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