A friend of mine uses this phrase from time to time. A lot of times I can find myself procrastinating and putting off the important things because I’m caught up with my fears or the past. This statement is a constant reminder to me to keep creating and dreaming.

Inspired and dedicated to the one and only Barney Stinson. It’s gonna be legen…wait for it…dary!

For my first piece on Phraseology, I went looking for something that spoke to my feelings about life and how words can evoke those emotions. My wife’s always harping on how we’re all living such fast-paced lives that we aren’t respecting aesthetics in architecture, living spaces, whatever. Honestly? She’s right. There are so many things of beauty all around us; sometimes we just need to stop and take a moment to appreciate them. And if they happen to not exist where we are, we get to participate in the most beautiful thing of all: we get to create them.

I’ve been really stoked about nautical work lately. Most of what I have been working on has been Anchors and whatnot. For this piece I wanted to do a full ship! This illustration was done completely by hand. My favorite way to work. Check out the process photos to see more detail!

It’s a phrase with only three simple words but in combination yet so meaningful. Look at it. Think about it. What does these words mean to you? This phrase gives me a feeling of security and affiliation and I guess that inspired me to pick this phrase and try to make it look beautiful.

So For my first phraseology post I wanted to try out a new un-named font that im working on - It’s the “BREAD” part, and also just taking the time to say how we should appreciate every blessing we have been given, and just to make the most out of opportunities that come our way. Enjoy!

This past January I was invited to go on an artist retreat in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan called, Cabin Time. The goal of this short retreat was to disappear into the woods for a few days to work on pieces for a gallery show. I decided to incorporate The Phraseology Project into the trip by selecting the most recent entry right before leaving. I was delighted to find the phrase, Live for Adventure sitting right at the top of the list. If you would like to buy an original or a print, come out the Cabin Time gallery show in Grand Rapids on February 17th.

Well, I love this phrase and since it’s time for my Phraseology debut I really need to cut the mustard!

This phrase immediately stuck out to me when I found it. I recently finished the book, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. A brilliant book about creative work. The final chapters of the book talks about how every person is gifted with a muse. An angelic being that is quietly revealing beauty and creativity to us from a higher realm. Feeding us our ideas. Our only responsibility is to be ready and able to translate the things gifted to us. Over this last year I have been learning that my job as a creative is to be aware of this voice. It is quiet, it will not shout. In the meantime I diligently work so that when the muse speaks I am able to hear and to execute. My ideas are not my own. They are a gift. I am only a steward of them, for a time.

I was approached by Kirsten Johnson to contribute to their visual art and poetry exhibition at the Memphis College of Art in Memphis, Tennessee. The phrase they gave me was, “A loss of attention”. Really excited about the final piece shown here!