Journey to the High Places
Psalms by Tate

I found myself caught in the peril of darkness. Wounded, embattled, thirsty and torn. Fear then moved upon me when the brightness of the setting sun removed it self from my presence. Caught in the darK night of the soul. The deep darkness of night, the bears and the lions, the accusers, avengers, and the voices lurked in the deep dark shadows of the night. I called out to the Lord now that I had lost my vision, my strength, my wisdom, my path. I longed for the glory to rise again upon me like a canopy of strength, of power and safety as I had known before. I pressed forward with every step until the glory of God rose upon me like a harvest moon to light my path, to vanquish my foes, to bring me to safety.
Tate

Seven Core Values from the Marine Corp for Creatives

Seven Core Values from the Marine Corps for Creatives

By Mike Tate

Recently I had a friend who is a former Marine. He suggested to me that I was sitting on a million dollar business. He asked to partner with me to get there. I began to look at the values and disciples of a Marine and found them to be quiet opposite the true creative. Are you ready for your creative life to be disrupted? If you are looking to succeed in your creative space these values might be what launches you. Tate

1. Rapid Decision Making

In the Marine Corps you are taught to make “sound & timely” decisions; with an extra added emphasis on being “timely”.  Traditionally they are taught to methodically analyze decisions; weighing the pros & cons & minimizing risks before they make a decision.

Tate: I believe that rapid decisions in our creative process causes us to be more fluid, intuitive and less vulnerable to a creative block.

2. Decentralized Decision Making

In addition to making rapid decisions the Marine Corps members are taught the importance of pushing decision making down to the absolute levels of authority; the closer to the front line you can allow decisions to be made the more efficient & effective the organization will be.  

Tate: just make up your mind and move forward, mental and creative stalls can be a time waster and costly... make the decision to move forewarn, you don’t need anyone’s permission. 

3. Staying Calm Within a Crisis

Leaders are made & broken during a crisis.  When things get hot & heavy they have to learn how to compartmentalize our feelings and remain calm at all times.  In the Marine Corps it is a cardinal sin to “lose your bearing” when the stress level gets high.  

Tate: being creative during a personal or business crisis. Have you ever been there? I prepared for a popular art festival. One thing I forgot to do is register for the event. I called, the event was full, I went anyway. No back outs, I stayed calm with my relationship to the show promoter (I have seen many artists loose their temper). All artist were nearly set up and the promoter said “since you drove along way and have been very kind and patient I will set you right here next to the wine tasting booth where all the traffic goes. As I set up the owner of the winery bought most of my art before the show even started. Stay calm in crisis!

4. It’s Never About You

As an officer’s in the Corps they were always reminded that it’s never about senior leadership; everything we do was to take care of & support that 18 year old trigger-puller on the front line.  As officers we were taught to always eat last; if one of your Marines forgets a critical piece of gear it was you that goes without.  

Tate: the art culture has its flaws, one major flaw is ego or the “prima donna” or defined  a very temperamental person with an inflated view of their own talent or importance. I have no time for the prima! Humility takes you far places when practiced in your creativity. Our artwork heals people, brings joy, heals a city fragmented and so much more. #dontbeaprima

5. Improvise, Adapt, & Overcome

The Marine Corps always seems to get the short end of the stick when it comes to budget & procurement.  Traditionally there has been a systemic lack of resources for the Corps; primarily because they are the smallest branch and they have to compete for funding with the Department of the Navy.  However, this spartan reality allows them to see some rather unique & ingenious ways on getting what they need. 

Tate: Improvise, adapt and overcome that white canvas, that empty cord chart, that lisp of clay or block of rock. I was over selective about my choice of brushes to use. Now I grab what is convenient and move on. Stiff poorly washed out brushes from the night before become my favorite Bristol brushes. 

6. Endurance & Tenacity

It doesn’t take long to find numerous examples of Marines enduring monumental & seemingly impossible circumstances. From battles like Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, & Fallujah, and individuals like John Basilone, Chesty Puller, & Smedley Butler there is never a shortage of amazing acts of heroism & tenacity. By emphasizing the past we came to measure any current perspective & situation against a revered historical backdrop that could gave one motivation to press on & persevere.  

Tate: endurance is a huge character for a creative person. Listen to the definition, the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way. Michelangelo said every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. The true work of artis but a shadow of the divine perfection. If people knew how hard I worked to get my mastery, it wouldn't seem so wonderful at all. I saw the angelin the marble and carved until I set him free. Here is endurance personified. The tougher the work the higher the value upon completion. 

7. Fear & Uncertainty Is the Norm

The Marine Corps current war fighting methodology of “Maneuver Warfare” is based on shock, speed, disruption, & organized chaos.  Marines understand that you can never completely eliminate fear & uncertainty in any situation.  In fact fear & uncertainty can be a blessing; because most people & organizations spend an inordinate amount of resources on trying to make things safe & predictable.  

Tate: I love this, go to your easel, piano, clay block of stone or empty chord chart and create by shock, speed, disruption (we creatives are disruptive) and organized chaos. Break the fricken rules, throw caution to the wind, lose your mind and create unintimidated. Blank canvases always communicate a certain amount of uncertainty. Have you ever finished a long night of creating to wake up in the morning and wonder, who did that? Painting or creating in an environment of uncertainty reads the normal in you and releases the intuitive you. This is a must, fear and uncertainty must be the norm...

8. It’s All About Love

Leadership is an affair of the heart. The Marine Corps was one of the most “loving” organizations I’ve ever been associated with.  It’s not the “feeling” of love rather it’s the “agape” love that demands sacrifice.  It’s laying down your life, putting your needs above others, so that they can prosper and survive.  This is the foundation of any significant and sustainable leadership and allows cultures to thrive and survive in the most arduous and challenging circumstances.

Tate: create out of love, love of your passion, love of your ever increasing ability, love for your onlookers, your collectors, and even your critics. A competing jewelry maker visited my booth in the art festival as I was setting up. He view my newly created creations and said “very shoddy”, I looked up and politely said “ thank you sir, I was trying to find a classy name for my jewelry so I will call it “Shoddy Jewelry by Tate”. At the end of the art festival I sold out, he sold nothing. Lol fricken yes! Hahahahahaha. Create from love, for love, by love.

Peace Out!

Tate

Tate Sports Art

#tatesportsart 

Get Back to the Vision

Most mornings I embrace the presence of the Lord in a dark room about 3am. While in this place I begin to see things from a higher perspective. It's a place to dream big without restriction. I can go back into places and scenes I have seen before and continue to create and expand what vision I saw before. What I see is so clear its imbedded in my spirit in such away I can see it throughout the day. The morning ritual gives me the place to envision my future. 

Several weeks ago I discerned I had lost the clarity of vision. It was like I lost my equilibrium for life. A tad stressed and weary I questioned my condition. I summoned Holy Spirit for help. He spoke and said "go back to the visions and live from there". There is something very powerful about framing up your future and being very diligent to live from that distinct place.

Solomon writes "where there is no vision people perish or cast off restraint". When we lose that prophetic future leading knowing we come into a stall, no life, no passion, no occupancy. We are all vulnerable to find ourselves away from vision. Life will pull you and I in every direction. People will press in and demand of us. The enemy seems to act relentless towards distraction. 

Go back and visit the journals written about you, read and listen to the words spoken about you, recalibrate, tune back up, get your passion back, let the fire come back to your eyes. 

Tate

Rusty Doors and Fairy Tales

Tate

Many times my most difficult time to process things I face feels like trying to open a rusty door. When I was young I learned from my environment to avoid tough places. We all want to take the easy road because it's comfortable, its known, it's acceptable socially. However to step outside the boundaries of what you have always known also open doors to dilemmas. When we step outside the norm it impunes others sedate lifestyles. Breakthrough usually is from something breaking. A habit, a way of thinking, how religion framed your thought life, deconstruction of old values to take on new ways to think and live. 

So often I have felt like many friends have disappeared socially when I step out of the norm to go big. Comments like "too many irons in the fire", "be very careful" etc... They seem to not want to be too close "when I go down or fail". However they cheer me on when they see success. There is a hardship to breaking patterns in our lifestyle. At 59 for instance my wife and i took on a 26 day detox program. The first week was awful. The food required to be consumed tasted toxic. Breaking old habits is hard, but necessary in order to see good results. 

I stumbled upon a storage room full of junk. I looked at it over and over again to develop a "what if vision" on how would this room look if it was reframed, repurposed into a thriving art studio. Pushing this rusty door of opportunity open required many hours of dedication, cleaning, emptying, deconstructing to get it to what I saw. Many challenges, many misunderstandings and many disappointments. It would have been a hell of a lot easier to just dream about it than to actually push my way through to a new future. 

The fairy tale part... A fairy tale is fiction, its fantasy, its for lore. It's is the way we see life until we push through the obstacles. A few months ago i published an article on the "art of push". Even the article offended some...

When your eyes get full of vision, your life gets full of passion you begin to walk on a super highway. Sleep is over rated, comfort zones become optional. Fear becomes a vanquished foe.  Unfortunately and that's a fricken big unfortunately at your express pace you walk among the "slow ones" let's call them "slows" for short. Have you been on an escalator or a people mover where people want to just ride like they are on a daycation! Your frantic voice in the inside is Dear God would your people just move! It is more fun to run on a people mover watching the walkers. It's like two different worlds. 

Our cultures traffic is myopic or narrow fixed in the temporary, where vision is only on today never tomorrow much less future. Apathy, laziness, and a boat load of complacency or the slow ones as I call it liter the path to success. So to the visionary who tries to function among the slows it's like "quick sand". Here is where the "art of push" comes in. Grace is good to a point, but after no returned phone calls or texts sometimes you need to pull out the "art of push".

Here is my prescription the visionary on the express lane of breakthrough. Apply grace toward people as you move forward, (excuse me sir/ mam I'm coming through) however as I am learning is most of the "slows" hate change because they have bitten the apple of personal comfort. "Slows" like to accuse there slowness on the altar of "I was busy". They like to form opinions about you in their secret groups like "I think that guy is crazy" or "something's gotten into him lately".

Steven Pressfield, author of The War of Art, writes:

“Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.” Highly creative people wake up every morning, fully aware of the need to grow and push themselves. But there is always the fear, resistance as Pressfield calls it, that they don’t have what it takes. No matter how successful the person, that fear never goes away. They simply learn to deal with it, or not.

Here is where you now apply the "art of push". Will they get offended heck yes they do! I have offended more people in the last 60 days than all of last year, so I push all the more. Nothing great was ever accomplished on the back side of lazy town. No rusty door of destiny was ever opened without some level of exertion. I doubt not one powerful invention ever came to be without the art of push. So visionary arm your self with a bucket of grace, throw caution to the wind and push till your vision becomes reality.

Cheers,

Tate

Creative People They feel deeply.

Creativity is about human expression and communicating deeply. It’s impossible to give what you don’t have, and you can only take someone as far as you have gone yourself. A writer once told me that an artist must scream at the page if they want a whisper to be heard. In the same way, a creative person must feel deep if they are to communicate deeply.

Tate

transformed people transform cities...

We are in an apostolic season... most church goers are not aware of it! Most still function on a pure horizontal level, not aware of seeing and hearing from heaven. Jesus told leaders of his day on earth "you don't enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and worse yet you prev ent others from entering. We have preachers, teachers, and leaders who dont practice vertical relationship with heaven. Word smiths craft inspiring mesasage from the best of their intellect without a consideration of heavens impact.

We are called to get heavens perspective and appropriate what we have seen and heard in the earth. Everything we need I'd beyond our natural sight. Our healing, our wealth our inheritance, even our ability to make wealth.

I hear or see my future and the future of others. I rarely get all the steps. I find in my journey that much I'd hidden until I go forward and take the next step. What I used to fear i no longer fear. You get used to trusting God by what He reveals as you walk. Knowledge is released as i walk by faith in what I have seen and heard.

Heaven places powerful abilities upon our life to walk out what we have seen and heard. Super natural wisdom drops into our hearts like strategies beyond human intellect. Daniel had an ability to interpret a kings dream, the byproduct of that was he was promoted and given great wealth because of his accuracy.  Seer ability to see into the future to navigate around potential hazards and to give confidence in our journey. Supernatural favor drops on our life, doors open, gifts are granted, wealth comes after us.

Transformed people transform cities. Heaven isn't bankrupt, heaven is full of ideas, witty inventions and solutions to every problem. We must live from above!

The word says the wealth of the unrighteousn is stored up for the righteous for righteous purposes. It also says the He give the power to get wealth to prove He is a covenant keeping God.

Kingdom Focus

Spiritual concentrations are to prepare us to be expectant and impregnated with revelation seed from above, so we can give birth and enforce what we have heard and seen in the earth. We are the ecclesia a governing people in the earth, a parliamentary body of people. It's a non religious body. It's not flesh and blood theatrics, but it's "spirit" activity. The church structure is primarily "flesh and blood" operation incapable of manifesting Heaven on earth". It's a horizontal structure. Spirit is a vertical structure.

Tate

Confessions of a Glory Dweller

Dreamers Confessions of a Glory Dweller

Mike Tate

Notes on the mystic life...

I was once called a "mystic believer" by a pastor. His way of saying I did not fit in to the modern church culture. He was right! I am a mystic believer.

The prophetic arena is a powerful arena by where we decree what we hear from God. The mystic arena is more powerful where we have experiences out of the glory realm, out of the heavenly realm and release mysteries and treasures in the earth. 

I was taken to heaven a few weeks ago to a chamber full of artistic anointing. One after another deposits of artistic creativity were deposited in me. I was not having a dream nor a vision. It was real. Results are in, my creative level has enlarged dramatically. The glory realm dependence and relationship with regard to creating works of art is even more precious and powerful.

The mystic arena is one where we journey beyond the visible to what is invisible. What is seen is temporal, what is unseen it eternal. We are admonished by the word to not look at the seen, but the unseen. This is a mystical seeing. 

Paul says "What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared made and keeps ready for those who love Him"... 

Your inheritance is just beyond your natural sight. 

Your future is just beyond your natural sight. 

Your healing is just beyond your natural sight. 

Your wealth is just beyond your natural sight. 

One of the definitions of mystic is to have a sense of awe and wonder. 

When heaven interacts with you you will have a sense of awe and wonder. 

Religion will keep you grounded on things that are safe and tangible. 

The mystic realm will transform, transfigure beyond what's tangible. God is called the the God of power performing signs, wonders and miracles. This is the true mystical relationship.

A famous prayer often quoted, rarely realized is "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."  Sit in then Glory of His  presence and say "bring it God, I want your Kingdom to manifest in and through me. And "wait for it, wait for it, wait for it"... Stay awhile, waste an hour in the glory, 

Paul says "And a sense of awe reverential fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles the special messengers."

The glory realm to me is my gateway into the mystic realm of God. If I go there with expectation, with passion, with regularity I will see and experience beyond my wildest dreams, highest prayers and strongest hopes. 

We must embrace the mystic realm of God and it's lifestyle. When you begin to see the manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven you will be caught up in a sense of "awe and wonder". 

Hang In There Dreamers!

Dreamers Hang In There!

Joseph endowed with brilliant successful future by a significant revelation. Joseph enclosed in a coat of many colors, possible a prophetic sign to everyone of his powerful future. Joseph with a powerful inner passion to see his dream come true.

Joseph restrained in so many ways from jealous onlookers, evil conspirators, low life back biters, mockers-gossipers and enemies with murderous intentions to squash , kill, stop and restrain the dreamer!

The Palmist write for history to read " He sent a man before them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet they hurt with shackles; He was put in chains of iron, Until the time that his word of prophecy proved him true, The word of the Lord tested and refined him.

Restraint, captivity, conspiracy, bondage, jealousy are powerful entities... But not more powerful than a divine revelation to your spirit about your amazing future. Some of the most powerful songs have come from those who have triumphed over amazing odds. These enemies of resistance will actually fuel your fire and cause the revelation to be embolden and magnified.

Your creative future is bigger than a 2 hours church meeting. Your amazing destiny cannot be silenced because of your contagious passion. Turn your ear to heaven not to the environment around you. Just smile in your temporary pain and keep going.

They say " oh here comes the dreamer" and one day you will say " and here is the dream"!One day, one day, one day I will "see" what I have seen. One day the enemies of your future will be mocked when your dreams come true!
Cheers!
Mike Tate

Manifesting Your Dreams...
Mike Tate

Just the other day I deposited a large check into my bank account. I was feeling pretty good because of it. Then the Holy Spirit told me that He would teach me to no longer desire money, but that He would cause me to dream bigger and to manifest the dreams faster. I asked Him to explain... He said I waste too much energy and emotions toward money that needs to go to dreaming and manifesting the dreams. He said here is where financial abundance comes from in this new era. He said that He would give me treasures out of darkness. I'm probably a lot like many who spend time focused of money and the needs that require money. It has been through my imagination, my dreams and the power of the Holy Spirit to breath into me and release wisdom, ideas and the ability to creat beyond my natural ability that has brought the greatest abundance. I have corrected my motives to no longer spend inordinate amounts of time thinking about money and a huge amount of time dreaming! Cheers😎

Treasures out of darkness... So that you may know that it is I...

“I will give you the treasures of darkness [the hoarded treasures]
And the hidden riches of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you (Cyrus the Great) by your name. Isaiah 45:3

Super abundance... Beyond the dreams, power working within us...

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

Power to get wealth... Dreams are a powerful power to manifest ideas that release wealth...

But you shall remember [with profound respect] the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore (solemnly promised) to your fathers, as it is this day. Deuteronomy 8:18

Confessions of a Glory Dweller

Mike Tate

Father of glory, I commit myself to a lifestyle of dwelling in the glory, saturating in the very essence of Your presence. I come into the secret place to dwell with you, to remain for a time, I have no other agenda. I have opened this time in my day just to dwell with you in this secret place. I prepare my spirit now for an intimate encounter with You. I prepare myself, my body, my mind and my spirit to begin to draw from your radiant power. I wait on you to clothe me with your glory. I wait for you... Selah 

Father of glory, let me transcend earthly things, the temporal things in this secret place so I can see, hear, taste, touch eternal things. I still my thoughts to hear Your thoughts, Your whispers, Your heart. Let me sense the shadow of Your glory, come now. You alone can cause me to be transcend earthly things in Your glory. Right now by faith I come into your radiant presence, your glory. I come to be with you and to receive Your glory... Let me be drawn up with you in high places... Selah 

Father show me your glory, it is the only thing that makes me stable. It marks me with your ability, authority and power. It gives me supernatural strength and wisdom. No foe can withstand the power of your glory in me. It is my Refuge, my protection from times of trouble. It is my Fortress, a structure of substance from which I find protection. It releases radiant life within my being, in every place that is baron... Selah 

Father show me Your glory, let it rush through my being like a river flowing. Let Your glory rush over me like waves of an ocean. Right now Your glory drowns my fears and insecurities. It rushes me like cool wind across a hot desert. Your glory causes me fearless from terror. It makes me fearless from the arrows of evil plotters and slanderers. It makes me fearless with power over the demonic realm...  Selah 

Father your glory covers me, it transforms me into your image. Your glory causes me to be addicted to more of Your glory. Your glory releases passion and compassion in me. Your glory, it illuminates my spirit, it clothes me with power. Father your glory covers me like falling rain. Your glory is my refuge, my dwelling place. In the glory no evil can befall me, nor any plague or calamity can come near my life. In Your glory your angels accompany me, your angels defend me, your angels preserve my life, your angels bear me up with their hands. In Your glory Your angels are given charge over me... Selah 

Father Your glory is resting on me and in me releasing power, authority, and strength.. You release your very glory on my life because you love me. Your glory overshadows me. Your glory releases revelation to my spirit. Your glory is intimate and full of love. Father show me Your glory, even so come! 

I started marketing my art as a sign writer for commercial strips. A&A Builders Supply off 65th was my first gig. I painted "carpet sales" on the windows every time they had a sale. Thanks Tony Gonzales for the Work. I owned a Schwinn Varsity ten speed with a rack. 11 miles away from home. As soon as I got my vehicle a 58 Chevy panel I went big leagues and started painting signs and murals. Most of the Northern California skating rinks became my canvas. My first mural was in Cal Skate in Sacramento then onto Roseville Roller King where I painted the mural, signs and graphics. The best gig was West Sac Speedway where I lettered race cars for about 5 race teams about $500 per car cash. The work was "sustainable" because the guys crashed them on the weekend...

In order to raise a family I moved into painting warehouses, houses and churches. 4 years ago I met a gentleman from Sydney who ran a creative arts school, Jeff Crabtree. He had me close my eyes in order to see or vision my future success as an "artist". He had me shut my eyes and the he said do you see your self as an professional artist... "Yes", do you see yourself as successful artist... "Yes". Do you see yourself traveling the world as an artist... "Yes. Do you see yourself as a famous artist "yes. With my eyes closed he paused for a moment very quiet, then he yelled at the top of his big voice "now go do it"!!!!!!!!!!!!

I returned to Sacramento to start my journey four years ago this week. I felt strongly to go inside a metal sculpture artist studio but hesitated for several days till I couldn't stand it. I knocked and a tall black man in a elders outfit and welding mask flipped up said yes can I help you? I said I don't know, I'm just supposed to be here... For the next 30 minutes  Larry Meeks sculptor prophesied the last four years of my life and beyond to the tee. He told me to stay out of the current art culture because of egos and infighting. He told me how to price art so I would not become a "discount art seller"... He said first give away your gift to several non-profits and then go for it.

Four hard years where most did not take me seriously until now. King David wrote an interesting story of an ancient leader named Joseph. He wrote that Joseph was bound, shackled and suffered till his vision came true. This week marks my 4 years journey in the art market. From Star Bucks coffee houses 5 at one time, to opening my own art gallery in Danville, to Burgers and Brew, to Mid Town Wine Bar, to teaching art in private schools, to painting live for the Raley's Teal Family event and a whole lot of winery shows... Some in the wind and some in the rain.  Painting over 500 originals from abstract to Impressionism and a couple sports paintings.

6 months ago after a ministry event in Reno, I was waiting for my greyhound bus at a coffee shop along the Truckee River. A man, a complete stranger asked if he could sit down and look at my portfolio, he quietly sauntered page by page not saying a word seeminglya respectful  moment. Then he looked up and said I hope I don't offend you, but I have collected famous art for years, I know many of the sports teams owners. Your art is nice, but  you'll never make a million dollars from it, but your sports art you will... "You are a sports artist, and one of the best I have ever seen. "  I was totally offended because Impressionism and abstract is my passion, ok was my passion! I asked him why this counsel, he told me fine art is tied to the economy but sports art is tied to champions, winners and the wild fan base. 

As I watched the baseball playoffs a momentum started to build in my mind, I kept hearing the stranger from Reno telling me "you're a sports artist".  The night the San Francisco Giants beat the Cardinals securing the World Series fight I decided to transition from all art to the niche of "sports fine art"... I gathered all my other works from East Bay Coffee and elsewhere and delivered them to the Mid Town Wine Bar in Reno to sell off by the end of the year. I purged my studio of anything that resemble my past work.

Mark S. Allen of CBS / CW31 emailed me an friended me on FaceBook. He told me that Cody Stark Good Day weekend Anchor will call me to do a live remote ASAP.  For 3 days my son Josh and I purged, cleaned and purged some more because the press was coming to my studio. Paul Robins of Fox 40 the networked that aired the asked if I would do a live show painting live on set. While live on Fox 40 Steve Sax former baseball player came into talk about his charity, he asked if I would paint several Dodgers and fly down to do a charity event with many Dodger players. Just as soon as the last segment was over, mice down go to commercial... Cody Stark asked me to do the Good Morning show live from my studio where the audience would vote on the top moments of the World Series. When the 31 crew arrived they said first the anchors over at CBS 13 want to have your story before we do the live shot for 31. 4 interviews within 7 days. 

In the fast track one of the most amazing stories is I started painting Madison Gardner the MVP of the World Series. I posted my progress pics on my web store and 30 minutes latter I sold a print while the paint was still wet and the painting unfinished. Since that moment I have sold six prints off an unfinished painting. Almost finished with "MadBum" 20"x60" original it is by far my best work to date currently priced at $12,000.

Mike

Thriving Art Market

I believe what overrides a poor economy, failed resolutions, and apathy is this... vision, creativity. prophecy(declaring what you see), faith and favor. In fact those who carry these qualities will have favor in their journey. I have not done everything well in my life, but one thing is for sure I have learned what doesn't work. America was framed with vision, faith, and an entrepreneurial spirit. One thing that is being stripped from our modern culture is faith in God. The secular realm looks down on us with disdain , and to that I say so what!  

We have worn out the ideas of credit, currency without gold, welfare and loud mouth politicians who lie to us daily. Now it is a time for revolution of ideas, creativity, vision and faith. Faith in God, faith in humans and to reject the status-quot of big government and small minds running our lives. We have turned from God, time to turn back to a passionate relationship where God is first. He has not failed us!He is the source of all things...

On May first I spent my birthday walking the shores of Lake Tahoe asking myself what I wanted in my future, dreaming a bit and talking to myself. at the end of the day I resolved to have my own art gallery, not just a gallery but a thriving market place full of art. I made a determination to reinvent the art gallery "a broken" institution. I went home and took a picture of a vacant space and "day dreamed" (my mom often called me a day dreamer) of what could be... I took a picture of the Tower Theater building and then posted it on my facebook the next moment "one day I will have my own art gallery".

Five minutes later a person text me and wrote I have a large art gallery ready to go call me if your interested. One of the largest galleries in Sacramento. I didn't measure up to their qualifications. This emboldened my vision and path. On one of my "art gypsy" journeys to an art festival in Lake Tahoe a business man asked for my card and said he had an offer for me. He would call me later.

2 weeks later I ended up in a failed 600 sq.ft. Gelato shop in Danville CA and asked to fill the vacant space for the Hollidays. I made due until the week of Christmas when I had three potential corporate art clients from San Francisco including the president of a bank ask for corporate art. That night I went to sleep in the back of my studio thinking about the optimum space to create. The very next morning the same business man  came to me a bit distraught. I asked him what was going on. He told me one of his major clients a "bike shop" was not renewing their lease and asked me to take the space. I went and saw the space and it is what I saw in my dream.

I now have the keys to the building I saw in my dream. I now have the capacity to build "a thriving art market" to serve the artists and clients in the San Francisco Bay Area. (they live in this city). Over the last three years of an art gypsy life of shows on the weekends, sleeping in my van (in snow storms), painting over 300 paintings in my garage studio hot and cold days and nights, I have arrived at stage two of my journey a large 3,600 sq.ft. warehouse in the 40th wealthiest zip code in America, a blank canvas waiting for color and creativity.

All to say this.... it was not cash, credit nor Obama that built this. It was vision, prophecy, faith, a lot of days on the road and favor that opened up this opportunity. Everyone has a blank day, a blank future to vision, create and fill. We all have 24 hours in a day, what will you create?