I was going to hold off on this introduction until tomorrow, but I had the moment and Fridays are always a zoo.

At any rate, my name is Andrew and I am the next contestant on the challenge. While I may not win a years supply of Rice-a-Roni (the San Francisco treat), I do hope to gain some insight to my artistic direction as well as some constructive criticism from you, dear readers. And as the reign of Cina comes to a precarious end I am standing on the precipice in eager anticipation.

But on with the introduction. I am a 41 yr old analytical chemist with a passion for art. I also have a strong desire to make a transition from professional chemist to professional artist. I am an avid sketcher,and love the tactile nature of traditional artistic mediums. I enjoy a variety of subject matter. First and formost I am a bit of a traditionalist. I prefer a sense of realism in my work. I am not, however, a photorealist. I have no desire to paint every pore in my models face or every detail ad nauseum. I much prefer to leave some to the minds and imagination of the viewer.

I only ask a couple of things from the readers of this blog. First, be patient. As I am in the middle of a remodelling job, I don’t currently have internet at home. That will change at some point mid-December, at the start I will be relying on access at work and the Public Library to make my posts. I will update as frequently as possible. Rest assured, I will be drawing and painting fervently the entire time. Secondly, be constructive in your criticism. Let me know what you like and don’t like and what works and what doesn’t. I want to use what I learn here, both in pace and dedication, but from the critque that I get to help guide me in my journey.

Thank you for your time.

Andrew

Well my 30 days are over and it’s been real. I did my final 8 and now I have 40. Collectively I feel like I did well. Like I said the other day, some I like more than others. I still haven’t found my niche but I no longer want one. I like being free to do anything that I want, I don’t want to typecast myself. Like Verna said I am eclectic and like the fact that it shows in every aspect of me and what I do. Thanks for giving me useful and positive comments, a few giggles here and there and the momentum to keep going. Yes…another coach talk…*slaps ass* forget about the talk, I just wanted to slap some ass. -Cina

So I have tried my hands at drawing animals and drew my dog zoe as she slept under my desk. With just 2 more days left and having done a little bit of this and that, when I look back at all the stuff I did, I am pleased. Some were cool, some were meh but I did them and that’s alright with me. I put to paper what was from my mind and I over all like what I see. For a first attempt at doing an animal..uhm not in that way…I think I did pretty good.

Well my quiet time is gone and everyone is back in my space again. I had no time to do anything today when I got home. I had to switch into mommy mode and so for tonight I have this. Another collage,I just put some leaves and dead flowers on here and yes…tissue paper. I had more stuff like bottle caps and some other things but I took them off. I’ll have some alone time to finish up some things I started but never finished during these 27 days and hopefully i’ll have my 10 done by day 30.

Ah 6 more days and 11 left to do…hard to believe. It has flew by so fast. 3 more to add to my collection. The red and green one I am calling Devil’s Juice and my dragon flies well they are just dragon flies

Here’s another one I just did as I was putting my stuff away.

I did 3 today and it’s 2:36. Excellent!

So it’s the day after turkey day and I did absolutely nothing. Which was good, I packed the kids up, packed the husband up, and they all left the house. I was alone…literally. No one, just me and my pets. No screaming two year old, no crying 33 year old, and no stalking 6 year old. Can I say that it was heavenly, as much as I had planned to make the best of that time. All I did was fall in and out of sleep, I even got to take a bath.

Does any one sketch and if so, how committed are you to sketching? So far I haven’t done any sketches. I just draw on whatever and then start painting. Is sketching a real important part for you as an artist? Once I stayed committed for a year to sketching. It did prove a good source of reference for me, but now, I am just like meh to the idea of a sketch book.

Ah I see, so it’s not necessarily about the art but the communication or a combo platter of both. I am almost to the finish line, I can’t say that I have been that good on posting…but I haven’t been that bad or have I? *laffs* I have had one of those months when I really do feel the starving part of the artist but now I can exhale *exhale* and not feel so hungry..literally *laffs* I admired Stacy’s animal paintings and I thought to myself hmmm…hmmm nah It’s 9:04 and I don’t have to be to work till 2, the day before people stuff their belly with turkey and side dishes…I shall be at work watching illegally obtained non-pornographic movies. Woo-hoo!

I have lost count…hmm I am guessing 17 more for the 40 mark, so number wise it seems like a lot but I dont feel stressed out about it. This reminds me of jacobs ladder for some reason. That is what was on my mind as I did this, feeling mighty productive may I add. Go me!

Together a painting, separate paintings…nice I was getting a bit on myself because I missed a few days and you know, you are your hardest critic, boss, whatever. But then I was like hey! that is not the point of this. It is not to stress yourself out but just have fun getting back into the art thing. So I had to pimp slap myself and now here I am posting at 12:39 Better late than never. These are really groovy and I have to say that I really like them. There’s that damn green spot again.

I’m still kicking, I’m kind of at a lost for ideas…kinda…this is totally obscure but do you know what I loathe with a passion? The sound that people make when they sleep…you know that smacking sound like they are thirsty. Just get the hell up and stop smacking already…sheesh! There is a mysterious green spot on my scanner,well not mysterious cause I know what it is but I cant find it and no matter how much I wipe it down I still cant get it. Whatever. The red and black is growing on me, it’s only 5×7 and the one with the goldish shapes…it just looks simple enough to appeal to me.