Shark Week

As an artist I draw inspiration from a lot of different sources. The colors of Fall are wonderful. The beauty of an old quilt, the craftsmanship of a hand-carved piece of furniture, the story of Easter or the magic of Christmas. A lot of different things fuel my imagination. Something as simple as watching TV with the kids and grandkids fits into the equation too! The family traditions of watching heartwarming classics like The Grinch or Rudolph, the wonder and life-lessons learned from Disney films like Pinocchio or Aladdin, or the adventure and drama of Hollywood classics like The Wizard of Oz or Gone With the Wind… they all add to the mix.

Then there’s Shark Week! That’s a whole new tradition in our house and it’s one we’ve all grown to love and look forward to every year. I’m trying to put my finger on exactly why, it’s certainly not like watching Disney! Of course, it starts with the sinister beauty of these magnificent animals, but there’s more to it than that! There’s the whole idea of the wonder of nature, how did such a thing come to be, how do they fit into the grand scheme of things, what essential features do they add to creation. Not to mention just the primal, pulse-quickening spectacle of watching them go about their day-to-day business. To put it simply, they’re just cool! Shark Week is must-see TV in our house, and I don’t mind saying it’s an inspiration for my art. I’m proud of my association with Animal Planet and looking forward to what comes next. But right now, I’ve got to go get the popcorn ready!