It's time to Rise like an Eagle and Fly
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Hello my name is Derrick Rathgeber, and all of you know me as a colored pencil artist. Not only that I am known for using what tools I can find lying around to make big works of art. For years ever since my accident I have been drawing on 32 cent poster board, printer paper, and using a collection of RoseArt pencils donated to me. I am very thankful to the company RoseArt for sending me this great gift, I was completely out of black, and certain reds I needed to finish my last piece. They gave me an opportunity to share my lessons on their blog page and ignited my own blog page here. It's funny I thought that was my ticket to getting more traffic to my website, and possibly sell some work so I can buy frames and do some shows, but people never came.
Over the last year I have posted my work all over the web in every free way possible. I put in a lot of hours linking these pages together. If you search my name you get pages upon pages of results. I am on Pinterest, Tumblr, DeviantArt, Facebook, Twitter, FineArtAmerica, and the list goes on and on. I have been featured on a few other sites as an artist, and I am currently in a showcase here in Riverside, CA. The problem I am having with all of this work I put in is it seems to go nowhere. I haven't sold one thing. I am literally all over the web, and I am not getting traffic. I wanted to prove to other artists that struggle in ways that I do, that it's possible to make it without putting in money you don't have. In a sense I have been doing well, and I do have a small hand full of great fans, but most of them are other artists that are not into buying work from another artist. I don't blame them it is kind of counter productive. But I have been invited to several shows, and I have had to turn them all down because all of my work is without frames, I don't have setup fees, transportation, or money to give as change for that matter. It's embarrassing to continue putting these shows off, and calling yourself a "professional artist."
In my own way I do want to continue helping out. So in this case I am going to continue keeping my work FREE to view. I don't have a lot of money, and I know other artists do not either, so I will continue to help all of you for FREE. I will be honest and say this it gives me a great pleasure to see even 1 like on my comic post, or one fellow artist sharing their results from my drawing lesson with a thank you. I get a kick out of it. That money cannot buy. So what will change.
In my many years, before I was placed on the shelf as a disabled employee, I worked for many different companies and learned a whole lot of trades. I made a lot of companies a great deal of money with innovative ideas, and advertising strategies that placed them on top. It was easy they gave me an amount to use, and I turned it into more. They gave me a product and I sold it. The had a number and I beat it. Recently I fought with myself asking why can I not market myself in the same way. I have placed myself EVERYWHERE, I made contests, I made ideas, and I advertised myself to the brim, so why can I not sell me? It recently dawned on me that I never invested in myself, other than time. I never put in the money. I thought what I was doing was enough. Hell I stood toe-to-toe with big named artists with a pack of $1.29 colored pencils, and a 32 cent poster board and won. It's time for me to rise above my own fear and doubt, and invest in myself. In return when I do that I know this investment will pay off for mine and my families future.
By the end of this month your going to see a whole lot more of me. Starting with a new Twisted Fate comic strip. As the ink is drying, I want to say come back for that. And before they go "viral" you get to say you saw it here first. Before I get new materials you get to go through my web page and share my work saying check this guy out he didn't need to spend hundreds on art supplies, and he made it. You will be able to say I saw these comics before they were in a book. And I'll remember your faith in me and return it ten fold. Because everything I do on here is meant to be shared with the world. So I will end this as saying thank you for everything, and helping me keep my eyes on the prize. I am going to fly.
Thank you,
Derrick Rathgeber
Bird in Bloom - 
Dolphins In The Reef - 
Angel Of Death - 
The Flight Of The Macaw - 
