Wet Fly Sketch & Thoughts

Caution :  This Might Get A Bit Wordy

Just a sketch of a wet fly today with a bit of words on what I have taken out of this year long project.  When I started this project I had no idea that it would blow up into what it has become.  My original purpose was just a challenge to myself to see if I could really stick with a project for an entire year.  My hobbies vary wildly from fishing to art, wood working, literature, hiking and backpacking, aviation, home improvement, and about twenty other things that seem to occasionally occupy my time.  I started this mainly to focus two of my major hobbies.  I had hoped only to force myself to learn more about fly fishing and art and hopefully become better at both.  I gave little thought about who would follow my ramblings on fishing and art.  With alot of family spread across the nation I also thought this would be a good way to show them the art projects I had been working on since they had been my primary source of feedback.  What I did not expect was the following from other bloggers around the world or, even more surprising, that they would like to own some of my art.
I think my first realization that people might be interested in owning my art came from the response from my first really good work on this blog.  It still is one of my favorites of the past year and holds a place of honor in my dinning room to this day.

Before this year I had no idea what Tenkara was, in fact if you were to ask me even ten months ago I would probably have told you that it sounded like some new Japanese steak house.  Before this year I had not even heard of Marry Orvis and her history of flies or the early English histories of the art of angling.  I had no idea the variety of flies out there that are successful and the just as many that aren't.  I had no clue that there was so many fly fishing fanatics out there on the web, I didn't know anything of Bigerrfish, Troutrageous, The Midgeman, Jersey Angler, Cofisher & Colorado, Mike, MKG, Leigh, blake, Shoreman Owl, TarHeal, BB&B, Hopper J, WK&TL, BRK TRT, Kev, and the countless others that have not only left encouragement but inspired me to paint and fish and do it better than the last time.  If it wasn't for my wife as well I don't believe I could have kept the streak alive.  She saved me more than once by reminding me to do a post. From the bottom of my heart I thank you for a successful year helping me to complete my project.

So as they year is closing I find myself looking forward to another year on the fly.  I have now discovered an outlet for my art and need to fish.  I have found a place to come to for inspiration and encouragement and maybe, just possibly, a place where I can sell enough of my art to pay for my obsessive need for angling gear. Tha.nks agin