A Year of Living as an Artist – 2019 in Review

The first time I remember being really good at something is when I began drawing. I was a decent runner, pretty good at soccer, a decent chess player – but I was better at drawing. Even as a child, animals were one of my fascinations. My reading habits included Ranger Rick (a kids environmental magazine), National Geographic, and The Encyclopedia of Mammals. Even at that time, what I wanted to be when I grew up was an artist, or a forest ranger. I wanted to create something great, or preserve something that already was great. It should come as no surprise then that I am now practicing as an artist whose work revolves around discovering, taking pictures of, and portraying wildlife. 

Early 2020 will mark my one year anniversary of pursuing art full-time. Sixteen years after I graduated art school, I finally saw a window opening to pursue what I have loved my whole life and I went after it. Sixteen years of loyalty to corporations that will not reward you for it. Now I am loyal to my heart and my dream, and the rewards of that are hard to put into words. I cannot say I am thriving, or that money is flowing in, but damn it… I am happy and I am free and I am grateful.

This year I got to walk silently through a lush rainforest, swam under a waterfall, and climbed a volcano. I met and talked with artists from Spain, Germany, Bangladesh, Costa Rica and my own community. I was entrusted to create lasting portraits of pets for people who considered them part of their family. I got to see the faces of children light up when they saw my work at art fairs. I was able to see my work blown up onto the walls of buildings in Michigan, displayed on screens in Miami, and printed in the pages of an art magazine. I have seen hawks and vultures soar overhead, a sloth ‘smile’ at me from a nearby tree, a coyote lope quietly through a park, an armadillo huff it’s way through the long grass at my feet, an albino crab scuttle into its riverbank hole, and had a troop of capuchin monkeys climb all over me to grab a snack.

I have long believed that relationships, memories, and experiences are what makes life enjoyable, and living as an artist has been an incredible way of bringing more of each of those into my life.

I have worked hard at making this life happen, but I certainly haven’t done it alone. Thank you to my love and best friend Jamie for being an incredible partner for the last decade, my parents for their unwavering support, my family, friends, and all those who have supported my art and me as a person. If you are interested in my work and are in a position to do so; ordering a commission, buying my work at shows, or subscribing to be a monthly supporter on my Patreon are all incredibly helpful and I am eternally grateful for any and all support.

Let’s make good things happen in 2020.