Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Quest for Character .... continues ...




- How do you feel when you draw? Not how do you feel when you sit down to -tired -stressed- fine -etc...

But while you're drawing -how do you FEEL?

I feel true. I feel home. I feel ME. - I trust my head , my heart- my hand... and what comes out is not always perfect, but it's real.

I thought maybe it's an altered state - like a different level of being, but no - I'm altered when I'm not drawing. I long to draw when I'm making dinner, watering flowers - grocery shopping. I want to draw the things I see - the sounds I hear - the kooky people that exist all around me and the craziness that exists in my imagination.

Being told your art is "too" anything.. feels wrong. I can't be "too" me. Pursuing children's books has handed moments of self doubt - and those moments are vanquished -when I draw.

So - persevere. Keep drawing . Use your pencil like a machete and hack thru the publishing jungle - to reach that oasis -of exactly where you're supposed to be.

This is concept art for my book.

Cum By-yah! ;)

8 comments:

Nikki said...

She needs a garter!

She is beautifully painted... I love your digital work!

Colei che... said...

Really nice! I like a lot how you draw the animals! Loved the giraffe below and this one! :)

Anthony VanArsdale said...

do you know just how good you are? this is a great piece Kelly! and very funny!

I think your take on the creative process is right on... inspirational!

Jennifer Thermes said...

I feel the same way.
Nice work, BTW :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh, Kelly, that was so "inspirational," as AV said. Really, really lovely. I hope to get to the point where I, too, am that passionate. I have seen too many talented people give up when their art is not appreciated in the way they think it should be. Thank you for sharing your feelings and beliefs with us.

And I wish I had that wonderful imagination of yours! What a great story that picture tells.
JoP

Kelly Light said...

JoP - who are you? You write such nice things!

Anthony - I don't think of it as knowing I'm good - as knowing who I am as an artist. Somedays I draw better than others - who knows why? Somedays there are crumpled clumps of paper all over the floor. - I could ask YOU the same question - I know how GOOD you are.

Colei - I checked out your blog- I wish I knew italian!- Your passion for cartoons makes my soul sing! - I feel the same!

Nikki - Thanks- no garter - I think the slit may be too high for a kid's book. Hard to walk the line of appropriateness for kids. Your work looks great since last I checked out your blog! I used to do murals a lot- still doing one at a public library. It's a tough gig painting on ladders and curled up on the floor.

Anonymous said...

I hope you don't mind, but I've framed this and it hangs proudly outside our bathroom now. Noelle LOVES this - "Cheesecake Giraffe?" she laughed!

LillyZoo said...

Ooo Lala!