Change, It is the only true constant.

2015 has been a major growth year personally, professionally, and in my art. I started out the year by Joining Laura Wood at the helm of the AIACV (American Institute of Architects - Central Valley Chapter) Emerging Professionals group. Our responsibilities include planning tours and events that appeal to young professionals. Through my involvement I entered the ArtxArchitects group show which brought together artist/architects from the whole AIACV chapter. This show was also my first exposure to showing my work in Sacramento. The Sparrow Gallery hosted a handful of architects and kept our work up for the entire month of April. 

Also at this time, a project I worked on for 4 of the last 5 years, the Sutter General Hospital project was starting to wrap up. The team was out on the project job site, away from the main office for much of the time, we worked hand in hand with the contractor and owner to complete the complex project. The end of a project is always an exciting time, you start to look around and think about what the next project will be; However, this time I felt different. Something wasn't right. I had felt this way for a while and discussed this feeling with my mentor and then my direct supervisor, but it wasn't enough, the discontent kept growing until it felt unbearable. I needed a change.

The process of changing firms is a little foreign to me, I've only changed once, and that was over ten years ago. As I began looking around, I knew I wanted to interview at one particular firm that I had heard great things about. I had come to realize, one of the most important elements of a firm is their culture. Being an architect is best when you feel passionate about everything you do, it is what drives you to come to work, even when you're facing the most unreasonable deadline or redesign. Drefuss & Blackford Architects embodies a lot of the same traits that drive me as a creative individual. I knew within 10 minutes of starting my interview that I wanted to go to work for John Webre/Kris Barkley/Gus Fischer and their team. I accepted the job, and started on May 1st, I couldn't have anticipated the amount of joy this change would give me.

June brought about the biggest change of all, my wife and I welcomed Lydia Ann Holt into our lives. She has been a constant example of all of the things that are magical about our existence. My life and outlook has forever changed, it has become the biggest and most prominent thought in my mind every day.

The rest of 2015 has some great things to look forward to:
I continue to create artwork (see my latest watercolor pieces posted on my page), I have found a rhythm that allows me to paint every day and maintain work/life balance.

I will be announcing a couple of shows for 2016, with the first show happening in January! I continue to look for additional show opportunities around the area, and will let you know as soon as I get word.

I have been working on a series of watercolor paintings that I am very excited about, I will be posting about those pieces within the week, I hope you will find them as compelling as I do.