Dragonwhaler hopes to present art challenges to other artists.
Medford artist, known by the alias JDel Dragonwhaler, is hoping to use his talents to create an artist workshop within the community.
Dragonwhaler has been interested in art since he was a teenager, but decided to fully dive into the field after recovering from a heart attack. Since then, he has created a YouTube channel (J Del Dragonwhaler) to display his work — where he records himself drawing images ambidextrous and upside down. He stated that he has recorded thousands of drawings, and chose 17 to upload.
“When I draw upside down it’s a challenge, and when I turn it right side up it’s almost like I’m an audience member and I’m seeing it for the first time,” Dragonwhaler said.
Dragonwhaler uses pens, crayons, colored pencils and markers to create his art, using permanent tools to challenge him to incorporate any mistakes into his artwork.
He hopes to bring similar challenges to his anticipated workshops, inviting local artists to have fun and explore their talents at a deeper level, while broadcasting videos of the workshops on social media. Some ideas he has brainstormed include turning shapes into animals and turning letters into cartoon characters.
These art challenges started out as a form of entertainment for himself, his wife and his 11-year-old son, however, now he would like to use the idea to help others.
“Me, my son and [Dragonwhaler] do these things all the time with whoever is around,” Dragonwhaler’s wife Jill said. “We’ve just never done them with other artists. He is an amazing artist. I’m hoping he finds a community of people that are like minded and challenge him.”
Jill also mentioned that although Dragonwhaler recently started his YouTube channel, this is not the first time he’s recorded his creations. She said that after meeting in 1992, he always kept a sketchbook on him just in case inspiration struck. A few years later she told him that she enjoyed watching him draw, and set up a camera to document his creations.
Dragonwhaler hopes to eventually take these recorded workshops on the road to different nonprofit organizations and awareness walks to provide entertainment at events, while simultaneously spreading awareness for the cause.
He has previously volunteered to teach cartoon drawing classes at the Medford Arts Center, Pinelands Library and Medford Cares, and now hopes to take his skillset to the next level.
He feels that these weekly, one- to two-hour broadcasts will provide “entertainment for people watching, but confidence building and community building for people involved.”
“There seems to be a really good art community sprouting up in Medford, and I think it’s great entertainment to see art being made,” Dragonwhaler said. “I want to find other artists who enjoy being challenged.”
To view Dragonwhaler’s work, visit www.dragonwhaler.com. For more information on how to get involved in the workshops, email JDelDragonwhaler@gmail.com.
