April 20, 2022 • Early Major Work
Introduction
"Sly Fox" was made just eight days after Morgan. At that point I was still very much in the early stages of sobriety, with tremoring hands that wouldn't cooperate.
I needed something to focus on, and this piece became my escape.
The artwork guided the pen more than I guided it.
What started as chaotic, overlapping squiggles slowly resolved into something clearer when I stepped back.
The tangled lines reflect the messy state of my mind at the time. Emotions, memories, and thoughts were all layered on top of each other. Up close it can look like a mess. From a distance, everything comes together with a cheeky, knowing smile.
That shift from chaos to clarity felt important. It was the first time I saw a little more light coming through.
This piece showed me that the same technique I used in Morgan could hold something lighter. It was not just about survival anymore. There was room for playfulness and a growing sense of self. The sly, fox-like energy felt like a small but real step forward.
Reflection
Looking back, Sly Fox feels like the moment I started to believe the work could carry more than just intensity. Morgan was raw and urgent. This one had a little more space.
When I created Morgan, I was trying to survive.
When I created Sly Fox, I started remembering how to play.
It also marked the beginning of something that became important later. The idea that the work could guide me. I was not forcing a specific outcome. I was following what was emerging. That way of organic working has stayed with me.
It taught me that clarity isn't found by removing complexity. Sometimes it appears because you've stayed with it long enough to understand it.
Even though it was still early in my sobriety, this piece felt like proof that something was shifting. Not dramatically, but enough to notice. A little more light. A little more trust in the process.
The nine variations created from the original layers were an early experiment in seeing how many different stories could exist within the same image. Even then, I was becoming interested in perspective, hidden details, and the idea that one work could contain many others.
Work Details
Created: April 20, 2022
Collection: Individual Work
Category: Early Major Work
Medium: Digital Illustration • Autodesk Sketchbook • Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Tablet & Stylus
Dimensions: 4412x7094 pixels
Techniques: Energetic linework • Layered color • Organic form building
Primary Themes: Playfulness • Emergence • Light • Personal rebuilding
Primary Motif: Female Figure • Fox
Related Works: Morgan, Digital Bath, Connection, Fractal Future, The Gravity of Duality
This piece is one chapter in a much larger story.
Discover what came before, what followed, and how this work fits into the evolution of my artistic practice.
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