We Bought A Basketball Hoop

  

Earlier last week we bought a basketball hoop, not a zoo because I watched the movie and a hoop is couple dimes cheaper. One thing I can say is that it feels good to play, either seriously or just for fun. I love watching my kids play and try

hard to make a bucket. I love the focus, energy and flow of the sport. Watching the Cavaliers win the championship only inspired my early days of watching the Jordan era and really motivated me to play again.Of coarse I’m not planning to join the NBA, but putting basketball back in my life has boosted my soul creatively and whole as a father and husband playing with my wife and kids. 

  Watching LeBron finally achieve his dream really inspired me to keep following mine, and whether you love him or hate him (I love him, don’t care) you have to look at his career and effort. When you work hard and want to achieve something, you’re going to polarize people and I’m sure he doesn’t even listen to the haters. He’s beyond that and I think that he’s taught an important message in today’s world and that is without hard work, determination, failure, vulnerability, mistakes, risk and focus nothing comes your way and it’s not always going to come the way you think.

  Yes, he came into the game at an early age with great skills but it didn’t end there, he had to grow with the game and realize this is not won overnight. Single games are short, but your whole career as basketball player is a long game and that’s what it takes to win. I’m not going into the hate debate deep, but I will say this just once, look at yourself, LeBron won because who else was pushing as hard, who else continued to find ways around, it wasn’t just talent, it was pure hard work and determination. I’m sure if he didn’t win this year he’d try again and again and it took 13 years to do it.

  

 

Again, I’m not going deep in his story, however his achievement is an inspiring one. That if we all keep believing, work hard, stay humble and give ourselves to others, only great things can come. Great things are hard to achieve, it’s scary and risky, think about his pressure, just a kid from Akron. We’re all just a kid from somewhere, so where do you plan to go today?

Summer 2016 Card Series - Card#2 - Birthday Card "Another Year Going Up"

You Are Awesome Sauce!

This is my first in a series of thank you cards I'm making right now. This is why I love making art! There are always ways for us to give back through making things, and that is for people!

Don't Be Scared Just Be Prepared

  There's a few projects that I'm working on currently that I'm super hyped about. They pose new challenges that for the most part I'm ready to face. For some people this can cause them to run away because they feel threatened by fear they're not good enough.
  The best way I faced challenges in the past was to keep learning and stay sharp even if time is not on your side. Everyday set apart some time to focus on your work, whether that is personal projects, learning new tools, or practice that applies to your work. For example, if you are hoping to get work for t-shirts, in your own time just test some designs, learn ways of printing those shirts and so on. It's the best time to make mistakes before the real work comes along that you aren't prepared for.
  Years ago, I was asked to paint a mural in a dining hall of a nursing home. I accepted the offer before really knowing anything about my style or mural work. I got overwhelmed, I did't know what I wanted and I'm sure the client didn't feel confident in me. I was honest to my client about the work and dropped the offer. Now as time has passed and I've practiced and built a style I feel confident in. I can say I could've challenged that project today, but only because I've prepared myself the challenges before it's really time to face them.

Designed this card for my wife for our 9th anniversary.

My wife loves adult coloring, so as a gift for Mother's Day this past weekend I created a piece for her inspired by the ocean and other things that are part of that environment. My wife and kids really loved it and I got some really great feedback from other family and friends. If adult coloring is to be therapeutic or meditative, making this work has the same effect. The challenge and process was awesomely fun. I will be revisiting this type of work and will post more again. Until then, have fun with this one.

Restaurant and kitchen logo design for House 85. Developing a full menu with other content with consistent style. I'm definitely feeling good vibes from this project and see many uses for this concept. I'll be posting further progress in the coming weeks.