Ah Spring, the time of year when I realize I haven’t blogged in a long time. It’s been a long start to the year between an inter-office job change, a business trip to India for a few weeks, and life in general. I was reminded of this after talking to TJ Luca this weekend at the Wayne Toy and Collectible Show.
Check out his blog and work here http://merchattacks.blogspot.com/
Talking to TJ (aka Tom) and seeing another young artist working on their dream reminds me of being an “old” man, a cubicle monkey, an office jockey, and all those other unflattering names for those of us who put the arts aside as a career choice. Then the art “hobby” becomes “something I used to do”. You can let skills deteriorate, but if you’re creative, that still runs deep in the blood.
After the show on Sunday, I went to my comic boxes to plan for the next show, pulling out cheap books for the bulk bins, and targeting some high dollar ones as well for good eye candy and customers with deep pockets. It was more and more difficult to sort through my books, and then I realized that I had been neglecting my collection. Alphabetical order still ruled, but I had created separate subgroups and boxes that weren’t in the main collection.
Collecting comics is something I’m “good” at, but it’s not my career. It’s my hobby, but I was spending less time on it. Collecting was creeping into “something I used to do”. We all have to prioritize, but I never intended to leave comics by the wayside of my life.
TO THE BLOG!
Part of my decisions last year to sell comics, catalog and research Golden Age books, and collect more expensive key books was tied to having a blog to share some of these experiences. It takes a little effort, but it’s not “hard”. The only deadlines are my own. The expectations are set by me. So I’m writing today to kick-start myself, kick my own ass, and throw a bit of praise to someone who got me a little fired up again to get back to what I love.
So thanks, TJ.
Follow his twitter here: https://twitter.com/#!/twitta76
Time traveling jackalope 