One Question i get a lot as I’m sure every Artist has heard is “when did you start Drawing?” its an interesting question because from my end i am mystified by what my answer means to the person asking….is there a wrong answer? does a lifelong Artist/creator mean more than a highly motivated one that just got into it? for me personally if you create a quality product it doesn’t matter to me how long you’ve been an artist/creator.

I really think the Question is an innocent one put out there by people who don’t really know what its like to be an artist or by artists that want validation in their own motivation and history. And on Rare occasions its put forth by someone that genuinely wants to know about “YOU” personally, which is cool. I do think a lot can be learned from someone’s history and i love to hear personal tales of my art heroes….SO I will share with you my art history.

I grew up in Rural Michigan, double-wide trailer, dirt road and miles from anything other than Cow pastures. My parents god bless ‘em held down multiple jobs to provide for my two older brothers and I. My brothers were pretty cool, never really picked on me much, but never really played with me either, we were all just into different things. My Dad introduced me to comics when i was about three. He didn’t like to read that fairytale, lullaby garbage so he’d sit with me and read “Legion of Super-heroes” and “Brave & the Bold” . I was hooked….the vibrant pictures and the wild things going on in the comics just enthralled me from the first glance. Because of my deep interest in the comics and my Dad’s willingness to read with me i learned to read before kindergarten.

So bored with nothing but old hand-me-down toys, I picked up a pencil and with a Ronald McDonald multi-color page mini notebook my Mom got me, I started to draw. At first it was the Batmobile ( My Dad was a mechanic and I really worshiped the guy) then my second piece was of “Etrigan: the Demon” I had just found my Dad’s issue #1 copy and was blown away by Jack”the King”Kirby’s work. Soon i had to draw ALL the time, it was my equivalent to playing with Toys, complete and total escapism. My other Sanctuary was Saturday morning Cartoons….I would be miserable all week waiting for Saturday to come. Where we lived it was hit or miss on TV reception and so it was a gamble on what i would get to see. Action Cartoons became my childhood best friends.

So I got into Art when i was 4 years of age and i cant imagine where I’d be without my parents simple acts of inspiration and motivation. Love you much Mom and Dad!

Through the years I have had some up’s and down’s when it comes to motivation and inspirations, next time I’ll share some of the earliest ones for me.

Question of the Week: “when did you start Drawing?”

Leave me a comment below or Email me!

-BEN OUT!

And come see me this week/weekend at the Phoenix Comicon…