One Trick Creative

I can't NOT be creating something that seems random.

It's not possible. I wish I could be just an oil painter or a carver, or a welder or a... fill in the blank.

I.

Just.

Can't.

I THINK I am an an illustrator. Some might call me a designer, but then 2D or 3D... and I do paint with watercolors, then draw over them with color pencils....

This has been evident since I was born.

For example: This latest project has actually been going since about winter 2024 when I had attended the Fantasy of Trees in Knoxville. It was there, that I had decided to design one of their table top trees for the following Christmas 2025. They're about 3ft tall. This size seemed like a moderate commitment to the standard large size trees that fill up the Knoxville Convention Center.

Whenever I put my hand in something, I tend to go all in. I had never done this before – usually I do the Fantasy of Trees Gingerbread House. (I'll talk about that at a later date.) All I knew with this project, is that I don't even decorate a tree for our home – what on earth made me think this was the next creative step???

Again, I can't just be a one trick creative. A tree would be an awesome next challenge.

I have a box of scrap sign material called HDU (high density urethayne). Sign making has been a part of my creative path whether directly or indirectly. So of course I have scrap sign material lying around.

I had been playing with it and carved a cross. I loved how it looked so humble. I loved the lines and the way the light shone on it. For the colors, I actually used a mix of several, a method influenced from my fine art frame restoration days. (Another passion of mine!) You can't tell, and that's the point. I put some Rub n' buff on them to finalize it – helps give it some texture.

I then decided to use this as my main focus for the tree. I figured it was in a year and I would carve 52 for each week. And so it began.

And so it was finished.

And so I created more crosses.

I do not go to church. I have been to church, but it's been a long minute and so I feel compelled to mention this. As someone on a mission to find out more about religion and the search for meaning, I know enough to follow your gut/the spirit guiding you to create.

Then came the opportunity to maybe make this a product. There has been a request. I wondered how this could be presented. Product packaging (another art passion) is tons of fun because you really have to analyze how people perceive items, how they handle them, etc. For a humble cross, it needed to have humble packaging. But packaging none the less because each one is hand made. It needs to present itself that each one is special.

Then I brought out the drawing board literally and figuratively.

I was going to make a package for these crosses!

Initially, I thought of a church steeple. How different would that look? How cool would that be having a triangular box with an ornament? I brought out my white card stock and started designing. I thought the white could be nice. Church steeples do tend to be white, right?

Well, there's nothing like designing something that looks like a white pointed cap with a hole in it for the face. Oy. Great idea initially. NOT a great idea in the prototyping. (That's the main point of this exercise, lol)

Then I thought I could do the same thing and make it in the kraft color card stock. Maybe that would change the look and feel.

I could NOT get past that initial white 'hood' look. Do you get what I'm saying???

This is part of the design process.

Let's go back to rectangular box shapes...

Many prototypes later, I created this box and the special way the cross is placed inside.

This is for sale. The Southern Market in Knoxville, TN carries only 2 at the time I am writing this post. They are frightfully cheap for an ornament that is hand crafted with a hand built box. I might put this on the online site at some point but will need to look into shipping costs so stay tuned.

I have and will give away the crosses as I have them and the moment seems right. You know what I mean? Sometimes I run into people that this cross just seems right that they have one. I can't run into everyone though. Therefore if you need one, again, Southern Market. I am so excited to be part of that shop! Maybe I'll see you there.

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This post and everything in it is 100% human made minus the use of a computer. All grammar errors are my own and I happily add em dashes (the long hyphen thingies) however I feel – so don't be thinking this is ChatGPT.