San Diego Art Nut

2007 San Diego LGBT Pride Juried Exhibition Prize Recipients

2008-02-13T16:49:00.000-08:00

Grand Prize

"The Sheppard Boy"

by Brad Ericson

First Place

"The Eyes Have It"

by Gary Dyak

Second Place

"Mission Valley Drummer"

by Mandy H.

Third Place

"folk fest"

by Briar Greenway

Honorable Mention

"The Swimmer"

by Thomas C. Tirado

Honorable Mention

"Room 413"

by P.J. Carlino

Honorable Mention

"The Transformative Trickster"

by Monica Bradley

We had thirty excellent entries and these are just a few of the exceptional pieces. Look for a Call for Entries for the 2008 Pride show.

Logo for Spring Renewal in Big Bear

2008-02-08T12:48:00.000-08:00

An artistic creation has all sorts of stages of development. It is in one's mind and then on paper or in clay or in electronic blips and blops. We finally see our thought on the page. We get to hold it in our hands. We can leave and come back and it is still there. It gains a period in time.
I walked into the home of my friends, Willie and Dan's, house and there hung a walking stick I had carved several years before, many miles away. What a rush!
Now I will catch a glimpse of a tee shirt that has one of my logos on it. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I did it. I want to look at it a while and try to remember what I was thinking at the time.
When I opened my application email from the Mens Fellowship today one of those stages of one of my creations was looking back at me. I really wanted something "common" and "naive". These guys work hard to battle demons and find places of peace. I'm looking a lot at "real" faces and body types.
Thanks to the Men's Fellowship for this chance to put some of me out there.

Dennis Long

2008-01-21T23:55:00.000-08:00

This was a sketch I did of the artist Dennis Long. Dennis was the second artist to work on the Truax awards after Tim Grummon.

Dog Beach, New Years Day 2008

2008-01-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

I was struck by the interactions of dogs and their people.

Military Instruction

2008-01-21T23:43:00.000-08:00

Basic training has changed somewhat since the days of ancient Rome. The uniforms are more constrictive.

This statue is in a park facing the White House.

Pumpkin Head Trick or Treat IF

2007-10-31T01:24:00.001-07:00

This is an from an ATC series of new "Creepies" for Halloween.

Calaveras

2007-10-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

"Calaveras" is the Spanish word for "skull" and for "rake" (a person). Having drawn a few this month they take on a devil-may-care aspect for me. This and "Dream of God" are my "Stream of Conciousness" Drawing. I want the viewer's eyes to move across the images and pick up familiar bits and images.

detail from Dream of God

2007-10-27T17:24:00.000-07:00

There is a sketch of this posted earlier. I just added ink lines to finish it.

It was inspired by a question, "Are we just a dream of God?"

You can see the original of this and "Calaveras" at the Ricardo Vela Gallery, 2923 Upas St., San Diego, CA through the month of November 2007.

Halloween Creeeeeeepers ATCs

2007-10-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

Six of the ten of these I made are for a Havest/Halloween trade.

My concept was to create some original monsters and maniacs. Horror movies held a special place in the childhood of baby boomers. Except for Sci Fi, horror movies challenged our imaginations unlike any other genre.

Contrary Beings

2007-10-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is a 12" x 12" beaded piece on fabric. It borrows several cultures.

In Vino

2007-10-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

"In Vino Veritas" is Latin for "In Wine (is) Truth".

Green Ghosts

2007-10-15T14:22:00.001-07:00

This was created for "Ghost", a Digital Illustration topic in October 2006. I recently posted it to a group and got a lot of positive feedback for it. Coming up to Dia de los Muertos and Hallows Eve, I think it is appropriate to ressurect it.

La Abuela

2007-10-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

This is a graphite drawing I have donated to to a fundraiser for Christie's Place. Christie's is a drop-in center which provides support primarily to women and children affected by AIDS.

I based this on a drawing by Mary Cassatt. There is no other artist, whom I am aware of, who captured the subtle emotions of women and girls better than Cassatt.

Day of the Dead Distraction

2007-10-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

This is one of 9 ATCs I made for a Day of the Dead Trade. Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday, is November 1st and 2nd. It is a time to look back on our loved ones who have died.

Living loved ones may take a picnic to the cemetary and put things the deceased enjoyed in life on their graves. They may also create an ofrenda or altar and decorate it with a picture of the dead and things they liked.

Day of the Dead Family Fun

2007-10-10T22:37:00.000-07:00

Day of the Dead Greetings

2007-10-10T22:36:00.001-07:00

Day of the Dead In Vino

2007-10-10T22:35:00.001-07:00

Day of the Dead Guiltless Pleasure

2007-10-10T22:34:00.001-07:00

Day of the Dead Exercise

2007-10-10T22:33:00.001-07:00

Day of the Dead Always Faithful

2007-10-10T22:31:00.002-07:00

Day of the Dead Kickin It

2007-10-10T22:31:00.001-07:00

Day of the Dead Self Portrait

2007-10-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

Sketch from Dream of God

2007-09-30T00:09:00.000-07:00

This came from a detail of a sketch I am working on. It was inspired by the question, "Are we just a character in the dream of God?"

Logo suggestion for this years Variety Show

2007-09-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

This is kind of my UU Elvis (his leaner years).

Raisa

2007-09-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

Raisa was named for Mrs. Gorbechev (sp?) because they both wore white furs. She inherited me from my partner Tom. As the only gal in a house with three guys she knows when to bare her claws.

That afgan was knitted by my mother and has since gone to Texas to live with my nephews family. Raisa just small chenile bedspread to replace it.

Aborigines

2007-09-21T23:38:00.000-07:00

I found this great book as National Geographic Vintage Photographs. This is a rearrangement of a photo of Aborigines in a Sidney studio, circa 1900. They appear to be adorned with dollops of white, possibly earth and quite unselfconcious about having their photo taken.

Animal ATCs

2007-09-21T23:33:00.000-07:00

I did some ATCs from the San Diego Zoo's magazine Zoo News.

The sea lion and the giraffe have been traded away.

IF Momentum Final Copy

2007-09-09T22:15:00.000-07:00

This is my cleaned up copy.

Momentum makes me think of a rolling snow ball that gets bigger as it goes down hill. This gal was a little more colorful. And it will be sledding season before you know it.

IF Momentum

2007-09-09T22:10:00.000-07:00

This was my sketch for the Illustrator Friday topic of Momentum. I really liked the casualness of it but needed to go to Illustrator to clean it up.

ATC's

2007-09-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

The seated woman was from imagination.
Mark Fosterling, my late neighbor, showed extreme strong will in this picture taken by Ted Drake. Mark lost his hair a couple of times because of chemo or radiation therapy to treat his cancer.
The rest of the faces are from art books.

ATC's

2007-09-09T01:42:00.000-07:00

These are some ATCs (Artist Trading Cards) I have been working on. They are 3.5 x 2.5 inches and only meant to be traded with other artists.
I really enjoyed the pencil sketches of the faces. It also feels good to bring out the colored pencils too.

Illustration Friday-Alphabet

2007-09-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday---Alphabet

This was a lot of fun because it was reminescent of coloring book technique and freedom. After I drew these three characters I thought they must come from my love of teachers. I have such great respect for those who can go into the most hazardous of invironments and instruct little hellions in the skills they need. And they lack the basic benefits that would make most back hoe operators walk off the job.

Hey, it was also fun to dust off the crayon box. Just in time for school too!

Colorized "Sketching"

2007-09-03T22:46:00.001-07:00

This guy is off to the Land Down Under with two Illustrated image ATCs.

Colorized ATCs

2007-09-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

These are some "hand drawn" ATCs which I colored with my aging colection of Prismacolor and Eberhard Faber markers. The EF markers still smell like the old "Magic Marker". They are probably illegal in 48 states. I like the muted, woodsy colors. Many of the lighter ones come out much darker on paper, possibly from age. I have to test each one as I go.

2007-08-30T23:50:00.000-07:00

Sketching

2007-08-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

This an ATC.

The Ears Have It!

2007-08-30T23:37:00.000-07:00

I am working on a swap of Hand Drawn ATCs. The theme is "body parts". I decided to try ears. Probably because no one else will be doing them and because their odd shapes they offer a real challenge.

Post Mark ATC

2007-08-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Daniel, an artist from a Yahoo Group in which I participate once said, "I never met a piece of paper I did not like." I have people mailing me drawing paper from all over the world. Much of it ends in the recycle bin. I hope I have come across a new use for it.

It and the "Brick Church" below were also inspired by a handdrawn ATC swap I just signed up for.

Rensselaer Post Mark ATC

2007-08-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

This is an ATC (2.5 x 3.5 inches) on an original envelope for an insurance mailing. The building is a red brick church which was on the site of the city of Rensselaer NY. I'm curious if anyone has been to Rensselaer and seen such a church. In Upstate NY it looks like a beautiful area.

IF Visitor

2007-08-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

I was looking for religious themes for some ATCs and I was intrigued by the tale of Joseph. He was visited by an angel who told him not to divorce Mary. Various accounts say that Joseph was 80 years old and had sons and daughters from an earlier marriage.

Face Time

2007-08-12T15:39:00.000-07:00

A human is but a composit of thoughts and experiences.

Emergency---Illustration Friday

2007-08-11T20:45:00.000-07:00

I have not done an Illustration Friday in some time. This was an interesting topic.

I think of ambulances out on deserted highways where one can see the city lights but help can be far away. It comes from living a long time in the SouthWest.

Touch

2007-08-01T22:47:00.000-07:00

This was a from a sketch I did last night before I fell asleep.

Illustration Friday-Moon

2007-07-31T02:44:00.000-07:00

This is the first IF I have done in quite a while. I was looking for motivation. It is a pencil sketch colored in Illustrator.

UUMF Logo Design

2007-06-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

This is a design I last posted on December 06. It's gotten moved around and the figure lost his leafy g-string. Hopefully we will be doing shirts with it on them soon.

Movies

2007-06-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

I was looking around for something to draw yesterday. Wanted faces but something beyond the "pretty face". These are from the Union Tribune movie section.
This is a donation piece for the San Diego Womens Chorus silent auction at their 20th Anniversary Concert (tonight). I had two other pieces ready but I really want to see peoples responses to this.

Pet

2007-05-26T13:20:00.000-07:00

Different Drummer

2007-05-24T00:12:00.000-07:00

I am trying to do a logo for t-shirts for our church in the Pride Parade. I had to redraw this one from the painting. I definately think it would be an eye catcher!

Pastries

2007-05-20T22:56:00.000-07:00

This was also at the street fair. I was reminded that there is a wonderful oil painting in the San Diego Museum of Art that just shows sliced pie that looks as if it is in a display case.

I got the servers hand in the same location in both pictures.

See the pic of the balance below for info on the event.

Ball Balancer

2007-05-20T22:38:00.000-07:00

This was the street fair in my neighborhood, North Park. Some really great sights. This group was particularly a crowd pleaser.
The colors of the performers retinue compliment the new building colors of the neighborhoods revitalization.
I did about four of series of photos like this one. As I took them I could see some of the ways they would overlap.
See the pastries above.

Color Quiz

2007-05-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

Get your personality read at
ColorQuiz.Com

It's quick and cheaper than a palm reading.
Here is my profile:

Your Existing Situation
Is seeking a solution to existing problems or anxieties, but is liable to find it difficult to decide on a right course to follow.

Your Stress Sources
Has an unsatisfied need to ally himself with others whose standards are as high as his own, and to stand out from the herd. This desire for preeminence isolates him and inhibits his readiness to give himself freely. While he wants to surrender and let himself go, he regards this as a weakness which must be resisted. This self-restraint, he feels, will lift him above the rank and file and ensure recognition as a unique and distinctive personality.

Your Restrained Characteristics
Emotionally inhibited. Feels forced to compromise, making it difficult for him to form a stable emotional attachment.
Egocentric and therefore quick to take offense. Sensitive and sentimental, but conceals this from all except those very close to him.

Your Desired Objective
Seeks success. Wants to overcome obstacles and opposition and to make his own decisions. Pursues his objectives single-mindedly and with initiative. Does not want to feel dependent on the good will of others.

Your Actual Problem
Needs to be valued and respected as an exceptional individual, in order to increase his self-esteem and his feeling of personal worth. Resists mediocrity and sets himself high standards.

Saint Martin and the Beggar

2007-05-10T20:47:00.000-07:00

I wanted to see if I could add a watermark to the stuff I post online. It's easy to do with Illustrator.

J. Harold Neff

2007-05-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

Because I moved some pieces out to the show at the Unitarian Unversalist Church, I have been able to bring some old pieces out where I can see them.

This is based on a photo of another soldier who served with me in Northern Italy. It seemed we lived in a fog bank for nine months. Our base was in the valley of the Po River. I like the contrast of his skin tones, the "washed out" background, and his black peacoat.

This was done no later than the 80s.

Mr. Whitman

2007-04-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm in a group show during May 2007 at the First Unitiarian Universalist Church of San Diego. This is a piece for that show I just completed last night (uh, at 1 a.m. this morning!).
I used a rather famous photo of Walt Whitman for the model. The quest was to paint the poet as if he were here. Rather than looking like him I think I got the elements of his sexuality, this pacifism and his social activism.
And I don't know that his eyes were green. They are a pale color in the black and white photo of him. I am just partial to green eyes.

Framing

2007-04-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

This is for the May group show at the First UU Church of San Diego. I've wanted to photo some work in progress for a while now.

2007-04-22T19:20:00.001-07:00

2007-04-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

2007-04-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

Somethings Never Change

2007-04-04T23:35:00.000-07:00

This is the barbershop in McKinney, Texas where I had my hair cut this Saturday. And where I had it cut when I was six years old. The pictures of Ron and Nancy Reagan were additions I had not seen.

Red Saucers

2007-03-24T15:07:00.000-07:00

This is probably my favorite of many pictures I took at the Orchid Show today.

House of Cards ATC Series of Four

2007-03-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

This was for a local trade. The theme was my place.

Acrophobia ATC series of 6

2007-03-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Our Virus

2007-03-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

This is an ATC created for an on-line trade themed Challenges in our Lives.

The HIV virus is rather ominous without any embellishments. Having lived with it for just about 20 years it sometimes feels that a member of the family.

It looks like a medieval mace or wrecking ball.

All Aboard!

2007-03-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

This was our conductor on the short ride on the San Diego and Arizona Railroad.

Man and the Machine

2007-03-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

50 of us went out to Campo today. We got our own car on the old San Diego and Arizona Railroad. The exhibition train runs from Campo to the Mexican border and back. It really reminded me why I love to travel by train.

Body Image

2007-03-10T14:23:00.000-08:00

This is an ATC for an organized swap. The theme is "personal challenges". I think almost everyone who his 40 yo runs into this enigma of not seeing in the mirror that reflection we think we should be seeing. Part of this comes from the media "model" image. I don't know what we call seeing that old man/woman looking back at us.

Saint Sebastian

2007-03-09T23:17:00.000-08:00

Privey Reader--Red Hair

2007-03-09T01:30:00.000-08:00

This is an ATC with a working door. Once I began work on it I wanted to continue to add little details like the toilet paper and the untied shoe.

a.m. pills

2007-03-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

"Good morning, star shine.

The earth says "Hello'"

as thee and I sing

our early morning singing song!

Doo-dy-wah-doo-dy,

doo-dy-wah-doo-dy,

die die die doe do."

p.m. pills

2007-03-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

these are my evening pills as of March 4, 2007.

someone picked these colors just so my meds would be more marketable.

Lion and Lamb

2007-03-03T20:50:00.000-08:00

This is the ATC I did from the Adobe Illustrator drawing below. The animals are cut paper on a photograph background.

March

2007-03-02T23:18:00.000-08:00

In like a lion, out like a lamb.

Untitiled Valentine ATC

2007-02-18T19:34:00.000-08:00

This was for my swap with Art of Pride in February.

Proposed logo, Strength for the Journey 2007

2007-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

I had actually created this last year. I'm a frustrated cartoonist! The sun and the dog are really reminiscent of the old cartoons for me. I like the pallet of colors and the laid back feeling.

Buddha Sketch

2007-02-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

This is ATC size on cream colored stock.

We often see religious symbols in fabulous giant settings of churches and temples. But some of the most important are little cards and statuettes in the places where we work and rest.

Canidating Sunday

2007-02-11T21:59:00.000-08:00

This is ATC size on cream colored card stock. I drew it during church service today. I know the canidate minister looks a bit like a fly-person. Her face was not as important as her stole and the heart from which she spoke.
Our settled minister looks a little more human. Glasses, nose, necktie make a quick sketch.
The ghost of a lot of things were around them: cave drawings of hunter-soldiers and a buffalo, the Venis of Willendorf, the wheel of many religions, the computer monitor, a phallic like microscope.

Classic Love

2007-02-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

Valentine ATC
Six of these went off in trade to a couple of other artists in the Midwest. They are 2.5 x 3.5 inches and made for trading not for selling. I enjoy this "concentrated" format. I hope we get some local swapping done. They truely make for a currency of talent.

Possessiveness

2007-02-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

Valentine ATC

Secret Admirer

2007-02-11T20:00:00.000-08:00

Valentine ATC

Strange Bedfellows ATC

2007-02-07T22:56:00.000-08:00

This is an ATC or Artist Trading Card which I giving in a Valentine exchange with two artists in the Mid-West. ATC's, never sold just traded, are only 2.5 by 3.5 inches in size. The best ones are unique and hand made. It is a fun challenge to make these tiny works of art.

Mandela IF Super Hero

2007-01-20T23:01:00.000-08:00

Bottle and Bread 365DD

2007-01-18T00:04:00.000-08:00

I'm am trying to keep up with my 365 DD by carrying a "sketch pad" with me whereever I may have time to doodle something. My pad is a 8 x10 piece of drawing paper which I fold into quarters. It provides enough support that I don't need a backing. It is flexible enough to fit into a pocket. So this sketch is on a quarter which is only 4 x 5 inches.

Girl in Museum Passage

2007-01-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

Trying to keep my new year's resolution to create something arty every day, I snapped this view of a member of a school group at San Diego's Balboa Park. It highlights a couple of the classic and deco detail in the buildings.

The A Dees

2007-01-14T21:46:00.000-08:00

I was a boy scout at their Jamboree in Valley Forge, PA. One night we waited in a meadow amphitheater for President Lyndon Johnson's helicopter to land. There were 50,000 boys on that hillside.
I remember when I would hear years later that 50,000 young men had died in Viet Nam that they could have been the very ones on that hillside in Pennsylvania.
Years after that I heard that the 50,000th American had died of AIDS. They could have been the same ones.
The US named AIDS in the 80s. It was already killing and had been killing for years. Rock Hudson died. And Ronald Reagan could not say the word. In the 80s.

UUMF Surf Logo

2007-01-13T00:17:00.000-08:00

I added the flaming chalice (symbol of the UU faith) to this final copy. And some fingernails and shawdow/highlight effects.

Surf Heart Logo

2007-01-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

Men's Renewal Weekend Logo Draft

2007-01-07T22:26:00.000-08:00

Panels of Love

2007-01-07T17:58:00.000-08:00

This is a 4 ft. by 4 ft. fabric piece done for a show called "A Patchwork of Life" at a gallery in San Diego in 1995. The colored panels are flat. Each heart is "stuffed" to make it 3 dimentional.

Idaho Street House

2007-01-07T00:06:00.000-08:00

I was stuck by the crisp cut hedge complimenting the house.

These stucco bugelows are really common in San Diego neighborhoods.

I'm trying to carry around a piece of paper and pencil to keep to my 365 Daily devotions. I made a sketch of the house while waiting for some friends to arrive home. I only used the light of the street lamp. It was enough to capture the idea of the house. 365 DD 2007 Jan 6.

Buzz---Illustration Friday

2007-01-05T21:39:00.000-08:00

Lady's Slipper

2007-01-04T21:52:00.000-08:00

I was really taken by the bud of this orchid as much as the bloom. It is like a little flower ball ready to burst forth. 2007 Jan 04 365DD.

Don't Ask

2007-01-03T23:47:00.000-08:00

I got my ire up this evening about gays in the military. The way so many people in our country behave toward gays and lesbian, I can't fathom who would think that they should serve in its militiary. Particularly when that military devotes so much effort to destroying the lives of gays and lesbians in uniform.

This too will pass. Ti' then it get my goat!

2007 Jan 03 365 DD

Meerkat Revealed!

2007-01-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

I live a mile from "the World Famous" San Diego Zoo. One of my favorite critters there is the meerkat. They have this human, man-in-the-crowd way of standing on their hind legs and looking around. In San Diego they are probably looking for our local owls or maybe a zoo raised condor.
This is Jan 2, 007 for Daily Devotions 365.

070101 Cat Contemplating the New Year

2007-01-02T00:33:00.000-08:00

I was reminded that there was only one day to do something for the first day of the year. This is a quick doodle sitting in the easy chair and watching the cats sleep and prowl the house.
I was just so pleased that I actually squeezed it in before the stroke of midnight. While I've been working drawing on the computer, it does not compete with the portability of a pencil and piece of papel.
Happy 007, everyone!

Peace---Illustration Friday

2006-12-31T00:27:00.000-08:00

This is my IF entry for Peace.

Phoenix IF

2006-12-30T20:23:00.000-08:00

This is a phoenix I did some time ago. I used it in IF for Ghost also.

My favorite part of the Phoenix mythos is that it's tears can heal all wounds.

Men's Fellowship Logo in Colors

2006-12-14T20:52:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed adding colors to this. I thought the chalice looked more distictive in wood tones than in metal. The oak leaves jock strap is from the oak trees at the two camps where we have our weekends. Also, oak is a symbol of strength.

For anyone who does not know the flaming chalice is the symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith.

Leave your comments and let me know what you think of this or any other of my postings.

Men's Fellowship Logo

2006-12-14T20:49:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to work up a logo for my Men's Fellowship. This is the black and white version for printed stuff.

Shooting

2006-12-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

This is just back in East Texas. I am taking target practice at the bank of a "tank".

There is something disturbing about this picture for me. It is the curly hair, the pistol and the dismal foliage.

Vicenza, Italy

2006-12-10T19:29:00.000-08:00

This is me after being out of the Army for a few months. I had just returned to Italy after traveling around Europe.