One of my concept pieces I created on the Wacom Cintiq Tablet and here are the variations. 

Great art is never rewarded or given it's due.  There are literally millions of artists all struggling to make ends meet.  Many of them have amazing talent that will never be recognized or rewarded.  They begin with a desire to create which grows to a dream of being an artist in life.  Many questions and journeys begin for the artist as they start their quest for greatness.  As time passes, some of the lucky, not necessarily talented ones will be chosen for market success.  They will inadvertently  find success, mostly early on their quest, because of being in the right place at the right time with the right people selecting who is their favorite "Flavor of the Day".  It's a hard sad truth that is gaining ground more and more everyday.  Simply turn on the television, the radio or go to the theater and see the talent that is is in the limelight.  I'm not discounting their talent, I'm only saying that there should be more variety and more voices heard than just the "popular" artists in certain cliques.  There are many more vastly talented artists with vastly superior skills being ignored or pushed aside.  15 minutes ago, I was invited to a local "contemporary" portrait art contest, the artists have already been selected, most I never heard of. The artists will have a limited amount of time to draw from a live model and the winner will be selected on true merit supposedly, but what I've seen in the past, it's not skill, but local hero fame that have allowed them to win first lace. Last year an artist used an opaque projector right in front of everyone and won.  I like his work, but I don't think it's fair to the other artists who created from visual observation in a live format. I already know the outcome for this year based on the selection of artists.  This is sad and I'm tired of art cliques, local connections based on looks or age rather than raw talent.  I'm tired of the local stars being written about by art "critiques" who have absolutely no formal art training who have aligned themselves with the local media to give them power to control the local art market.  There has to be a better or more fair way to judge art, music and film.  Perhaps one day, the public will say - enough, time to see real talent again. 

Been working constantly this past week on paintings and it's been great! I've finished about 10 so far that have been laying around my studio for about 6 months.  It's typical for most artists to work on several paintings at once while creating new ones whilst others sit in the darkness waiting to be born into this world which sometimes takes years for the final touches.  Some people, I'm sure, think that art is just made, but true art that comes from the heart comes from inspirational times when so motivated and the work is blessed to received divine providence. 

I was just thinking today of how many times in a day someone asks me what a scalene triangle is and what is the cosine of that angle. Happens to me, oh, at LEAST 1000 times a day....NOT!!! For those that are scratching their heads at this statement, I'm talking about the stuff we had to learn in high school that we NEVER use ever unless we are architects or civil/structural engineers. Our school system is designed for the general 50% of all students while the other 50% suffer as they are not visual learners, i.e. good at reading comprehension or frantically watching a chalkboard while the teacher writes their notes. A lot of people are Kinesthetic learners which means that the "Three R's" aren't a practical way to teach. We are the ones that learn by doing, master/apprentice programs by using our hands and by creating with our minds; yet everyday our politicians want to cut all or most of funding to music, arts or vocational programs. ....and we wonder why our youth can't find decent jobs. "....talk amongst yourselves, discuss.....Coufee Taulk"

What I wrote to a Congressman Clyburn after he wrote back to me....

Dear, Congressman Clyburn,

I appreciate your response in a timely manner. Merry Christmas.

Concerning your stance on SOPA and Internet IP bill; as you know from experience in life, good intentions usually lead to horrible consequences that mostly fail in the long run. Attempting to control and protect identity and/or regulate piracy on the web may sound great in theory but is extremely difficult if not impossible to implement. SOPA and Internet IP is too ambiguously worded to be practical and is very dangerous for our free speech and sharing ideas. Let me be clear, as an artist, I am, of course, against any type of piracy and illegal downloading especially to make a profit from the hard work of an artist. I do however, understand that people have downloaded my work for their own personal viewing pleasure and I have no problem with that aspect; but I will take legal action on anyone infringing on my copy-written work without my permission and reselling my work illegally I however, should be the one to pursue legally these matters with my copyright attorney, as there are already laws set up by our government to protect my work. It should not be up to the government to regulated the net and/or to basically make it a felony for someone like my Aunt to share an image of my art or a kitten on an email or Facebook. Because SOPA is so dangerously worded and written by people that have no real understanding of web technology, it would be how this law would destroy the internet and it's wonderful burgening business potential with You-Tube, Pod Casting, etc. I only see big businesses like the RIAA and the MPAA being the only ones lobbying and pushing this law that would not hurt piracy, but only people's free speech and create a censored internet with disastrous results. In addition, why is Congress so worried about this bill so suddenly when they should be focusing on creating jobs in America and not destroying them? The vast majority of internet and technology experts that are far more knowledgeable in internet and computer protocols will tell you that any attempt would be disastrous to the growing internet community and rapidly growing innovation in America that is actually creating millions of jobs with small online businesses especially for artists and musicians struggling to create and sell their work online. SOPA would destroy these artist's abilities to market their work as any one could simply "claim" infringement on their competition and shut down the small business owner without any real justification. As an artist that is struggling even more now thanks to a sagging economy, the web is an extremely valuable tool and possibly the last chance for marketing by using such sites like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and MySpace. SOPA would shut down these sites and create censorship that would be comparable to China and Iran. We are better than that as Americans. Please do not allow our free speech to be stifled that millions of American soldiers died for in history.

I believe this is a bill that should be stopped and let's let time and technology grow with working carefully with web giants and technology innovators to create new ways to stop online piracy without destroying our current internet, create censorship in America or destroy budding innovation and creativity.

Thank you for your concern and understanding.

Best regards and Merry Christmas,

James Christopher Hill

I had a wonderful time with a couple of well-known established artists that paint outside the norm of Charleston artwork the other night.  We discussed issues concerning various art forms and art movements and one brought up a much neglected point of Charleston.  We don't have an art critic here in Charleston that really knows art and art history.  I realized that we are really a city full of great talent but no one to really appreciate what is going on here.  Sure, we have the usual patrons of "Charleston" art that consists of paintings of Rainbow Row, Palmetto Trees and Marshes along with the historic building paintings, but nothing of real substance is purchased, supported or collected amongst the Charlestonian "elite".  They only know what art is because most are told what to buy and what to hang on the wall.  The new movement is either no art on the walls or photographs.   We have a long way to go and to grow as a cultural city.  We have great artists that are being ignored by the dozens!  This past month has seen the death of two exciting galleries, Scoop studios and Eye-Level Art; why, because they didn't have the patronage that keeps the doors open.  Sorry to say out loud, but true. 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/dec/02/charles-saatchi-art-world-attackLove this article!