A new painting

Decided to make a painting combining a few things I'm excited about at the moment: Birds (now that a lot of them are back), Newly-sprouting plants, and icosahedrons. And a little fleur de lis wallpaper doesn't hurt.

Out of Practice

I've been attempting a lot of portraits lately, which have all proven to be a much bigger challenge than they once were. I used to be able to grab 3 crayons, some copier paper, and a willing model and in 10 minutes, I would usually have at least a recognizable likeness (and from there, I could start making it a little more abstract--which is the fun part). But these days, hours can pass and I will have what usually appears to be a rendition of Tolkien's Smeagol, and I will have used more eraser than anything else.

But I suppose I just need to practice to get 'back in shape', so to speak. Pictured here is a [relatively] successful self portrait.

Well, It has happened.

Another waterfowl piece. This time, a blue-footed bubi. They're neat.

one of the things I miss about Chicago:

treasure hunting in the alleys. The alleyway behind my house was a goldmine for art supplies-- meaning, pieces of wood, various electronic gadgets, and my favorite: old dresser drawers.

I went on a kick with drawers for a few months, leaving quite a few incomplete dressers in my path. I currently have a couple left unused. We'll see if I get a second wind.

Some of the more successful ones:

 

 

Returning Home

Well, after a year and half in Chicago followed by a brief stint in Portland, Maine, I've returned to my hometown: McHenry, Illinois. A primarily blue-collar town of roughly 25,000, McHenry seems to be a bit more charming since I last called it "home". It's likely due to the proximity to my friends and family (in comparison to Maine), or maybe the fact that I can go roam in the woods and soybean fields behind my house. Whatever made my disdain for it fade, I plan on enjoying my time here, working on my portfolio, spending time with my loved ones, and seeing the town through wiser and more appreciative eyes.

 

Pictured: McHenry's water tower (which my dad, a civil engineer, helped design, if I'm not mistaken).

Pelican

During our last week in Portland, Maine, Cooper asked me to draw him a pelican, an animal of which he is a big fan ("They're DINOSAURS!"). So here we are. Who knows, it might lead to more drawings of various waterfowl. But let's not hold our breath.

Crossword Sketch II

 

Pictured: 12 Track Event; 49 Leave Out

Crossword sketch

To keep myself sketching, I decided to take some inspiration from one of my daily activities: the morning crossword puzzle. It will, no doubt, range between slightly dull and thoroughly bizarre, but at least I'm drawing and I'm keeping the ol' brain juices flowing (gross).

Pictured: 13 Deep Mud; 39 Easy Gait

the alphabet project

I stumbled across this old project of mine from my junior year of college. During an illustration independent study, I was directed to illustrate each letter of the alphabet (à la Chris Van Allsburg).

The task turned into a stream-of-consciousness sketchbook of sorts, where I started with the letter, and then jotted down some word association. When I felt like I had a clear image in my head, I would begin to draw.

Here are some that I liked best:

If you were born after 1979 and before 1988, you must be a twenty-something. Twenty-somethings weren’t around for the Kennedy assassination. Didn’t gape at the Watergate scandal. Didn’t cheer on the space race. But these people born between the years of 1979 and 1988, will shape the future, despite not being around for the past.

What defines this demographic? What qualities are projected onto 20-somethings or what are 20-somethings projecting? What does it mean to be in this tender age of budding adulthood? Are we young, and naive, or grown and insightful? And if we addressed this in our art (do we address this in our art?), what would it look like?


So said Spudnik Press of Chicago, Illinois in the spring of 2009, announcing a print exchange for artists in their twenties. They asked only that submissions be by an artist between 20 and 29, and that the piece be of a print medium. In the midst of a pretty tough 22nd year of my life, this felt like fate. My life was such that it felt that I was toeing the a fine line of stability--financial and emotional. In such a fragile state of mind, it seemed that if the wind blew the wrong way, I would crumble. So a house of cards felt more than appropriate. Spudnik even used my piece on their promotional material for the opening, which was quite nice.

pictured: screen print on postal paper; "My house of cards"

(screenprint)

(mixed media)

"Cicada (Cigale)"

(screenprint)

"[Abilene, TX]"
(mixed media)

"Attacks are rarely a laughing matter, but the mere mention of a sting prompts a chorus of 'pee on it!'"
(mixed media on paper)

"Store business was slow because store traffic was slow."
(mixed media on paper)

"And it sounds just as sweet as it is aesthetic."
(mixed media on paper)

"The battalion advanced another twelve miles on foot until accosted with an all too familiar sight."
(mixed media on paper)

"The term often corresponds with the commonwealth term 'elevenses'."
(mixed media on paper)

"At that point, my focus was on the doe--she looked good!--and my first shot rang true."
(mixed media on paper)

"Disperse feeders and houses around the yard to avoid stressful overcrowding." (mixed media on paper)

"Avian flight wasn't working. We needed to learn how to produce lift." (mixed media on paper)