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I was always told that you couldn’t make a living doing art. For most of my life, I believed the naysayers. My chances at becoming a great or even passible artist were not that great. I suffer from a visuals processing disorder and visualizing things hasn’t come easily to me. As a way of coping with my crippling anxiety caused by a string of absolute failures, I started copying cartoon characters, very badly. There was a point that even as I was getting better and people were paying me compliments on my art that I destroyed most of it. But at the same time, I kept drawing and one day decided I wanted to try to put one of my designs onto a t-shirt or notebook or something. I started my journey by teaching myself to colorize old photos, a very rewarding experience. Then I went in completely the opposite direction, featureless black silhouettes. I have made literally thousands of those, sadly due to hard-drive and backup failure, most of my unique silhouettes went on to the digital graveyard. But, I pressed on and created more. I’m still in the process of trying to recreate my silhouette library, bigger and better than ever. From that point to the actual realization of that goal was the better part of four years. For which time I have been a starving artist. I’m hoping that one of these days I can cancel the starving and just be a regular artist. I still have doubts if I can make it. But, design saved my life so I’m sticking with it so long as it continues to help me cope with my untreated anxiety condition. If it has done nothing else for me it has brought me into a world of knights and dragons. Of Silhouettes and childhood cartoons reimagined. Places that my inability to remember my dreams have denied me. And my legally blind mind’s eye won’t let me invite into my mind. Ironically, I have suffered in the past from uninvited visual manifestations. I’m talking hallucinations, some of them cripplingly frightening. We’ll see where I go from here. I’m not in the best place financially right now. Which of course causes me great anxiety. Any encouragement to continue on that you good people could give me just might make all the difference in the next phase of my life and career.

More info: swankshop.threadless.com

Different from all other Knights

Classy Gentleman, the horse isn’t bad either.

Maybe not the best message but I like it.

Get the word out.

Wear a hat, and maybe a sweater too.

Staccato Mamba, because why not?

War and Peace trade jobs for a day.

Stagecoach, nuff said.

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Fluffy or Cerberus! You decide!

I’d do what he says.

All of George Washington’s Head!

Sexy things I’ve seen.

Romantic Giraffe Ride.

Prime Minster Horse

Always ask her to dance, it might work.

Take me dancing.

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Horse Ballet

Flower girl.

Frog caught out in the rain.

Wheel of Fortune

Hellboy’s Lobster Johnson is Dr. Jordan Peterson! Wah?

Anna Pavlova is an Ace.

Lady Justice Woodcut.

Map of Edo (Old Tokyo)

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Fine Turkish Coffee

May the force be with the women in your life.

Cyborg Human Relations.

Droid Daddy Issues.

Puff the Magic Dragon.

Planet of the Cats.

Death Tripped and Died.

Arn’t Jesuits Great?

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Air Force Gal

Jesus Makes the Earth

Bless You My Son

Date Night

Cato Philosopher King of Diamonds

The Goddess of the Smack Down

Hugs Are The Best

King of Nine Hearts

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