First Post

Welcome to my blog. For those who don't know me, my name is Clayton, and I'm creating this blog as a place to share and discuss my art work, thoughts and ideas.

I've been lucky enough to find my passion in life, to find something to strive for, and though it may sound dramatic, something to live for. And although it's not the only thing, my art work is a big part of my life. The thirst to create something from nothing, the need to communicate an idea, the need to be recognized, are all part of why I love what I do.

I feel lucky that I've found my passion, because it gives me focus, direction, something to strive for and work toward. Unfortunately, many people don't have that, many people don't have that one thing they can hold onto. And so they finish high school, maybe go to University or TAFE afterward, others might not even get that far, instead dropping out of school at the end of 10th grade, and then they get sucked into a void with no idea what to do next. That saddens me. Because what happens next is that each day passes them by as they sit procrastinating, and at the end of each week they might look back and see that they have done nothing, that they have achieved nothing, and this continues as the months pass by, then eventually the years. What's sadder is that I know some of these people, some of them who are very close to me. I guess it's hard though, to look inward on yourself. People almost become hypnotized, trapped in their current situation, unable to see any change over the horizon, if they can see a horizon at all. And you can't say anything to them, nothing gets through. All they can do along with the people you care about them is wait for that click inside, that click that diverts there entire thinking pattern. I've been there, I know what it's like to be suddenly dropped in a very lonely and empty place in which you feel there's no way out of. Yet somehow I was able to pull myself out of the river I was drowning in. It seems so long ago now, but there's one thing I remember throughout the tough times and that is my art was always there and it was something I held onto dearly, for without it I would have been totally empty.

Of course that was back in my teens, and what kid doesn't go through such things right? It's easy to say that, but the reality is, that's where it starts. Some kids never recover, they never find that thing they can hold onto. So they turn to alcohol instead, or drugs, sex, maybe even self harm, and that's what their life becomes. By that point, it's almost impossible for them to see their true worth, there is nothing to pull them out of the dark despite the efforts of those who still might care for them.

I guess I'm just thankful that things turned out for me the way they did. I did stray from the path a little, but I got back on track, I became focused on what I really wanted to do. I couldn't settle for a normal job. I wanted my dream job, I wanted to create comic books and computer games, I wanted to bring my characters and stories to life! So I worked hard. More then anyone I knew I wasn't even close to being the best at what I do. I was never content or happy with the level of skill I possessed so I kept pushing. I looked at the amazing art of people I admired such as Todd McFarlane and Greg Capullo, Boris Vellego and Jullie Bell, David Finch and Simon Bisley and set myself a goal to get to that level of expertise. I'm still not there now, but because I've continually pushed myself to get to that level, I've improved.

And it's not just my drawing I use to create my ideas and other peoples with. From a very early age I knew I wanted to make games. To have the gift of bringing entire worlds to life, worlds where people could talk and interact with characters built entirely from the imagination. What more could I want? My drawing and painting ran hand in hand with this field of work. Now from a simple sketch, my creations evolve into a walking living entity within the virtual worlds I create.

Now it seems like things are finally falling into place. People see that I have talent, more then I give myself credit for. I'm being offered jobs and careers in what I love. My dream is coming true, and it's only because I dared to follow it. It's because I wouldn't settle for anything less, I knew I wanted this from the beginning. I don't know where this will all lead, or how much further I'll get, but I just want to let anyone who reads this blog know that there's nothing different from you and I but the will to persevere and follow your dreams. There's nothing different from you and I, or between you or the US president, or the Queen, or the person you admire most in the entire world. What one person can do you can do too! We're all made of the same stuff, born into this world with the gift of free will. Do not let anyone hold you back if you find that passion within you.

For everything to have lead me to this point in time, I owe a lot of people who are close to my heart. My Mum, my friends, the great people I now work with, but there is one person in particular who really turned my life around, the girl who threw me the rope and pulled me out of that river, who encouraged me and my art, who gave me a place to stay and convinced me to go to Uni and aim big. I just want to say thanks to my partner, who has been with me every step of the way through thick and thin, and always believed in me. There come's those times when I wonder how things might have turned out differently were it not for her. Where I might be. So thanks Scarlett, for helping me to turn my dreams into a reality, for all the wonderful times we've shared together, but most importantly for being a true best friend.

And with that rather lengthy, and sentimental introduction I leave you dear reader and encourage you to follow my blog, as I take this journey through my career, through my life, and let's just wait and see how my talents evolve along the way.