TAKING CONTROL OF MY CREATIVE JOURNEY

Illusion and Control is a 6 piece series that explores the journey of finding a creative identity and some of the lessons I have learned along the way.

A GREAT ESCAPE

(GENESIS PIECE)

When you’re young the reason you pursue an education is to invest in your future.

You never jump into it thinking it’s going to backfire.

After doing assignments that I wasn’t enjoying and creating what professors wanted… I decided to leave.

I’m not saying education isn’t important but I like the idea that you should be able to create a personalized curriculum that you want to explore.

Collected by: Scotty Russell Last Sold: ◎2

VIEW SECONDARY

S.O.S. Shiny Object Syndrome

Attracted and distracted. That was me trying to figure out who I was as an artist.

The illusion is a shiny object or a new opportunity.

By falling into this trap, the illusion controls us and time takes another opportunity away from us.

We are what we focus on.

That can be good thing, like focusing on our craft, family, and health.

But focus on the wrong thing, and the illusion will take something more valuable.

Collected by: WD Last Sold: ◎2.69

VIEW SECONDARY

A VICIOUS CYCLE

"Everyone loved the idea but they all had the same comment, it's too bad he can't draw." - Said my college professor

That comment hurt but I have always been able to look back and use it as fuel to get better.

I realized that becoming an artist is its own kind of journey and to never give up when the critics are tearing your work apart.

On a daily basis I deal critics in real life and in my head and it can be a vicious cycle.

But I know if I were to give up, I would love a huge piece of who I am and that would hurt even more.

Collected by: Laura El Last Sold: ◎9.69

VIEW SECONDARY

FRAGMENTS

As a kid I grew up enjoying comic books, cartoons, learning about nature, watching sci-fi movies and robots. But.. I grew up!

I started worrying about being an adult and focused on creating "art that sells".

That’s the Illusion.. making art for the masses..

When we fall into that trap we lose control of our own creative identity and become a slave to someone else's.

I was tired of blending in so I decided that I was going to create the art that I want to see in the world.

My vision took all of those fragments from childhood and put them all together to what you see now.

Collected by: Studio 7 Last Sold: ◎15

VIEW SECONDARY

EMPTY EYES

This piece represents the idea superman syndrome or focusing on too much all at once which is also tethered to imposter syndrome.

The more things we focus on all at once we are pulling that tether of our inner critic closer and closer.

This is especially true if we are not in love with the work we are doing.

Negative feelings of stress, anxiety, depression, and feeling inadequate take over and we become paralyzed.

Instead of focusing on too much, it is important to run your own race and focus on the one thing in front of us that will move us closer to our goals.

Fill those eyes with a focus on what matters most and keep it simple.

Collected by: Big Brain Gallery Last Sold: ◎20

VIEW SECONDARY