Mind My Business

I don't blog enough anymore.. what the heck.... here's some recent works..

It's been awhile since I've actually blogged. I guess I got tired of being the only one that reads them.. Anyways, I'm enjoying being married. Biggest blessing of my life. For those that enjoy my art and design, here are some of my recent works..

Also, I'm starting up a clothing company. I'll post about it soon.

T-Shirt Design for "When God Dreams Conference" If you want one, you can register for the conference or buy one from the Stirring. All shirts are printed on Asphalt Gray American Apparel. Sizes and quantity are limited and range from x-small to 2x.

This took a good 30 hours to ink up and comp, but I think it was worth it.. My Cintiq sure makes this process a piece of cake :)



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This concept was my favorite. Didn't sit well with the final decision making.

-enjoy.

I was going through some old files and came across some portraits I did. Unfortunately about 2 years ago I had my portfolio stolen. In it was about 35 portraits, comic illustrations, lots of mixed media and other cherished art of mine. My entire collection from my AP Princeton University exam was also in it..... total bummer.. And I have a good feeling who might of stolen it. But hey... I can draw more! anyone want to send me pictures? I might be up for drawing them to reestablish what I've lost.




Most recent, 2008... unfinished..
I found a scan of this (Kyle and Kristin Stevens..... I did this back in 2000... (one of my stolen pieces)
I did this in 98.... (another stolen piece)
This was done in 98 as well. ( yep.. stolen)

I really want to start doing these again... Kinda miss it..

I was in the mood for something funny.... so it's ok if you laugh at me..

Ken Bedsaul.
Jeff Coulter.
Nathan Edwardson.
Eric Podtetenieff.
Dan Lance.
Sean McMasters.
Mike Kerns.
Billy Brown.
Garrett Viggers.
Benji Edwardson.
Christian Ostrom.
Derrick Fleck.
Chris McCarley.
Sean Gafner.
Matt Moseley.
Bobby Pecaut.
Matt Klutts.
Brian Johnson.
Mitch Santella.
Richard Bright.
Bill Randall.
Josh Caldwell.
Jesse Rosten.
John Klein.
Chris Cable.
Nathan Peterson.
Josh Hagquist.
T.J. Macke.
Tony Luerra.
Kevin Nickoles.
Tyler Faires.
Kyle Stevens.
Paul David.
Brent VanAuken.
Yori Niculescu.
Jeremy Gonske.
Jeremy Coverdale.
Matt Metz.
Andrew Randall.
Evan Persons.
Josiah Calendar.
Patrick Hardy.
Jonnie Haddad.
Jeremy Edwardson.
Chris Overstreet.
Randy Miller.
Josh Ratiani.
Pete Metz.
Glenn Calendar.
Richard Gonske.

People come and go. I've remembered some people and I've forgotten others instantly. But men of God have always remained as part of my life with Jesus. Some of these men have helped shape me, Some I've helped shape, Some I've disagreed with at times. Some I've agreed with at times. Some of these men have challenged me. Some of these men have encouraged me. Some of these men I've prayed with. Some of these men have been through hardships with me. Some of these men I've wanted to punch in the throat. Some of these men have watched me cry. Some have watched me run after God. Some have been there while I've wrestled with God. Some of these men I hardly know. Some of these men I see maybe 5 minutes a week or once a year. Some of these men I don't see at all. But the one thing that they all have in common is their passion and heart after God. They are all men of God. They all live their lives postured to please and honor Jesus Christ our Lord. They all bend their hearts towards the Holy Spirit. Most importantly they all have found that the only way to be a true man is to surrender fully to God Almighty. Whether or not I know them well or hardly interact with them... Every time I do cross paths with them I see God all over them.

I may not be a Calvinist... But I gotta hand it to Mark... This guy doesn't mess around. You either love him or hate him...

So I'm buying the new Adobe CS4 Production Premium Edition.

Should be awesome.. I'm really excited to learn After Effects.. As a kid I always talked about being an animator. This program will bring that into fruition... well, sort of. I won't be like the animators at Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks or Sparx.. but I'll be able to expand my arsenal as a multimedia creative.

Josh Smith from Hydro74 is a design illustrator I really like. He recently picked up After Effects and is having a blast..

here's some of his first attempts with the program.

So I was leaving Simpson today and two people walked by smiling... One spoke to the other saying "Yep, Juan is going here." the other replied. "He must be done with backsliding."

The fact that one of them spoke confidently in regards to my life and up until my enrollment at Simpson, I was an unstable neanderthal wasting away my precious calling definitely tells me one thing...

Who gives a rip what God thinks about me... It's about the perspective other people have on me. Seriously, you are never living out your calling unless someone can find you in the database of an institution. And better yet, how about the debt that comes with it.

Sorry God, The significance of my devotion to you must have looked like Micheal Jackson trying to start a Day Care Center. Please forgive me.

Now that I have jumped aboard the A.B. Simpson train I'm sure my life will have some meaning in no time!

Next on the list... I need to see if I can change my Degree Majors from Bible and Theology and Music to People Pleasing and Brown Nosing.

Sweet!

I was talking with someone this week.... They told me they see me as someone who has a ton of favor in the Lord. But I don't have much or really any with men.

I've thought long and hard about this. And at this point I can only come up with one thought...

It really revealed to me who really has control, especially in the church... You can have all the favor that God can give you, but what really matters in this world is what man thinks of you... Man is in control or rather wants to decide who is in and who is out, not God. God is an awesome God, but favor in men seems to outweigh favor in God I guess..Who cares what God thinks about you, right? If I have all the favor in God but none in man I've lost... But if I have none or very little in God and a ton in man, I've won. Or so it seems...

Maybe I should start a rock band.. Tour the globe... Speak against social injustices... Sleep around with groupies, experiment with drugs...Rock stars don't have to worry about character or integrity, loyalty or humility... They have tons of favor...everybody wants to kiss their ass... I am definitely doing something wrong.

Being in tune with men is really the key, being in tune with God is really secondary when it comes to living as a successful Christian in this world. Nobody reads their scripture anymore anyways... and praying.. that's for dinner time and counseling sessions.


I'm still processing this... But as for now...

In the end... I'll take favor in God, because that's who I have to face when I die...

Welp... I threw together a concept with the Zombie Illustration I did a few weeks back... I wanted to go a little 80's with it.. Bright neon colors, some reverb line work, RayBans and of course my own twist...

I wish my sharp line work didn't get fuzzed out by blogger... Oh well, it'll be up on the Orange Floor site.. Anyways........

Enjoy!

I'm in a great time in my life. Like a time once with David, I'm in a cave. But I come into town every so often.. God is good. I've been spending a lot of time in scripture. More than ever before. And even more in prayer. I'm wrestling more with God these days. I'm not trying to constitute how I can be a nicer person. I think so often I look upon scripture like a closet full of clothes. And I concern myself with putting on a fashion show for the world to see. I go to the closet and look to add the much needed attributes in my life, to give the appearance of a "Christian" for those around me.. I'm tired of trying to find the right t-shirt that will make everyone happy. God is deep and I'm diving in head first.... and let me tell you, it's like a pool with no water.. IT HURTS! God is exposing me, waking me up early, keeping me up all night. He is speaking to me in profound areas where I need more of Him. I started this blog because it helps me see my own thoughts. I have the benefit of getting critiqued every single day. And although some come from behind my back, I'm still moving forward. God will let me swim in His pool, but only when I learn how and promise not to pee in it.

God is deep and I'm diving in head first.... and let me tell you, it's like a pool with no water.. IT HURTS!

I know a lot of people stop by to see what "Angry Juan" has to say. And it seems this is the only avenue I have right now to share my heart... Let me say in all seriousness, I'm not angry in the way you might think. God is calling me to challenge myself. He is calling me out to say the things that are being forgotten. Not just around me, but even the truths I have abandoned. He is calling me out, towards change and through repentance. He's challenging me to take thoughts to scripture and not consume them as absolute truths until I've lined them with His word. If they fail to parallel, or go beyond His margins, He has told me to cast them aside and not skew His word for my justification. God is reminding me of His design. Through repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ, we are able to obtain the promise He has for us. Through the Cross it has been demonstrated. He is reminding me that scripture is God breathed and it all came from His hand alone. Starting from Prophets to Kings to even the least and the simple words of John the baptist, being cleansed of our sins, to the profound example of Jesus himself. And furthermore the encouragement from men of God like Paul, I AM CALLED! I'm not perfect and this blog is not the avenue to find my true character and most importantly to know me like your friend.

God is reminding me of His design.

I want to be a man whose evil past is forgotten. I want to be a man of humility and strength. A man of boldness. I want to be a man that is full of life and defends it as well. I want to be a trusted man, I want to be a man of compassion and justice. I want to be a biblical man, a Godly man, a man of love and character... A disciplined man that is not easily swayed by the craftiness of the enemy. I want to be a man that is called upon by others. I want to be a man of discernment and a man that can stand in full view that he may be wrong when others are clearly right. A man that can be rebuked. I want to be told "well done, good and faithful servant". I want to make sure I lead a life that places Christ on display, that people may see Him instead of me. I want to be known as a man after God's own heart. I want people to forget my name but know the good things I've done for the kingdom. I don't want to be told by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords that He never knew me! I desire to appease no man but only Jesus. I want to love like He loved. But I want to hate the things He hates and confidently stand against them protecting those around me. I don't want to be in a place where I have to question God and try to redefine His truths to correlate with the world I live in. I want to present Jesus in the way that is unaltered, remains the same as it has always been, but communicates to my generation and calls us to change. I really feel like I'm in the lions den and danger is all around. But I'm so not afraid, God is with me and I'm not trembling in any man made fear but only in the righteousness of God's presence..... and I just want to make sure that I remain with Him. This is the direction I am heading, this is where I am.... I can still look back and see where it started and although many of you are further ahead.. I ask for your patience and even more, your prayer.

This year I'm getting married (June 6th).. which is the most exciting thing in my life.

But I also have some goals that I want to meet..

here they are... in no particular order.
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I hope to work further into the Orange Floor vision and get into a building.

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I want to expand my design set-up with a Wacom Cintiq 21UX (cost $2000)
Also I'm taking on another design program.. After Effects. Should be fun!

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I hope to further my passion for Worship and start leading again, write some songs and seek God more. There's a possibility I might attend the Bethel School of Worship.



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I also hope to excel further musically. Vocals, Guitar, Drums and Piano.

I'm well rounded vocally and my guitar skills do justice (about 11 years). But I would like to get better.
This last year I picked up drums and piano. So far I'm self taught on the drums and I've taken a semester of piano.

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I also want to get back down to 175lbs. I weigh 205...

we shall see how I treat 2009.

Jeremy Coverdale is the man.

Julie and I got pictures done for Christmas gifts to each of our parents. Here are some of them.

My mom totally cried when she opened hers... I look really good as a blur, right?

this pretty much says it all...

thanks Jeremy for taking the photos :)