mike 9/27/14 mike 9/27/14

30 in 30: Day 28

Day 28 of my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I'm using sketches i created from Instagram photos on my iPhone I did as part of a 100 day project and turing 30 of them into paintings. User: @kwick

Original Instagram photo:

100 Day iPhone Sketch:

30 in 30 day painting:

Acrylic & Ink. 8 x 8 on 140 lb. watercolor paper.

mike 9/25/14 mike 9/25/14

30 in 30: Day 26

Day 26 of my 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. I'm using sketches i created from Instagram photos on my iPhone I did as part of a 100 day project and turing 30 of them into paintings. User: @mediapeople

Original Instagram photo:

100 Day iPhone Sketch:

30 in 30 day painting:

Acrylic & Ink. 8 x 8 on 140 lb. watercolor paper.

mike 5/7/14 mike 5/7/14

The Best Drawing All Week

If you've been tracking with my art, you know I've been doing a 100 Day Project. I'm at Day 61.

My normal routine is to flick through my Instagram feed & look for an interesting photo that i will then sketch on my iPhone. I've been trying not double up on anyone and so far, so good.

So today, as I flicked through my feed. I came across a photo from @mediapeople (Nathan Davis) of his daughter being prepped for surgery. I met Nathan once a long time ago at a church media conference. We were hanging out in the same crowd for maybe all of a half hour. So I did what any media guy does & followed him on twitter. I don't even know that we talked.

Fast forward to today. Seeing the photo he posted of his little girl Aleah, I knew I had to sketch his photo. As a dad, my heart swelled. As a believer in Jesus, I prayed for her as I sketched.

When I posted it, Nathan immediately responded that he was so encouraged, and as well he showed his daughter & it brought a smile to her face. That is why this is the best thing I've drawn all week. If my art can bring a connection, if i can use it as a gift (small as it is), then i feel like this is the best use of the abilities God has given me.

I don't know if you are the praying type, but if you are, would you pray for Aleah right now? She's been on a long road with surgeries to recover from a spinal cord injury from three years ago. If you're on Intagram, share some love on Nathan's account - @mediapeople

Sometimes the internet & social media just seem to rob you of time and amounts to nothing good. That's why I love when things like this happen to connect people. Why not join in & encourage these parents and their daughter? I triple-dog-dare you.