ARTistic inspiration: Patience brings success

Portrait of Russell and his daughter.

Portrait of Russell’s Grandma Lauryn Mitchell.

Russell X Mitchell Contributor

My name is Russell X Mitchell and I’m 26 years old. I was born in Moose Factory, Ont., and lived in Moosonee for 20 years before I moved to Thunder Bay. I started drawing at the age of three. I was basically told by my father to draw the coffee cup that was placed in front of him – so I did. I was immediately hooked to drawing from that point on and fascinated with the end results from simply making marks on a piece of paper.

During my elementary days I would spend hours observing and learning to read books on many of the great artists of the past such as Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Raphael, or Leonardo da Vinci.

Leonardo’s sketchbook was a huge influence on my work with the human anatomy and led to my love of drawing portraits and full body portraits. At the age of 10, a local artist of Mooosonee by the name of Jan May really brought my drawings to a new level. She taught me many neat ways of holding a pencil to achieve certain results in my drawings. I still use the very techniques that she taught me on many of my works, with very rewarding results. I finished elementary school after eight years with an understanding of many techniques and methods for executing some neat things with a pencil.

I graduated from Northern Lights Secondary School with four years of awards in the general and visual arts courses. I was heavily influenced by all the teachers – and not only the art teachers.

It was remarkable that each one of them had something to contribute to teaching the importance of trying, practising and preparing for what may lay ahead for me in the future and more importantly: not giving up when times get rough.

As of November 2008 I am the creator and artist of a graphic portrait website. Blahk Hat Art specializes in using my 23 years of experience with a pencil to bring my customers excellent and inexpensive works of art. It is a very rewarding and motivational experience to see the reactions that my work brings to the many that I have drawn for during the opening of my venture.

There are many benefits to drawing. From my experience, it can really make you see things you otherwise would not normally see, such as the texture of materials from how you think you would draw them to how you actually have to draw them. You also learn to proportion everything in relation to other objects. You will also learn the true value of patience after rushing through a drawing with not so satisfying results.

I would tell other aspiring artists to take their time with this analogy: ‘the Turtle will always win against the Hare.’

I am very inspired by children’s drawings and paintings – or any other medium they use to portray what it is they see in their minds. I love how they will scribble on a piece of paper and be so amazed by it that they run up to their parents with the joy of sharing their creation. To the parents it is just that, “scribbles,” but to the children it is so much more.

I want to encourage the young to imagine and create.

I would like to say something of importance to the many youth who have dreams of being someone great and doing something great in this world: “Even monkeys fall from trees.” Sounds funny, but very true. Personally, with my 23 years of experience, I make mistakes; and will continue to make mistakes. It’s important to not be discouraged by these mistakes, learn from them to create realistic solutions. Continue to strive and reach for whatever it is that you really want to be and do in this world.

www.blahkhatart.com
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Drawings by Russell X Mitchell
blahkhatart@live.ca