You won’t believe what my dog did!

I recently posted a question on Facebook, asking what the funniest thing a pet had done. There were a variety of answers, most involving bring back live (or dead) rodents as presents to their owners.

I figured it was time to share my story.  

Several years ago we brought home our second dog, Cooper, from a local Chihuahua rescue. He was adjusting nicely to his new home. One night my wife and I had an evening out, leaving my mom to watch my two young children and two dogs. We left some instructions for my mom about the kids and the dogs, and went on our way.

We arrived home late that evening, had a quick catch up with my mom, and was assured all went well. My wife headed straight to bed and I followed about an hour or so later.

I quietly entered our bedroom as to not disturb my sleeping wife. Fumbling through the dark, I reached my bed, where I carefully turned down the covers, and then my hand made my way to my pillow.

I was surprised when I felt something, so I picked it up thinking it was one of my kids toys. Now, because it was so dark, maybe it was instincts, but I lifted the object that was resting on my pillow towards my face to see what it was. It immediately registered in my brain what it was. I yelled, and dropped the “object”. Yes, it was dog poop. On my pillow. I was sure this was Cooper’s paybacks for us leaving him for the evening.

My wife sat up when I screamed to see what was going on. I quickly disposed of the intruder, stripping my pillow case, and perhaps burning my pillow.

Apparently Cooper had been trained at the rescue to relieve himself on wee wee pads. I guess old habits die hard.

It wasn’t funny at the time, but looking back we can laugh now. I don’t know what’s funnier - the fact that I lifted this turd to my face in the dark, or that my wife fell asleep next to it!

What is the funniest thing your dog has ever done?

Leave me a comment. Can you top my story?

An Unresolved Idea: The Art of Storytelling

This is going to be one of those blog posts that doesn't have a bow on top. It's not going to resolve nicely, or present a complete narrative, or 5 ways to do such and such. No, this post is just me sharing an idea. Sharing something incomplete. Who knows, maybe you’ll help play a part in helping complete it.

Last year, I came to the realization that there just might be more opportunity in this thing I “just do”, namely drawing. Out of that and a trip to a conference called Tribe, was born a new service I now provide - event sketching. You can read more about that here.

This year, i’m feeling prompted to take that idea further. I need to tell more stories in my art - on location and in the moment drawings of people and places, events and stories. A kind of experiencing and then reporting with the art that is created.

I’ve done a little of this in the past. A few years ago, I was able to go on a missions trip with my church, partnering with Living Water International, an organization that helps bring clean water to those most in need of it. We were sent to help build a well, and teach the village about hygiene and the importance of clean water.

While on this trip to Nicaragua, I brought along a sketchbook and chronicled the trip. I drew and painted everything from the travel, to the teammates, to the activities we did and the people we met. At the time I didn’t realize how important this act of creating art in the moment would actually be. It’s been a few years, but I can open that sketchbook and vividly remember details that not even a photograph could help capture. The stories I encountered are forever linked with the art I created.

“The stories I encountered are forever linked with the art I created.”

Fast forward to today. I’ve been intentionally taking more time out to be quiet, listen and pray. This idea returns to me. How can I tell more stories through my art this year? How can I leverage it for the benefit and service of others, especially those without a voice, those who need to have their story told? What could that look like?

These are the questions i’m pondering. I don’t know what that looks like yet. I don’t have opportunity, connections, resources, money…. or anything really, except this idea. Maybe something happens, maybe it doesn't. I really don't know to be honest. But perhaps you have a thought to contribute, or another piece of the puzzle. If you do, I'd love to hear it.

So that's all I’ve got for now. This embryo of an idea. Maybe it's premature to bring out into the light, but the thing is, this idea feels bigger than me. So it's not about me keeping it under wraps until I figure it out, it's about releasing this and seeing if it resonates with more people too. And grows.

Whatever happens, I hope to create more art that tells stories that honor people, and glorify God.

What story would you tell through art?

Everything I Needed to Know about Avoidance I Learned in Grade School

When I was a kid, I hated Math. (I still do, unless it’s counting money, which needs to happen more…). I went to a private Catholic elementary school, but luckily didn’t actually have a nun as my teacher for Math class.

On one occasion for homework, I turned in my textbook to the pages where I was to find my math problems -  but I encountered another sort of problem. The pages were missing.

We had old textbooks, and this was long before any real computer use for educational purposes. So I returned to school the next day, misfit textbook in hand. What happened next surprised me, and then corrupted me. My teacher basically blamed the old text books, and I got a free pass from something I really didn’t want to do. (Calculate those odds!)

Here comes the corruption. My 5th grade mind wondered if more of my pages were “missing” - would I get the same fortuitous results? Maybe I was justifying it as an “experiment”. So I did what any 5th grade boy trying to avoid homework would do- I ripped out more pages. And knowing I needed to get rid of the evidence so it would never be found (My dad was a NYC detective),so I…. flushed the pages down the toilet (Thank God for great plumbing).

This worked a few more times, until I received a new textbook. The jig was up.

More than the Math, what I really learned in that class was how to avoid what I didn’t want to do. And before you get all judgey, we all have those areas in life we avoid. What they are and how we avoid them just looks different.

“For me, personally, when I’m afraid of something - when you’re afraid of something, normally you try to go away, you try to avoid it. Instead of avoiding it, to overcome your fear, I believe you need to embrace it.”

— Georges St-Pierre

Last week, I was feeling kind of off. And I wasn’t really sure what was causing it. The more I probed though, the more I realized that I was avoiding some do list items. Because I didn’t feel like addressing them. (and couldn’t flush them this time).

Maybe it was part fear, part boredom, part anxiety - but I managed to keep busy doing things, just not the things I was supposed to be doing.

However, I decided to face it head on. I opened a new Google document, and began to list all the stuff i could think of that I was avoiding. Certain emails, small projects, making a dentist appointment, and somethings I had been avoiding for months. Others were fresh do list items sequestered recently.

So I had this list. It was getting pretty long. Like really long. I tried to just feel good about the fact that I listed this stuff, even adding things I had recently accomplished so I could feel good about checking something off, but the list was haunting me. So like any good Ghostbuster, I finally decided to strap on my proton pack and get to bustin’. And you know what? Bustin’ made me feel good. (sorry, I just had to)

The more I’ve crossed off, the more I keep adding. But it’s adding up to help me accomplish things. Important things. That’s the kind of Math i’m ok with.

I’m still a work in progress with this stuff, but at least I decided to take action. Action that doesn’t involve plumbing.

What about you? Do you find yourself avoiding certain tasks? How are you dealing with them (or not)?

The Art of Being an Underdog

I watched the movie joy recently, starring Jennifer Lawrence. In my opinion, it's a must for anyone who has a dream they need to follow. But the thing about this movie that got me thinking, wasn't only the pursuit of a dream but how Joy was surrounded by people who continually spoke doubt and fear rejection and negativity into her life and dream. But (spoiler alert) she becomes the underdog, and lives up to her name.

We all like the underdog story don't we? The character that faces odds that are slim, enduring hardship and struggle, only to emerge victorious. We love that, except when we’re the ones called to play the role of the underdog. No one wants to endure hardship or struggle. No one wants to go through pain, missteps, failure. We just want the good stuff. Fast forward through the valley. But the truth is, there is no victory without all that pain. In fact, it is usually because of the pain that the underdog becomes a hero at all. 

“...I want you to remember something, because a lot of times people get nice things and they start to think differently. We got here from hard work, patience and humility. So I want to tell you, don’t ever think that the world owes you anything, because it doesn’t. The world doesn’t owe you a thing.”

— Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) from the movie "Joy"

And can we talk about those voices that surround the underdog when he/she starts talking about a dream they have? It's like some people speak to them out of pity. "Poor guy, he doesn't even realize how unrealistic he is. I wonder if he knows the odds of succeeding?" "I hate to be the one, but somebody's got to remind her of reality. Dreams don't pay the bills. You've got to be responsible. Practical. Why put yourself and those you love through such unnecessary pain?"

“For me personally, there was no path. A mom and a woman way back then, to sit at a coffee table and say, ‘Yeah, I’m an inventor?’ It was like, ‘Okay. She needs to go to therapy.’”

— Joy Mangano, Vogue, December 2015

They mean well, usually. Maybe they are victims of their own delayed or derailed dreams. Maybe that's how someone spoke to them, so they in turn continue to spew the same sentiments to those around them. Maybe they feel threatened, because change for you, means change for them. 

And those are the external voices. The internal ones can be just as cruel if not more so. Because they play dirty. They know how and when to hit you. 

Maybe that's another reason we love the underdog so much. Because we see how close to the edge of failure and disaster they walk. And when someone endures in that face of all those odds against them, it's inspiring.

So who is your favorite underdog? What's their story? Leave me a comment. I'd love to know who inspires you!

There's no need to fear--
Underdog is here!

What Story Are You Drawing?

I recently saw a minimal line drawing that I really liked from illustrator Greg Betza's on Instagram. When I asked him what the secret was to creating engaging and intriguing minimal line drawings his response was incredible. He shared, someone once told him that editing is not what you exclude but what you include. Draw what is essential to the story you're telling and it will be just right.

“Editing is not what you exclude but what you include. Draw what is essential to the story you’re telling and it will be just right.”

I think this is why I struggle with drawing large crowds in Urban Sketching scenarios, or filtering out trees from the forrest in the few times I attempted Plein Air painting. I find it difficult to editing out information. It's easy to get overwhelmed with all the visual stimuli that is before my eyes. And I'm not thinking about a story. I'm thinking about visual information.

Perhaps that's why a lot of my work has one central figure. I don't enjoy an overload of detail. I work fast and loose, not slow and steady. But I do like the idea behind WHY I choose to capture the visual information. The story I want to tell. Because we all are telling a story, whether we know what it is or not. We might as well tell the best one we can.

What is some of the best storytelling art you've seen? 

Stories Behind the Art: Episode 1

Today I used Periscope (a live stream broadcasting app) to do something a little new. I'm starting to share some of the stories behind my art. Here's the video for your enjoyment. Are you on Periscope? Follow me!

Did the Church Fail Van Gogh?

I've been on a Van Gogh journey for a little over a year now. I realize that as an artist, it's almost cliche to like him. Some might scoff, he's not "indie" enough to like. But I really do appreciate not only his work, but more recently, exploring his story. I have watched several films about his life (most not very good BTW, but I did like Lust for LIfe starring Kirk Douglas & Leonard Nimoy's one man show of Vincent). I have also started reading his biography Van Gogh: The Life (but truth be told I'm finding it a little dense reading).

Something I never heard about Van Gogh in my Art school years was that he was actually in the ministry. As an Artist and Christ follower, my faith has always been an integral part of my work (not always in theme but sometimes in attitude and work ethic). So this particular part of Van Gogh's story was intriguing to me. (Not to mention that I used to hold a pastoral position myself.)

Van Gogh... taught in a Methodist boys' school, and also preached to the congregation. Although raised in a religious family, it wasn't until this time that he seriously began to consider devoting his life to the church. Hoping to become a minister, he prepared to take the entrance exam to the School of Theology in Amsterdam. After a year of studying diligently, he refused to take the Latin exams, calling Latin a "dead language" of poor people, and was subsequently denied entrance. The same thing happened at the Church of Belgium: In the winter of 1878, van Gogh volunteered to move to an impoverished coal mine in the south of Belgium, a place where preachers were usually sent as punishment. He preached and ministered to the sick, and also drew pictures of the miners and their families, who called him "Christ of the Coal Mines." The evangelical committees were not as pleased. They disagreed with van Gogh's lifestyle, which had begun to take on a tone of martyrdom. They refused to renew van Gogh's contract, and he was forced to find another occupation.

(Source Biography.com)

Van Gogh's relationship with the Church was rocky for sure. He was a rebel. Stubborn. He didn't play by the rules. The life he wanted to lead didn't match the code the Church demanded for him. Did you catch this: The evangelical committees were not as pleased. (Ah, yes the "Committees".) So, they fired him.

Did the Church fail Van Gogh or did Van Gogh fail the Church? Perhaps both. Van Gogh's life and story is fraught with strife and struggle. He was far from perfect. But the same goes for the Church. It's very complicated and I don't mean to skim surface issues to reach my own conclusions, but it made me wonder what would have happened if Van Gogh never left ministry. Would the world ever know his name or his art?

Van Gogh's life and story prompts me to consider a few things further: What can Artists who are Christians learn from his story and interaction with the Church? What can the Church learn about Artists and how to help them find their place in the Church?

{Image: Van Gogh's The Church at Auvers}