My name is Josh and I am from the dark frigid land of corn and steel mills they call Northwest Indiana. After 5 grueling years of Undergraduate Civil Engineering curriculum ...
I eventually made my way to Houston, Texas to use my newly gained technical knowledge to sell prefabricated engineered solutions (..what?)
In my 5 years in that position, I learned and grew as a professional with a some success. I had also taken time to build my artistic skill set and learn in my free time.
I started in traditional media, but I branched into digital drawings/paintings, Graphic Design and Illustration. I even started my own webcomic.
In March 2021, my partner and I moved to Guatemala where I would take my creative journey to the next level.
Projects
I did not expect to spend the beginning of my thirties in a place as beautiful as Guatemala. Beginning my career as a creative in a country this rich in culture and natural beauty has been not only a tremendous experience personally but also an immeasurable asset as a creative. Beaches, cliffs, jungles, caves and volcanoes... So many volcanoes (from seeing an active erupt in the middle of the night to hiking up to the crater lake of a dormant volcano surrounded by a lush, sacred forest). Besides Guatemala, I have also visited all the other Central American Countries (except Belize), and Mexico during this time. This has all become a fertile land for inspiration and experiences that I can pull from as an artist in my creations.
Although my time in Guatemala is coming to an end, I will continue to travel when I have the opportunity.
My partner, Cristine, and I have been together for 9 years and we have created a life that works for the both of us. I moved to Guatemala with her when she got the opportunity to work down here and we brought our two trusty k-9 companions, Luci and Ellie. She's a type-A science aficionado and I'm the creative chaos machine. We like to watch movies, explore, bird watch, take our dogs for long walks and really do anything as long as we're together.
Much of my work is inspired by mythologies with origins on this side of the planet. At some point I realized that most mythologies that make it to the main stream or pop culture, are from other parts of the world: Greek, Roman, sometimes Egyptian. I hadn't seen much from the Americas. This sparked my interest to learn more about it and I haven't stopped learning since. Guatemala is a place that is particularly rich with this kind of culture with a nearly 40% Indigenous Mayan population.
When I get stressed or overwhelmed, I know it's time to make a meeting with a treadmill or go for a jog on the street. Especially if I've been sitting at my desk for too long and my back or neck get sore, a run is a great way to detach. It's also great way to refresh mentally during a creative block or when I'm searching for a creative solution.
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