Looking into Teaching!

    I have actually desired to teach caricature for quite a while. Even though I am still growing and improving and expanding my own skills, I love the thought of passing on to others any knowledge I have gained. I love art, people, and the idea of teaching, and would do it for free! But as a single dad, I need to use my skills to support my family; you know, pay the bills! Of course I still am trying to learn how to build my live event gig business so that is more consistant, and I would like to break into illustrative caricature for magazines and publications. I also wouldn't mind selling fine art caricature like the great Sebastian Kruger one day! But alas, I need immediate income!
    Well, I have been contacted by an artist in South Africa who is willing to pay me to teach her. There are a couple of others who have also expressed interest. So it is time for me to get going with this. I am researching and working on the best way for me to teach online or through email. I also need a good price point for my services that is affordable, but also worth my efforts. You will hear more as this developes.
   In the mean time, here are a few more photos from my work at the GA Aquarium. C&Cs welcome! By the way, even though I have a decent camera, many of my photos are a bit washed out which diminishes the vibrancy of the color. I'm still working on the ideal setting for my camera.  Grace to you all!

Still striving.

Greetings out there. Here I am after being away for a while again.  As much as I want to post on a regular basis, it it tough because I have much to deal with in my everyday life. You know how it is. Any way, I am posting some more recent pieces done at the GA Aquarium. Summer was great for me because I was able to work alot of hours there, but now business has slowed down and I am not getting nearly as many hours. I really need to find ways to make my business grow not just doing party caricatures, but illustrative work as well. I know that this is the issue for many caricaturists, but I also realize that there are those who do very well, so I know it can be done. I have tried to ask a couple of the ones doing well what they do to bring in consistant business, but I was told little to nothing. I think that there are artists out there who believe that if they help someone else, that it will hurt them. They keep what they do secret. They seem to see other artists as the "enemy". I whole heartedly believe that even in this down economy, there is business enough for all of us and when you help someone else you also wind up helping yourself. I hope that I can become as successful as I wish to be, because it would be my pleasure to help other artists trying to grow. We all had to start somewhere.

Anyway, here is some recent work. Comments and cits welcome!

Striving to improve

Well, as promised, I am trying to post more often. As I draw, I hope to sharpen and improve my skills. This may seem to be an obvious and unnecessary statement. After all, don't all caricaturist strive to improve their craft? Many, maybe even most do. But there are those who's skills and technique don't seem to change even after many years. They seem to have lost the joy of the art. It becomes just another way to make some money. But while I do not scoff at the money making aspect of drawing caricatures, I feel that if you are blessed to be able to do caricatures, you should always seek to take your art to new levels. This principal, of course, applies to any aspect of life. More on this later. Here are a few more pics from the GA Aquarium and a couple of corporate events.

Keeping it coming!

Here is some more recent work.

More Work

Here is some more from the Aquarium and from a gig I did Saturday in Chattanooga, Tennesse with fifteen other caricaturists for six hours. It is a great pleasure of mine to draw along side of other caricaturists. We have a lot of fun (though it was 95 degrees!!) and I get to admire and learn alot. Can't wait for this years ISCA convention. Because of my steady work at the Aquarium and some increased gig work, I have high hopes to make it this year. It has been too long and I miss my extended "family" of artists.

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but accordind to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,"  Titus 2:5 Do not trust in yourself for salvation, simply accept what Christ has already done for you! Grace to you!

Busy again!

Man! It has been very rough for me the last few months, but I am starting to get back on my feet. Since I am working more regularly, I should be able to post more often. Here are a few recents from my work at the Georgia Aquarioum.

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."  Acts 4:12 speaking of Christ.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Greetings everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas and are having a great new year. Even though I am not into making new years resolutions as such, the new year is a great time to reflect on where you have been and where you are going. It is a time to thank the Lord for past blessings and for challenges as well, as those are sent to increase our dependence upon Him. It is also fine to use the new year as a time to evaluate and set goals, or to change direction if needed. Making a "resolution" involves a promise, a guarantee, which is broken the first time you mess up or deviate from it. I like the idea of setting goals. And as believers in Christ we are told to
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all
your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

and to

"Commit your works to the LORD And your plans will be established" Proverbs 16:3

Therefore, the focus is not on you, but on the Lord.

On that note, one of my goals is to update this blog more often. January and Febuary are typically painfully slow months for party caricature gigs, but I am starting some new pieces to build my portfolio. I'll post progress reports on those as I work on them. Untill next time!!

The picture above is me drawing at a past covention.