DIME FEATURED MAKER: SAVANNAH TEEL

Interview by The DIME Store, Photos by Savannah Teel 

Savvie Designs may be new to the DIME Store, but the amazing lady behind the brand, Savannah Teel, has been on the Denton creative scene for quite a while. She runs two Etsy shops, works part time at SCRAP, and serves on the DIME leadership board, all while hammering out the last few classes of her UNT visual arts degree. This busy gal took some time out of her busy schedule to sit down with us and talk about her love of making, lasers, and most importantly, tacos. Unfortunately, we didn't get to discuss laser tacos, the taco of the future. 

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Have you always been involved in creative things and making?

Yes! I often joke that I was born with glitter in one hand and a glue gun in the other. I grew up in a very creative family. Both my dad and brother were engineers and builders, my mom was the craftiest lady in town, and my grandmother was a DIY queen. It was impossible to just sit around when I was constantly surrounded by creativity.

What first inspired you to get into laser cutting and material fabrication?

I needed an extra studio credit and UNT was offering an online Digital Fabrication course over the summer. I enrolled because it sounded like an easy elective but after the first day, I realized that it was so much more. I was amazed by the possibilities that laser cutting provides and it was something that just clicked for me. Out of pure curiosity, I started searching for actual Digital Fabrication jobs and found a part-time summer gig working with laser cutters and 3D printers. I landed the job and had an incredible opportunity to pick up the trade. It fell together so quickly that I just knew it was what I needed to be doing right then. 

What’s it like to finally have your own laser cutter?

So amazing! I’m not going to lie, it was the most terrifying purchase that I’ve ever made. Not only because it was a huge investment but because I had so much to learn. But now I feel so empowered by the potential!

What struggles have you faced in growing your business while still in school and still in a student apartment?

For one, there is no “I was late to class because I stayed up all night filling a rush order of 150 custom boxes” option on the syllabus. It’s not the easiest thing in the world to balance but it can be done. I’ve learned that time management and self-discipline are my best friends. 

Now, trying to create a digital fabrication studio environment inside a tiny college apartment is an art within itself. The other day, one of my neighbors approached me and said, “You must be the girl who plays with power tools at 3am and has smoke billowing out of the window from time to time. Can you tell me what you’re doing?” Besides looking like I’m cooking meth in my apartment, I’ve also learned that space is crucial. Thankfully I have a roommate who doesn’t mind me storing piles of salvaged lumber in the living room and a little sawdust in the carpet from time to time. 

In addition to Savvie Designs, you also have a partner Etsy shop with your mom called Regeneration. Is it easy to design and create for both, or is it a difficult balance?

You know, I feel like they sort of balance each other out. Although I love the creative freedom that the digital process provides, I think it is important as a maker to hang onto the skills that come with a more physical, hands on process. If I were doing it alone, I don’t think I could make it happen but my mom is a total rock star and it gives us something really fun to do together.

What are your plans for Savvie Designs once you finish your degree at UNT?

My thoughts are constantly evolving. One thing is that I really want to bring a more tactile sense to my work. I want to incorporate my love of sewing, drawing, and other hands on assets even more. I also have a vision of creating a resource for other makers. I’ve had so much fun finding ways to promote my own brand via laser cutting and I would love to explore the needs of today’s creatives. At the end of the day, there are so many possibilities.  

How did you become involved with DIME?

I went to the DIME Spring Bash during my first year at UNT and was overwhelmed with excitement about what was happening. Later, I met the lovely Shelley Christner while volunteering at SCRAP and I remember thinking “I’m not sure who this chick is but we need to be friends.” When she told me that they were opening an actual store, I was beyond excited. I wasn’t selling at the time but I couldn’t get over the concept of a DIME Show year round. I was so encouraged by the creative community and realized that I had been ignoring my need to make for far too long.

If you’re not hanging out up at the DIME Store, what are your favorite places to be around town?

I would have to say SCRAP is at the top of my list, which is rather convenient since I also work there. When I’m not being inspired from the goodness of creative reuse, I love to scour through the thrift stores of Denton or hang out on the square. I also frequent every single taco shop in town. All of them. That reminds me, I don’t think any interview is complete without noting that I do trade laser cut goods and services for free tacos. I’m looking at you, El Guapos.

Where can we shop your work?

You can find my work online at Savvie Design Co. I also sell at the lovely DIME Store, Fun and a Lil’ Chic Boutique in Irving, and I've made a custom line for Bella Gardens, a cute little flower shop in my hometown.

Do you have any advice for aspiring Etsy sellers?

Don’t play the comparison game. When I began thinking about starting an Etsy, I would go to the front page, look at the featured listings, and then close my laptop and walk away. I didn’t account for the fact that I was comparing myself to trained artisans who had years of practice under their belt. You should never stop learning or growing as a maker and as a person so don’t expect to start at the top. The best thing I ever did was write down all of my self-doubt on a sheet of notebook paper, then rip it to shreds and throw it away. Make what you love and make for the love of making.

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The DIME Store is a shop and artist collective in downtown Denton that features art, craft, and vintage from 40+ local makers. Rachel Aughtry and Shelley Christner act as the "curators and purveyors" of the shop. When they're not at DIME, you'll find them behind their sewing machines or enjoying a margarita at The Greenhouse.

DIME STORE FEATURED SELLER: LAURA OF GYNX YARNS

Interview by The DIME Store, Photos by Laura Jinks Jimenez

DenTOWN 

 Since it is finally getting a little cooler, DIME sat down to chat with yarn-dyer extraordinaire, Laura Jinks Jimenez, of Gynx yarns to see what goes in to crafting her amazing fibers and goes about creating specific colorways (the beautiful selections colors in her gradients). Jinks' yarn is unlike anything else sold at the DIME Store and always catches your eye. Read on to learn what inspires her and how she goes about connecting with her online community to grow her business.

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How did you get into yarn dyeing?

I started knitting back in 2005. I was still in high school and broke, but I had a thirst for nicer yarns than the local big box places stocked. I took to recycling thrift store sweaters I found. I could rarely find exactly what I wanted that way, so I turned to dyeing to get the colors I wanted. When I was at UNT getting my Fiber Arts degree, I started experimenting a lot with dyes and came up with some pretty cool results, and I fell in love with the process.

All of your colorways have fun and quirky names. What inspires their monikers?

My colorway inspiration comes from all over, but I think I’m most well-known for my “nerdy” colorways. A lot of my inspiration comes from anime or video games. Both anime and video games are so colorful that they often put color ideas into my head. It always makes for interesting conversation when people ask about my hard-to-pronounce Japanese names.

A recent project of mine actually has to do with cities in the DFW area. I’m working on a collection of colorways based on every city I’ve lived in, which all happen to be in the DFW region. So far I have two: Denton is “DenTOWN”, for which I drew colors I found in photos of the square, and Dallas’s “The Big D”, which is from Dallas’s nighttime skyline. I still have Mansfield, Arlington, and Fort Worth to go, so be on the lookout for those soon. 

CMKY yarn 

Does the colorway always follow the name, or is it sometimes the other way around?

It definitely happens both ways. I work from an inspiration photo a lot, so the name comes pretty easily that way. Other times I wake up and decide I feel like dyeing something with purples and blues, and then I decide later on if it reminds me of something. Sometimes I have zero plan, which is the most liberating, and grab random colors and start playing with no end goal in mind. I will dye off of intuition and add a little bit of this or that until it seems right, which makes for really complex color combinations. Those are often the most difficult to name.

In addition to yarn dyeing, you've built a little knitting identity for yourself by talking about your techniques in your Podcast "The Dyer's Notebook," knitting with your own yarns, and having your yarns featured in yarn clubs. How does all of this add to your business of dyeing?

I started my podcast, “The Dyer’s Notebook”, a little over a year ago as a way to chronicle my adventures in the fiber world, educate others about dyeing, and also to connect with customers on a more personal level. Through the podcast and social media, I’ve created a network of customers, viewers, and friends that just continues to grow. A lot of people find out about my business through my podcast, and at this point I’d say the majority of my regular customers are viewers of my podcast as well. While I talk about what I’ve been up to with my knitting, spinning, and dyeing, I also give a preview of what’s going up in my [Etsy] shop each week so people can get excited about it and keep checking out my shop regularly.

While I offer my own yarn clubs through my shop, I’ve also started collaborating with other people on clubs and knitting kits. I recently worked with Etsy seller littleskein and knitwear designer Laura Linneman on a sock kit that includes a club-exclusive colorway from me. I love doing collaborations like that because it gets my name out there to people who might not have found me otherwise.

Howl's Castle 

The Big D  

Gym Class 

Before Gynx Yarns, you had a handmade Etsy shop. How does having a “supply” shop differ from running a handmade shop? Or do you see Gynx Yarns as more of a handmade shop than a supply shop?

When I first started on Etsy in 2009, I was selling finished products, and it wasn’t making me as happy as I thought it would. In 2011 I shifted over to selling hand-dyed yarn. The “handmade” vs. “supply” question is kind of tricky though, because I see my product somewhere in the middle. Yes, yarn is technically a supply to make something else, but I feel that hand-dyed yarn is in a completely different category from commercial yarn. When you buy a hand-dyed skein of yarn, you are buying a piece of art. When you knit with that yarn, you are collaborating with that dye artist on your own project. I lean more towards “handmade” because of the artistry that goes into it.

The main difference between the business I started out with and the business I own now is the community associated with the fiber world. It is easy for me to connect with all of the people just as obsessed with knitting as I am with social media sites such as Ravelry, Twitter, and Facebook. If you think there aren’t that many people out there who knit/crochet or that people don’t get obsessed with it, check out Ravelry. It is a whole site for knitters and crocheters, and there are currently over 3 million users from all over the world. Not only have I found customers, but I’ve made a lot of friends through the fiber world. There really isn’t that kind of a community for people who just like to buy handmade goods.

Do you have any advice for aspiring Etsy sellers?

Treat is as a business from the very beginning. Figure out how to make your business legal, find out what taxes are, how you’re going to handle things like shipping and customer service. Your business will grow and evolve over time, but you have to start as you mean to continue.

Where can we shop your work and find our more about what you do?

Right now I sell online in my Etsy shop. In person, you can, of course, check out The DIME Store.

You can find my blog and podcast here. 

Pumpkin Spice 

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The DIME Store is a shop and artist collective in downtown Denton that features art, craft, and vintage from 40+ local makers. Rachel Aughtry and Shelley Christner act as the "curators and purveyors" of the shop. When they're not at DIME, you'll find them behind their sewing machines or enjoying a margarita at The Greenhouse.

IMAVOLCANO - MAKING OF VIDEO

Eric Michener, front man of the band FishBoy, has done it again. Not only has he put out a cool new album and been busy playing show after show, but he's also been teaming up with local artists and letterpress company Triple Threat Press to create jackets for his new 7" vinyl. He liked their work so much that he even made a 'Making Of' video to show us all how they created a piece of local music history. 

Make sure to watch the video, get to know some great local artists, and listen to more of Eric's music over here. Oh, and you definitely want to watch all the way to the end! Lest you miss out on hearing our friend/printing guru, Laura Drapac, meowing like her giant cat Milo. 

ARTIST INTERVIEW: MANDY HAMPTON

Mandy Hampton hard at work in her shop.  

We ran into Mandy Hampton at a UNT Art Gallery a few months back. She's been impressing us ever since. This Denton-loving artist not only possesses a myriad of talents, but she has shown the ability to go seamlessly from one medium to the next, spanning the world of fine art and craft. In her workshop, she showed us her favorite tools, and a few projects she's been working on, including a large piano she is about to disassemble to use as material for new work. Read on to see how she keeps her creative community close, deals with the challenges of working in a small space, and how she keeps all of those skills sharp. 

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Tell us a little bit about your history with Denton. 

I moved to Denton in January of 2010 to finish my bachelor’s degree. I’d spent the previous years going to community college and traveling over seas, and then decided to move here on a whim. Within my first week, I realized I loved this place. After 3.5 years, I still love the small-town feel, the liberal arts atmosphere, the ability to bike nearly anywhere I want to go, the beautiful historic houses on Oak Street, and a community of people who care about this city. The University of North Texas was also a wonderful environment for me, especially because of the people I met there. I actually started with a degree in English and a minor in Photography. While taking a 3D Design class my first semester, I fell in love with the art program and decided to switch my degree to Photography. After 3 semesters in Photography, I switched yet again to a degree in Sculpture. This time it stuck. In the middle there, I also met my husband, Josiah Hampton, and we’ve been married just over a year now.

Considering myself a world-traveler, I always kind of thought I’d move out of Texas for college - or at least after graduation, but after 3.5 years in Denton I have a difficult time imagining myself elsewhere.  Josiah and I both still have plans to move to another state or over seas for a time, but I think it’s likely we’ll eventually return to Denton even if we leave.

wood curls

You do just about everything when it comes to making art.  You’ve labeled yourself a photographer, painter, musician, sculptor, woodworker and furniture builder. How do you find time for it all?

Honestly, the answer is that I don’t find time for all of it ALL of the time. But I don’t see this as a bad thing. Some mediums come and go in phases, some lasting longer than others. When I learn something new, like when I began woodworking 2 years ago, that one focus takes all of my time, energy, and passion. You might call it obsession. And then, I just incorporate it into my main body of work. I have defined myself as a sculptor for the past 2 years, but once again I realize I can’t stick that kind of label on myself. All of my work flows from the same source. I anticipate seeing my work evolve and continue to flow in and out of various seasons.

Currently, I spend most of my time sculpture, furniture, and photography. Certainly, there is difficulty in dividing my time like this, but it’s working for me. I have learned to use my trusty planner religiously, and schedule my time effectively.

photo by Mandy Hampton

With so many tools in your belt, how do you keep them all sharp? Do you find that it takes time to get back into a medium after stepping away from it for a time?

I actually do easily jump in and out of various mediums. Each medium is kind of like the different tools in my workshop—I use whichever tool best fits the project. I think it also helps that my art is cohesive in concept. Broadly speaking, my work is about telling a story. When I photograph a wedding, I capture someone else’s story. When I build a piece of furniture, I think about space and living areas and about making a piece that creates conversation and interest. When I make a sculpture, I pour my own thoughts and personal story into the work.

Certainly, there is the danger that I'll end up the jack-of-all-trades and master-of-none, and I continue to think seriously about this. Sometimes I consider devoting my time to just one area of focus, but that doesn’t seem to work well for me. The variety keeps me interested, and I’ve found that these different forms of art strengthen each other and influence all areas of my life. One obvious way in which this strengthens my work is the ability to photograph my work. It’s surprisingly difficult to portray 3D sculpture in photographic form.

Do you have a group of friends or creatives to lean on, draw inspiration from, hash out ideas with?

Absolutely. After graduation, I kept my membership in the UNT sculpture collective in order to stay in touch with those folks, which is why I was able to be in a recent UNT On The Square exhibition. I also stay in touch with my friend/professor Jim Burton who has easily been the most influential person on my artist career so far. Jim facilitated an environment that worked well for my learning style, taught me how to critically think about art, and also taught me nearly everything I know about woodworking. I probably wouldn’t have majored in Sculpture without his prodding.

Aside from these, I have several friends with whom I engage in art-centered conversation, but not with much consistency. This is by far the most difficult thing about leaving the university. I am still trying to figure out how to get artists to come share my studio space so that we can work together.  I thrive off of community and interaction with people, and I miss it. On that note, however, I have been talking with Tristan Bynum about Maker Space plans since January and am looking forward to that taking off. I think Maker Space will be an invaluable resource for me and other artists and I am looking most forward to a community of artists with a shared space.

How do you overcome the challenges of moving from the studio space at the school to creating a workshop out of your house? 

Josiah has been an invaluable asset to my artistic career. He relentlessly researches tool reviews and craigslist to find me what I need at a cost we can afford. At this stage, I actually have a nearly complete workshop of tools, including a table saw, a band saw, a thickness planer, a lathe, and a number of hand tools. My absolute favorite tool is my antique Stanley #5 hand plane.

Space however is a problem. Our 2-car garage is small, preventing me from making some of the larger pieces I was able to while at UNT. And the worst part – after I make it, where do I store it? You’re right, it isn’t easy. 

photo by Mandy Hampton

Anybody who has walked around the Square in over the past few months has probably seen one of your pieces in the windows at UNT on the Square.  Where else have you shown in Denton?

I was in several student shows on campus while attending there. After graduating in December, I’ve been in the “Art Show for the People” at Panhandle Studio, The Sculpture Collective Show at UNT on the Square, and a solo show at SCRAP Denton. I also was honored to get into the Spring juried show at 500x in Dallas. As far as finding places to show my work, at this point shows have fallen into my lap because of connections with other artists. I don’t expect this to always be the case though, so I am starting to research galleries in Dallas that might be interested in showing my work.

World of the World - photo by Mandy Hampton

Holiday - by Mand Hampton

Is there one direction of your artwork you’re really drawn to right now? Do you see a specific medium really driving your work as an artist in the future?

For the past 2 years, a common thread in my work has been the use of repurposed materials in the form of sculptures and furniture. I think this will continue to be a big part of my work for the near future. Some people know me for my piano sculptures, and yes, I am still taking apart pianos. I currently have a grand piano filling half of my studio, awaiting it’s impending destruction.

As for why I like to work with these materials, it’s mostly about process and meaning. My work right now usually expresses some kind of narrative that pulls from the object’s history, but also involves current experiences in my own life. “World of the World” and “Holiday” are two good examples of the kind of work I am currently making and most excited about. 

The history of objects and the stories behind them drive my creativity, and all of my best work at this point is inspired by the initial act of destroying something else. I’m still playing around with what that is exactly, but it’s working well and I am enjoying the process. I don’t sketch or plan much, I prefer to just make. I feel like these conceptual sculptures practically build themselves (with a lot of work on my part of course).

Mandy with the next piano she'll be deconstructing.

 Mandy on Etsy / Mandy's Photography Website 

ARTIST INTERVIEW: MICK BURSON

If you've been on the square or Fry Street in the last few years, you've seen Mick Burson's art. His large-scale work adorns the walls of several areas in town, some noticeable, some hidden. With the recent success of the Banksy movie, Exit Through the Gift Shop, public art has gone up a notch in the public eye. Denton, in general, sees it's fair share of street art. The majority of it has a pretty short half-life, though, being washed away before most people are able to even notice. Burson's work, however, is normally met with a warm welcome.

Many local business/land owners have commissioned Burson to beautify their walls with some of his local artwork. Maybe you've noticed his mural full of tiny, colorful houses on the west side wall of A Creative Art Studio at Oak and Bolivar? If not, then you've definitely seen one of his murals closer to the UNT campus. Either way, Burson's art has touched Denton in a way that most artists only dream about. With the forthcoming removal of the 35 Denton mural from the wall of Rusty Tacos, we thought it pertinent to speak to Denton's resident mural expert. 

Tell us about yourself - what brought you to Denton - how long have you been here - what do you do - etc.

I moved to Denton about 3 years ago to go to UNT and I did that for about two years - and then I’ve been in Waco about the last year. I'm moving back to Denton next week and starting back in the fall to finish school. The job i'm leaving in Waco was super supportive of what I did so they were really flexible on my scheduling so I was able to take the big jobs out of town and still have something to come back to.  

You have a long standing history with 35 Denton - how did that start? What all have you done with 35D? How do you think partnering with 35D has affected you?

I had known Ahuni Perez for a little while, and this year before the festival she contacted me needing someone to paint for the event. The inside of The Hive was what I did for them this year. The atmosphere the space provided was perfect, the building hadn’t been in use for some time so the smells and overall feel reflected that and thats what I’m drawn to. I ran short on time so I was only able to finish The Hive and not any other spaces this year so I owe them a wall in the future. Partnering with 35 Denton was an absolute pleasure, they know how to take care of the people they hire on for projects and I think that reflects in the organization. Special thank you to Kyle, Ashuni, and everyone who makes 35 Denton possible.

Why do you make public art?

I have always explored abandoned areas, and I think thats why I am so drawn to where I’m from because it provides an abundance of those spaces. Growing up I would explore the places and see graffiti left by others and there was something magical about the energy spent without expecting any return with just a hope that someone could appreciate it in the future. So I began writing graffiti at about 16. A couple years later I met up with some guys who helped me take it in a serious direction - and I began painting freight trains. With trains and graffiti and monikers on trains it provided an endless supply of inspiration. I no longer had to explore different areas everyday I could just go to the trainyard and the trains would constantly bring new stuff. I attended a community college at this time and one of my professors would let me skip class to paint trains as long as I showed him the work I had done. I appreciate him seeing a future in my work that I may not have seen at the time, I just wanted to paint. Eventually it all caught up to me and I got arrested for painting trains a week before my 20th birthday, and I guess thats where public art came in to save me. I still had to paint I just had to find a different way to go about it so I began painting legally for companies and different people. I think it was all just a natural transition into what it has become today. These days I make public art because its where I find my self-worth, it helps me to figure out myself and work through life issues.

What are your feelings on the permanence, or lack thereof, of public art? Do you have hopes for the staying power of your own?

I think the lack of permanence in public art is one of the beautiful things about it. It is just like a big challenge that I take upon myself to create things that last longer than my body or mind will.

Recently in Waco I was painting a wall and there was a discrepancy with the shop owner with whom the wall faced. Long story short, she talked to the guy I was painting for and he wanted to keep peace with her so he came out and said that it was no longer ok for me to paint and that they were going to cover it up. It then was no longer about the permanence of my work because i knew the future for it, it was more about being able to finish the expression I was in the middle of. I talked them into at least letting me finish, and as I was painting in the fur on the animals with a brush I realized that none of my work should ever be about permanence because it does not exist.

What inspires most of your wall art? What do you find appealing about large scale public art?

All my work is extremely narrative and usually focuses on interactions between people or animals. The interactions narrate trials and tribulation in my own life that I am facing. So what I paint is a direct reflection of how I would like myself to react in the situation. I feel by making work about whatever i'm facing and my work reflecting a positive reaction so that I will be more apt to following the suggestion I paint. I feel like it helps hold me accountable to the public on whom I want to be.

How much does the environment in which you place a piece (or even Denton in general) inspire the murals that you create?

I think the environment surrounding my work may inspire a certain color pallet for formality reasons but I try not to let it affect the content of my work. I do take into consideration other shapes and textures that will be working into the bigger view, meaning other buildings and areas that are in view when looking at one of my works and try to interact with shapes accordingly.

Do you think its important for you to have a creative community?

I love a creative community - but sometimes its not realistic for where you are at - so I make sure I do not build a dependance on a set creative community. I feel like a creative community is different from one to another so you can build your own wherever you are at. My favorite thing about school is the creative community it creates.

You’ve collaborated with other artists on some murals.  Do you find that to be more exciting than working on your own?

I think the collaboration process is an important one. One of my favorites to collaborate with is Taylor Mcclure, I think naturally anyone who creates large scale work has to have a certain drive within himself so having that in common with someone else is a great rare thing thats should be exercised. I also feel like that is one of the difficulties, I try to never let my drive become my ego and that stand between me and a new idea. I also feel like one of the collaborations that happens in a very natural way is the one between Mike Carpenter and I. Mike films and edits montages of my work, we work great together not much needs to be said he does what he does, and does it very well and I do what I do. So collaborations can come in many different forms.

What kind of preparation goes into something like a large wall mural? Is there a lot of planning before you start?

It depends alot on who its for and what it will be containing. For businesses they always want to see a sketch and quite a bit of prior planning. Then there's the other side of it were I just go find a wall and talk to the business owners about me just doing my own thing on it. When there's no real guidelines as far as content there is very minimal planning. I try not to have any sketches and just react to the shape of the wall, I give myself this freedom since a lot of my work contains straight lines and requires a lot of accurate work. For me a sketchbook is one of the most important things, I fill them up constantly and then I have set shapes in my head that I lay down and then just react to those when doing a wall. As far as my color palette goes there is never any planning going into it - I just pick a few basic colors and mix them on site.

You started out as a printmaker and still do that along with your public murals.  Printmaking allows you to easily create multiple pieces of work.  Has a desire to get your work in front of a lot of people influenced your choice in medium?

I think printmaking has greatly influenced my work, any one of my walls could very easily be broken down and turned into a print. I work with layers - just like in printmaking - and figure out what is going to work best next, and make sure I am not cutting background shapes after doing foreground objects. I think the medium I use for walls whether it be spray paint or latex paint is influenced by what I grew up knowing and what I am use to. I try to broaden the materials I use so that in any situation work can still be made, but I also let myself figure out the new material at my own pace. I don't ever want this part of my work to turn into being about money, that would ruin the pureness and simplicity of it all.

Your style is pretty recognizable. Can you tell us about your aesthetic?

One of my mom's favorite artist is a guy named Pena and all his work is based around native americans and the southwest, so I grew up drawing the paintings she had hanging at the house. Now that I am older I can recognize the elements in my work that I have kept from his work. A lot of inspiration I take from others' work happens at a subconscious level, so I never really know whose work is really affecting my own style until later down the road. One of my favorite things about art and the cohesiveness of someone's work is that it cannot be bought, or learned over night. I have to take what I know and make work day and night about it and take care of it and figure out what direction I want it all to go. Art takes an extreme amount of work that you have to put in to reach any real level of cohesiveness that you could call your own, and thats why its a never ending process for me.