Art

Ever since I was a kid, I have enjoyed art - drawing, sketching, cartooning, painting, etc.

I remember going through phases, where I would obsess on drawing certain things. I went through a "car phase" where I drew monster-looking hotrods like Big Daddy Roth's "Rat Fink" art, which was real popular with young boys in the early '70s. I had a "perspective phase" where I drew long tree-lined streets disappearing into the distance at a vanishing point. I had an "architecture phase" where I drew Monticello, the Capitol building, cathedrals, etc. I even had a "monsters phase" where I would draw various other-worldly creatures like those in Dungeons and Dragons (can you say young geek?).

My attempts at art were mainly centered around pencil sketching as a kid, but I also recall experimenting with painting (watercolor and acrylic) as a young adult. Just before I met Cathy (probably 1988 or 1989), I painted a watercolor of an tropical island at sunset, based on a photo I had taken on a sailing trip to the Bahamas that year. I gave the painting to my Dad as a gift when he was in the hospital for surgery. When he got home, he hung the painting in his bedroom, where it remains to this day. After Dad passed from Lou Gehrig's disease in 1999 , Mom told me how much he had always loved that painting...

Right around the time I met Cathy, I was in an acrylic painting phase, and was cranking out paintings for different folks. I made paintings for Cathy (snowy footprints with "The Road Less Traveled" poem), Cathy's mom (sand castle with some sort of saying or poem), and Cathy's grandmother (snow-covered pine forest)...basically if you were a female related to Cathy, you got a painting, whether or not you really wanted one!

When we got married, the hustle and bustle of raising two boys (church, scouts, sports, etc) really put a damper on the art hobby. I can recall only a few projects over the last 15 years. For one of the boys (Zach?), I painted a cougar mascot for his scout group. For our family, I made a pen-and-ink "Declaration of Dependence" piece that now hangs in our dining room. And for a Michelin art contest, I made a pen-and-ink montage of historical Michelin Man artwork. But other than that, pretty much nada.

I guess there are many reasons I haven't done much artwork over the last several years. First, I really don't think I have a great talent for it. I do OK if I'm copying from a reference photo, but not so hot just drawing whatever I "see in my mind". Second, I have other hobbies that have taken precedence (music, etc). Third, I really haven't seen the value in doing it, unless someone asks me to do something specific.

But recently, this all changed. Last month I read a book called "A Whole New Mind", which ignited in me a desire to reconnect with my "right brain" self, the part of me which is artistic, graphical, etc. It made me realize that I have spent the last 40 years developing the logical, deductive reasoning part of my brain, but much less on the visual, artistic side.

So, what have I done about it?

Well, a few things. First, I went and bought a Moleskine. A Moleskine is a little leather-bound notebook that artsy types use to record their doodles, rough sketches, storyboards, cartoons, whatever. I keep it next to my "easy chair" at home, and try and doodle in it frequently. Some things I have doodled include ideas for blog headers (mine, Cathy's), cartoon characters, custom fonts, logos, and tattoos (Brandon & Megan's).

Second, I have subscribed to three blogs related to art and graphic design. Check them out: xBlog, moleskinerie, and Drawn!. These blogs link to some really awesome websites by artists, graphic designers, cartoonists, animated film makers, Photoshop gurus, etc. I check them daily, and I'm lovin it.

Finally, since I am now getting up and getting to work an hour earlier as part of my New Year's resolution, after my morning devotion I spend 5-10 minutes sketching. That's not much time, but at least it is something. And over the course of the last month or so, I actually completed a pencil sketch (of a pair of day lilies). It's not much in terms of quality, but to me it is significant because it represents my effort to re-connect with the artsy side of myself, which has been mostly dormant for the last 15 years.

Is there a talent that God has given you which you have been neglecting? Why not work at it for 5-10 minutes a day, and see what you can come up with a month from now!