To clarify the series...

“Special BLK”

In November of 2007 I decided to undertake a project I thought would be fun…in reality it was incredibly difficult as it went on. I decided to complete one piece of artwork for everyday in November…one piece a day for 30 days and if that wasn’t enough, I singled out 32 specific people to focus on within each piece; one for each of 28 and four for one of them. I chose to do them because they have touched my life in a way that I couldn’t begin to explain. So as a thank you and an I love you and miss you I immortalized these amazing people in my art. They will always have a special place but I felt like I could have just kept going with them because there are many more than 30 people in my life that mean something more…but I had to move on to other projects.

Now, I had no idea how big it would get but to my surprise it took on a life of it’s own and I was getting web requests from many sites to feature the artwork and my email inbox was bombarded with hundreds of comments and requests a day. It was well worth it.

But now as I sit here in 2009 looking at these 30 pieces of artwork and how much fuss everyone made of them, I got to thinking about how I could out do myself. How could I make something even more special than I already have? What could I do to make something even bigger, more complicated and on an even grander scale than I already have? At least now I would have a chance to give everyone that I missed in the first series a proper tip of my hat. But I still had no idea how to even accomplish that until I stumbled upon this one very special person who showed me that even in the absence of light…there is the possibility of a rainbow.

And this is how…

If you are reading this, you were probably tagged…if you were tagged it means that you or a family member of yours appears on a list below. The names on the list below belong to one of the 49 pieces of artwork in the ‘Special BLK Series’ numbered 0 thru 48. Each one will be released in true High Definition. The names on the list are not in any particular order that corresponds with the numbered series or I AM NOT TELLING ANY OF YOU WHOSE ARTWOK IS WHO’S. So pay attention, because when they are released from now until the beginning of November you will have seen them all. Hidden in each of them there are puzzles that bring the entire series together ending with the #0 piece. In this case, the sum is greater than all of it’s parts and a complete image of the entire series will create a large poster…not just a checklist like you are use to seeing.

At the time I am writing this, there is no telling if I can actually pull it off but if I can you will find out exactly why I even attempted it. After the series is completely released, I will give everyone the keys to the puzzle and your artwork so you might enjoy it for what it really is.

The ‘Special BLK’ Series is for you and it means that you have touched my life in some way that I could not begin to explain…and so, through these lines and images I may say thank you, I love you and miss you. From before I ever picked up a pencil for the first time, through the November BLK and Special BLK Series’ and until the day I can no longer hold that pencil, you have all given me love and insight and laughs and friendship and time than I could have ever hoped for. You have forever touched my soul and changed my spirit for the better. You have given me a reason to continue on, you have been my biggest fans and my greatest critics. You have let me into your families and be an Uncle to your children and you have picked me up off of the ground after my greatest defeats. You have understood my ramblings and outbursts when I never even gave you an explanation for them. You have stood by me when I gave you every reason not to and even reasons to rethink why you wasted the time to. I am not an easy person to understand, I have never let any one person know everything…but you have never complained or asked for more than I could give. I have been mysterious at times, never giving a straight answer and you were the ones who wanted to figure them out. I love you all and I miss you more and more everyday…I just hope this little collection of artwork is enough to say that. I hope that when you look at them you will hear me talking to you; because I heard you talking to me when I did them. I just wanted you to know that even though I do not see you everyday, you still mean the world to me.
…Especially you.