A Look Inside My Sketchbook

 I have recently felt like I hadn't set out to make much art in the past two years. I've felt a little stuck. I worked as a retail caricature artist for the better part of those two years, and although it was a "creative" job, I just didn't feel like I was making art that mattered. Since I drew all day at work, I didn't take much time to make art at home.

I did learn a couple valuable things during that job, though. I learned that parting with your art, this thing you have created with your own hands out of nothing, just comes with the territory of being an artist. I learned how not to become so attached to the art I made; I learned not to be precious with my art, and I learned to let it go.

Another thing I learned from being a caricature artist was that humor in art is important. I learned that I wanted to incorporate humor and whimsy into my art. I'm not sure if I have succeeded yet.

Finally, I learned that I really should be making an effort to create every day. Even if it's just a little.

I thought I wasn't making much art during that period, but the truth is, I probably made more drawings than I ever have in any other period of my life. That's pretty impressive in itself. Now, I'm not going to show you examples of the caricatures I did (mostly because I don't have many photos of them), but I will show you a look inside my sketchbook. My sketchbook is something I visit and create in almost every day. I'll be adding excerpts of my other journals on a regular basis here in the coming weeks.

Cover of my Summer 2012 notebook. I took it to Seattle when I visited last year.

I was really interested in exploring hands. 

Menu from a restaurant on Capitol Hill.

Drawings inspired by The Virgin Suicides, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Seattle artist Brandon Vosika.

Marbles and Kermit as Siamese twins!