Spectrum 20

Back in 2001 I was a junior in high school. Art class was my favorite, and I tried to fill my schedule with as many as the school would allow. I had been drawing and painting since I was very young. But I didn't really think anything of it until later in high school when my teacher told me that I could actually make art as a living, and there were such things as "art schools." I was ecstatic, I knew what I was going to do. In high school however, you don't learn so much about different artists. Sure, we heard about the big guys that everyone knows about, but I was never told what illustration was and how it differed from fine art (it doesn't, but for the sake of categorization in the eyes of art history...). I knew I liked painting and I especially enjoyed painting things realistically, but at the same time I liked comics and video games and fantasy movies. 
One day while in Boston wandering around by myself as I waited for my girlfriend at the time to get out of photography class, I stopped into Virgin Records to look for some music. Shortly after not finding any music I came upon the floor with all of the books. I immediately saw this one: 

I picked it up and sat down with it to see what "Fantastic Art" was all about. It was filled with hundreds of amazing images. I couldn't believe how cool all of it was, and that people painted these things. I knew I had to have this book. 

I carried it with me every day to school after that,  and flipped through it any chance I had. I drew from it, I studied the artists names, I memorized every image in there. I hoped that one day I could be a part of this, but I knew that was silly....me? Nooo. 

Years later, as a junior in college, I entered my first pieces into the Spectrum competition. It became an annual event each year after. My friends and I would get our best pieces of the year together and send them off to the competition, knowing we had little to no chance. Most of the time I would even forget that I sent things in because of how much of a long shot it was. But it was still worth it to try.

Twelve years after I chanced across that Spectrum 8 I can finally say that I've achieved what I dreamed of when first setting eyes on it. I'm deeply honored and still completely awestruck to be included in this year's Spectrum 20. Thanks to all the judges, and the Fenners who have been publishing the series for all these years. Here's the piece that will we included:

Now I have to keep my butt in gear to hopefully continue to get in!

Also! In other Spectrum related news: I will be back at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! in Kansas City in just a few short weeks. I'll have all sorts of prints, drawings, and original art to check out so come say hi at booth # 802.