diddles25

I am open to commissions. Contact me with any questions by email-  artistsam85@gmail.com

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bardicpainter/

I would say that if something interests me then I just have to depict it, and most of my illustrations are derived from stories that resonate with me; I have illustrated legendary and historical characters from several different cultures, in addition to some popular culture characters.

Another part of my work is that I seek to invert the stale theme of "men are strong, women are pretty"; even when the woman in question is a famous for her beauty, I want to give her the reins while the men that I paint are the ones who sit and look pretty.

Even when men are famous for their beauty, their other achievements are still acknowledged, a courtesy that I don't think is extended often enough to famously beautiful women; Hedy Lamarr, Audrey Hepburn, and Lena Horne, among others, were daring trailblazers and did so much good for humanity, but they are mainly remembered as glamorous celebrities.

In addition to making women the assertive ones in my art (and trying to substitute their deeds for their appearance in the equation), I seek to make men not just the eye-candy but also as sensitive, caring figures rather than the stereotypical stoic, square-jawed type.

Honestly, I'm a poet as well as an illustrator. I have a background in anthropology, which has shaped my art substantially, since I have always been interested in what makes people tick (and that includes how some customs are lost in translation across cultures).

My poetry is sometimes my own thoughts, sometimes it has little if anything to do with me.

I have taught myself Gáidhlig (Scottish Gaelic) since high school and write most of my poetry in it. I really began teaching it to myself partly out of interest in my ancestry and partly because I want to support endangered languages (in addition to endangered flora and fauna), and Gaelic really is a beautiful language that has really shaped how I write poetry.

Among other things that I have learned about language is that it is more than just a means of communication. A language is a window into an entire world; the Gaelic word for the Scottish Highlands, Gáidhealtachd, literally means "Place of the Gaels" since that has traditionally been the stronghold of Gáidhlig, while the Lowlands, Galltachd, literally means "Place of the strangers". Gáidhlig also lacks exact equivalents of "yes" and "no"; if somebody asks you if saw something, you would answer "saw" or "did not see".