So as with anything else that is going on in my life a question was asked of me that made me take pause to not only the meal I was eating but everything else else that I was thinking about / feeling.
Kind of a loaded question.
The statement carried with itself a long list of ideas and concepts that had been floating around my brain since days of Junior High School (when they still had those) back in 1980's. The English teacher back then Miss Kelly had possed the question "What would you want on your grave stone?" That idea was brought up again by my friend Dax after talking to him about the abysmal sales at the Crypticon show.
He asked me "Ben, would you want to be remembered as the guy who could draw and pay his bills OR would you rather be remembered for being a great artist? Both are equally valid answers but they have different ways of getting there."
It was a valid question for me and I had to stop eating and made me think about that earlier statement.
I answered with enthusiasm which I am sure wasn't a big surprise for Dax. "A great artist." I know my work is good and it is sellable. I also know that the scratchboard work I do currently isn't wildly used by many people but it is gaining popularity and I want to be at the forefront of that movement.
And with that things that have been in a log jam of sorts such as when the next show will be and newest if commissions to fill and art to create not only out of vanity but work that ispires. There are three pieces that I have done that transends vanity. Something that moves through me not from me.
A little woo woo? I'm sure that is how it sounds but like Stephen King once wrote about how he was writting the Dark Tower series he wasn't writing so much as he was channeling it.
There are pieces that I have done over the years that are like that. The first was a pencil drawing that I did in High School- Scarecrow.
The next was a image of Jeff Goldbloom using several inking techinques for art school. The next one was an airbrush piece of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates from the orginal Psycho.
Then a long hiatus as always due to personal bs. Then the scratchboard came into view. WOW! Three pieces that have really come along are the
All are really nice complete images.
And I know where it origin lies- Jim Starling.
As a kid I collected comics and his work on the Avengers Annual #7 and Adam Warlock and Captian Marvel all had a great story telling device the illustrative comic montage.
This was so much more apparent in his work of The Metamorphosis Oddesy.
Also that story was much more adult in its content than the other comics I was reading. It was fucking awesome. In content, layout and design. I tried very hard to pull those kind of elements into what ever I working on at the time.
And now, as of this date, time to put that kinda work to the test.
BECAUSE....
Now there is a new OMS taking place OR SCRATCH n BURN SHOW 2014!- as I like to call it currently.
This is the kind of venue that seems to work for me really well.
But it also means im gonna be putting in some time to make twi new 16"x20" pieces and a ooster to promote the work. The weather is great outside so I think I can do a show well. No as big a space as the Slingshot Lounge or NWIPA but big enough to show for about 10 pieces to go up.
Half of my inventory with at least two new pieces= Awesome!
So here is to my next show. Cheers!
DDREAMS OF ELYSIUM:
ODDITIES:
Fun stuff.
As Doug Jones was the HIGHEST point of the Crypticon Experince I also received notice from Tumblr that Doug Jones is now following me! That's pretty awesome in my book.
OTHER NOTE WORTHY THINGS :
If your wanting to look at some of the older blog for Black Box Comix you can check them out here. Black Box Comix Blog.
blackbox13.tumblr.com/ as well
Or if you're interested in purchasing something that catches your eye check out here on the Big Cartel web site. Big Cartel.
And of course is always the backlog of comics here at Indyplanet.
And the kid is out of here!
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