Power to the Peculiar

I am on this mad mission to capture the essence of peculiar children the world over!!!

Why?

Because I feel there is great power in being

distinctive, different from the usual or normal, special, particular, odd, curious, eccentric, and queer.  This summer I am reading Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children & Quiet: The Power of Introverts In a World That Can't Stop Talking

In an excerpt from the latter: 

But we make a grave mistake to embrace the Extrovert Ideal so unthinkingly. Some of our greatest ideas, art, and inventions—from the theory of evolution to van Goghʼs sunflowers to the personal computer— came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune in to their inner worlds and the treasures to be found there.

In a family of TYPE A's I battle constantly with being 'misunderstood' and I've exhausted myself for decades trying to fit into the great American "Extrovert Ideal"

What about us, the peculiar, makes the extrovert so uncomfortable??????

I think we need to treasure kids that don't fit the 'ideal' by immortalizing them in picture books & early readers.

WHERE ARE THE 21ST CENTURY PIPPY LONGSTOCKINGS???????

My style of illustration was recently dubbed 'peculiar'...at first that smacked of insult.  But now I don't care.  I am growing quite fond of my distinctive, odd, curious and queer cast of characters.  I just know they will one day mark their own unique place in history!

Slow and Steady...

has helped me find my groove, my aesthetic & my favorite tools.  Now I am finally figuring out how to work it.  If I have one word of advice to the newbie/novice/more beginner than me types it is PATIENCE!!!!!!!!

Keep working at your own pace.

Know that the work you are doing today may not be your best work.

Keep at it.

Don't show it all...

Listen to your gut...it knows if you aren't being honest!!!!

   

A Work In Progress! Never Give Up On Your Dreams!

This month is my 3 year illustration 'dream' anniversary so I thought I'd show you how far I've come. They say 'a picture is worth a thousand words' so here is the one that started it all.

On a balmy night in June 2010 I dug out an old sketchbook, Sharpie pen and Prismacolor markers that, surprisingly, still worked 17 years after their last use in college.

I haven't been able to stop drawing since...

My style has evolved - A LOT.

But I still look upon this sketch with a great deal of love, for in it there was a tremendous amount of joy, humor, selflessness & abandon!

So here is how I've progressed...

Amazing what practice, patience and persistence can do...along with a whole lotta vision, faith and desire.

The dream is still progressing, bigger goals still need to be reached...

don't stop climbing.

But every once in awhile take a look down & see how far you've come!!!