1st Art Post!

Hi everyone! Welcome to another weekly blog update. Aside from my usual California updates (which I will continue with shortly), I intend to use this blog as a place to post new art materials that I produce.

As some of you may know, I'll be applying to a master's program at an art school in San Francisco this September - The Academy of Art University. At the moment, my portfolio required for entry is about 80% complete - an advisor recommended that I produce a few more specific pieces of artwork in order to give the faculty exactly what they're looking for. Anyways, in light of applying to The Academy, I plan on drawing a LOT over the next several months. I'm going to try to do a drawing a day. Realistically, that probably won't happen...but it's a good goal for me to shoot for.

This week has been my first week of truly getting back into an art groove. I've been away from my art for so long (Georgia Tech had a tendency to consume most of my time), that I think I had almost forgotten how strongly I'm attached to drawing. It's incredibly exciting for me to finally have time to work within that aspect of life again. Like I've said before...art is my passion. And I want to get a lot better at it.

Right now I'm concentrating on human anatomy....specifically, faces. I've never been able to draw people very well before - if you were to ask me to draw a person without any reference, I simply wouldn't be able to do it. So I'm trying to gain a better understanding of the human figure, with the goal of eventually being able to produce poses and facial expressions from nothing but my own imagination.

To kick off the art craziness, I have several sketches to show from the last few days. All were free handed, but with reference materials to draw from. Check 'em out and let me know what you think. I love to get feedback on this stuff! =)

I love this one. Lots of emotion involved. Not to mention she's gorgeous.

This is my least favorite and the one that gave me the most trouble. I screwed up the proportions big time right off the bat and didn't step back from the drawing in time to realize what I had done. After about 30 minutes into the sketch, I saw my mistake, gasped rather intensely, and had to go back in and make major changes halfway through. Not a fun experience, but she turned out ok I guess.

My favorite so far. I love the eyes and the smile - bright, warm, and inviting. I also think she looks the most realistic out of the 3.

"Waaaa-AAAAlll-E!!!!!"
I'm incredibly excited about the new Pixar movie right now. So excited in fact, that I've decided to do a digital painting in its honor. This is a work in progress, and I'll be posting more updates soon. ;)

Oh yeah!!! One more thing. Since I'm doing sketches of people's faces right now, I thought it would be fun to sketch some of you guys! Soooo, if you would like me to do a quick sketch of your face, send me a picture at my e-mail address (cooperwelch@yahoo.com) - OR - send me a link to a picture you've already got online either through a message on Facebook, or a link in a blog comment. You KNOW you want to see yourself as a drawing. Of course, I can't guarantee that it's going to look anything like you...but you'll get a kick out of it anyways, and you'll be helping a good cause. Ha! ;)

2nd Week in California

Today is June 20th - a day that marks my survival of week number 2 on the west coast. Time is FLYING by. It's ridiculous. I thought it was fast before...but man. The adults weren't kidding when they said it only gets faster as you get older.

This week has seen the completion of several important tasks. First and foremost, I was able to get Internet set up at my apartment. Hooray! I feel slightly more connected to the outside world now. It's not wireless yet, which is unfortunate because I'm unable to simultaneously use the Internet and sit on my couch at the same time. My cable just doesn't reach that far. Durn.

Secondly, I was able to pick up a few pieces of furniture that have rocketed my apartment's look and feel from "Ok, you're still getting settled" to "Wow you have a nice place." I now have a dining room table, which is incredibly awesome (thanks Mom for doing the search on that one). It's expandable/collapsible and makes for a perfect drawing table. Actually it kind of reminds me of the table I used for all of my work back home. This wonderful new table has claimed the spot that my white desk was sitting in (refer to my "Moving In" blog entry for a picture), because it completely and totally eclipses the desk in terms of overall niceness and efficiency for my artwork.

There she is. You can see my artwork hanging on the wall too.

Also, I picked up these nifty little stools for the living room area (once again, thanks Mom). They're pretty sweet - great for propping your feet up to watch TV or play videogames. Not that I'm able to watch TV or play videogames yet...but I will be soon. Additionally, the tops of the stools flip over to become mini-tray tables. Dinner and a movie? Aw yeah.

Cool no?

Mmmm...footrests. Now if only I had a TV. That coffee table sure does look lonely.

On the work front, I've been able to complete several large design tasks over the last few days. Generally speaking, work has been going great. They're keeping me super busy at Graspr, and it feels good. So far I've really enjoyed everything, and my coworkers have really liked my work. I have a ton of creative freedom, and my tasks thus far have catered towards being broad, varied, and challenging. One of the main reasons I've been so busy is due to a massive deadline coming up. On July 1st, we're going live with several major updates to the site - updates that will hopefully put us more into the public eye. On a more personal level, July 1st will also mark the first time any of my professional design work will be published for the rest of the world to see. And that's a pretty awesome thought...that hundreds of people could see and interact with stuff that I've worked on. Take a good look at the site now...because I'm pushing for some pretty radical changes to happen soon.

This is called the Adobe Creative suite. It's a $900 software package that I use for a lot of my work. I finally got my own copy this week. And that makes me a happy camper. =)

On the social side of things, I made a big step towards actually meeting people out here. For the first 4 days of the week (Sunday through Wednesday), life was a bit monotonous - I would get up in the morning, go to work, come home, and make dinner/twiddle my thumbs for the majority of the evening. However, due to my appetite for activity, I was determined to change the routine. So on Thursday evening, I went to hang out with a local group of young adult churchgoers. And they were really great people! Turned out that a bunch of them were from the South too! Nobody from Atlanta, but the closest to home that I remember was a couple from Clemson. It was great to make a step towards getting plugged in somewhere...especially with people who appreciate college football and BBQ pork sandwiches.

Anyways, I think that's about it for now. I'll close this entry with a little taste of west coast economic reality. This is a picture I took at a gas station the other day. You'll notice that Regular Unleaded is $4.49 a gallon. This is the CHEAPEST gas I've found so far....the cheapest. Yeah. Could someone please go ahead and come out with a better fuel alternative? Geez.

I believe the word "yikes" would be appropriate right about now.

PS - Am really missing everyone back home. Thanks so much for all of your prayers and support. I'll keep updating my blog with more info on my life out here in California! =)

1st Week in California

Wow. I’ve been in California for a whole week. And it’s very tempting for me to say it almost doesn’t feel real.

But it IS real. And I can’t even begin to tell you how quickly this last week has flown by. Ever since arriving last Wednesday, my mom and I have been moving at a seriously breakneck pace to get my new apartment in order and take care of other specific home and work related materials. But aside from continuing to get settled into my new life here on the West Coast, this week marked the first 5 days of officially stepping into my new job at Graspr.com.

Before I move on, a little about what I do at Graspr. I’m a “designer.” I’m the idea guy. I’m the equivalent of an architect for the Internet. I come up with cool ideas for new technologies and web interfaces, draw up the blueprints, program interactive prototypes, and make everything look pretty. At Graspr, I am currently THE designer. I am THE idea guy. It’s a pretty sweet gig being one of the creative leads for the company…but believe me when I say it’s a lot of responsibility.

Speaking of which, the “responsibility” thing hit me pretty hard on Monday. I went in to my first day on the job extremely nervous and scared…and the whole time I think I kept asking myself whether or not I really did the right thing taking a job with a startup company nearly 3000 miles away from my comfort zone. The day turned out to be a whirlwind of activities - I met some new people, got my desk and computer set up (I was given a new 15’’ MacBook Pro for work! Whoo hoo!), and started the process of figuring out exactly what I needed to be doing. I had a brief session with my boss and mentor, John Robinson, regarding what I would be working on soon…but I was so nervous with the realization of my new position’s heavy weight, that I had a hard time taking it all in. Regardless, I shook my head in approval and tried to look happy, but ultimately questions unspoken went unanswered, and I felt swept up into a giant abyss of anxiety and fear. At the end of the day, I was left feeling very overwhelmed.

On the plus side of things, Monday wasn't too bad - I did get a free lunch courtesy of John (free lunches are a tradition for new employees in Silicon Valley companies). And honestly, I don’t let new situations get my down that easily. It just takes me a little while to get accustomed to a new place, and more often than not I place too little faith in my own abilities. So I took a deep breath and tried to relax a little.

And then Tuesday came. I met with Teresa Philips, our fearless leader and head honcho at Graspr. She’s an awesome person, a very experienced businesswoman, and a true visionary. We talked for a long time. She gave me her rundown of what Graspr was all about, and what she had in mind for the company in the near future. And to my relief, she gave me a clue about where I would fit in. To say the least, I felt MUCH better after our meeting was over. My energy was coming back to me. Tuesday afternoon was a blur, but at least I felt better.

On Wednesday morning, I met with John again. We had a great session, and were able to really nail down exactly WHAT I should be doing in the ‘here and now.’ I think figuring out my most immediate task was the breath of fresh air that I needed – it finally felt like my feet had hit the ground. And man, if my feet were moving, they sure did take off fast. I was right into the heat of things on day number 3! (These startups don't waste any time). I did a few design mock-ups that afternoon, all hand sketches…and it was during those sketches that I remembered exactly why I choose to be a designer. I absolutely love it.

So I went in to Thursday morning with a much more confident attitude. It was a good thing too, because I had my first design review session. A quick note for those of you not in the know: design review sessions are when designers really get tested. It’s when your stuff is put out there for the other smarter people to make cake batter out of. Bearing this in mind, I was a little nervous. Teresa, John, and I went over the designs I created on Wednesday afternoon. And much to my chagrin, they really liked them. They liked them! Obviously, they didn’t let me get away without suggestions, but the important thing was that they fed off of my ideas in a really positive way. They related to my designs. And most importantly, I finally had a good feeling about what I was doing.

And that was when everything clicked. Graspr felt right. I guess I never realized how much doubt I really had in my mind until I got out here. But doing those designs and getting that positive feedback was the encouragement I needed.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt now that this is the place I’m supposed to be. Without question, God has led me here. And after talking to Teresa and getting a feel for what Graspr aspires to be, I can confidently say that this company has the potential to do great things. And I’m going to do my best to help them get there.

I'm still in the process of getting things settled in my new apartment...but California is just as awesome as I remember it to be - great weather, a relaxing atmosphere, and amazing sunsets....And I've got a good feeling about this job.

Here are some photos from my first 5 days in the California working world!:

The outside of the office

Getting closer...

Hooray for flowery welcome signs!

My cubicle was so empty that first day...but wait. Was that a new 15'' Macbook Pro sitting on the desk there? I believe it was. =)

It's like a little bundle of joy.

And there she is in all her glory.

My buddy Amol. He's a Flash wiz.

Hey! Now I'm getting somewhere with my cube decor.

My new whiteboard. An absolute must for any designer. Believe it or not, all of those scribbles actually mean something.

Another shot of the cube...I've got my art kit ready to go on the right.

I set up Christmas lights in the hallway behind my cube. You can see some of my sketches starting to take over the wall...I plan on turning it into a design wall of awesomeness.

MK, this is for you. I've still got Dwight with me. My office just wouldn't be complete without him. =)

Moving In! - Day 1

WHOOHOO!

Guys, it's official. I've got my own place. My own digs. My own pad. My own casa. My own APARTMENT.

Aw. Yeah.

Today marked the first day of moving my stuff in. Having successfully unloaded all of my boxes and furniture from the truck, I think I can confidently speak for both my mom and myself when I say "good riddance" to the 16' Penske beast. That thing was not fun to deal with, believe me.

As luck would have it, it turns out that the apartment is a pretty sweet setup. It's in a VERY nice complex (which I plan on exploring later), has a ton of space, lots of windows for ambient lighting, a porch, my own walk-in closet, and a great kitchen that I plan to make full use of.

Anyways, the roadtrip is over. I've made it to California. I'm here to stay for a while. And I'm absolutely stoked. I've still got a long ways to go in terms of getting settled, but it's really starting to feel like my new home!

Here are some pics from the trip and of my new place. You can click on any of them to get larger photos. =)

The truck and me.

My mom, the truck driver.

THIS is why moving is expensive. We were averaging 75$+ a stop...

A nice walkway in my apartment complex.

This is the guy I park next to. Hehe.

Thumbs up, let's do this.

Welcome welcome! There's my couch on the wall over there.

This is my work desk, aka, my art desk. It's lit really well, and it looks out across my living room onto the patio. I'm going to set up my TV (when I get one) so that I can watch TV while I draw. Oh, and that's the kitchen in the back.

And this is my patio.

Here's the view from my patio across the living room.

I even have my own walk in closet! I've never had my own walk in closet before! =)

That's it! We are DONE with this thing.

And this is just a random mirror shot. Because I like to take these kinds of pictures.

And that's it for now! Tomorrow I'm going to be doing less of the "moving stuff" and more of the "moving in." Supposedly I'll have a bed to sleep on by tomorrow night as well. So that'll be sweet. My first night officially sleeping in my new apartment. Ha! This is so cool.

Change

Hi everyone! Welcome to the inaugural post of my new personal blog! I've been meaning to start a blog for quite a while now, and I'm super stoked about finally having this new outlet for sharing my thoughts, ideas, and general inner workings with you.

For my first blog entry, I'd like to write about something pertinent to the newest chapter of my life. Something fairly heavy that I know many of you can relate to. I'd like to write about change.

By worldly standards, this is a very "big" time in my life. I've recently graduated from college (hooray!), and am now on the path of pursuing my first professional career in the working world. God has been very good to me - I'm moving to northern California, am starting an exciting new job, and am financially secure for my first foray into true independence. Life is good, and I'm very thankful.

A friend said to me a couple weeks ago, "Cooper, you're an adult now!" I thought about his statement for a second. Then I realized, I didn't like it very much. In fact, I think my subconscious might have gagged a little when he said it. His words, as playful as they were, made me realize that things were drastically changing in my life...and I became a little scared for a minute.

Over the last month or so, I've had a lot of people ask me how I feel about moving my life to California. "Are you excited? Are you nervous? Are you scared?" And my answer to all of those questions is a resounding YES. Moving my life from the east coast to the west coast is a change that is simultaneously exciting, nerve wracking, and incredibly terrifying. But what's interesting to me is that all of those answers could be classified as good things or bad things. And while thinking about those answers as being good or bad is all fine and good, I can't help but think that the good vs. bad context is missing the point.

Here's what I'm getting at. You always hear people talking about change like it's good or bad. You hear them say, "Change is good!" or "I don't like change..." or something along those lines. But you know, I've been thinking about change being good vs bad...and while it certainly can be good or bad, change in and of itself is so much more than that. Change is NECESSARY.

Certainly, A change can be good. A change can be bad. But the process of change goes beyond being good or bad. It's a tool that God uses to grow us as individuals. If we never experienced changes, then we would be stagnant. We would never mature; we would never continue in our walks of becoming the people that God wants each of us to be.

In thinking about change and how it matures us, I've also been thinking about qualities needed during changes. Specifically, there are 3 main characteristics that I keep coming back to as I go through these big changes in my own life.

First, Courage. Without courage, we wouldn't have the fortitude to take on new tasks that God places before us. Always have courage, and change won't ever scare you.

Second, Perseverance. Without perseverance, we wouldn't have the stamina or mental attitude to continue in our changes. Have perseverance and change won't ever get you down.

And third, Wisdom. Without wisdom, we wouldn't know what a change was for. If change presents itself to you and you don't learn anything from it, then it hasn't really served it's purpose. Ask God for wisdom to discern what a change is doing for you, and you'll certainly grow and mature from it.

Change is an intimidating thing, for sure. But it's also a wonderful tool that God uses to add color and excitement to our lives. It's a NECESSARY tool that God uses to GROW us. So, if change presents itself to you, keep these things in mind. Remember that change is God's tool. Be courageous enough to face it. Have a persevering attitude. And ask yourself how God is using it to grow you.

I'm really going to miss you guys back home. But I'll also be praying that you will continue to grow towards becoming the people that God wants you to be. For those of you who are about to experience big changes (and I know many of you are!!!)...don't be afraid or depressed. Be exceedingly joyful in knowing that God is speeding up your growth process. =)

FYI, I'm about a day away from being at my final destination. I'll write again very soon, and post pictures of the trip and my new apartment.