On the surface, my husband and I are very different. He loves entrepreneur podcasts, comic books, and sci-fi fantasies. Meanwhile, I love faith blogs, musicals, and romantic comedies. I find happiness putting my fingers to the keyword to write, while his passion pushes him to take stylus to tablet to create images. But at the core, we’re kindred spirits. We’re artists.
So I was excited to be able to support my husband as an artist at the SC Comic Con last month. He was there drawing concept art for his latest project, a game for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch called Legend of the Gates.
This was my first comic con experience, and as embarrassed as I am to write this: I wasn’t very prepared. I didn’t have a costume, a themed t-shirt, or even a fully charged camera. However, I did manage to get my daughter in her Princess Leia onesie so I didn’t feel that bad. Needless to say, I couldn’t experience the con or capture it in a way that would do it justice, but I still had a good time.
My husband’s table was puzzled in at the end of an aisle with five other artists. Sketch artists. Painters. Digital artists. And down the way, artists selling original prints and comic books. We managed to make eye contact with other artists every now and then, as we made the rounds to stretch stiff legs. One of us would always stop to say hi, and share stories. The stories behind the art. Conversations ending with pleas to stay in touch, and promises to help promote future endeavors.
It was all love in a room you’d think would be fueled by negative competition. Artists exchanging egos for a bit of empathy.
Because they understand they’re cut from the same cloth, and have a God-given desire to use their gift of creativity.
Because they know what it’s like to live each day with that dream, and want it to become each other’s reality.
Because they know it’s possible.
Of course, no artist could go through an experience like this, and not feel a bit competitive. There was amazing art everywhere. However, here the competition was healthy — the kind that just stirs something on the inside you, and motivates you. SC Comic Con and the artists there filled my husband with a fresh desire to work and become better at his craft. In fact, he was so fired up, he didn’t stop talking about it for days.
Seeing an artist in that element is always nice, especially when it’s my husband — because it inspires me too.
