Corona Zen

   So, I'm back to being creative and back to making my best effort to promote what I do. I've been inspired by a book by Hugh MacLeod so I've started working small. Most of my career I've been inspired by the big canvas. Larger than life people in less than realistic colors. I gave the small stuff a try and it's working wonders for me. Small  4" x 6" watercolors. Drawing on the back of index cards. I really enjoy it. I get an idea, try it out, see how it works, find something to adjust, and start on another one. I've probably done close to a hundred of these small watercolors:

I did a lot of line work, which morphed into perspective (the combination of art and math, what more could I want?). Basic lines, extra lines, wild colors, monochromatics, anything that came to mind. I thought about these pretty much all day every day. Some of them started featuring people (?):

I used these to work out lots of ideas. Some, well, some better than others. I also started another Zen project when I got laid off. I had done a bunch of these before, and they morphed a long way from where they started. I really enjoyed them. I would start them in a small sketchbook and work them until the book was done. This time when the book ran out I started doing them on the back of index cards, which has made them even better. If I get off to a bad start now, I just rip it up and start over. Anyway, I called these Corona Zen. I started with one and I've done one every day since then. The other day I posted Corona Zen 90:

It made me stop and think about all that I've been through in the last ninety days. I started with high artistic hopes, only to have them dashed, and then better ones rise from the ashes. These small works have kept me sane. Also, I had a few three picture frames laying around, so I framed some of these small jewels and posted them on Facebook.

 I'm pretty much selling them as fast as I post them. Who'd a thought? I've also done two more Corona Zens since this one and they've taken a new turn:

I thought I'd pretty much "zenned" it all with this style, but, as usual I was wrong. Not the first time. Won't be the last.

AKO ANG HARI
     DOUG

Here I Am

  Wow. it's been a long time. I didn't realize that I haven't posted this year. Now, there's plenty of excuse as to why I didn't, but it's really  just me not having it in me.  The first part of the year I was feeling kinda blah about creating, so, I didn't. For a long time. A long uncomfortable time. I started to come out of it right before the whole COVID thing hit. In fact, when the virus hit big I was ready to make it something positive. I was laid off from my job ( I never thought there'd come a day when I couldn't wait tables, even though I was willing and able) and decided to make it an art fueled vacation. I even had some money put back, so it should be no problem.
  I started out by restarting my Daily Zen:

Once a day, every day since I was laid off. Today I did number 85. I was also big into doing some t-shirt stuff. I had paint and stencil stuff. I studied up on batik. I even had some ideas about melting crayon wax into shirts. I spent five days grinding crayons in preparation for the experiments. I had even started some online figure drawing classes. I was gonna emerge from the self quarantine as an artistic beast. Then....
   I got denied for unemployment. I really shouldn't have. But I did. Nothing I could do. It was pretty much impossible to talk to a real human on the phone. Stressed me right out. So when my job asked me to come in and do to-go orders, I had to say yes. Even thought it's literally everything I hate about my job. That really messed up my focus and my motivation. So, I put my head down and did the grind.
   Eventually, I started to get the itch. I had read a book by Hugh MacCloud that really changed my outlook. I realized that my art is better when I do it for myself than when I try to make art to make money. I mean, I knew that, but the way he put it really smacked me in the face. I was inspired by he business card drawings and decided to do some small ink and watercolors.

   I did a couple, and then a bunch. Trying new stuff. Finishing quickly and moving on to the next. A great way to work out ideas and styles. Of course, I posted them on social media. I also had ideas for some large acrylics. It was a very productive time (actually, it still is). Something funny happened along the way. All the work I was doing just for me got really popular. And I started selling art. Quite a bit. Probably more in the last six weeks that I've done in the entire time since by shoe gig died out (four years ago-ish).
  So, things are getting better in the art world. The restaurant world is another story, but it is what it is. It's just good to be me lately. I'm really happy with my life and my art.

AKO ANG HARI
        Doug