"Unique Art for Eccentric People"

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"Unique Art for Eccentric People"

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Art isn’t always pretty

I have recently started peddling my artwork locally at the Wednesday Farmers Market in my hometown. It has been quite the experience because up until this summer, all of my work was dropped off at the galleries and then sold by an associate. I never really got to interact with the people who were buying my stuff. I wish I had done this sooner because not only are the people purchasing my stuff super interesting but they all have a story behind why they are purchasing that particular piece of artwork. Fascinating stuff.

People are also intensely curious as to how this whole fish on people artwork started. I get asked where and how did it all start at least 3 times a day. I realized just then that while the art is interesting all on its own, so is the story of how it all began and the inspiration behind the creations.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”

I had already, for many years, dabbled in Anthropomorphic art (animals with people clothing or bodies) but around 2017 I had lost my enjoyment of it. There was roughly a five-year period where I had simply stopped creating artwork. At the time, I was busy trying to get my life together professionally and was spending a large amount of time perfecting my career of being a Real Estate Broker and making money.

Art had always been something I had done on the side and shared only with family and friends. Around this time, my younger sister Aria had opened and had been running successfully, her own Art Gallery and tea emporium. I would often swing by for a cup of tea and creative chats in between my busy job and hectic life demands.

It was one fateful summer that my sister had asked me to create some Nautical art for her Ocean themed exhibition that she wanted to put on. We both felt that most of the local ocean art was a bit redundant and she knew I had just enough edge to possibly come up with something entertaining and different. I agreed despite my demanding career. It had been far too long since I had created anything at all and a deadline is wonderful way to force yourself to get shit done.

I spent a month trying to figure out what to do. Hundreds of google searches looking for inspiration and brainstorming with friends and family, and I had absolutely nothing. Zilch, nada, a blank damn slate. Three weeks before I was supposed to put at least 5 pieces on display and all I had to show for it was 5 blank pieces of paper. Talk about a low-stakes time to be procrastinating.

Right, so there I am sitting in my studio room staring at my DVD collection and mulling over my impending doom and the black and white cover of Casa Blanca caught my eye. It had been YEARS since I watched any of my classics, “The day the earth stood still”, “The Three Stooges”, and “Faulty Towers”. I popped in Casa Blanca and poured myself some Laphroaig Scotch and got lost in time.

Halfway through the movie, I had a true epiphany. I wanted to take the class and style of the 20’s, 30’s, and 50’s and turn it nautical. I already had done dogs, cats, birds, and more so why not with fish? Behold the very first one in the series of “Oceanic Commentary“.

Puffing Fish

He nearly broke me. It was so much harder than I thought it would be. Halfway through I nearly gave up, he just looked like a spikey alien on the shoulders of a person. After much distress, I added the fins and had something I was happy with. I went on to make my original 5 that were displayed and then simply never stopped creating them. To have finally found true love, with enough of a challenge to keep me fully entertained, I imagine I shall never stop making them.

View the Puffing Fish in our online store!

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