The Journey

Though I have a goal everytime I sit down to paint, changes always happen. The changes are necessary to improve the final product. Anyone who saw this painting in the early stages probably saw the sold sign across the left corner, which is no longer there. People often read too much into text in paintings so I felt it needed to be changed, hence the barcode. 

As a painter it is important to enjoy the process of painting because otherwise nothing would get done. Seeing a painting come together is really satisfying. When spending anywhere from 3 hours to 8 hours at a time on a painting it is almost more important to enjoy the process than enjoying the finished piece. 

There are many different ways to get to a destination so it is vital to enjoy the journey. 

Working in the studio

Adaptation

Adapting is a process that happens naturally over tens of thousands of years, and happens within just about every species known on Earth. But what if every species in an area was forced to adapt over a shorter span? What would that look like?

This painting explores this idea, which I think really needs a whole series of works (hopefully to come later). But if cacti have to adapt to hold out water what would happen? If cars became useless would boats suffice? How plants and animals as well as humans would adapt in a natural crises like floods or major droughts, really any natural disaster, is interesting to me. Which species would survive? Would porcupines natural defense of spikes benefit them in the case of living in a sea of water? Obviously probably not, they would need to adapt and develop a better defense from predators, like having turbines for feet!   

If the idea of cities being under water or places drying up seems impossible you might want to rethink that. Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston, which isn’t permanent but ocean levels rising could put cities permanently under water.  

As for drying up, there were hundreds of wild fires across the western U.S. last year. Why are lakes and rivers west of the Rocky Mountains drying up? California has been having water issues for a decade, at least, so what happens when Colorado starts using more water as our population booms? Less for California... and their growing population. 

“Adaptation” 

2017 (48”x48”) acrylic on canvas

Practicing What I Preach

The environment and being green is something I think is very important, obviously. Hopefully this comes through in my paintings as well, but I don’t just paint to make a statement about the environment or bring attention to issues regarding pollution or extinction, etc. I also think it is even more important to practice what you preach.  

The easy things like recycling and riding the light rail should be things everyone does, in my opinion. Recycling has just gotten so much easier these days even if all you have to do is take it somewhere, you should. Outside of that I try to make more of an impact because, to me, that is not enough. 

My fiancé and I often go to parks or go on walks and pick up trash and recyclables. This is something we do on a Saturday morning, instead of watching cartoons. My fiancé is part of a group called Keep it Wild which works to clean up areas around the world.  

Someday I also hope to donate money to conservation efforts and other programs like that, especially with sales of my art.  

I saw a post the other day about artists and musicians, celebrities, etc. who preach all of these things but really don’t make an effort the change the world like they say. So this is my argument to that as I do try to make a difference outside of my artwork.  

In a way the gathering of trash could be looked at as an art. I am helping to create a world in which we all would like to live in.

Photo of gathering trash 

Northern White Rhinoceros

Today the last Northern White Rhino has passed away. This is likely the end of the subspecies as there are now only two females left of their kind. It is sad that he had to be guarded 24 hours a day by military from poachers. Money blinded them from the fact that he would be the last of his kind. 

I won't go into too much detail, but if you are interested in reading more the button will take you to an article by National Geographic.