ChristophValentine

Is it possible that self expression can be through everyday thoughts and actions that only affect a small part of making your life complete? Is working hard toward achieving a long-term goal a form of self expression, too? Or, is the only way to truly express yourself through artistic outlets like fashion, music, and art?
I don't have as much time as I'd like to be on deviantART or to be creating art. I recently made a few paintings inspired by Salvidor Dali and have been working on some light-up sculptures, but haven't really gotten back into that much. When I was younger, I was in many art classes in school, I painted, drew, and sculpted all the time, now, I can barely find enough motivation to doodle on scrap-paper while I'm on my lunch break. For me, life has changed so much as I've gotten older and have more responsibilities -- two dogs, two houses, a committed relationship, work, family, etc. It's not even like I'm in a rutt, because I'm happy with where I am and what's going on. I just wonder if I've lost interest in expressing myself through art -- or expressing myself at all. I used to have a ton of piercings and my hair was always a different color. Now, I can't even wear my piercings to work and my hair has been "normal" for almost a year.
I think the way I choose to express myself now is by preparing myself for the future and making plans for the life I want to have, not just for living in the moment.

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Journal CSS made by caybeach
Brushes by gvalkyrie

I’m sure everyone has noticed that there are many different reactions people have when someone wants to take their picture. There’s the shy ones who would prefer to be left out of your pictures, the attention whores who are all up in the mix, and just about every other reaction in between. Last Friday (the 13^th) I was working on a photo-shoot with JaxBnice to get some new pictures of the dA PRO bags. The office was extraordinarily quiet since part of our staff was in meetings, others in Europe, and the majority at San Diego Comic-Con so I thought I would just go around to everyone who was left and take their picture J! As I’m sure you can imagine, the responses were very different and all of them amusing to me.

First there was LisaLotek picking chris’ nose! It didn’t really happen but it makes me laugh anyway. Check out that face chris is making! Perfect. Then I started making my way around the office. First stop was to see kozispoon from the CEA dept. At first, she just made a normal oh, there’s a camera face but after I told her to smile this is what she gave me. haldron threatened me with knives if I took his picture… so, I did it anyway. (He’s really not that threatening) But, out of respect, I’m not posting his unhappy picture. ikazon, on the other hand, was a great sport about having his picture taken. I stopped by to see Leelor and OnlyTheGoodNotes where OnlyTheGoodNotes was trying to hide… Until I reminded him that his picture is already all over the deviantART Gear Shop (He’s been modeling our Gear for a long time.) Then he let me take his picture, but, I like this one better. I went by the creative department to see them all hard at work. :dev jaxbnice: was pretending to be working hard (I think she was actually watching dynasty.) While bionikdesign and zachb67 actually were hard at work  (making amazing new designs for :devdeviantARTGear:, I think.) Notice how happy zachb67 is to be in front of the camera! I didn’t even have to tell him to smile. Then I went by the ads department where robinlstrauss literally tried to hide under her desk to avoid pictures and breathemuzik showed off by putting pens in his mouth like a walrus and then asking me, “Is there something in my teeth?” After ads I headed toward my neck of the deviantART office woods where I ran into mikea. We’ve made jokes about how mikea is going to model for us one day soon so I told him I was taking his picture and he was going to be famous. He retorted with, “I’m already famous, have been for years.” He’s so awesome! gzobel refused to have his picture taken  (and then later walked by my office and said, “Ok, now you can take my picture.” After I had already put the camera away. LAME! The last person I took a picture of was gorillalure who was being unenthused about the camera, as usual. All in all, it was a good Friday the 13^th for taking photos at the deviantART offices!