Go with the Flow, by Mike Ciccotello

A couple weeks ago I spoke with an artist friend about why I work digitally. The short answer is, it’s practical. But there’s more to it.

I used to have a studio with three easels, a drafting table, a flat work area, and large desk with my computer. Technically I still have all of that, but it’s got a lot of boxes and stuff in front of it right now. Almost three years ago, our twins were born. I had to make a decision about my art, but I had some options. A: Was I going to stop making art all together? B: Was I going to sequester myself in my basement studio away from my family? C: Was I going to change the way I work so I could be present for my family, but also satisfy my passion to create.

I chose C. I decided to move a small table into our family room to hold my computer, and looked into a tablet that could serve as a digital studio. Coincidently, about 6 months after the boys were born, Apple came out with the iPad Pro. I researched it and purchased one. I haven’t looked back. 

Do I still use a sketchpad? Yes, but I haven’t done a full piece in paint or colored pencils in almost three years. Will I switch back at some point? I don't know. What I'm doing right now is working, so I don't have the need to change.

This isn’t the only time I changed the way I create. I used to commute on a long train ride, twice a day, for 14 years. I needed to make use of that time. I decided I could sleep, read, or sketch during that time. I learned how to draw on bumpy trains and created a bunch of work during those years. I read and slept as well, but in hindsight, I'd say, the bulk of the trips were spent drawing.

Many people run into this problem. None of this was a flip of the switch solution. It started off as a problem and over time, I figured out a solution that worked best for me. I’m not suggesting you switch to digital or start drawing in your car while driving. Definitely don’t draw and drive. I am suggesting, if your life has changed, giving you a new set of priorities, then go with the flow and change the way you work. The important thing is to satisfy your passion to create.

My Sketchpad and My iPad Pro

Represented by Rachel Orr

For more info contact 

rko(a)prospectagency.com

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Facebook:  The Art of Mike Ciccotello 

Twitter: @ciccotello 

Instagram: @ciccotello 

Let the Magic Begin… by Mike Ciccotello

This past Sunday morning, my family headed to the mall. We needed to get a Mickey Mouse lunchbox for one of our twin boys. We had a very busy day planned and needed to get in and out as soon as possible. No problem.

When you get up early with your little ones everyday, you tend to feel like it’s later than it actually is. Of course we didn’t think to check store hours and got to the mall early, not too early, but we had a 20 minute wait.

In order to keep the boys occupied, we went to look through all of the windows of the surrounding stores. Our one son got excited every time an employee opened the gate of a store and ducked under. He screamed, “THEY’RE OPEN, DADDY!” His brother also screamed with excitement. Each time that happened, I had to explain why they were not open yet. We had to wait.

The boys were getting tired of daddy doing “race-car stroller” and the “drive-by high-fives” to mommy. We could see they didn’t want to look at the store windows any more. We were nearing the inevitable meltdown and I was starting to get impatient. Suddenly, there was movement at Disney. A woman started opening the gate. We jumped up and wheeled the stroller over to the door. An authoritative hand shot up halting us in our tracks. The woman said, “You can’t come in yet.” 

Now, I was about to have a meltdown … didn’t she know how much we had to get done today? Didn’t she know that we had already been waiting here for twenty minutes? Didn’t she see that we had twin toddlers on the brink of a meltdown… and me too?

In my head I was thinking, “Lady, we need to get the lunchbox and go… and speaking of lunchbox, you’d BETTER have it in stock.”

So… we wait. The authoritative woman calmly rolls out a podium with two red ribbons hanging on either side. She puts the podium in the middle of the entrance of the store. She ties each ribbon, from either side of the podium, to their respective wall. I’m thinking, “Great… of all the days we needed to rush in and get a lunchbox, we picked the Disney Event Day… AWESOME.” 

A second woman came up and stood behind the podium. My frustration was at it’s limit. The first woman spun around to our boys, as if a light switch just flipped on, and spoke directly to them… “Hi what's you're name?” My wife and I looked at each other. Mesmerized, we watched. Our boys were both smiling. They were shy and didn’t answer. So we all got down on their level and helped them along and answered some questions. 

The woman asked if they knew a magic word to open the store. We responded, “Ala-Kazaam!” She tried saying it, but it didn’t open the store.

She suggested the boys wear Mickey’s hat and robe. Instantaneously, she put the hat on one twin and the robe on the other.

Then the nice woman gave them special necklaces with Mickey, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on them, and she asked them to help her say the magic words to open the store. She said it should be what Mickey would say. She pointed to the podium. There, on the podium, was an open book. It had an illustration of Mickey as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice with some words written…

Together, we read the words aloud, “Let the Magic Begin…”

I know we all have busy schedules and need to keep up with the fast pace of the day, but if you take a moment to slow down and look at things from a child’s perspective, then you can let the magic begin…

We had a lot of fun in the store, we got the Mickey Mouse lunchbox, and believe it or not, we finished everything that needed to get done that day. 

Represented by Rachel Orr

For more info contact 

rko(a)prospectagency.com

Prospect Agency Portfolio

Facebook:  The Art of Mike Ciccotello 

Twitter: @ciccotello 

Instagram: @ciccotello