Being an artist has its obvious challenges (other than, you know, bearing your soul for the world to ridicule *shutter*). Not only are you suppose to be able to express who you are by a simple brush or pencil stroke, you are meant to communicate some sort of message with each piece or even invoke some sort of emotional response. This isn't an easy task. That's a lot of pressure. Because, frankly, I don't always have something earth-shattering to convey! Shocker, I'm sure

    The word "active" translates to me as a constant and conscious state of movement, propelling one forward. Because of that personal definition of the word, I recognize that I feel like I'm a bit of a fraud when I claim that I am an artist. Harsh words, but how can I call myself an artist if I'm not actively creating something, anything? So, to take a more active approach at being--- well, active--- I have decided that I would spend the next year back at square one. That's where this blog comes into play... a means of accountability.

   You see, there's this part of me that constantly craves some means of producing art. I catch myself yearning to produce, but I become blocked when I run into a difficult situation. It's almost as if I have a fear of showing anyone my work when it's in progress, concerning myself with a viewers judgement or lack of ability to take me seriously. I am ashamed that I am not better at things than what I am and that I don't have a certain type of style or even a group of works. For instance, Vincent van Gogh had a style that anyone who saw a painting of his would know who created it simply by his brushstrokes. Or even Pablo Picasso had a series within his Blue Period. What doesn't seem to register with me is that there were pieces, hundreds even, that came before. I suppose it is more of an assumption of mine that I could just produce those works without doing the work before hand.

   With that being said you'll understand why this daily doodle blog is more than just a posting of my silly doodles. I am showing my completely raw works, in progress, with no theme and no easy transition. I am not showing my fine art side but my goofy side. Because I feel like that side is what gets my creative juices flowing. My imagination seems to thrive when I create my little creatures, or demons as I've once deemed them. I have always been torn between creating fine art and cartooning. I feel like fine art is the "grown up" variant of art, but my cartooning is where I get to be more free and childish. Granted, I would be lying if I told you that I didn't absolutely adore the petting of my ego when someone is in awe of my fine art... but, I also recognize that when I do my fine art, I tend to take much longer to create a piece and am more likely to leave it rather than finish it when I hit an artists block.

  So, this is your ticket to my inner child. To my subconscious obsession with graffiti-stylized, nonsensical "fluff". Where I get to produce what does not exist on this world. I want to make this light and fun, and not create too much pressure on myself to produce. With that being said, some things will not be "hits". Accepting that is going to be rather huge pill for me to swallow, as previously explained. Also, some time things come out a little more feminine than I would prefer, but I have to learn to appreciate respect whatever muse happened to cross my path that day. I prefer to create my creatures with no direct symbolism to any gender... that influence came from my moment in my youth when a good friend made the comment that all of my silly frog doodles were "girly" and would never be "cool" to boys. BAM! Instant shift in my creating process (thanks, Jeff B! See? You influence me inadvertently... smooth, sir.).


  I ask only one thing from you, my readers/viewers/art stalkers---- comment. Good or bad, comment.. Influence my next piece, inspire me to draw your creation, keep my hand doodling. See me go days without posting? Say something. I need your help to make this happen. I want to see what a year can do for my creative soul...