Hello there, and welcome to my blog and website! My name is Brianna Hojnacki, though my username on social media is usually MrSickboy50 or Mr.Sickboy, so don't be confused! Anyways, I am an 18 year old girl from the Detroit, Michigan area. I have created this website to showcase my talent- such as my art, writings, and music. I also wanted to create an organized place where I can express myself freely without the rules and limitations of most social media websites. This is the central place where you will find anything and everything of me right at your fingertips!
I would also like to explain the name of my website/blog, which is called The Old Soul Blogger. If it wasn't obvious already, I am a true old soul! Old souls feel out of place- we prefer older music, movies, books, etc., and we are emotionally much more mature than our physical age! I personally am infatuated with life between the 1950s-1980s, especially in regards to music, movies, literature, fashion, culture, and way of life. There's nothing I enjoy more than actually being off the Internet and being outside, hanging out with my friends, going to concerts, playing board games, and getting into some old-fashioned trouble! Though I feel it is important to stay connected to the world (especially being that I love travel and adventure so much) so I am back on the Internet making these blogs anyways.
Music has been such a major influence on me since I was 3 years old and I begun playing the piano. When I was only 5 years old, I wrote my very first song on the piano called, "On The Sunny Side". I still remember it and can play it. When I was 7 and 8, I began taking piano lessons, and I did very well, having completed numerous books. The only issue was that I never really learned how to read music... you see, I am the queen of playing by ear and and I hold up to that title vigorously! By the time I reached 11, I was becoming infatuated with rock and roll music, and that's when I began my current style as a rock/country piano player. I have been playing piano for 14 years now and I'm very proud. In 2015, I joined a group called the MCC Rock Academy, which is a wonderful organization dedicated to helping kids in the metro-Detroit area start a band and learn music on a deeper, more professional level. I played piano for them and I did many gigs- in fact I almost made it on Fox 2 News! Unfortunately, they began closing down and focusing on other aspirations, which forced me with no other option but to quit just months after joining.
In addition to being a piano player, I also have experience in playing the clarinet. I haven't touched one in years, since I only played clarinet in school for 4 years. But I was very good at it, and I won first and second place in plenty of competitions. I even have the medals to prove it! I also began learning guitar at age 11, which I still currently play and I am practicing to become better at it! I've been taking guitar lessons for about 5 years and I'm great with music theory. I know the basics of reading music too, but becuase I play by ear it actually makes reading music a bit conflicting for me.
My musical influences range vastly, but they all have one thing on common- older music! I love all classic rock, country and blues, and I embrace it! My favorite genre of music is called heartland rock, which is essentially 80s rock music with a country edge to it. The music typically has working class, blue-collar themes to it and is sung by folks in the American Midwest. Heartland rock was made famous most notably by Bruce Springsteen, Bob Seger, John Mellencamp, and Tom Petty, to name a few. My personal top favorite influences include: Elton John, John Mellencamp, Bob Seger, Kid Rock, Social Distortion, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Carlene Carter, George Michael, Kiki Dee, Joan Jett, Queen, and many more.
I have been drawing for as long as I can remember! I have always gained recognition for my art as it is unique and I put tons of time and effort into them. In fact, I attended an art school to help me specifically learn art more thoroughly! What makes my art interesting is that I typically draw dogs (recently I have been branching out towards other animals, and even people but my main focus is dogs). My favorite thing to draw- and gets lots of attention- is a unique style I call, "People As Dogs". It's essentially Anthro Art, which is any fictional work that employs the concept of animal characteristics with human characteristics. I am starting to specialize in drawing my favorite musicians as dogs now.
I mainly draw traditionally, and I almost always use colored pencils. Occasionally I have experimented with markers, crayons, oil pastels, watercolor, and acrylic paint, but I always prefer my trusty colored pencils. You could consider me a mixed-media/multi-media artist however, because I also have experience with digital drawing, animation, and even sculpture and clay! I have been animating for well beyond 6 years, I have been drawing digital art since the first day I've been on the Internet, and I recently have learned how to use clay to make pottery and clay animal sculptures. Drawing traditionally will, again, always be my preferred choice when it comes to art, however I am open to any platform there is!
Also, you may be wondering why it is that I draw dogs so much. I love dogs- I've had a total of 7 dogs in my lifetime, and I've volunteered at two dog rescues already! My goal is to go to college to become a dog trainer and help teach people how to raise their dogs properly. I am a major pit bull activist, and I am strongly against Breed Specific Legislation any any other laws that target specific dog breeds. I believe all dogs, like people, are equal and no dog deserves to be discriminated against because of their breed. I typical draw pit bulls and create strong themes in my art in hopes to get the message across that pit bulls are not monstrous dogs.
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Find me and follow me on social media!
![Portrait One](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa46ab_aebcbe5945b941f8a948da949b0d6072~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_540,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/fa46ab_aebcbe5945b941f8a948da949b0d6072~mv2.jpg)
Hanging out in downtown Detroit.
![Portrait Two](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa46ab_99b94224049d428b8b6551cbde76f4ab~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_540,h_960,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/fa46ab_99b94224049d428b8b6551cbde76f4ab~mv2.jpg)
Right after a John Mellencamp concert.
![Portrait Seven](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa46ab_fcfa80f86e80491a89ee40ef3e23890f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_540,h_960,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/fa46ab_fcfa80f86e80491a89ee40ef3e23890f~mv2.jpg)
Outside in a forest in near Flint.
![Portrait One](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fa46ab_aebcbe5945b941f8a948da949b0d6072~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_960,h_540,al_c,q_85,enc_auto/fa46ab_aebcbe5945b941f8a948da949b0d6072~mv2.jpg)
Hanging out in downtown Detroit.
(Click on images to see full picture)