About The Artist
Thank You for visiting the Ceol Creations website. You’re invited to view my work and get to know more about me. Continue to return for new artwork and information releases. All images are © Copyright Ceol Creations Corp. unless otherwise noted.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Co-creating Stories Within Stories
My spiritual beliefs and the love of nature are a large part of who I am as an artist.
These along with my personal history and natural tendencies are forever birthing and refining the art. Add into this a love for my fellow earthbound travelers and you come up with a need to make art that invites telling and becoming part of creating a story within a story. As the work progresses from my studio, I crave a harmonic, balanced composition. There’s desire to spin a tale that people can actively co-create. The colors are sometimes minimal and the storyline pure and simple, other times there’s multiple tales being told that are intricate and vibrant. Does the onlooker need serenity or intrigue? What does their mind magnate to and their heart desire ?
I want the casual viewer to get a sense of emotion from my work, even if only for a moment. The avid viewer can stay a while, let the images and colors sink in to transport and transform them. When they close their eyes and reopen to gaze at the art, I want a reaction. It can be instant fuel to spark their imaginations and enliven them, or a quiet beckoning to ask them to take a breath, calm down and enjoy a quiet place to rest. We need to understand how we view and react to life is a very real part of being co-creator of a glorious world. We need to intentionally choose better things to open our eyes to that will enhance our lives. As we look again at a piece of art, or at a time in our lives, we can see another story that was going on inside that story, again and again.
Though I think about these things, the art that comes from my hands just comes by its own will. I try to stand back, get out of its way and thank God for putting it there in the first place.
At the very least, as an artist, I want to give. Whatever I am, whoever God made me to be, may I share it and may it bring delight to someone, somewhere.
MEET THE ARTIST
I'm a native Pennsylvanian artist who passionately loves to express nature through art. An Art Institute of Pittsburgh graduate, I've acquired experience in the printing and sign industry, with freelance work in portraiture, graphic design and illustration. As a student of the martial arts, I've studied Indonesian Pentjak Silat and Chinese Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. I love children and books and enjoy donating to various literacy groups. Current memberships include the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
“Having grown up near Bushy Run State Park in Pennsylvania, my brother, sisters and I could be found playing in the woods, embarking on some big adventures. So the love of nature began at an early age for me. Later in life and during some difficult times, I began taking nature walks that soon awakened the desire to paint and illustrate full time. A camping trip along the Clarion River at Clear Creek State Park provided the first series of watercolor paintings and served to remind me to have a thankful heart for good friends, nature’s beauty, and a loving God. So began the next big adventure and one I’m passionately pursuing. Even to this day, a prayer walk outdoors revives the spirit, soothes my mind, and balances me. I thank God and give him credit daily for his constant love and direction. I pray for everyone the clarity to see and courage to implement the gifts God has given you. Don’t wait.
Art, music and hard work run through my family history. My father had won an art competition as a young man, but with a wife and four children depending on him he became a heavy equipment operator to support his family. At home he would draw Popeye for us anytime we would ask. He made extra money by playing bass guitar in bands. His father taught music, photographed local school children, built a green house, had fruit trees and honey bees, all to make ends meet.
Mom was the center of our family. She was the sun and everything revolved around the love that she gave out. My mother’s side of the family had their garden, community water well, outdoor baking oven, cow and chickens. They would board a worker from the local mine to help bring in extra money. Every sibling worked and came home to put their paycheck on the table to support the family. Everyone was proud to contribute and the hard work became easier because everyone chipped in. My dad had health issues with his heart that made it difficult to continue to work in his latter years. So, my mom went back to work to help make ends meet. Everyone did all they could to provide the necessities of life and were proud to do it.
But, what I remember most about growing up in the small mining town of Claridge, Pennsylvania, was a loving mother and father and the joy of simple things like family games. Badminton and ragball were a favorite in our neck of the woods. You had to be in top form to be able to return one of my mom’s badminton ‘zingers’ as they flew at your head from across the net. Considering my mom was just a little over five feet tall, it was amazing she could spike a ‘birdie’ and even more amazing, considering what a loving person she was, that she ‘took no prisoners’ young or old when it came to this game.
My dad’s game was ‘rag ball’. A pair of old socks would be rolled up and sewn like a ball. The game was basically like baseball except for one really great difference. You could tag people out by throwing and hitting the runner with the rag ball. It was a good game for any age. Your hand was the bat and it was common for my dad to actually catch the ball for a split second before sending it into the outfield where we couldn’t get it. This caused a lot of mutinous yelling and a lot of laughing by everyone. It was even better when the young ones in the family were running the bases with an adult chasing them and repeatedly throwing the ball to tag them out, intentionally missing to add suspense and humor into the game.
The lessons learned from my family were to continue to laugh, work hard and be proud of whatever you do, have faith to just keep doing the right thing and pray. Use the good gifts that God put inside you and intentionally look for the good in others. Most of all – be ever thankful and kind to everyone.”
Art Classes/Workshops
Art Institute of Pittsburgh – Visual Communications / European Study Program
Christine Swan – Pastel Portrait Painting
Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators – Anatomy Workshop
Norwin Art League – Oil Painting & Watercolor Painting
Gallery Showing
John Edward Gallery – Export, Pennsylvania
Organizations
Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators – http://www.pttsburghillustrators.org
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators – http://www.scbwi.org
Articles/Illustrations
Southern Living Magazine – High Island Bird Sanctuary Illustration
Ceol’s first show of paintings were at the John Edward Gallery in Export, Pennsylvania. It consisted of a collection of inks, watercolors, oils and acrylic pieces. Future shows will be posted with dates and locations.
Read MoreARTIST STATEMENT
Co-creating Stories Within Stories
My spiritual beliefs and the love of nature are a large part of who I am as an artist.
These along with my personal history and natural tendencies are forever birthing and refining the art. Add into this a love for my fellow earthbound travelers and you come up with a need to make art that invites telling and becoming part of creating a story within a story. As the work progresses from my studio, I crave a harmonic, balanced composition. There’s desire to spin a tale that people can actively co-create. The colors are sometimes minimal and the storyline pure and simple, other times there’s multiple tales being told that are intricate and vibrant. Does the onlooker need serenity or intrigue? What does their mind magnate to and their heart desire ?
I want the casual viewer to get a sense of emotion from my work, even if only for a moment. The avid viewer can stay a while, let the images and colors sink in to transport and transform them. When they close their eyes and reopen to gaze at the art, I want a reaction. It can be instant fuel to spark their imaginations and enliven them, or a quiet beckoning to ask them to take a breath, calm down and enjoy a quiet place to rest. We need to understand how we view and react to life is a very real part of being co-creator of a glorious world. We need to intentionally choose better things to open our eyes to that will enhance our lives. As we look again at a piece of art, or at a time in our lives, we can see another story that was going on inside that story, again and again.
Though I think about these things, the art that comes from my hands just comes by its own will. I try to stand back, get out of its way and thank God for putting it there in the first place.
At the very least, as an artist, I want to give. Whatever I am, whoever God made me to be, may I share it and may it bring delight to someone, somewhere.
MEET THE ARTIST
I'm a native Pennsylvanian artist who passionately loves to express nature through art. An Art Institute of Pittsburgh graduate, I've acquired experience in the printing and sign industry, with freelance work in portraiture, graphic design and illustration. As a student of the martial arts, I've studied Indonesian Pentjak Silat and Chinese Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. I love children and books and enjoy donating to various literacy groups. Current memberships include the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
“Having grown up near Bushy Run State Park in Pennsylvania, my brother, sisters and I could be found playing in the woods, embarking on some big adventures. So the love of nature began at an early age for me. Later in life and during some difficult times, I began taking nature walks that soon awakened the desire to paint and illustrate full time. A camping trip along the Clarion River at Clear Creek State Park provided the first series of watercolor paintings and served to remind me to have a thankful heart for good friends, nature’s beauty, and a loving God. So began the next big adventure and one I’m passionately pursuing. Even to this day, a prayer walk outdoors revives the spirit, soothes my mind, and balances me. I thank God and give him credit daily for his constant love and direction. I pray for everyone the clarity to see and courage to implement the gifts God has given you. Don’t wait.
Art, music and hard work run through my family history. My father had won an art competition as a young man, but with a wife and four children depending on him he became a heavy equipment operator to support his family. At home he would draw Popeye for us anytime we would ask. He made extra money by playing bass guitar in bands. His father taught music, photographed local school children, built a green house, had fruit trees and honey bees, all to make ends meet.
Mom was the center of our family. She was the sun and everything revolved around the love that she gave out. My mother’s side of the family had their garden, community water well, outdoor baking oven, cow and chickens. They would board a worker from the local mine to help bring in extra money. Every sibling worked and came home to put their paycheck on the table to support the family. Everyone was proud to contribute and the hard work became easier because everyone chipped in. My dad had health issues with his heart that made it difficult to continue to work in his latter years. So, my mom went back to work to help make ends meet. Everyone did all they could to provide the necessities of life and were proud to do it.
But, what I remember most about growing up in the small mining town of Claridge, Pennsylvania, was a loving mother and father and the joy of simple things like family games. Badminton and ragball were a favorite in our neck of the woods. You had to be in top form to be able to return one of my mom’s badminton ‘zingers’ as they flew at your head from across the net. Considering my mom was just a little over five feet tall, it was amazing she could spike a ‘birdie’ and even more amazing, considering what a loving person she was, that she ‘took no prisoners’ young or old when it came to this game.
My dad’s game was ‘rag ball’. A pair of old socks would be rolled up and sewn like a ball. The game was basically like baseball except for one really great difference. You could tag people out by throwing and hitting the runner with the rag ball. It was a good game for any age. Your hand was the bat and it was common for my dad to actually catch the ball for a split second before sending it into the outfield where we couldn’t get it. This caused a lot of mutinous yelling and a lot of laughing by everyone. It was even better when the young ones in the family were running the bases with an adult chasing them and repeatedly throwing the ball to tag them out, intentionally missing to add suspense and humor into the game.
The lessons learned from my family were to continue to laugh, work hard and be proud of whatever you do, have faith to just keep doing the right thing and pray. Use the good gifts that God put inside you and intentionally look for the good in others. Most of all – be ever thankful and kind to everyone.”
Art Classes/Workshops
Art Institute of Pittsburgh – Visual Communications / European Study Program
Christine Swan – Pastel Portrait Painting
Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators – Anatomy Workshop
Norwin Art League – Oil Painting & Watercolor Painting
Gallery Showing
John Edward Gallery – Export, Pennsylvania
Organizations
Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators – http://www.pttsburghillustrators.org
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators – http://www.scbwi.org
Articles/Illustrations
Southern Living Magazine – High Island Bird Sanctuary Illustration
Ceol’s first show of paintings were at the John Edward Gallery in Export, Pennsylvania. It consisted of a collection of inks, watercolors, oils and acrylic pieces. Future shows will be posted with dates and locations.
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