the portfolio site has been updated with the start of the new direction that I’m planning on heading in here in the studio. New colors, simpler (I hope) navigation, and a soon to be expanding digital painting section being featured. The first of my new canvas prints is scheduled to arrive today via Fed Ex, so I’m eagerly awaiting that. Hopefully all will be in order, and I’ll be getting another one set up for printing and delivery this afternoon. I’m pricing and comparing canvases this morning for my mixed media piece I need to start. We found this great iron grill at an antique shop last weekend that I’m going to mount on painted canvas and do some nifty double framing kind of stuff with.

Also, I’m weighing options this morning. Every artist goes through times where money is tight, and right now, money is TIGHT. It’s closing in on being dangerously tight, and problematic actually. So I need to get creative here, without getting stressed somehow, and find a way to get some money in here in the next 2 weeks. I’m already lying awake at night trying to brainstorm things to do here, and thankfully I’m not being worn out by it yet, just worn down.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m not terribly high strung or mean spirited. I’m actually a pretty nice guy, who is fairly patient, and helps people out to the best of my ability most of the time. However there is also the part of me that knows when enough is enough, and realizes that being nice doesn’t always equate to being successful. I’m honest and upfront, sometimes to a fault. I speak my mind, and don’t really kiss anyones butt. Which again, doesn’t always equate to the best decision. But you know what you’re going to get with me, and you’ll know where you stand. It takes a lot to earn my respect, and when I respect someone, I usually tend to give them the benefit of the doubt when things happen as they do to all of us. However when something happens once it’s forgivable, when it happens twice, it’s understandable and forgivable, when it happens 3 times it’s starting to become a problem and you’re on your last leg with me, more than 3 times with little in the way of explanation and then I’m close to being done with you.

I’ve run my own business for 5 years now, improving my profits and success each year. I haven’t done that and been able to make a living being self-employed in one of the worst state economies in the country by making too many bad decisions. I’ve changed my company focus numerous times, from web design and graphic design, to marketing and advertising, to illustration, to business consultation and brand management, to comic books and concept art. I always manage to find a way to be profitable and somewhat stable while growing my business. Doing that does not come about by making too many bad decisions from which you can’t recover. When you’ve in a situation where things are not going well, you have to persevere but you also have to look at ways in which you can adapt and improve your standing. So that’s what I’m doing now. And I’m hoping that my next decision is going to be a good one.