I was recently informed that I won the first DA contest I entered. [link] The contest was to illustrate a song by Evanessence and I chose "Going Under" since that song has echoed how I felt so many times in life. I felt the artwork of the koi had that mood of descent so I sent it in.

I won the category for "Most Unique" entry. There are some amazing entries in the contest. My favorites were the two of Ravens who have always been like a spirit guide to me in my dreams.

The irony is not lost on me that the 3 awards won in October (1st, 2nd, and 3rd place) in the first gallery show I ever entered locally, and now this contest, were for images that I tried to destroy on that dark night of the soul last Christmas Eve. Perhaps something is trying to tell me something...

I found a friend online that helped me recover the hard drive I thought I had deleted that night. These images have in a way come back from the dead (like myself) and the awards they win continue to give me hope. As I continue to rebuild my life and body from the darkness and pain of the past I'm beginning to see my work in another light. Maybe I've suffered financially to be an artits not because my work sucks (which I thought that night when I burned much of it), but because I never felt it was good enough to show anyone.

Since I have not said it before... Happy New Year to all my friends online and in real life. If I ever make it as a successful renown photographer I will never forget those who believed in me especially in times when I did not.