VENTURE: Sketchblog by Nicholas Rivera

 Happy Halloween, good luck with the trick or treating!

 Seattle, Washington. After the good experience in Portland I pushed further north arriving in Seattle on a beautiful sunny day. My traveling companion, Edward had many friends in this city. This meant all the difference in the world since we had a chance to party with the locals lol.

 We took the journey outside of Seattle to visit the cemetery were the great musician Jimi Hendrix rests. The cemetery is like a great big park, with many people still to this day holding a permanent vigil over Jimi’s grave. I made this rubbing from his tombstone, by some weird coincidence it reads “Forever Jam Jimi”. I couldn’t have said it better.

 Portland, Oregon. This city is not often spoken about, and I feel its the nations best kept secret. Portland’s infrastructure beats drum like with activity and the arts community is surprisingly very cutting edge. The people are warm and the surrounding landscape is a rich green. The road up north is some of the finest country the west coast has to offer.

 Much can be said about San Francisco. These sketches are of the Golden Gate Bridge as well as the famous prison Alcatraz. San Francisco is an amazing city, along with the Bay Area it has given birth to some of the best music in any genre you can think of.

 A few summers ago I drove myself and a friend across the United States on a painting tour. We circled America in an old Chrysler van catching the vibe of the open rode. I learned that each state’s differences and individuality is what makes America unique. The rocky coastline of northern California gives way to the forrest of Oregon and Washington, followed by the plains and mountains of the Midwest. The people are as varied as the different regions, which creates a tapestry of endless detail.

 This picture is of a field worker in Northern California. His workday is ending and mine is just beginning.

 I like the framing of this drawing, the expression is one of a kind.

 Lately I’ve been meeting all kinds of new and interesting people. It is very easy to plow on through life and not look around you. Everybody I know seems to wait until the weekend to “smell the roses”. However real opportunity does not wait. New friends and personalities can bolster life with fresh insights. You just have to be open too it.

 My animation teacher Cam Hood used to tell me, “It’s all about the approach”. That phrase can be applied to life, as well as drawing and animating. Before I do any serious drawing I find it necessary to warm up with some quick sketches. This helps me let go of myself and enter a higher awareness. “Approach, approach, approach!”