Today is father's day and I was thinking about my dad today and everything he has given me. I am shaped a great deal by his lessons. In my taking up art as a direction I have had many people who have really helped me a long the way. The man in this picture perhaps more than anyone gave me the essential most important thing to have any degree of success in the arts. Confidence in understanding my guts and determination will be what gets me somewhere. He he were to chime in now he would start with a great laugh and say 'well it sure wasn't going to be my talent.' and then laugh some more before getting a serious expression as he explained it isn't talent at all that makes one an artist. Its using what you have to get your ideas across. Those with great ability do not always find it easy to use it. Those with ideas may struggle with how to accomplish something, but the ideas will find their expression as long as one has them. Rico saw me struggling away on piece after piece and he did two important things. He showed me a few technical things that he thought I might be able grab ahold of and perhaps understand, and with practice perhaps even achieve a level of competency. But its the second thing he did that was hugely important, he let me struggle. I think he was the first person, perhaps second that really looked at what I was doing and thought, that's something that can't be taught. Dogged determination in the exploration of ideas and a solid work ethic. I had other instructors who were so bogged down on my inabilities that they didn't allow me to explore. I'll always be thankful to Rico for this. Today I was looking for a picture and was surprised to find this picture in the same folder with a picture of my dad and wanted to give this portrait to the world on this father's day. I have been still experimenting with things so I used his portrait to try out some further finishing ideas I'm having for some of my commercial work. I'm still not sure what I'm after, but thought who better to experiment on than the guy who taught me to do just that!!! Below is a favorite funny picture of my dad and a few other experiments with this technique I may bring into my commercial work this summer.
I get my ability to find just about everything funny from this man. And a thousand other lesson too!
This layering of textures etc… needs work and care of image choice to be successful. But I think there is something there to find.