joseph sapulich: 2012

So, it was getting late and time to go to bed but instead I get the brilliant idea to go down stairs to shoot a high resolution digital photo of this charcoal painting with my trusty Canon L-series lens (insert commercial endorsement here) and to my surprise I can't find half my equipment. My tripod is gone and so are my cords and other such things I behold as "my stuff." Then I realize Sarah has the tripod in her bedroom. She also has my old set of paints, sketchbooks, brushes, etc.

I walk all the way up the stairs to collect "my stuff" and then walk all the way back down the stairs while the dog is running circles around me perfecting the best unseen circus act in the world. I finally get my gear into place and take a seat to focus the camera when the dog decides it's just the right moment to sneeze all over me. I thought I was allergic to her but it turns out she is allergic to me.

Finally, I take the shots and go back up stairs to download the files to see what I have in Adobe Light Room (insert commercial endorsement here). Because of my amazing camera skills (LOL) I have little to retouch and realize it's time to go to bed. After moaning about all "my stuff" mixed in with "Sarah's stuff" I realized how blessed I was. I really can't put into words how proud I am of Sarah Joy.

I have always tried to push my kids away from a creative career so they fit in this world more but she simply refused. She makes a choice every day to live outside the box. I tell her the box is good—but she refuses to conform to it. She is a true creative which she will learn is both a blessing and a curse—and so the journey of discovery begins.

It's really hard for me to paint or draw people that I love—it goes beyond the technique of light and shadow and anatomical features so Sarah was no exception. I still remember holding her for the first time thinking she'd break if I squeezed too hard. I remember her chasing me around the house as we played hide-n-seek. I remember seeing her in her Homecoming dress and was overcome by her beauty and charm. How do you capture all of that with charcoal?

Anyway, with all that said I have to say I love my daughter beyond words. She not only has taken captive the tripod but has also taken captive her daddy's heart. When I look at her I see Cathy in her eyes and I also see God's love in every area of her life. I hope a little of that shows in the painting. I pray for her future husband who is somewhere right now growing into the man she will eventually fall in love with. I pray for her children who someday will be raised with the same measure of faith. No matter what Sarah's life brings or how much she achieves I know she will always be my baby girl and that my stuff is now and always will be her stuff.

GREEN SUBMARINE

Great to have my work included among the great talent featured on the new blog Green Submarine! Special thanks to that brave submariner—Steve Strauch.

http://greensubmarine.net/

SKETCHBOOK DOODLE

Another Namiki Falcon Fountain pen doodle. Most artists sketch naked or scantily clad girls being chased by zombies in their personal sketchbooks. For me, most often it's a Jewish carpenter. Wouldn't say it helps the art career but it's what's on my mind.

THE BLOOD

THE BLOOD—Namiki Fountain Pen with Noodler's Ink

NAMIKI FALCON FOUNTAIN PEN

ANGEL—CHARCOAL PAINTING

Worked on this last Saturday after a long week of drawing lightsabers. The couch was calling out to me but I just needed to work on my own art for a while. This is a new technique which allows me to paint with charcoal. It started out great then half way through I lost the emotional impact I wanted and placed the board next to the trash can.

DETAIL: CHARCOAL ON GESSO BOARD

Later in the evening I put it back on the drawing table and started noodling here and there having fun experimenting with the pigment and then this image slowly emerged. Learned a lot on this one.

LINK TO ARTICLE:

http://www.globaltoynews.com/2014/02/toy-tech-mastering-light-part-1-of-2.html

http://www.globaltoynews.com/2014/02/toy-tech-mastering-light-part-2-of-2.html

ANATOMY SKETCH—AFTER GEORGE BRIDGMAN

GOUACHE DEVELOPMENT PAINTING

PAINTING DETAIL

This is my Gouache painting on illustration board of a motorcycle for Yamaha. The detail almost put me in an early grave but I survived and won several awards for painting. It was featured in magazines, corporate advertising and articles featuring demo shots. Most of my work today has more of a painterly feel leaving brush strokes and softer edges. Special thanks to the Yamaha Motor Corporation.

GEORGE—GOUACHE PAINTING

My dad posed for this painting when was just starting out in the business. This is a Gouache painting (kinda like tempera paint) on illustration board. So, this really is the first in the American Made series. I remember painting the whole thing pretty much with a 001 watercolor brush. That's when I had patience.

George, having internal bleeding, was rushed to the hospital right before Christmas. It was a rough time but at least I had a gifted week off from work to visit him. All I can say is he's a crusty character. He was always the tough guy at the bar so it was strange to see him laying there with an oxogen line strapped to his nose. I can honestly say that even though he's eighty-four years young he's still rabble rousing with the best of them—just a little slower these days.

Confined to a rehabilitation home, he is filling his days regaling the nurses with amazing exploits of his youth when he worked in a coal mine in Pennsylvania, went to fight Hitler in the big war, and other colorful stories for those not faint of heart—most are true—all entertaining. If you're a judgmental Christian this guy will give you volumes for your files. LOL.

Please pray for Geo as he lives through his latest adventure overcoming his physical condition with daily rehab. Let's believe together that he will have complete healing and restoration and that he will have many more adventures to tell to his grandchildren and wide eyed nurses. Thx.