The Value of Mentoring

Sometimes I really hate framing. I made the mistake - again - of picking up a couple of cheap frames at a store (not naming names) better known for scrapping supplies and seasonal housewife arts-n-crafts. Just getting a few pieces ready for a small art showing (more about that later), and needed a two of 11x14" frames, maybe an hours worth of work? Wrong!

They say you get what you pay for - I guess that getting kicked in the back of my head costs $24.99... Maybe sitting down to write for a while is a better idea than continuing to experience that kicking sensation.

When I decided to get into the art business, I had the good fortune of finding a mentor, who has many years of experience as a professional artist. This has put me miles ahead of any self-induced learning curve, with sage advice on representation, pricing and selling my own work. and feedback about what looks good and what looks better.

One of the things I've grown to appreciate while running my own businesses has been the value of mentoring. I've mentored others as well, in other lines of work, and like to think I understand that it's not all about me, and that I can't get through this world on my own. The value of mentoring is in the giving, far more than in the receiving.

OK, enough philosophy, it's my bedtime. Here's today's pic, called 1096:

Welcome to Chris Lombardi's Digital Art Blog!

Greetings and welcome to my blog.

There, that wasn't so hard.

My virginal entry, the first scrawlings of my first public utterances, on my first blog. A diversion while waiting for images to render to file, perhaps to share something that another person may find of value, or possibly even slightly helpful. Maybe a little about life, and any other mad ravings that find their way from my craven inner soul to the fingers touching the keyboard in front of me.

Nah, I'll just spout off about my art for a while. I've been asked about the creative process, what makes my art happen, what the hell was going on in my head when I made this or that piece of artwork, etc. This blog will hopefully shed some light on these things, sort of like a long-winded, very wordy email to nobody in paticular.

But first, let's get the Shameless Self-promotion part out of the way. You can find my art at a number of locations on the web, including:

http://www.chrislombardiart.com/

http://DenverArtists.com/ChrisLombardi

http://HelloDenver.com/Art/Chris%20Lombardi.Cfm

http://www.houseofscratch.com/

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14253&id=1536706480&l=c92c6367b5

Maybe a few other places I don't know about. Anyways, it's all copyrighted! Unless, of course, I've given it away to public domain, which I do upon occasion.

OK, now for at least one answer. Why do I make art? At first I thought it was a healthy diversion, a creative outlet and a mental balancing act that might stave off the onset of a tired brain, sluggish thinking, general malaise and lethargy. Then, something totally astounding happened, so unthinkable that it stopped me in my creative tracks and spun me on my slightly creative heel. People actually bought my artwork! Paid in real US dollars!

So, now I have an art business, and a catering company - and I get to work 40 hours a week in Greenwood Village at a tech job which I (mostly) like. Livin' the dream!

On a serious note, it's nice that the artwork has made some money - we decided not long after that started to happen to donate all of those profits to charity.

I plan on putting up at least a couple of new art pieces each time I get a chance to post, so here's what's gone on in the past few days:

1085, handsome devil!

1086

1087