Great and informative class, great instructor with a great smile. I look forward to attending more of Chris’s classes.

Inspiration, I continue to think about that word. I ask my self, “Self, What inspires me? “ Being a dude, I do get inspired by Gustav Klimt, and Egon Schiele, hahaha or JAJAJA me laughing in Spanish. When I look at art, and some of the art I have seen, I have to ask the question, what were they smoking? I want want some of that. I asked myself, What inspired me to get into art? I am college grad with a masters degree, a retired military naval officer, and a commercial pilot and sailor. All of which are Very left brain active. The answer: something was missing in my life. The right side of my brain.

The Spark that ignited my soul.

I was watching tv in my room and the series Ink Master came on. My eyes and mind were glued to this series the whole entire weekend. I totally binged watched several seasons. Watching these talented tattoo artist come up with ideas/concepts and the creativity, it ignited something within me. Watching them problem solve was amazing to watch. The art these artists came up with was mind blowing. It made me want to learn art and tattooing.

I got an online tattooing course and it started off with sketching, then watercolor, I was completely hooked on the process, not so much the tattooing but the thought process of the creation of art. Then came the bookstore,,, I saw a book on Urban Sketching. Again I asked myself, “what dumbass would want to learn how to draw buildings and street scenes for fun.” Then I opened up the book and I was amazed ,,, “ The way these artists could capture such a bland and nothing special, just a normal day street scenes and turn it into something amazing and alive. In short, I was hooked.

Then I went into my first art store, I was not too smart, it was like a drug, and couldn't say no. I wanted to buy everything. The art bug had its teeth in me and my checking account.

Then I found Skillshare. OMG I died and went to art heaven. So many classes on everything I wanted to learn. I became a Skillshare junky. I needed my fix daily. But, I was mainly watching the classes, but never practiced anything I learned or watched. Partly due to the fact, I am flying all the time. I did a few painting here and there, mostly doing swatches of the watercolor tubes I bought and never used, but the paintings I attempted my friends kept telling me I should do more art. But I kept on watching my Skillshare. No real art or practice. Just thinking about doing it someday…

Now after a couple of years have gone by, I felt this need to do something,,,

This past June I was at my favorite crack house Blicks art supplies, I was looking at books. I came across a book about making your own Tarot cards. I am not into the whole Tarot or spirituality thing. But, Then out of the blue, inspiration hit me! I went and bought a set of Tarot cards. The artristry is amazing on those cards. So, I challenged myself to draw and paint one card a day in my bullet journal using my Winston Newton Field Kit and trying out watercolor pencils. It all fits into my flight bag.

Side bar: I normally just used my bullet journal for recording flights, expenses, and notes. The funny thing is, I never go back to read anything I wrote. I have 5 years worth of nothing - note worthy, Until now.

I have now completed 47 cards and six full blown painting on crappy bullet journal paper. But now I find myself looking at my journal all the time. Now I am wondering if I Narcissistic, I even started posting some of my journal paintings on my facebook page. I was amazed to see I had over 200 hits from friends and family giving me thumbs up. Everyone was telling me I have talent. To me it’s not talent, it’s just me learning a new skill. I am just copying what I see. I don’t even care if it turns out good or bad, Preferably good. It’s the journey that counts.

You never know where inspiration or the art bug will bite you. It can be anywhere. A place, a song, A feeling, TV, A bookstore, a dream. I found the more I do art the more inspired I get.

Get inspired, DO ART!!!

I have inclosed a few of my latest inspiration and attempts at art:
I heard the song, Sister Golden Hair , by America, and had to paint what I thought of. I was on an airplane for 12 hours and drew and painted two pictures with watercolor pencils. One painting I tried was from a photo of 2 small birds being sheltered from the rain in a flower. The other picture was a pair of hands. OMG, that was a nightmare. I think I burned all my Brain cells out on that one. The other paintings are some of my skillshare projects.

Get Inspired, DO ART!!! - image 1 - student project

Get Inspired, DO ART!!! - image 2 - student project

Get Inspired, DO ART!!! - image 3 - student project

Get Inspired, DO ART!!! - image 6 - student project

Get Inspired, DO ART!!! - image 7 - student project

Be Well,

Captain Bee Out!

Captain Brian

Welcome Aboard!

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