Logo for Spring Renewal in Big Bear

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

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

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

Calaveras

"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.

Day of the Dead Distraction

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.

Read more at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dead

Sketch from Dream of God

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

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

Aborigines

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

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

The sea lion and the giraffe have been traded away.

Illustration Friday-Alphabet

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"

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

The Ears Have It!

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

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.

Face Time

A human is but a composit of thoughts and experiences.

Emergency---Illustration Friday

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.