Less cussing, more art making.

 Surprised I'm adding a new post. I have been at this artistic pursuit of mine for some time. Its been interesting and occasionally I step back and look at what I'm doing and say I have been improving. Yet the vision for where I want to go still moves. On to the illustration art stuff. 

A cool night near the end of this hot year 2020

 Finally updating my blog after more than a year. Still in Melbourne but not working currently, due the pandemic. Tough to find work, had one interview that did not go any where after one actual day on site. Apparently I was good but not a match. a blow to my ego, a week after my birthday. Doesn't help how I think of things in some ways but makes me that much more focused on my own work. 

A year of loses of way too many people from this pandemic. Yet I keep running into people not taking it seriously. A few related to me, people I have bent over backwards for. Yet cannot for this, this shit is serious. Been through too much struggle and development over these last two years especially mostly on my own. Grinding and building myself back up from a very dark time.

Life is precious despite the horrors and obscenities we witness. Believe me, when I didn't know if i was going to see the morning at one point. Seeing the sunlight gradually warm the colors of the trees in the parking lot and hearing the birds song hit me. 

Any how enough gripping, times are hard and so much is still ahead of us. Not the time to quit being vigilant.

Here's some of that work. 

August reigns

Another and the last month of summer has gone by and it has been interesting as usual in this thing we call life. Still getting on my art and grind to mae this life a creative one and enjoy myself from time to time. Yet as it is when you are building something times can be trying. A few pages of recent drawings and such.

Quest, challenges and such.

Finally updating after a long hiatus. Not from creating art that is but basically updating my instagram and tumblr far more often. Also dealing with life drama and such, especially with last month here in Orlando with the shooting.

Such horror happening close by has cemented my view of the uncertainty of life and that I cant settle for the 9-5 grind which is becoming old fashioned and for me very stifling and unhealthy. It is far more infuriating when you have to deal with needs less drama, egos and basically controlling nutters. I shall see what this month will round out as far as my personal progress, times for taing it easy and relaxing are over. I got art to create and stories to share. including a few scans of fairly recent drawings and such. kmrussellart.tumblr.com is where more frequent...much more frequent updates can be seen.

Surprise, surprise...surprise.

Well I'm trying to get back into the habit of frequently scanning and updating this blog o mine. Funny to think it's been almost 8 years or so since I started this thing or rather funny to think how long I've been blogging and posting my sketches and such. Lately many of the same things have been on my mind concerning creating art and such. I 've heard a whole bunch of suggestions, some invited and quite a few uninvited ones. Yet I have to stay true to myself honestly, I can and no longer will apologize for that. Any how on to some recent recent sketches.

The matter of practice

It's been an interesting last few weeks, many things have crossed my mind and I've been in a different place almost weekly mentally when I'm considering what and where I'm going in life. Taking action despite my fears and the gaping possibility and chance of failure seem to be it. Funny enough that describes my approach to many areas not all though in my life these last few years, from heading of to art school without much except a single months worth of rent and no idea how I would pay for school to leaving Illinois and returning to Florida with no idea of what chances and hurdles waited for me.

In either case  over the last 7 years I've had my successes in earning my BFA and failures with the bust of a job hunt (an art job or decent paying one in Illinois/Chicago). So here I am at the beginning of summer having worked at my current job for some almost 9 months, scary how fast time moves when you have  routine and a boring job. Yet it has allowed me on not much pay to get my own place and finally get a decently powerful computer to pursue areas I have been lacking in my skill set.

Honestly I never expected to be able to get my own spot yet it worked out at just the right time and just within my price range. I've ben pushing myself even more in freelancing and learning and honing my skills. My dream is to make this full time and leave the 9-5, my current gig has soured that scenario for me. It seems I'm not the type for it. I hope for the best as usual but work to expect the worst. I may switch to a part time gig soon.  Recently the passing of one of my favorite figure instructors made me really reflect on his advice the way I have grown over the last few years. I have fond memories of his classes and the rush of finally being able to learn and pursue my passions in art and learning. I would have loved to speak to him again but it's been a scramble to just get by much less visit people these last few years. Farewell Fiore Custode, your words and ocassional jokes at my expense still make me chuckle and keep my pencil and brush moving.

Anyhow here are some sample of a few of my recent works in progress, for more steady updates please check kmrussellart.tumblr.com for daily updates via Instagram.

Long overdue

Once again my updating this blog has taken long than I intended, much longer. I've been updating my tumblr more often yet I plan to keep this blog active. Check kmrussellart.tumblr.com for more frequent updates, mostly sketch work though. In any case it's almost been a year since I've been in the Chicagoland area and it' been an experience, not the way I expected though. That's life for ya though, still working on my craft and making steps to be professional, also figuring out my own plan and such and realize that people jut won't get somethings if they don't care to look. Can't let that bother you and jut follow your own convictions. I have recently become an uncle, my brother is now a dad. I remember him as a baby to think that he now has a son is quite funny to think about. Time goes on, this year is almost up and I'm just going to work through it and see what happens next year. Easy to look at my life as being crazy but considering the myriad of problem and occurences in the world, Typhoon Haiyan for one on top the economy and the usual problems, I'm doing alright. On to some sketches and such, with some digital work thrown in.