The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond, to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.
Bio
Brendan Higgins received a BFA from Columbus College of Art and Design in 2006. He is currently working full-time as a CAD modeler for a software company. During his free time, he found working with ink relaxing because of its limits and the freedom it offers.
Working with the pen offers me freedom on when to work on my subject. There is no waiting for it to dry, preparing materials, or mixing colors. The pen has a fixed size and specific ink. I like how I can pick up my work and scribble on it and quickly put it down. It is convenient for me as a full-time data analyst engineer while waiting for my data to be completed.
Working with the pen requires patience because there is no tool to fix a mistake. Using any tools to correct the mistakes alters the texture of the paper and how the ink flows over it. Altering the texture of the paper can make the mistake much more noticeable. It is best to move forward and work around the mistakes. Mostly hoping no one will notice it.
I choose nature subjects because I can explore all kinds of textures with a pen. There is no escaping from the details with the pen. I had to draw all the nooks, knots, tears, and textures that nature offers. I also enjoy decaying buildings because of the challenge of drawing the imperfections of the buildings.
I am part of the Urban Sketchers community in Dayton. We meet up once a month at different locations. Urban Sketchers provides the freedom to explore details of your hometown and visit other locations. It is a good way to detox from technology. Instead of using a phone to kill time, I can pull out paper and a pen to draw quickly what is in front of me. If I know I have time to watercolor, then I will add colors to my drawing. The sketchbook became a diary of my day.