Growing Up with my Art

C.Dogg; Ocean City, NJ

Start with the Familiar
I'm finding that as I mature as an artist, my work naturally matures with me. Its important to work with the things you are 'familiar' with or things that you love and know inside and out. That's why last night I made a list of my favorite things and the people who inspire me on a day to day basis. It helps remind me of my starting point as well as where I need to take my art work. I also believe that when I am working with subject matters that are important to me, my work will eventually sore to knew heights. The things that I love give me a wide range, which in the end make my possibilities endless. The time to explore my creative boundries has already begun.

I have finally stopped doing what everyone expects out of me. It was a really hard habit to break. Almost everyone does it. But Im taking my chances... I think that only those who take their chances will aspire.

I am a successful artist...

Love what you do

I took this picture on the Appilation Trail in

North Jersey/Warwick, NY area.

I did not carve my initails in the heart...

They were already there.

It was Perfect!

My Favorite Things:
happiness, making art, seeing art, traveling, culture, traditions, deer, reading, birds, nature, winter, natural colors (blk, wht, & green too), fishbones, ladybugs, wood patterns, overworked lines, black ink, fabric, skecthing, weather, clouds, storms, raindrops, freckles, snowflakes, snowmen, pirates, witches, ice, ski racing, mushrooms, pumpkins, money, anything irish, books, antlers, snowy mountain tops, owl eyes, deck of cards, mother eARTh, grandmother willow (willowtrees), eyelashes, running mascara, stitches, chandeliers, aurora borealis (nothern lights), blk/wht stripes, blind folds, x-mas lights, crowns, music playlists, the clutter cave & the sleeping station, halloween, st. patricks day, nightmare before christmas, alice in wonderland, fresh moss, feathers, paint, lino cutting, polaroids, ocean waves, umbrellas, ireland, spain, itlay, new zeland, croatia, cambodia/thailand, working out, sushi, ring-tailed lemurs, melting, the moon & stars.

Those Who Inspire Me:
My Family & Friends, Chris Rowen, Cody, Tim Burton, Audrey Kawasaki, Eric Abel, Camielle Rose Garcia, Greg 'craola' Simkins, Stella Im Hultberg, Brandi Milne, Sylvia Ji, Tiffany Bozic, Andy Kehoe, Steph Harvey & Marcus.

Pushing the Limits

Movement(s) in the Making
Once abstraction was at its peak, art teachers, art students, and artists feared that there was "no where else to go with art" and that "everything was already done before". But Id really like THEM to define EVERYTHING... They thought that all major art movements were over and that there wouldnt be much to expand from.

However, now is the best and PERFECT time to challange artists around the world. Emerging artists can finally step through the open door and take art to the newest and highest levels which have ever been seen or produced, both visually and conceptually!

My techniques are still a work in progress, but I have found that I have come a long, long way since I have graduated from college. Im so excited to be a part of this new art scene and working towards something thats bigger than what everyone expected.

Its truly an exciting time to be an artist!

Putting it all Together

This is of my initial sketch on the canvas/board.

I really love watching my illustrations come to life!

"Her Mountain Top Kingdom"
This is the finished product of the first picture during my show!

It is the most detailed of all the paintings at my show.

"A Lofty Tree with all her Life's Burdens"

This was a favorite by the viewers

My origami crane sculpture.

This peice had over 175 black & white origami cranes which were suspended

and floating from a huge moon and star shaped candle holder.

Me kissing my creation!

My guest book with more origami.

I couldnt have asked for a better turn out to my

first solo art show outside of school!!

It was excellent! ^.^

My Show Card Picture.

Better Posted Late than Never...
Since I was way too busy and wasnt able to post anything right before or after my show, I figured I would do it now. Those are only a few of my pictures from both before and during the show. I was really greatful to have such a huge turn out from family and friends! I even sold 2 of my smaller paintings! I plan on getting a show or two for the new year.

Bye Bye Honda Civic

Minor Set Back...
So last Thursday, in fact a week ago today, I was in a pretty terrible car accident. It’s so hard toget over. I wish some people would understand what a scary experience it was forfor the airbags to deploy on me and that horrible screech sound with the finally ofcrunching metal. Ugh, well, at least I’m still alive, with minor scraps and a concussion.
(The top picture is what's left of my car, which I miss immensely.)


On the Brightside…
I’m only two weeks away from my first solo art show outside of Rowan University! AND although it is being hosted in the local café in my town, I’m still very grateful to be having a show and am hoping that I can only progress to gallery level! I just made my show cards tonight. I personally think they look sweet, ha ha. I’ll send them out to a bunch of college/university galleries in the tri-state area too just to get my name out there and hopefully someone will be interested.
(The second picture is of my working space, aka The Clutter Cave.)

Birds of a Feather…
My new painting series is of the lowbrow scene. It will illustrate my rendition of Mother Nature’s pure Happiness. Aside from 3 large paintings and 6 smaller paintings, I will have an instillation of black and white origami birds. I hope those who can make it will enjoy my show and I hope I can grow from it as well.
(The last picture is a small detail of one of my larger paintings which will be in the November show!)

Straighten Up & Fly Right!

I'm Inflight... in more ways than one!
My art is taking off in one hell of a GREAT direction! And that's all thanks to my positive twist on things!
I have created some great large painting compositions which I will be working on as well as attempting some smaller compositions.

I'm also happy to report that I will also be hosting another art show... A SOLO SHOW!

Straighten Up & Fly Right

A Solo Exhibition of C.Dogg
Opening Reception: Friday, November 20th 2009

At Greenberry Café in Wayne, NJ

Time still to be Announced.

As for the rest of the night I will be attempting to bring my awesome-ness... to a much smaller scale. Wish me luck and I hope that you will all be able to make it to my show in November!!! :)

My improved Mother eARTh

It's crucial that we are to ALL celebrate abundance
Everyone in completely different from the next. Everyone has there own hopes, dreams, and goals in life. Some are high in the clouds wanting to live a rich and fancy life while others have a much more down-to-earth kind of interests. And as long as everyone all over the world remains their own special person, their own unique self, with different dreams and desires, their wont ever be lack or limitation of abundance.

THINKING POSITIVE
I have changed my overall outlook and views on the world to a bunch up beat and positive thinking. I have found that than, AND ONLY THAN can I be happy. My art has always been dark, creepy, and depressing. With my controversial issues of global awareness darkened I feel as though I have just been 'adding to the problem'. However in shed of new light, I have found that by changing my thinking I can still create my beautifully, uninviting-looking creatures only to produce a positive vibe to the world!

How is that, you ask?
I woke up this morning in my room, which I call the Sleeping Station, and took a look at all the many things around me and begun to cry. Yes, me... I cried!!! I cried because I have come to the realization that every morning when I awake I am surrounded by my most favorite things in the ENTIRE WORLD! My sleeping station, aka bedroom, is full of pictures of family and friends, my art and friends art, my favorite characters and figurines, the colors green, black, and white, my clothes, my shoes, MY EVERY BEING!! The reason for which I live everyday, and should live it to the fullest!

NOTES to my all my Fans & Viewers:
I have now decided this is how I should change my overall effect on my art to my viewers. Rather than sending out a negative vibe of what everyone’s doing wrong if we continue on this path, I’m going to send out a positive vibe within my art, while making my art, WHILE STANDING INFRONT OF MY ART... to bring awareness to the beauty of nature, and of what we are doing right, globally!

I have even begun to do nice "surprising things" for strangers to have them think positive as well. I thank great Mother eARTh for such a wonderful gift that she brings to us every morning, day and evening. For all the oceans, creatures, valleys, mountains, and plains. We are lucky to be alive and surrounded by the things we love most. I hope my art can produce that kind of pure joy and happiness to the viewer.

Lino Cutting Philly (2007)

This is my very first Lino Cut. I love doing Lino Cuts! I took this picture in Philadelphia during First Friday in 2007 I believe. It took 2.5 months to make and I feel as though Lino Cutting is and always should be my main medium. Im not a fast worker unfortunately and it takes a hell of a lot of time and paitence to create my delicate lino cuts. I am currently working on a very detailed ferris wheel, and although Im DEATHLY afraid of ferris wheels, I will continue to work on it and produce something beutiful although it scares me to death!

August

Artist Awareness.

The best and only thing that one artist can do for another, is to serve as an example and an inspiration.

The pictures above are only 4 of many, MANY sketches from this past August/September. I've recently set myself a goal of completing at least 3 illustrations in my sketchbook daily. This guarantees that I keep drawing and sketching. It keeps me in the habit of doing, even though I cant sit down to paint/print every day. Its a good habit to get into. I sketch no matter how dumb or idiotic the drawing may turn out. Atleast its an idea that has been documented that I can go back to later, or forget all together.

To be honest it wasnt easy at first. But than I got into a rythm and was able to draw more than 5 sketches a day, which was a great feeling! So if you're paralyzed with fear to start drawing, it's a good sign. It shows you what you have to do.

I like to sketch ONLY the basics of my fantasy world, which I call my "Clutter Cave." Its where my mind can literally take all the clutter which are my concepts/ideas and put them to use on canvas, board, and paper!

I like to keep my illustrations/sketches very basic. If I work it out too much in advance, I will either be disappointed with the finished product or become VERY frustrated to perfect it. I like the process of creation. It allows me to freely change things until I feel it is right.

I only see my finished product as "finished" when its ready to reach out viewers.

Awareness of the Strange.

I love the eccentric things in life. Im a huge admirer of unusual. I find it all to be completely fascinating. I grew up on 'bedtime' fairytales and fantasy movies. The dark and mysterious stories were always my favorites.

Global Awareness.

By unleashing everyday subjects in a uninviting way, I feel that I can really open the viewers eyes to topics concerning Global Warning. I want to hit home and wake them up a bit. I want to startle them. I want them to be the deer in headlights when the look at my paintings.

PLEASE KEEP CHECKING BACK.

Im going to be doing a lot of blogging and posting pictures of all my new work. Right now everything is a work in progress, but thats the best part! :) Thanks for Reading.

C.Dogg

Brilliant Minds Think Alike

Tim Burton.

Not only is he my FAVORITE movie director of all time, he too is my inspiration for my dark, quirky art. He is mostly a conceptual artist for live-action and animated films. He has produced films such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Batman Returns, Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes, Corpse Bride, AND MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE MOVIE EVER MADE.... The Nightmare Before Christmas.

He actually intended for The Nightmare Before Christmas to be a ryhming children's book. Which Im much more thankful that he turned into a film instead of a hunting book for children. Tim Burton also includes himself in his artwork mostly giving himself a small role within his movies or characters which is another thing i've picked up from him a long the way. I love including myself in my creepy world. I like the feeling of knowing I can be a part of something Ive created!

He is also soon to release his NEWEST film Alice in Wonderland which is set in a victorian era with his special touch of dark and mysterious. Im very excited to see the movie, I just hope I can pull something deeper and darker from it so I can have fresh ideas to work on!! :)

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Tim Burton at the MoMA!

November 22, 2009 - April 26, 2010.

Burton will be on exhibit at the Moma!! I CANT WAIT!!! The exhibit will include over 700 peices and will show the retrospective of his career.

"Following the current of his visual imagination from his earliest childhood drawing through his mature work, the exhibition presents artwork generated during the conception and production of his films, and highlights a number of unrealized projects and never-before-seen pieces, as well as student art, his earliest non-professional films, and examples of his work as a storyteller and graphic artist for non-film projects. The opposing themes of adolescence and adulthood, and the elements of sentiment, cynicism, and humor inform his work in a variety of mediums—drawings, paintings, storyboards, digital and moving-image formats, puppets and maquettes, props, costumes, ephemera, sketchbooks, and cartoons. Taking inspiration from sources in pop culture, Burton has reinvented Hollywood genre filmmaking as a spiritual experience, influencing a generation of young artists working in film, video, and graphics." -MoMA

Cult of Print

Everyone needs to start from somewhere.

And whether or not that means starting from scratch, or starting from day one of freshman year in Drawing I Class... You live, you learn, and you try really hard not to forget what you've learned!

For me; Art school taught me about the people who took HUGE chances and the origins of art. The ‘art history’ and the artists who took those chances have brought the creative world to where it is today. Now that I know the history behind the Modern Contemporary Art, I too can break the rules down, to help keep the ever-lasting art scene alive.

Westby.

In Westby, ‘Our Classroom is NOT a Lounge’. It was a gathering point of inspiring minds and INCREDIBLY gifted people. That’s what we as artists do, we collaborate. We bounce ideas off of one another. We suffer the same ups and downs of the art world together as a whole so we don’t have to do it alone. It was my perfect little world. Wake up go to class, share inside jokes during lunch, studio before afternoon classes, studio all night, sleep on couch in art building (Westby), and Repeat.

Although, I must admit I found that I struggled at Westby to find my own originality. And once I graduated and was unfortunately forced to move back home, I then found my raw, natural talent come alive. My sketchbook was finally filling quickly with raw material that was my own and not myself forcing to stick to the guidelines of another class assignment! AND that is a glorious moment for any artist. I called it my breaking point.