I admire so many artists, from Fine Artists to Digital Artists. The main way that good art sets itself apart from so-called bad art is that there seems to be a sense of discipline and sincerity in their art. Or a sense of transcending the media. I like old-style art like Rembrandt as much as I admire newer Digital Art and AI art that is out now. I studied so much art and art history in college, I admire Durer as much as Picasso or Kandinsky.

I listen to a lot of ambient music and alternative music that puts me in a creative meditative mood throughout the day. And I watch a lot of movies and TV shows in the evening. I may watch movies differently than others. I watch to see how aesthetic scenes are composed, the color choices used, and the mood that different types of lighting and personalities evoke when placed together. I don’t think in terms of good or bad movies most of the time, since I am looking for creative aspects and elements more than to be entertained. I love the aesthetic of the director Nicolas Winding Refn. I love watching mystery and thriller shows to see what elements are used to create a sense of mystery. I appreciate European mystery and thriller shows. I like the twists and turns of the crime thrillers written by Harlan Coben.

Occasionally I watch a movie just to be entertained.

For creative slumps, I keep listening to my music and watching movies and TV shows, but I also love scrolling through social networks like Facebook and Instagram to see the latest work of my friends and people I follow, as well as the members of the groups I run or am a member of. There is so much creativity just flowing endlessly every day - like drinking from a fire hose.

Life slumps are different. I tend to get more introverted and think about why a particular situation has happened, then I try to think of how I might perceive it differently or learn from it. Then I tend to deepen my evening meditation and prayer with the feeling or hope that it will heal this slump. I believe it is healthy to remind yourself that life is not easy for anyone no matter how well some people are good at concealing that. And I try my best to choose compassion moment to moment when with people.

I have been using Photoshop and creating on a computer since the early 90s. I have seen so much change and love it all as I am a Gemini. In the past, I may have thought fine arts was the best form of art, but in time I have opened up to how much of design and photography is just incredible. In the beginning with this new wave of AI Art, I dismissed it. Then I embraced how boundless the creative possibilities are and how unique many of the images generated are. Surely there is a big difference between simple prompts and extensive ones, and that is an art form in itself. AI art is a great reminder that we don’t have to have any boundaries to our imagination.

As I stated previously I went to art college. When I graduated I realized fast the romanticism of trying to get your own art show and working for artists or galleries was much harder and more competitive than I ever imagined. I did manage to do all three but that lifestyle did not seem sustainable at all. I then moved into more illustration type of work, but I was curious about computer graphics. The first time I used Photoshop on that little beige Macintosh computer at evening classes at the School of Visual Arts in NYC I fell in love with it! No doubt I felt that Photoshop version 2 was limited, but I saw the potential.

I run some large groups on Facebook where members are not shy to express their opinions. I see some members state they hate AI art and even attack other members who post such art in the groups, and I see some very creative AI art and Digital Art being shared. There seems to be a division between those who embrace AI art and those who hate it. But such is life. The diversity of opinions and tastes is what makes life interesting for sure!