Life Reset

The plan is set. I’ll have a new life on January 1st, 2024. You’ll probably see a lot more of me (or to be more specific, more of my art)  after that date. Besides my blog, I’ll put more work into my YouTube channel, my postings will accelerate, basically I'll be increasing my art's presence everywhere. This increase will actually start sooner than the first of the year, as I need to achieve my goal…and I will achieve that goal.

Why January 1st? Because life doesn’t last forever and find my life slipping away in its current zombie state. I could go on and on forever, doing what I do everyday, brain dead, numb and unsatisfied. But I choose instead to feel life and become satisfied with who I am, I am an artist. I am not some brain dead droid looking towards a retirement of small talk with other retired droids while having breakfast and discussing the good ole days. The good ole days are ahead of me, not behind me. As such, the plan is in full effect and you’ll be updated continuously via this blog.

Besides my usual pursuit of making people smile (by drawing funny pictures of them, via my caricatures), next year Ill restart the The Michael Hopkins Caricatures Aviation Roadshow Adventure (you can read all about it in my previous post here ) Basically the plan is to travel across the country to visit various air shows to promote and sell my aviation art. The plan was scheduled to take place back in 2022, however due to Covid-19 concerns many Air Shows were canceled that year. So I'm pulling that plan out of The Michael Hopkins Caricatures Storage Unit, dusting it off and relaunch in 2024.

As a side note, I went on a leisurely hike this morning. I enjoy my Sundays morning, it gives me time to think. Actually it was a Sunday morning in which I cam up with the Michael Hopkins Caricatures Aviation Roadshow Adventure idea. Anyways…here’s a few pictures from this morning's hike.

Talk to you soon,

Michael

Following My Own Advice

I'm feeling really good and a little excited about the future, after last nights event up at The Village at NorthStar. Usually, in order to keep up time restraints (i.e., the host of the event usually wants as many guests drawn per hour as possible) I usually stick to faces only, when I'm drawing my event caricatures. However, at last night's event, I stepped out of my comfort zone, didn't overthink and let loose by stepping into my metaphysical world (see my previous blog post - Living in a Metaphysical World) and followed my heart (i.e., I sorta free flowed for most of the evening). Once I did that I began to have more fun with the drawings and so did the people that I was drawing. Towards the end of the evening I didn't want to stop (of course, the fact that the event was closing altered my decision).

Anyways...here are a few of the highlights' from last nights event. Can you see a difference?

So if your interested in booking Michael Hopkins Event Caricatures for you next event, just click on the link below or give me a call at (775) 276-0256.

https://www.thebash.com/caricaturist/michael-hopkins-caricatures

See you soon!

Living in a Metaphysical World

I believe there is a metaphysical aspect to our world that we as a people can't define, however we can and should follow accordingly. It's almost like being one with nature, by trusting our intuition to make our decisions. We should follow our feelings of right and wrong, rather than trying to override those feelings with forced logic. I believe that my struggles of late have come from not following my intuition and instead forcing my decisions through logical (over) thinking. When I have had success, I have followed what my gut told me to do. Not only have I been more successful by following my intuition, but my life's journey seemed more effortless. 

I believe we were put on this earth to enjoy our journey and not for constant struggle. However, there are so many distractions (or unwanted input) these days that it's difficult to be at one with nature and separate ourselves from these distractions. We need to occasionally set down our cell phones, turn off the television and give ourselves a break from those distractions. Find your place of happiness and enjoy life. Let happiness and a clear mind influence your decisions, rather than some random “Influencer” on Instagram (who, by the way, is being paid to influence your decisions).

Talk to you soon,

Michael

 

Fuck You Money and Being Naked

Lately, I’m feeling like the character Bill Murray portrayed, in the movie, Groundhog Day. Every freaking day is the same and It's driving me crazy! I feel like I have no control of my life. I also see myself taking the same stupid missteps, over and over and over…Which of course, leads back to everyday being exactly the same....it's a vicious circle.

So it's time to make changes and take my life back. As such, I have created two goals. The first goal is to get “Fuck You Money" so nobody can control my life. The main example of this control is being employed by someone other than myself. Sure, I could quit my job, however, until I have, Fuck You Money… it's not a good idea (unless I wanted to join the legion of automobile dwellers who poop in a bag or in a toilet that is not connected to a sewer system).

The Urban dictionary describes "Fuck You Money" as follows

“the exact amount of money required in order to tell an individual or organization to go fuck themselves without facing repercussions.”

To achieve this goal of getting my Fuck You Money, I'll need to achieve a second goal of being of sound mind and body. I believe that one can’t achieve their financial goals unless their mind and their body are in peak condition (mine are not). 

Mind - I feel like my mind has been “gummed up” by my attachment to the internet via my cell phone (Although I’m sure this is part of Big Brother’s blueprint). Although I’m not getting rid of the cell phone (you can't get rid of something that planned obsolescence has made mandatory), I am going to start using it less (unless of course, I'm writing my blog!). This plan in-turn will give me more time to exercise my brain by reading more (which sadly, I haven’t done in a while). Also by reducing the time I spend on the internet, I'll have more time available to produce amazing drawings...Can I get an Hallelujah?!?!

Body- Although I could have made this goal easier on myself, by saying, “I’m going to lose 15 pounds” or “I’m going to exercise more”. Screw that! My goal is, to look good naked. When one is naked it’s their true self, unhidden. One can "sort of" hide their flaws with clothing, but if you look good naked you are unafraid of your physical appearance and you are truly in shape. I am currently unhappy with my body when I step out of the shower in the morning. Although I tell myself, “you don't look bad for a 61 year old”, that is only a lie to appease myself. I’m done lying to myself and when I achieve this goal, I’ll know it….and maybe I’ll go streaking in the unlikeliest of places to proclaim my success...or maybe not???

 

McQueen High School Grad Night - 2023

Happy Thursday everyone!

Just thought I'd take a minute and share some photos from Wednesday night's McQueen High School Grad Night - 2023! The event was extremely successful and I stayed up way past my bedtime, drawing caricatures of these graduating students. Although I was booked from 10:00pm to 1:00am (Thursday morning - Yawn!), I could have easily stayed a couple more hours, drawing caricatures of these Graduates. 

McQueen High School and their staff did an outstanding job hosting this event and I'd like to personally thank them and the students for inviting me! Also, I'd like to wish these graduating Seniors success in their future endeavors! 

Good Luck Class of 2023!

So without further ado, here's some caricature highlights from Wednesday's event!

Sunshine and Lollipops

The Michael Hopkins Caricatures Traveling Salvation Show is back on the road tonight. Our first stop is at a local High School to celebrate with the Senior class, their graduation from the easiest part of their lives and to welcome them into the real world. We will help them celebrate this Puritan ritual, with a caricature drawing from yours truly. A drawing that is meant to "exaggerate in order to create a comic or grotesque effect" (i.e., caricature). Sounds like a good time to me! I remember my graduation from high school (approximately a billion years ago), we went bowling…hmmm?…If only we had a caricature artist back then….

“Nothing stresses me out. Except having to seek the approval of my inferiors.”

— Dwight Schrute 

…which is why I'll never participate in another art exhibit. Also, isn't "Honorable Mention" another way of saying "atta boy"?? 

At least those were my thoughts as I left last night's awards dinner (for the exhibit in which I participated). Now some people are probably thinking, "that guy's got some ego" (WHO FREAKING CARES WHAT SOME PEOPLE  THINK!!). Well, when it comes to my art my friend, why yes, I certainly doodilly do. However, I believe that most artists share that ego, when it comes to their artwork. It probably comes with the territory, when you're an artist. However, after neutralizing my controversial thoughts with heavy doses caffeine this morning, I have come to the realization, that although I was disappointed with the results (that's a major understatement), I'm glad I participated in the event. At the minimum (besides the "Honorable Mention " award) I'm sure my art received a ton of free exposure. Also, if you're traveling through Reno-Tahoe International Airport between now and the end of July, stop by and say "howdy" to my drawings…oh and tip your hat to those F**KING WINNERS!! (oops…the caffeine is wearing off)

Now back to my padded room and my Keurig…

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows…

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows…

My life is sunshine, lollipops and rainbows…

McCaricature

blog·ger

noun

"a person who regularly writes material for a blog".

It seems that I'm at my best when I ignore the lines...and if not my best at least my most satisfying. Lines tend to put me in a box and keep me inline (Duh!). However, when I ignore boundaries, I have more fun and I find the final outcome of my drawing is more satisfying. For example (technically speaking) my Prince drawing is perfection 

However,  it is not my most satisfying accomplishment. That designation would be assigned to my Kurt Cobain drawing, even with its imperfection. This drawing's subtitle is "Perfect Imperfection”

I have the same feelings about my Event Caricatures.  When I first started drawing event caricatures, I had a formula that I followed. Although the drawings turned out ok and I could draw them quickly (most event coordinators want quantity over quality) they looked “formulaic” (i.e., conventional, average, common, commonplace, customary, cut-and-dried, everyday, garden-variety, imitative, mechanical, normal, plain, routine, run-of-the-mill, standard, stock, undistinguished, unexceptional, unoriginal, unremarkable - Dictionary.com). Although I saw the light of the, Almighty Caricature God and was saved from a life of uninspired caricatures, unfortunately there’s still a lot of lost souls out there producing uninspired, formulaic McCaricatures (I think of them as the McDonalds of Caricature Artists) and they rule the marketplace. You see them at amusement parks, on Fremont street in Las Vegas, in fact they’re everywhere, because they're nice, inexpensive and non-offensive. However, they're pretty damn boring.

No offense to the person who produced this caricature down at Disney Planet, but I have a question, why's the head so large?? Was the artist making fun of a woman with macrocephaly? Nope! The artist was following standard caricature guidelines (rule #23A to be specific) in the book, "How to Draw Uninspired Caricatures"

Apparently people (and the Disney Corporation) appreciate uninspired things. That’s obviously why God made Justin Bieber, voters elected Joe Biden (or did they??) and why people watch Jimmy Fallon. Don't agree with me? Consider these three top selling cars.

I would imagine you know someone who owns one of these vehicles (or one that looks just like it) Unless of course you're a man with a  a small penis, then you probably purchased an oversized truck (and if your penis really tiny, you hang a set of “truck nutz” under the trailer hitch).

God Bless America....