So I’m finally able to post this piece, the one I was working on for so long but didn’t want to show to hopefully get more people to come see it in person at the show.  This one was a real challenge as it started out in the comp as a day scene but as I began working on it, building from dark to light, I really liked the way the clouds were implying a night scene with the moon coming through them.  A lot of this one was back and forth, changing things as I went.  I think I painted over parts of this one more than any other painting I’ve done yet.

The name of this piece is “Fires Off the Coast of Cherbough” when the artist and crew finally reach close to their destination in France and are greeted with burning ships.  I love the way the story is coming together with each new animal I do.  Each comp suggests the animal’s personality and story and is helping to construct the story as I go.  I have petitioned to take the creative writing masters at Full Sail, one of the many many perks of a great job, and hope that it will enable me to strengthen my writing skills and possibly allow me to even work on the book as I am working towards the degree.  I haven’t been approved yet but, if I am, I have high hopes it will facilitate my writing more (like I need more opportunities for projects.)  I do have a few books already planned including Miranda and the Men from Mars, my Animals book, Finch, and (gulp) a young adult vampire novel.  It isn’t as bad as it sounds.  I have an interesting new take on the genre. We’ll have to see how they come together as I have a lot of painting projects and a huge game I am working on as well.  Maybe I’ll get to that when I’m 80 and retired.