My Winding Roadby McKenzie I have achieved much notoriety and attention in the past few months in my artistic career. It hasn’t always been that way. . . I attended UCLA on a full scholarship to study art. I also had an interest in medicine and decided that I wanted to be a bio-medical illustrator -- an artist who draws for doctor’s manuals and such. I combined my studies with art and medicine. Sounds like an interesting path, huh? I worked very hard to prepare myself for what I thought would be my career. But for me, it never seems to work out the way I plan!! On graduating from college I was offered a job drawing murder victims for trials. Yuck! I certainly wouldn’t be fun at parties..."Hello, what do you do for a living?” This also wasn’t the job for a squeamish female who would have to attend crime scenes all day long. I knew that I had to do something else to feed myself. I started dating a professional bodybuilder. This made a good model for my figurative drawings. With the backing of a few friends, we decided to start marketing my prints through Muscle and Fitness Magazine. No inexpensive endeavor at the time. The first month we got very few orders; the second month we improved; and by the third month...we were overloaded. We had been stretched to the limit by the advertising costs and were naive about the delay in getting monies collected through credit cards (one month ). Sounds silly...but we didn’t have money to ship out the orders! After begging our family members for loans, we finally were able to satisfy our customers. I decided that I needed a little education in finance after the near disaster! I started taking classes and decided to get my financial planning license. This was the way I figured that I could pay the bills and still pursue my dream of making a living as an artist. I, as so many people do, got off track and caught up in the “yuppie-trap". That is where your job is not satisfying emotionally but the monetary rewards are addictive. This was me. My art could wait. About one year ago, one of my dearest friends contracted a minor infection in her hand. In a matter of days, peritonitis spread throughout her body. The doctors gave her a transfusion but the infection had caused her limbs to become gangrenous. They had to amputate her arms and legs in order to save her life. An unbearable solution. I cried for days and days for her. What happiness did she have to look forward to? What options did she have now? (She is going through depression and trying to find a new path for her life.) Her illness ended up changing MY life! At first. . . I was angry with the universe! You see all these not-so-wonderful people living out their lives. . . and yet someone so loving and caring has to suffer so immensely. . . it wasn't fair!! I felt so helpless. I realized that nobody has any guarantees. That there might not be a “tomorrow” to begin your dream. I realized that I needed to be strong for both of us. I had to search for something positive out of this horrific event. So, like a woman possessed, I began THAT day painting, drawing and planning for my new life. I found a strength inside myself that I didn't know that I had, and changed the direction of my life as a tribute to her. Though my work is figurative and is meant to convey different emotions, I have always been fascinated with technology and the computer. I read an art magazine discussing the new software program called Deep Paint made by Right Hemisphere. It is an art program that actually allows you to “paint” on the computer. I also use a Wacom graphics tablet and pen. I am able to control the colors, ‘thickness’, and blending of the paint on the ‘canvas’. I print these works out using a very high-end Giclee (digital) process. Then I embellish the prints with traditional mediums such as acrylic and oil. The end result is amazing. My work is now featured on the Wacom and Right Hemisphere web sites. The owner of Right Hemisphere stumbled across my web site. He said that my artwork was, “... just what I envisioned artists creating when I designed it.” What good fortune! He asked for my permission to post my artwork on his site. I agreed with the stipulation that it be linked to my email and website. I began receiving constant inquiries. Simultaneously, I sent slides and electronic files to ALL the galleries I possibly could. This increased the interest in my work. I was approached by an agent and offered contracts by galleries. My artwork was gaining momentum all on its’ own! Feeling blessed, I decided to donate a piece of my artwork to a children’s charity in Hollywood, California. I walked in off the street (without an appointment) with only the intention of donation. As luck would have it, the officers of the charity happened to be in that day. They were so touched with my gesture that they suggested working together to create a Celebrity Charity Event. This has lead to many wonderful connections and even more publicity for my artwork. Combining your passion for art and your passion “to help” is like a dream come true. I suggest that any artist contact their favorite charity organization and offer their time, energy, and artwork Last month Adobe (the makers of Photoshop) interviewed me for an article documenting my success; a video production company has approached me about being in a film -the combination of technology and the arts; and my work is being featured in a book. Things are looking up!! My path to art has been a winding one. I have never been so happy and complete. I don’t feel like I am “betraying” myself like I had before. In a strange way...I feel as if I am living my life in honor of my friend whose illness has changed me for the better!! posted January, 2000 ___________________________________ Contact Information: McKenzie's web site: http://www.mckenzieart.com email: hyperKenzie@email.msn.com
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