The Alleyway: Guide To Inspire - Seven Methods to Becoming a Successfull Artist

By Joseph M Garcia

A narrative and guideline of one young mans journey towards success in the world of art.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781483520858

Book preview

FOOTNOTES

GUIDE TO INSPIRE

INTRODUCTION

It was seventeen years ago and my youngest son Joshua, had just turned sixteen and I thought that a father to son talk about his future was well over due. Josh was a fair student in school, nothing to really rave about, and I was concerned as to what direction he was headed towards. What goals he had in mind for his life and just generally what he envisioned as his life’s fulfilments. His mother and I had divorced when he was just four years old, and she had moved out of state and given him back to me when he was fourteen. The one thing that Josh loved to do, even when he was just a little guy, was draw. That developed into a love for all kinds of art: water colors, oils, pencil drawings, caricatures, landscapes, as well as ceramic works, and even making his own Halloween costumes with latex masks. He drew a wide diversity of items and I have many of his works from his childhood as does his mother and some of our closer relations. I remember the talk followed along the lines, from my point of view at least, most of the great and famous artist from the past ,(I believe I used Davinci, Michael Angelo, Monet, and Picasso, as examples) were only famous posthumously and indeed saw few, if any riches, as reward for their life’s work. I used the term starving artist many times during our conversation to keep him on track.

I was trying in one vein to impress upon my son that he wanted to do something with his life that he would be able to cash in on and enjoy the fruits of life, but that it always came with a cost. Second, to remain true to his life’s desire to create what was in his heart, soul and mind. What his vision of the world was and whether he could be successful in life following his vision. To that end, I encouraged him to get into drafting, as it has always been a lucrative field of art with many great works in the world. Talking primarily of buildings and such, but also the great structures of humanity’s ancient past. The pyramids in Egypt, the Colosseum of Rome, even the statues of Easter Island were all great works of someone’s ability to create a design first.

Josh listened to me, and did indeed take three years of drafting in high school , at which he excelled, but instead chose to stay true