Questions (WARNING: MAY OFFEND SENSITIVE READERS)

the hard way

After years and years of screwing up, I've come to the realization that many of the life lessons I learned the hard way were things I should have known since I was very young.

These things I've learned

It's f-ing COLD

Not only is it cold, it's windy too. And everyone in the state seems to relish the cold and snow, at least before Christmas time. 

Artist?

I work in a place where not much goes on. I am generally allowed to bring along my lap top and fritter away my shift screwing around on line. Recently my boss was out of town and temporarily replaced by someone who may not have been amicable to me playing Minecraft behind the desk. I knew this in advance, so I blew the dust off of my old sketch book and hit the library for some art instruction books. I picked out a few, and headed off to work. In the few days that followed, I attempted to knock the dust off my drawing skills (that weren't epic in the first place). Point is, I had some fun and have continued to draw almost every day.

Which leads me to now. I'm a big fan of comic strips and web comics. I want to do one, but I don't think I could come up with jokes and punchlines on a regular basis. But I can write a blog. So instead of scouring the internet for ridiculous pictures or animated GIFs, I will blog, and I will draw.

Welcome to the Draw-Blog.

Before I tell you my answer, let's talk about some of the people that would gladly turn to that crazy broad and say, "Why I thought you'd never ask! Yes, God yes! I AM an ARTIST!"

I am NOT one of those people. Let me share with you something that makes my blood boil.

Scrap bookers

fucking scrap bookers.

Ok maybe not ALL scrapbookers are as bad as all that, I'm talking about the middle aged lady who wears yoga pants all the time, but never does yoga. The same lady that would tell you she's not stimulated creatively enough at her job, even though she's not doing anything to change that. The same lady who scrap books.(Disclaimer: nothing wrong with scrap booking by itself) Scrap books by following a template, printing out fun shapes from her Cricket scrap o matic or whatever. Doesn't draw, doesn't paint, doesn't write, doesn't ever divert from the template, couldn't think of what to paste to the next page without consulting the Cricket how to book, and never once creates art. There's nothing wrong at all with what I just described. If you're having fun, hey knock yourself out but if you think for a moment you can call yourself an artist, well you're not only wrong, you're slapping everyone in the face who ever busted their ass trying to draw hands and feet. Or the dancer who destroyed her joints and suffers physically just to be the best at her art. Or the painter who paid thousands of dollars just to learn how to create portraits that won't sell for good money until she dies.

A soldier has to go to basic training, A doctor has to go to med school. Even in a position that doesn't require school, you still have to prove yourself somehow. But go ahead and call yourself an artist and whatever the fuck else you want to be but couldn't be bothered to figure out how.

So to answer the question, no. I don't really think of myself as an artist. I don't do art for a living, not that it's a requirement. I don't think you can really consider yourself an artist until artists call you an artist. Until artists become your peers, you can be a hobbyist, or an enthusiast, or whatever else. I strive for the honor of the title and that's what helps me get better, even if I never get there. 

Well then. That's about it for now. I will try to come up with stuff to do about once a week. So please please comment and share let me know what you think.  bye now!