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Deviation Spotlight
Artist // Professional // Digital Art
- Sep 10
- United States
- Deviant for 15 years
- He / Him
Badges
My Bio
Short Bio
After the rise of Gaius Julius Caesar, our family fled to the ocean villages of Epirus, where I began to apprentice making nets and trapping. It was there that I found my passion for the easel and I met a beautiful woman; Ioannina. To me, she was the quintessential Greek Goddess - olive skin, full hips............oh wait, thats not my story.
Me?
Well I grew up near Dayton, Ohio at the end of an era - the hayday of the General Motors industrial bonanza that kept this region alive economically. Now it is like the red headed stepchild of Detroit - full of poverty and despair. I moved to Florida in the 70's and spent most of my childhood growing up there. One of my biggest influences in my youth that shaped my thinking was Walt Disney. I idolized his theme parks and grew to want to be original the way he did.
My talent has really been tucked away all these years. I always knew I was artistic but formed early ideas that there was a lot of other talented people in the world and that the competition would be fierce. So instead of pursuing art I ended up doing other things that I was good at, but not nearly as passionate about.
I lived the mundane average life, but now I feel I am on the right track. Here's to the love of art, creativity, and imagination.
Ben
Some of my personal quotes:
-I could have had a much easier existence if Walt Disney had made himself dictator over America, but then I would have nothing to compare a theme park to.
-Simplicity is the best design to get us through the day and complexity should be reserved for sports and leisure pursuits.
-The first thing I noticed in my adolescence was that someone had apparently greased the rungs of my ladder to success.
-Changing the past cannot be accomplished by destroying the future.
Current Residence: Troy, Ohio
Favourite genre of music: Rock, Hard Rock, Metal
Operating System: Windows10
Favourite cartoon character: El Kabong
Personal Quote: Mike's doing his firepops
After the rise of Gaius Julius Caesar, our family fled to the ocean villages of Epirus, where I began to apprentice making nets and trapping. It was there that I found my passion for the easel and I met a beautiful woman; Ioannina. To me, she was the quintessential Greek Goddess - olive skin, full hips............oh wait, thats not my story.
Me?
Well I grew up near Dayton, Ohio at the end of an era - the hayday of the General Motors industrial bonanza that kept this region alive economically. Now it is like the red headed stepchild of Detroit - full of poverty and despair. I moved to Florida in the 70's and spent most of my childhood growing up there. One of my biggest influences in my youth that shaped my thinking was Walt Disney. I idolized his theme parks and grew to want to be original the way he did.
My talent has really been tucked away all these years. I always knew I was artistic but formed early ideas that there was a lot of other talented people in the world and that the competition would be fierce. So instead of pursuing art I ended up doing other things that I was good at, but not nearly as passionate about.
I lived the mundane average life, but now I feel I am on the right track. Here's to the love of art, creativity, and imagination.
Ben
Some of my personal quotes:
-I could have had a much easier existence if Walt Disney had made himself dictator over America, but then I would have nothing to compare a theme park to.
-Simplicity is the best design to get us through the day and complexity should be reserved for sports and leisure pursuits.
-The first thing I noticed in my adolescence was that someone had apparently greased the rungs of my ladder to success.
-Changing the past cannot be accomplished by destroying the future.
Current Residence: Troy, Ohio
Favourite genre of music: Rock, Hard Rock, Metal
Operating System: Windows10
Favourite cartoon character: El Kabong
Personal Quote: Mike's doing his firepops
Favourite Visual Artist
Norman Rockwell
Favourite Movies
Shawshank Redemption
Favourite TV Shows
Gilligan's Island, Lost in Space, Dukes of Hazzard, A-Team, Six Million Dollar Man
Favourite Bands / Musical Artists
Motley Crue, Ozzy, Zakk Wylde
Favourite Books
Bible
Favourite Games
Sim City, racing, drag racing
Favourite Gaming Platform
none
Tools of the Trade
Ink, speedball pen, Bamboo tablet, GIMP
Other Interests
Art, computers, bicycling, remodelling, interior decorating, metal fabrication
Trippin'
1 min read
It's been a loooooooong loooooooong while since I've been a Deviant Artist, but seasons change so it's time I start up again. Last ten years have been terrible for me in my personal life, but it has made me harder and it explained to me all the crafty stuff I need to do now as an artist. I'm glad to be back.
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Cindy Does Fallujah was selected for exhibition at the Riffe Gallery in Columbus, Ohio this last October for a period of a month. It was great exposure which lead to an article in our newspaper about my artwork and my photograph. Unfortunately, I l...
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Things are improving
0 min read
It has been a long haul over the last ten years in my personal life. I am longing to devote more time to artwork and other creative projects, but many hardships had come in the way since I first refound my natural artistic abilities. Today though, I feel like an entirely new person than I was when I started on Deviant Art. I've overcome so much, developed new and meaningful relationships, and found more stability in my life so that I can now devote my time time to what I believe I was intended to pursue. If only I could turn back time......well that is what the school of hard knocks is for - building character.
I hope my newer works whic
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Profile Comments 35
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Hi there! Thank you very much for faving Children of the Barricade! 
thanks for all the 
ssss 
ssss Hey sorry about my absence, UV. I've been so busy with college and getting into volunteering lately that I didn't have as much time to be on the forums anymore. Not to mention, I've been dealing with some personal drama...the worst of it is over now.
However, I haven't forgotten AO. Now that I got some time on my hands (FINALLY) I'll be able to pop on more. Especially when events around the world seem to be picking up lately. I also think that there's something terribly wrong lurking in Egypt and Israel...
However, I haven't forgotten AO. Now that I got some time on my hands (FINALLY) I'll be able to pop on more. Especially when events around the world seem to be picking up lately. I also think that there's something terribly wrong lurking in Egypt and Israel...
Now what makes you think that?? lol.
All hell is about to break loose.
All hell is about to break loose.
Well good for you about school and the volunteering. Sorry you are having drama in your life - it happens, you just have to learn from it and move on.
So happy birthday to ya, I got you a premium membership for 3 months I think it was. It is a lot nicer browsing the artwork and stuff on deviantArt with a membership so check it out.
Take care,
Ben
So happy birthday to ya, I got you a premium membership for 3 months I think it was. It is a lot nicer browsing the artwork and stuff on deviantArt with a membership so check it out.
Take care,
Ben
I was basically dealing with an ending to an 8 year friendship that turned toxic over the past 3 years. After she kept controlling me and stole some of my artwork, I decided to pull the plug on her so I can move on. I suppose dealing with those type of people happened for a reason and I'm glad that I got to learn some things from it. As for the premium membership....thank you! I've had premium membership for the past year, but I was about to run out in a couple months. Didn't expect someone to renew it for me. I appreciate it!
Take care,
Lisa
Take care,
Lisa
No problem. True friends give through generosity, and are not out to take advantage of you for their personal gain, which is why I try to manage my own artwork and not rely on other people who own galleries or businesses.
If your good, your work will speak for itself and in time pay you back so that you can publish and create artwork on your own terms.
But you live and learn, and you seem to be able to overcome those obstacles so you will probably do well.
I'd like to hear more about your artwork and what you are doing, so don't be a stranger. Show me some of your stuff sometime.
Ben
If your good, your work will speak for itself and in time pay you back so that you can publish and create artwork on your own terms.
But you live and learn, and you seem to be able to overcome those obstacles so you will probably do well.
I'd like to hear more about your artwork and what you are doing, so don't be a stranger. Show me some of your stuff sometime.
Ben