I have waited until the final day for my submission and I may have even missed the deadline but that is okay. I have really thought about this all week because there have been things in my life that come and go. I was trying to pinpoint that one thing that has just evolved with me over time and stuck around through the thick and thin. After pondering this idea for a full seven days over some really shitty beers I have finally nailed it down. 

Painting is my hobby, it all of it's forms. Fine detailed miniature figure painting to entire houses are all the same, now that I have put the thought into. This is going to take some explaining, I know. I am also limited on pictures as we have been working on the house and have not fully unpacked since we moved in. That's a whole other story, back to painting. 

• Why do you feel passion about your hobby?

I am very passionate about this hobby because I need it in all of it's forms. The simple act of adding color to something and transforming it into something new. Rather you start with a blank canvas or an old house the art is really the same if you think about it. You are altering the world, with color. Color is an amazing thing that can cause many emotions and many emotions are placed in painting. It could be that feeling of euphoria painting that masterpiece, happiness painting with your kids and your finger or complete anger if painting your house for over 100 hours in a single year is the personal hell you used to work through some things. 

• How did you pick this hobby? Or better yet, how did this hobby picked you?

This is a hard question and I really don't know how to answer it based on what I now realize what it truly means to me. I believe at first I picked it as something fun to do, we shared some good and bad times and every time I try to move on it calls me back. I have given up canvas painting since 2015 for some personal reason's so life threw this house at me. It basically said to me, if you won't pick up a tiny brush and create something wonderful, you will try to hold the largest brush possible to help you complete your task.

• How long have you been doing it...? Are you learning more and more every day?

I have been painting since well before I can even remember painting. I have to say without even knowing what I am doing half the time I am always learning something new about painting. From how to hold the brush, different strokes, base coats to cause desired effects to top coats which can all do something different.

• What is it that you love about this hobby? Do you like it because  you are good at it? Do you love it because it takes away the stress? Do you enjoy it because it is challenging?

Change is what I love most about painting, everything the brush touches changes. 

I suck at painting. I say that because the most amazing paintings I ever see are the skies, who can ever live up to what can be seen when you look up?

Personally for me painting can take away all the stress in the world or it can cause the deepest stress one can feel. My current stress with canvas painting is it brings too much back into my mind, house painting took that away. I hate house painting but found it to be amazing.

I enjoy painting for it's simplicity. Unless you're using watercolors, there isn't anything that can't be painted over to hide all of it's flaws while still containing those flaws that are in all of us.

• When do you practice it? Is it part of your daily life or do you have to go out of your routine to be able to do it?

I used to think I practiced it at every chance I got. t wasn't until I tried to avoid it that I now realize that it chose me more often than I ever chose it. People will bring me items at work to paint in one form or another. I never really realized I was "painting" the same as always, I just viewed it as a job. The same conclusion was drawn when I thought about this post and painting the house. I have tried to escape it but in one form or another my hobby has shown me love and keeps picking me. I think it knows I need it. 

• Is it something you share with someone else or is this hobby YOUR thing and you do it by yourself?

I enjoying painting with my kids, they come up with some really amazing stuff if you just let them have fun.

I hate painting with my wife as it is usually wall painting and she likes to change colors every few years and she picks the most god awful colors. I like bright and lively and she like dull and somber. 

• What is going on in your mind when you do it?

Nothing, not a fucking thing but the music in my earphones or coming through the speakers if I am alone. That is why I have always loved it. That is also why my current situation sucks so bad as I can only think of one thing when I try to canvas paint. I am beginning to think it is the universe just telling me to not let such a wonderful (yet heartbreaking) experience ruin the one thing that has always been my fall back thing in life.

• Is your hobby a priority? Does practicing it take away time with your  family or partner? Do you have it high on your priority list or is it not that important compared to family and friends?

I would have to say it is not a priority over anything in my life. I love to do it but never put it before anything else. My wife goes out of her way to purchase me art supplies when we have some extra play money. She doesn't demand anything in the form of art but she request things for each of our children. This is the last thing I started and have not completed. It is for our son Dregon, get it?

• Is your hobby expensive? Do you spend a lot of money when you practice it? What sacrifices do you make to be able to practice your hobby?

This is one of those hobbies that a snob can turn into $1,000's a year in supplies. 

Reality is if you know art and painting you can craft a brush and paints out of plenty of things. There are forms of painting like airbrushing as well which require machines but the cheap ones from eBay truly work just as well as the ones that are thousands, if you know how to use them.

I don't call anything related to my hobby a sacrifice. I am a patient man and will stack quarters if need be to pick up what I need. Too many kids and responsibilities to just go buy something because I want it.

These mask are the most expensive supply, spray paint is a bitch to breathe

• Are you an amateur? An adept? An expert? What makes the differences between them? Does it depend only on skills or do you also need tools or  equipment to become better?

I will always be an amateur when the example I use is always changing and breathtaking. 

I think it is only ego that separates the amateur from the expert related to painting. As long as one has the passion, patience and drive they can all become masters.

Art is subjective and in the eye of the beholder. I think tools and equipment make people think they can get an edge but if the artist who is doing the work creates what they feel it doesn't matter how it is done.

• Are you lucky enough that, is your hobby part of your job?

That question is backwards for me. I am unlucky enough that my hobby is sometimes part of my job. Painting is one thing that I don't like to do for money. That takes the personal feeling out of art for me. I'd rather design something for them on the computer or do some photographs, not paint. I do it as there are mouths to feed but  do not advertise that I paint. I did pick these up after I kept getting request at work. A friend went out of business and I got these at a cost ratio of 15/1. So I guess, I was truly lucky that I was able to pick these up through work.

• If you would have to explain your hobby to an alien, how would you do it?

I would tell them that painting is a mental and physical metamorphosis of human emotion. I would tell him to just do it as all the masters do, spread the paint around until you see something that speaks to you.

Special thanks to @anomadsoul for hosting this and @blocktrades for supporting the platform like a true witness