For the past several months I have been applying for public art events and projects. After a good 20 rejections I received an a acceptance phone call and email of a show in 6/8 and 6/9 Pittsburgh PA.  Great news and finally the validation as I have to admit I was getting frustrated with the rejections and took a brake from applying the past few weeks.

However the problem is that I have a solo show the day before that weekend on 6/7.  This obviously puts me at a situation where I would have to fly out sometime right after my show (including the art).  This of course is the small problem the biggest problem is getting out there!

At this point I was expecting a trip anywhere so a plane ticket is not in the budget.  But that doesn’t matter because I need to find away to get to the show as I feel the exposure, experience, and event can help further my career.

After brainstorming all weekend I have no idea how to make this work financially.  I found a place that I could stay and could potentially send my art to early (if I use different art from my solo show) I can’t end up rejecting my first acceptance.   None the less its good news and a victory!!!

Took a few weeks off from drawing and the blog but hope to get back into the swing of things.  I have two solo shows I’m preparing for over the summer and hope to generate a lot of interest in Colorado for my work.

Another cool thing that happened is that the Washington Redskins are going to use one of my mazes for an activity book that they distribute to the D.C. area.  It will be in 300k books so that will definitely gain exposure.

I wanted to share an interview I had with a local (Denver) magazine.  I also secured a gallery for two solo shows this summer and with 2-3 fairs I look forward to the exposure.

On an icy Denver evening in the dead of winter, I was welcomed into the warm and bustling home of an artist named Warren Stokes.  As his three boys sat around eating dinner, the boys’ mother—Stokes’ college sweetheart—apologized for their house not being tidy. She mentioned that they would be moving at the end of the week. Blown away by a family that would invite me into their home, at dinnertime, on moving week, immediately set the tone for the interview—these were some seriously kind people.

As Stokes and I settled onto the living room floor, we began talking about everything from his artwork to how he met the beautiful mother of his children, Shana.Stokes’ incredible passion and charisma was instantly clear. And I was hardly surprised when he mentioned his sons as his biggest source of inspiration.

Visit http://303magazine.com/2013/04/maze-ing-warren-stokes/ to read the rest of the interview.

As I mentioned a few months ago my friend Serenity who has cancer put on an art show to raise funds for her medical expenses.  Here is the piece I did for her.  She likes dolphins, butterflies and hearts.  So I tried to incorporate all of them into a single maze and make it work.  Not my best work but I have to say that the attempt really sparked a change in my work.

The past two mazes I shared were completed after this one.  And I can see in my work more of a story vibe to each maze.  This maze that took a lot longer than usual was the first attempt to the new direction that my art is taking.

After doing this maze I figured out my fear of using colors is over.  I could have done better but I like what color does to the maze and how it can help tell a story and add a mood.  I realize I could use some help in the color coordinating department but mazes aren’t built in a day.

The piece is called Freedom by Death and tells a story of the middle passage.  What I like about this maze is that I have been trying to figure out a way to almost create a comic strip setting in mazes that tell a story in one image.  I feel like I accomplished that with this maze.

Don’t mistake slow progress for failure!  My motto

I recently shared my intervention story with the blog.  Well I explained my family moving without me but I left out that I didn’t have a place.   Homeless! My refusal to work for anyone else cost me my wife.  I also reached out to the subscribers of this blog to see or validate weather I was wasting my time or do I provide something of value.  I felt a $2 charge to see my work with inspiration would work.  After getting 1 subscriber willing to pay $2 I was ready to give up.

However, thanks to my anger with my wife I was given an extra boost and decided to go all out do art/sports camps or die!  And damit I’m not rich and still need a home but significant things have happened in my life.

First and foremost look at the art!!! Damn I’m proud of this peace and the direction my art is starting to take with the addition of color.  Pain sure makes good art!

Second a hospital purchased 30 of my maze books!  So after a decade of rejections by publishers, self publishing has paid off.  I’m officially a published author!!!!!

Third I secured a company Max Muscle to sponsor a cross promotion of  my soccer camp.

Fourth and most important me and my boys woke up this morning!  I get a chance to experience another day, see and hear my kids laugh, create another maze, taste another meal!!! The past few weeks have been tough but I’ve learned to enjoy the moments because so many of them come during the pain/day that if you hold on to them tight enough they will keep you from the drowning tides.

I feel 100% sure that I’m on the “write” path and I refuse to give up to what others think is the correct way for me to go.

Maze: This is a print “Flared Out” aka maze 363.  I chose to share this with you because I wanted some art work that shows color and hope.  I’ve had a crazy week.  I had an interview with a local magazine, accepted to two separate online art sites, and partnered with a photographer who is going to shoot all 400+ pieces of my art in exchange for my promoting his photography business.

My wife decided to move on today as well.  Not a surprise I chose to focus on our family, and purpose rather than riches.  Life right now feels as though I jumped out of an airplane with a parachute that has a 50% chance of opening.  And the faster I fall and closer I get to the ground I feel more and more confident that it will open.  But I’m losing all my “equipment” on the way down.

I sometimes wonder how sweet the landing will be if I have nothing left when I land.  But mostly I just can’t wait to hit the ground alive because lets be real any landing survived is one to be celebrated.

I have to thank her for opening my eyes and sharing my journey into fatherhood.    As well as setting me free to travel into my next journey!

Maze 51:  Yesterday I scheduled a interview with a writer from 303 Magazine a major culture magazine in Denver that wants to do a profile on me.  I’m excited as the publication reaches a large part of the “art buying” crowd in Denver.  Not to mention the fact that press always helps ones career.  I will share the article once its published.

This is the last maze that I created for the card playing company.

 Maze 50:  I was given an “intervention” yesterday.  It was based on my refusal to give up my art.  Not give up so much as get a  ”real job.”   They pointed out how I’ve hurt my family, marriage and struggle to make ends meet.  And ultimately could potentially lose everything if I don’t give up the maze.

I understand them and to a certain extent agree with them.  But my feelings tell me that I’m on the right path.  I feel that I was put here to inspire and motivate people with my writing, coaching and art.  I argued with them because I don’t just sit around drawing mazes waiting for someone to pay me millions to do my art.  I go door to door, make phone calls to businesses, and deliver flyers to make ends admittedly “barely” meet.

However the 6000+ subscribers to this blog, the feedback from the players and parents I coach, and various other projects proves to me that my purpose is being served regardless of the finances.

As my loved ones so painfully stated “The landlord and grocery store don’t except Inspiration as payment ”  This is true.  When I look at this blog I’ve sold a total of one calendar during its duration.  And according to my loved ones who again are correct a calling can pay the bills.  And for the sake of my family and I it needs to or you will lose everything.

The purpose of this post is to see if I’m indeed fooling myself from a financial standpoint.  Starting March first I will have a new blog called Maze-spiration a daily maze and quote with a weekly jigsaw puzzle of my art included on Fridays.  There is a one time subscription fee of $2.

I’m asking everyone who subscribed to support my venture.  But with a catch, I don’t want sympathy support.  I want support based on merit.  Based only if you found inspiration in my art, words, or the maze a day challenge.  One way or the other I would like feedback.  So please fill out the contact form and let me have it.  If you want to subscribe please check subscribe and payment type I will contact you with payment info.  Thanks for your support!

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Maze 50: Yet another design!

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