So September was the month I allowed myself to wind down from the DragonCon Art Show, reflect, and ponder ideas for JordanCon and other new art.
Since I work a full time job as an Architectural Designer, the summer becomes a three month Charrette to complete whatever latest painting I've planned for the show. This year, that meant three months of working on Cendrillon at least a little every evening. Plus quickly throwing together more elegant business cards (which you can see above as the red square with my logo), printing/framing the art show pieces, purchasing grid wall this year. As if that weren't enough, I had to load my exhibit in and out by myself since the kids were in school those days. Yeeesh!!
Talking to attendees and fraternizing with the other artists was energizing and enlightening... I learned a lot. There were several big take aways in regards to what people respond to in my work. I also got a great critique from guest artist Justin Gerard, which was very encouraging and motivating. When I added Justin's thoughts to the attendees' comments, I began reconsidering which subjects to move to the top of my to do list. I'm realizing that color, design, pattern, architecture, and even symmetry are personal interests that others also tend to notice and enjoy in my work. And I'm more than happy to throw myself into exploring those themes.
For a week after DragonCon, I would come home from work, eat, and fall asleep. But now I'm finally rested and all I can think about are the new painting ideas that I have to get out of my system. I have three paintings planned for JordanCon... involving the three Taveren boys...which will take a lot of time this winter. Then there are several literary and mythological ideas I feel compelled to create. So it will be interesting to see how this constant barrage of images of wolves and hammers, ravens and spears, crowns and keys, queens and polar bears, goddesses and crescent moons, dragons and gothic towers, and damsels and executioners spin themselves from my brain and to paper... or Wacom board... through the winter and into next spring. I'm gonna need a lot of coffee!