Embracing The Process: New Projects & New Lessons
An update on my latest mural, recent drawings, and what I'm learning along the way.
Lately, I've been pursuing projects that push me beyond my creative comfort zone. Whether it's taking on large scale mural work, drawing incredibly small subjects, or just approaching my art from a different perspective. Each project has offered an opportunity to grow. Along the way, I've been reminded that some of the most meaningful progress happens when we're willing to step into the unknown.
The biggest project in the works right now is the massive mural I’m painting in Mancos, Colorado. It’s the first mural I’ve worked on in three years, and boy, has it been an experience. When I created the initial mock-up for the mural, I found myself asking over and over again, “Do I really know what I’m getting myself into?” The answer, time and time again, was a resounding “NO.” I’ve never attempted a painting of this scale or level of detail before. I’ve never painted mountains, and I’ve certainly never spent so many hours working from a 20 foot scaffolding. Starting this project was both daunting and intimidating, but I knew it could be done.
Overall, the greatest challenge has been understanding how to accurately paint the mountains, capturing their proportions, layering the colors effectively, and creating a sense of depth and realism that feels true to the landscape. All of this becomes exponentially more difficult when you’re painting from just a couple feet away for most of the day. Taking intentional breaks to step back 30 feet and assess the mural as a whole has become an essential part of the process.
Through all of these challenges and new lessons, this mural has taught me to fully embrace and fall in love with the process. The fact that there’s no real deadline has only reinforced that lesson. I’ve been able to take my time, experiment, make mistakes, and focus on creating the best mural I possibly can without the pressure of rushing to the finish line.
I still have a long, long way to go, but it’s all starting to come together.
Animal Miniatures: An Experiment in Super Small-Scale Drawing
A few weeks ago, during a stretch between commissions and weather delays on the mural, I got the idea to create a couple of tiny animal drawings. Going from painting on a massive scale to working in such a small format was a fun change of pace. Like many of my miniature drawings, the goal was simple: How much detail can I fit into a tiny space, and how realistic can I make it look?
I then decided to draw two of the most wondrous creatures in the world: the elephant and the horse. While both are animals, they couldn’t be more different in terms of texture, form, and overall appearance. Like the mural, these drawings presented a new challenge, just in a very different way. To accurately capture their proportions, shading, and character, I had to work incredibly slowly and intentionally. At this scale, every mark matters. Every detail is noticeable. These drawings are meant to be viewed up close, leaving little room for error.
Both of these pieces sold a few weeks ago, but I’m currently accepting commissions for this style of work!
New Commissioned Work
Speaking of commissions, I'm still actively creating and accepting commissioned work alongside all of these other projects. There are a few pieces I’ve recently completed that I can’t share just yet, but I’ll be able to reveal them in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, here are a few recent commissions that were a real joy to create.
A Summer of Art & Adventure
Although I have plenty of projects in the works and will be starting my next collection of original drawings soon, I always make sure to set aside time for adventure in the outdoors.
I recently returned from an amazing solo road trip around Colorado, and this summer I plan to spend as much time as possible backpacking, camping, road-tripping, and exploring new corners of the Southwest. These experiences in the outdoors are a constant source of inspiration and more importantly, a time for me to play, explore, and reconnect with the things that matter most.
I'm so excited to share more of the mural's progress and all the new work I'll be releasing in the months ahead. As always, thank you for reading, supporting my work, and coming along for the journey.
Much Love,
Parker
Exciting and inspiring!
You are such a talented artist now but expanding your horizons like this huge mural gives you yet another dimension to your craft. Few artists could go from creating intricate miniatures to the complex murals, except maybe for Leonardo da Vinci (not a bad comparison)…next, maybe a sculpture? Sky’s the limit!