"Moon Stalker" is a white charcoal on black paper. This medium-type is one of my favorites.
Over the years I have never had a problem expressing my love for fishing through my writing. Writing is something that I thoroughly enjoy- assuming that the subject is fishing.
One medium that I used to enjoy expressing my passions in life was art. When I was in high school, my interest in art was at a all-time high, but as soon as I graduated and moved to the east coast, to pursue a professional fishing career, I lost touch, and never so much as picked up a colored pencil since- until now.
The other day I was sitting at my home in Santa Cruz, California, and I was getting kind of bored watching the tube, which is when I had an urge to find an art supply store, and buy a sketchbook and a set of colored pencils. It was a random thought, which turned into a random act, but I am very grateful that I did.
In my high school days my art seemed to cover varied subject matter. I would spend weeks on end working on everything landscapes to designing screen prints featuring Pink Floyd graphics for shirts I would make for myself and my friends. Though my art was held in high regard by my classmates, I never really thought twice about it.
"Battle Scared" was the first drawing I had completed in almost a decade. It is completely done with colored pencil.
Now, with almost a decade solely invested in tournament bass fishing, my art has a more focused message- a passion, love and respect for none other than my favorite finned friend- bass.
When I first started sketching in that sketchbook a few weeks ago, I really had no intention of selling any artwork, and honestly I didn't even think I would keep it up. Though I wasn't completely happy with my first piece, "Battle Scared," my fiancé was impressed, and when I posted it on social media, to my surprise I was flooded with messages from people wanting to buy the original and a copy. Though I had a hard time thinking of my art as something I could sell, I started the next drawing with a mind open to the possibility of selling a limited edition run of prints.
A week later, "Decisions, Decisions," was finished, and I posted it online and found that people again wanted to buy it. Since then, I have created one other piece of artwork, that has been very popular, called "Moon Stalker," and I am beginning to get very excited about the possibility of making this something I can do while I'm not on the water.
"Decisions, Decisions" is my second colored pencil drawing, and the second that I have completed since picking art back up. This seems to be my most popular drawing, probably because it reminds us all of the anticipation of waiting for the fish to bite. Note the Z-Man Flappin Crawz….my bet is he'll bite!
One thing I have learned over my short lifetime is that you might as well pursue the things that make you happiest. I have never been afraid to go head-on into a new venture I am passionate about, and art is the same way.
I have a lot to learn about my particular artistic style, and the techniques that are involved with all the different mediums, but as excited as I always am about figuring out how to catch fish, I am excited to grow as an artist- and I am very excited to have the opportunity to share my passion for fishing through my art.