

Anyway, lets get to some of the art and art progress. 

SKETCHBOOK IMAGES


I included this because of the 2 women - me in a dress I wear during the fringe show, and the other is my surreal rememberance from another fringe show. 
 
Based on a photo I took behind the Indy convention center during gencon. Somewhat stormy day and factory.  


strange creature 


I actually drew this during Chicago Comic Con when I was feeling particularly drained. 


OTHER:

A small work in progress on masonite - not sure what to put in the middle, or if this is going
to be a smaller section of something large.

   
part of the Cook Theatre. I took this the other day when going to see a fringe show. I loved the shapes in the building.

Thoughts
As an artist, I keep asking myself all sorts of WHYs. and WHAT. What am I doing? Why? What is my focus? How can I connect with other people? Is there something wrong with personal work, can I make personal work connect to others? Do I illustrate? Am I a fine artist? Is the midwest good for me? How can I justify my nonsense and randomness? What do I do with OLD work, or work I don't like?
There may or may not be answers to these questions, but these questions are what keep me wanting to reinvent myself. I feel like I'm on a step up, but unsure of my current footing (artistically). 


 
Again, tell me your dreams. ...  

Day 18 -

Physical art took a backseat today, and when that happens, I focus on the mental aspect of creativity. I plot and theorize and ponder. Where is my art going, what themes am I running with now, where do my inspirations come from?

I will sit, staring into space while a cocophony of half formed images pass through my mind - a brainstorming of color and form, light, shadows and fog - it feels like I'm reaching into a side dimension of pure creative energy. I see a lot of reoccurring images and ideas, perhaps these will someday worm their way into a painting.

I also thought about stories and narrative. I have tried writing in the past. I consider my writing to be good, but I have no ... 'glue' to make things coherent. My writing is surreal, segmented, and occasional. I have ideas for stories and an interest in writing bizarre little vignettes, and perhaps they will surface someday, but for now it is a skill I do not practice.
However, I was reading Dave McKean's "Pictures that Tick"



There are fun little written vignettes here accompanied by images. This inspired me.
I started pondering how I might take the art I have and either write a simple story to accompany them, or how I might create some images to go along with some ideas I could write into words. Not all of them would make sense, but not everything in "Pictures that Tick" made sense either. It was personal and beautiful.
I might just try my hand at something like this in the future.

I'm thinking about getting his other book "Cages".

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I did spend a small time brainstorming another commission in my sketchbook. I find no harm posting it at this stage.