Hello Fellow Creatures

It’s been a while since any meaty art updates and this a going to be a big juicy slab of an update. (Note: This post will pair well with a spicy, bold red wine.) I’ve been super busy starting up a new endeavor that I hope will aid me in my quest into creative unknowns. What creative unknowns? That’s what I am going to find out. Confused? Me too. Pretty much always.

As you know, I’ve been making original works for galleries for over a decade and it’s a position I’m endlessly grateful for. It’s a privilege and an honor to hang my work up in these amazing galleries. I still have trouble figuring out how I actually pulled that off. Making a living by painting dragons, cats, trees, and the Cosmos is kind of a miracle. It’s been my obsession to keep pushing the bounds and scope of my work and I’m very proud of the evolution of that work. But…

(Yes, there’s a “but.”)

The “but” being that working as an exhibition artist was never intended to be the apex or end point of my creative ambitions. (Before I continue, I must stress that I will continue making original works for shows. I just intend to offset my creative time into other areas.) Branching out into other creative fields has been long time desire for me. Unfortunately, the all-consuming nature of my current work state has put all those desires on the back burner for years. At this point, those ambitions have been reduced down to burnt, black coal, but put that coal under some flame and you got… hot creative fire? Doesn’t make much sense but I’m running with it.
For instance, I’ve been writing off and on for years and I’d love some time to dedicate to writing and see what I can come up with. A book or some sort of animated project are dreams of mine but I need the time to really focus on that. Also, I recently invested in equipment to learn how to paint digitally. This medium will aid me immensely with any concept art work and possibly lead to some collaborative work. But as I said, I need the time to learn and master these digital tools before I take that next step.

How in the living hell can I reformat the very fabric of time?

It’s a conundrum I’ve long been trying to solve, and I think I might’ve found the answer. Patreon. If you’re unfamiliar with Patreon, it’s essentially a patronage system, where you support a creative with monthly subscription payments. Like Kickstarter, there are a number of tiers and each tier affords you a different rewards and access to a certain level of posts.
Here’s a video that explains it better than I can:

Here's a link for those that can't see the embedded video. Patreon Video

I’ve already launched the page in preparation to this announcement and it explains my creative goals with Patreon in better detail. You can find it here: ANDY KEHOE PATREON

Not only will this help me in other creative endeavors, but having a more sustainable income will greatly help me with my original work. As amazing as this job is, one thing it isn’t is consistent and predictable. Art sales should never be the standard of success, but its an undeniable factor when it’s how you make your living. I can honestly say that I’ve never let sales influence the course of my work. I guess I’ve been pretty lucky in this regard, because I never really had to. My work grew and evolved but my fans and collectors took the journey with me and supported me though it all. But times are changing and when work doesn’t sell like it used to, doubt creeps in and that little buried voice on financial practicality starts to get a bit louder. Time to slap that voice back to its “shut up hole.”
I appreciate all my collectors more than I could possibly describe with my addled, semi-coherent brain. That being said, I’d prefer not to be in a position where the only thing separating me from financial ruin is dependency on collectors buying my original work. That’s not ideal for anyone involved. So that’s another huge reason that I’m turning to Patreon. Having a sense of financial independence would allow me to continue with my passion of creating without the fear of it all coming crashing down.

With my Patreon launch, I also get to announce the MULTIVERSAL CREATURE GUILD. When you support my Patreon page, you can access this esteemed secret Guild that will connect you to like minds from multiple universes.

More info on the Guild here: Multiversal Creature Guild Info

When you become e a member of the Guild you get a Welcome Kit including a Certificate of Membership, a Membership Card, and an Official Guild Hard Enamel Pin (to help you spot other Guild Creatures in the Human World.) I hope to see you among our ranks one day. Here are some pics of the Welcome kit items:

I'm very excited for this next chapter in my creative journey and I hope that you can join me for ride.

Thanks so much for reading.

Travel well.