I AM NOT A DRAWER

I AM NOT A DRAWER - I AM A DRAGANEER!

When people ask me about my art I always find myself annoyed with describing myself as a "drawer."  Sure I paint some so I am a painter.  I can sculpt a little so I am a sculptor and I can craft like any crafter but I have never liked the term drawer.  So I've decided to invent a new term (or repurpose a really old one) for those "drawers" out there who also dislike this awkward term.  I am officially promoting the term "draganeer."  Doesn't that sound better?

Drawers for me growing up was a term for underwear.  I have drawers in my dresser where I keep my underwear.  Drawer is a clunky word I've never liked.  I've tried on the term sketcher - ugh.  I've used illustrator or graphic artist but neither fits.  Sketch artist sounds like someone who only sets up at carnivals or draws eye witness accounts of wanted criminals.

I looked up the origin of the word draw and discovered the Old English ancestor of the modern English draw was dragan (which means to drag as in drag a pencil or brush).  I LOVE THAT!  So I decided to add to that term. As a lover of Walt Disney I remember he titled his imaginative staff of artists as Imagineers.  Adding that eer seemed to gussy-up my title even more.  I decided to forever be a Draganeer.  

I hope it catches on.  So to all you fellow drawers out there - let's join forces and claim our new title.  Daganeers unite!

My studio is a mess, I have a major show to prepare for 

but I decided to spend my morning happily 

drawing in my sketchbook so I could illustrate my new title. 

This happy fellow is created with watercolors, ink

and now lives in my sketchbook.