Cons, Campaigns, and My Artist Journey, Pt. 2
Silver Age is coming up!
Hey friends and fans! Hope your summer plans are taking shape and hopefully they include a trip to Reno for this year’s Silver Age Comic Con. In the last post, I sent along the link and the graphic what I and Bez will be featuring at our tables, so I thought I’d enticed you further with some of the awesome deals I’ll be featuring in this YouTube announcement!
Silver Age ad 2026
Ballad of Nod #3 is live!
James Burton’s Kickstarter just got rolling, and, I gotta tell ya, he’s not only featuring an amazing book, but he’s got all kinds of merch and goodies for backers. I don’t know how he does it. Click on the link to get in on this fantastic story and customize your pledge to get the best of the creations he’s got to offer.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dmginc/the-ballad-of-nod-books-1-3-rage-falls
My Artist Journey, Pt. 2
For my high school graduation, my mom got me an art table with a swinging lamp and a chair so I could continue working on my art in a more professional way instead of on the ground with a piece of wood. It was also during this time that I would make a huge decision regarding my art career—one that would determine the course of my life.
Earlier that year, I had taken a field trip to the Art College in San Francisco for a portfolio review day. There were many tables for other art colleges set up throughout campus, but I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to get into the top colleges in California. Besides, I enjoyed the Art College campus. It was (at the time) an intimate campus with a beautiful atrium. And I loved the city, I remember showing my portfolio to one of the teachers or recruiters (I’m not sure which), and they seemed pleased at my work. I left feeling pretty good about the whole experience.
Fast forward to a spring day in March, and I went out to get the mail. Inside was a rather large envelope, folded and packed in to the box so that it nearly took up the entire inside of the receptacle. I actually ended up tearing the envelope a bit just trying to get it out.
It was big. And it was addressed to me. From the Art College of San Francisco.
I had herd murmurs of conversations of seniors talking about the letters they received from colleges—some acceptance letters other declined or waitlisted. And there were a few who talked about getting the big package. But that was them. That wasn’t me…was it?
I tore open the envelope. The rest of the mail could wait. The bulk of the contents was a thin booklet on welcoming new students, and a second bigger book was the course catalog. Then there was a registration form in triplicate which included space to sign up for courses I’m requesting and then a letter saying that my portfolio was outstanding and that I will receive a tuition waiver once I successfully enrolled. I literally froze.
Yes. This was the big package.
As quickly as I froze, the thaw of reality set in. Even with tuition free art school, I couldn’t move to San Francisco. I didn’t know anybody. Who would take care of my mom? Where am I going to get the rest of the money? I also wanted to teach. Would there be art teaching jobs available?
I ended up writing the college a nice letter, thanking them for the opportunity, but I wouldn’t be able to accept their offer.
After high school, I would attend Sierra College then transfer to CSU, Sacramento as an English major. Art went from possible profession, to occasional hobby, to then completely out of my life. Writing was always my first love, so I nurtured this part of my creative self and told myself there’s only room for one creative medium.
And it wasn’t until my 50’s that I realized how wrong I was.