Try the Word

"5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just--yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them--therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."

Alma 31:5

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/31?lang=eng

This was a really powerful scripture that I remembered today. With so much data and information, speculation and uncertainty in the world today... When all we try seems to leave us empty, why not try the Word of God? Aren't we searching for peace, comfort, happiness, and a better more fulfilling life? Wanted to share. Take care everyone!

It's been a while...

Last entry was December of 2013 sometime. Wow. Time has flown.

So I wonder what I need to say here. I'd like to be simple on updating where things are at for me.
I'm working on getting a studio space. Spring last year our landlord was going to replace carpet downstairs where my studio office was. So I moved out of that space. We finally got it recarpeted a few weeks ago! Yeah, I've been losing my mind on that one. I have decided not to move back down there though. Nadia and the kids need that space. Its cooler for the summers, and makes the upstairs room less of an overlapping space. Its hard for one room to be a sitting room for family and guests, a TV entertainment room, a school room, and dumping ground as you get in the door. Its been painful. So, School and TV go downstairs. The relief of just getting it recarpeted and having that 200+ sq feet back is hard to explain... and getting the mold we found on the walls KILLZ'd and painted over hopefully has our health increasing too.

I ended up divided after that with my studio office space. Nathan Frisby, my good friend, offered space at his shop. And then I set up a small blue foam office/cave in the garage in the meantime as well. This has not been healthy as the shop has dust issues and ladder only access, and the garage cave is packed like a storage closet at times.... and oh yeah, it DIVIDES my space. My friend Mark Alldredge and I are thinking of building a 14x14 shed/shop to have a studio setting in. I'm excited and anxious because I don't' know how to build the darn thing LOL. Nathan does, but he is swamped. I hope me and my brother Chuck can come up with some ideas, and say maybe perhaps come up with a modular shed idea we could sell. Who knows right?

My computer. 4.5 TB have been lost. I left little Michael to watch a show, and he found some fun boxes to beat on the ground. My mistake, but fortunately most of what was dire was backed up on Nadia's laptop or another drive of mine. Still, I think I lost some precious photos. $5K for data recovery in most cases makes this a serious venture if ever it can be done. And so now I have backups of my backups. :) My tower was working well when it was running. Turn it off though, and it really had a hard time deciding to turn back on! SO, I had a job from my old friend Kevin Stohl that gave me the option to be paid in part with a new $1K computer. I chose a Lenovo 27 AIO which I thought was awesome. That is until it couldn't run Photoshop well. Come to find out, my towers dedicated graphics Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX+ from 6 years ago were better than the Nvidia GeForce 740m in the Lenovo :( . Fortunately, my friend Joseph Brower was willing to do a trade for the Lenovo with his 3 year old System 76 laptop of awesomeness. He needed larger visuals for his eyesight, he needed touch capability, and an actually slower PC to do video game development on. I needed power and portability... because for years I have been frustrated being nailed to the desk with a tower. The laptop ran circles around both my tower and the Lenovo, so it was a good deal. My downside was that on one hand, I had a bill to pay and Joseph offered to buy my tower too... and, the laptops screen was terrible. Awesome for programers, and people who needed to see data and visuals etc., but for an artist who needed color and value accuracy, it was dismal. My portability was once again nailed to an external monitor. Not much difference other than if I really need to move, it is WAY easier. My tower setup was a 3-way monitor setup, so after being used to that, a dual monitor setup was almost painful. I've adapted well in the last several months though. My old LG Flatron W2452T died next a few months ago, but fortunately I have the Dell 2408W still, and it is wonderful. Color is off from the LG I was used to, but everything else is superior.

I had a show of my art last year at the Idaho Art Lab where I had a chance for the first time since my BFA Show to put out physical works of mine. I had fun, made a few connections, but didn't' make any revenue from it. I have another show coming up with my birth  mother in June too. I'm a little panicked about how to get the work created for it. Another reason I am antsy to get a studio built? :P

I've had several pieces of work completed, but nowhere near what I have in progress. As usual I have an increasing number of pieces that are WIP and may never see the light of day. Never before have I had a time where I have said no to jobs as much as the last year too. Its this conundrum where I am sought out for my talent and ability, but too often those who want my art cannot pay enough for "my value" as I am told. I'm encouraged to not give up my art or to bury my talent... but still, at the same time "IT" has to get some compensation to survive, or to make me and my family survive... or "IT" has to know its place right? Honestly, it has been hell on the subject of being an artist. Lots of "why's" and "how's" have popped up this last year. Even going back to school to learn something that will make money. Most painful of all I think is the projects that intended to pay well, but either stretched so long that the payment became pennies, or the payment became me investing instead. Both have meaningful beginnings and compensations... but I've seen so many that my ability to financially live has been impaired.

Sigh.... well. Lets steer away from the stresses of money and value for now. You may notice that my website link is directed to a change in the hosts structure and that until I update my website is down. Feel free to visit my DeviantArt profile in the meantime. And now I'll post some artwork I have been able to complete. Enjoy.

digital version and then the acrylic below that is 3 18x24 canvas

a digital painting printed final as 3 24x36 prints

a revisit of the book cover I did years ago - a republication deserved a quick update at least

HERE we go... OIL. only 12x16 though. Still, my first space theme. Think Neverending story more scifi. Inspired by Donato Giancola's work. Look him up.

2 quick concepts that I had fun doing. bottom one is Wizard of OZ inspired... gone scifi :)

very simple. was watching a lot of Bob Ross at the time.

a retake on an old design I did for Ironman back in school

ship design inspired by many many hours watching Feng Zhu tutorials and work. extremely fun

some video game UI ideas... simple dabbling. I don't' game much so I have trouble with content in context

and a couple of game designs I did for a friend to generate ideas. also very fun

In the digital world

     Sigh... In the world of computers don't we all meet that horrible day when our computer really hiccups? Today was a failed hard drive boot. Motherboard, cable, drive.... I don't know yet. I do know that starting all over is a challenge. The small breath of fresh air it is to begin fresh and new is usually shadowed by loss of time, frustration, and just plain irritation. I tried to be my best today. 
     Still kicking, painting, sketching, and otherwise staying alive. Some days are worse than others, but on the whole, it has been a hard lesson next to moments of real inspiration and good support. I'm exhausted, and the reinstall is taking a while, but I will post something soon I hope. Otherwise go to my  
shauncharles.deviantart gallery  and check out some more of my recent work. Lots more to say, but later. Thanks everyone. 

Mispost

I accidentally posted on my http://brushdragon.blogspot.com/ blog today. Here is what I meant to post. Check my other blog too. Its more dedicated to just the art and professional side, not the delicate emotional balancing act of life often posted here. The first ones are of family. My wife's family ALL got together with us. Rare. So it was great. The others are 3 WIP pieces I have been working on on and off for a while besides the paying work I have been doing. Take care.

Work

Do not cast your pearls before swine.
Do not bury your talent.
Though sometimes life looks like the underside of a cross-stitch pattern... have faith that it looks awesome from the Lords side and view! Pray often that you do not feint.

But really folks. I was closing up shop and suddenly a client messages me for some good paying work! You can be sure I was struck with amazement! With his permission I may post the work I am doing for him and the other clients he finds for me, but in the meantime enjoy this image of some abstract/non-representational thumbnails I did a bit ago. I found images I really liked the color, value, and composition of and did these inspired from them. It was fun.

Originality in Truth

I like this quote by C.S. Lewis:

“Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original. Whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring two pence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it.” 

Just wanted to share that. Oh, and anyone need a commission? Website design? Portrait? Fantasy landscape? Or want to invest in a Children's Book of mine? Just checking. 

Time Rolls On

A reminder or two. First is "The Touch of the Masters Hand" which is a favorite of mine.

The Touch of the Masters Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile: "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—" But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, "What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!" said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand
What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:
"The touch of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He's "going" once, and "going" twice,
He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's hand.

Second is something I watched recently on TEDx talks that  reached some deep points for me.
Jonathan Fields talks about turning Fear into Fuel. Reminding me that Paralysis can be overcome.

I've started drafting old posts too. Too much shared drama on my part. I hope no one is offended with me un-publishing them.

I may lose internet for a while, so here is a sketch to finish this post off.

Within Her Face

Just artwork this time. Life is too scary to talk about. Just enjoy my art while it lasts.

Photoshop CS4. A new brush I really really like. 12x16 300 ppi. A nice texture overlayed as well. From a quick digital doodle. I figure it took me split up about 4 days. All together it was maybe 10 hours.

2012 Madison Co. Fair

Today I picked up my entries for the local Madison County Fair here in Idaho. I was fortunate enough to have a good friend encourage me to enter alongside him and for my wife's support.
I entered 5 pieces, which is the maximum number allowed for the Fine Art category. I entered as a professional with 4 oil paintings and 1 digital painting. As shown below in the photos, I entered:

The Emerald City of OZ.  This piece won "Reserve Grand Champion" and "First Premium".

Gryphon's Departure.  This piece won "Second Place" and "First Premium".

The Great Dragon Bastian. This piece won "Second Place" and "First Premium".

Bottles. This piece won "Second Premium".

Rainbow Socks. This Piece won "First Place" and "First Premium".

It was fun to participate. There was a lot of great work from all ages, categories, and styles. I appreciate Madison County for the opportunity. My gratitude for the awards, and the privilege to participate. Thanks go to my good friend Joseph Brower. And Thanks of course to my sweet wife for her support. Also thanks for the support of my parents who now have passed on. Thanks mom and dad.

With that, Enjoy.

 

Mom update.

I realized that after mom passed away I painting a picture of him. I am not sure if I can do that with mom for the time being. I had my own place, work, and school at the time I did that. Now I have very little or none of those..... BUT

I believe I will be doing portraits of mom and dad together potientially. At least it makes sense. First things first however. Still, I want to see what happens. And until then, I wanted to post a great photo of mom.

We love you. We love dad. We love that you and dad are together again.