Another Poster

Here's another poster from the Art on the Tracks days. Click on the pic for a better look.

Alien Surprise

Last Christmas, I ran the sound effects for The Trial of Ebeneezer Scrooge at Taproot Theatre. There were a couple of big breaks where I had nothing to do. The light board operator was reading a book but I found the light in the booth to be too low. Eventually I fell into doing these weird drawings with the Paint program on the computer. I did about 60 of them during the run of the show. I haven't had anywhere to post them so I thought I'd slap one up here for now. I kind of like this one. It's simple. I've thought of doing paintings based on some simple designs like these...I just have to find the time to do them. I should be able to squeeze them in there somewhere amongst the collaging, writing, reading, working, sleeping, and spending time with my wife. Yeah, right.

Alma Mater

Here's another exhibition poster from 1989. This happened right after I graduated with my BFA. A bunch of us took this Summer Workshop with Judy Heuler and it was pretty amazing. We just took over the painting studio for the summer. We each set up a space and left it up for the whole summer. Not having to set up and tear down was great. You just walked in and started working. A lot of good work got done that summer and...wow...we got an exhibition out of it. I have no idea which pieces I did that summer or which ones got shown. Chances are they don't exist anymore (due to the apartment fire in 2000) or they are in someone elses possession. Frankly, all I remember was a summer of comradery and creativity.
Just a few days ago I received an email from UWF. (University of West Florida in Pensacola) It seems they are having an Alumni Invitational Art Exhibition. So, I sent my stuff in and we'll see what happens. On the email list, I found one of the girls that was in the summer workshop with me. I emailed her just to catch up. I only know where a couple of these folks are. I just hope they are still doing art or at least in the throes of rediscovering their art...like me.

Art for Aliens

This is the poster for a show I was involved in back in Pensacola in the late 80's. For the life of me I can't remember the piece I had in the show but it looks like it was a fun show. On the poster are names of people that I remember fondly but have no idea where they are now. Actually, I do know that one of them still lives in Pcola and attends church where a friend of mine is the minister of music. I've asked him to have her contact me but she hasn't. She did tell him to tell me that she still has all the art I left with her to store. She says she's keeping it. I don't mind because I don't want it back. I wouldn't mind seeing it (and her) if I ever make it back home. I really don't have a clue which pieces of mine she has.
I do remember the piece that Debra Bond had in the show. She was in several classes with me at UWF and she did this really cool piece with an alien looking guy in it with a lightbulb shaped head. I think I referred to it as the "Lightbulb Man" or something like that and she used it as the title. We all used to help each other name our pieces. It was fun. I still help Sarah name hers.
Anyway...looking back on those Art on the Tracks days brings back fond and weird memories. Maybe I'll come across some of those folks one day. That might be nice.

Award Winning

This is a page right out of Art in America magazine in January of 1990. (to see it more clearly, you can click on the image) I was chosen to represent UWF in this art competition. I sort of remember one of the profs telling me they were going to nominate me for the award but I didn't think too much of it. It floored me when I won. It's too bad they didn't award cash but I did get $500 worth of art supplies. That's a cool thing for an art student. I still have some of the brushes that I use even now. They held up pretty good.
And, just in case you were wondering, I was in another magazine. Actually, I was on the cover. It was in October of 1995 and the magazine was Facts and Trends. It's a magazine of "News and Information from the Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention."
Yeah, I know. Nobody's ever heard of it.

Nekkid Women

Yep. That's right. I had to draw nudes when I was in college. All you Southern Baptists...look away!
I can recall the first day I had to draw a nude. Not only was she naked but there was a lot of her. (C'mon...you know what that means) For the first few seconds I paused, not sure what I should do. I finally began to draw. I can't tell you when the transformation from uncomfortable to comfortable took place but I can tell you that after a while, you just sort of view them as you would a still life. It's just something to draw. Heck, during breaks, we'd all just hang out and chat with the models. We got to know the ones that did it alot. It was no big deal.
For some odd reason, I only had to draw a male once and he wasn't nude. 99% of the time we had females. The first girl I drew was the big girl I was talking about earlier. She modelled for us so much, we got used to her and we could draw her blindfolded. Our instructor figured that out and threw us a major curve. She brought in this very athletic gal and it totally threw us all for awhile.
I do recall that I did get uncomfortable one other time. We were drawing the girl that is pictured to your left above. Well it was all going fine when out instructor brought out a ladder. The model put one foot on the floor and the other she planted way up...like on the 4th rung. Well, as you can imagine, it afforded some of us quite a unique view. I had to move my easel to the other side of the room.
The only other time I got uncomfortable was during my first nude photo shoot. The instructors brought in a model for the class and for a while she posed in various costumes with props. After a while, she asked what we wanted next and someone suggested nude. (I'm sure it was one of the guys) She stripped and we all began to take pictures but after a few minutes I sensed that the atmosphere we a little too sexual. The guys in the room (except for me and the male instructor) were giving the model instructions as if it were a Playboy shoot. I started packing up my stuff. The female instructor asked if I was leaving. I answered in the affirmative and explained that I thought things had gotten out of hand. The next day I found out that she stopped the session right after I left.
I really miss figure drawing. It's great exercise. It keeps you limber and your chops fresh. If I had the time I would find a class in town and try to go once a week. Perhaps when I move beyond the collage stage that I'm in now, I will pursue a class. It would certainly be a good way for me to get back into top drawing form.

Neo-Plastodon

I did this painting in college. I believe it's called Neo-Plastodon. It was named by a fellow student because it looked to her like a dinosaur rising up out of rocks or something. To me, it's one of my most successful paintings. There's alot going on that you can't see here. The entire canvas is covered with gauze and then painted with bright colors. Then I painted over all that with the white and black. Up close, you can see all kinds of subtle color peeking through. The geometric patterns were governed by what the gauze did naturally on the canvas. Someone actually donated a large amount of gauze to the school and no one else wanted it so I decided to experiment with it. I ended up doing several gauze paintings. I sold one to a girl in Pensacola. I hope she still has it. I believe a couple of others are with another old friend in Pensacola. I asked her to store my paintings for me because she had the space and I guess I never asked for them back. Last I heard, she told a mutual friend that she still had them.
This picture of it is pretty terrible but it's the only record I have of the painting. When I lived in Birmingham, I met a fellow artist named Antjuan and we traded paintings. He got this one. The last time I saw him he told me that someone had stolen it but that he knew who did it and he was going to get it back. That cracks me up because the painting is about 6' X 5' and pretty heavy. It's not like you can tuck it into your coat and make off with it.
I really long to paint like this again. Not so much the imagery but just the freedom that a large canvas allows. It's like having a big field to run around in. It's so much fun. Unfortunately, apartment life doesn't allow for these types of expressions so I'll just have to wait until we can get a little more elbow room.

Sincere Comics

Way back in the early 80's, I used to buy comics alot. Somehow the owner of this establishment, Dave Sincere, found out I was an artist (I probably told him) and asked me to do a flyer for him. I did and here it is presented in glorious black and white. I later did some other stuff for him...a business card and I can't remember what else. He was a nice guy. Everytime I went to the store he would tell me I was wasting my life...that I should be a comic book artist instead of going to college. Heck, maybe he was right...I don't know.
I remember going into his shop one day and he introduced me to this strange fellow who had a comic idea and wanted to find an illustrator. I talked to him and found him to be from the planet Huge Geek. I still remember his idea too. It was something like "Mr. Sound Effects and the Unknown Mind." I think it was a telepath and a guy who could make sound effects. Wow! What a super power.
I also remember meeting Dave Dorman at the shop one day. He's a famous artist especially well-known for his Star Wars renderings. Look him up.
Anyway, I eventually moved away and stopped collecting comics. I don't know if Sincere Comics still exists in Pensacola or not but I hope it does. If so, thanks Dave, for giving me a little bit of work.

Popeye's Anaktomy

I did this drawing in college. The assignment was to design a skeletal system for a cartoon character. I got so excited about the assignment, I did two. (I'll try to post the other one another time)
I'm quite proud of this drawing. It still looks pretty good to me. I think if I were to do the same assignment today, I would tackle it with some other medium besides pastel. But the pastel gave a softer look to the cartoon figure of Popeye and helped the illusion of depth. I tried to shade the figure so that he would seem 3D. I'm not sure I'd make the wall behind the blackboard brick but, at the time, it seemed the most strikingly visual thing to do.
Forgive the reflection of the photographer. This drawing has been encased behind plastic since the early 80's and I'm not about to take it out. That's why it's lasted this long without damage.

Doodling the Demon

An old friend sent me these pics from the past. I used to doodle these kinds of things while sitting in church during sermon time. There's no telling how many of these drawings are out there. I used to just give or throw them away.
I remember a couple of instances where my drawing demons in church made a few people nervous but my friends always played along and we would have some fun. The first time was during a recording session for a youth musical. While another person was recording their part, I was doodling a demon on the chalkboard. Some lady passed thru and quietly asked the youth minister (though I could hear her) about it. He said, "Yes, he draws those all the time. We're counseling with him."
The second time, I was in the lobby of the gym at church sitting with a bunch of friends. The new lady working behind the counter came out and was curious about what I was doing. She said, "Why do you draw things like that?"
"I just draw what I see," I replied.
"You see demons?" she asked.
"Yes, and angels too," I said.
Sensing an opportunity to catch me in my lie, she asked me, "Well, if you can see angels, what does my guardian angel look like?"
"Tired," I replied.
We all busted a gut and the lady and I introduced ourselves to each other. Turned out she was pretty cool and was just wanting to mess with me. What she didn't realize was that I was gonna mess right back.

TMNT

I don't mind embarassing myself. This site is dedicated to cleaning out the closet and showing the world that I have done some crappy art and will continue to do so. Everything that travels from my brain to my hand isn't worthy of Michelangelo (the artist, not the turtle).
This particular TMNT portrayal was done in the late 80's. This, I suppose, is Leonardo because of the sword. I should have drawn Raphael with his sais. He was my favorite at the time because he was a loose cannon. And I'm not talking about the TV or movie turtles but the very first incarnation from the comics when it was very dark. It's all just a bit too silly for me now that I've grown up.
What's that, Sarah? Oh, okay. Sorry guys...gotta go. We're gonna watch the Clone Wars cartoon.

Gallery Presence

Back in the early days of pursuing my art education, I had the opportunity to exhibit at a gallery in Pensacola called "Art on the Tracks." It was a funky little endeavor and some good art was shone while it was in existence. We even hosted an exhibit of art by Howard Finster at one time.
I found this poster today and it set my mind to wandering and wondering about those days...wondering what's happened to those folks. Are they still doing art? Still in Pensacola?
Me? I'm very happy to be making art again and actually having my work in a gallery in Seattle. Now, if only some of it would sell.

Walkin' the Woozle

A page from one of many of my early sketchbooks. I'm pretty sure this one dates back to the mid to late 80's because my style was getting pretty slick and tight. This was an alien character that developed over the years. I think I started drawing him in high school and he just hung around and showed up from time to time. The Woozle was a creature somewhat like a dog that was on board the ship. In my mind, when the Woozle gets upset, he turns into a giant werewolf-type creature. That must be why the alien doesn't like walkin' the Woozle.
I like this drawing. I really think I was pretty good at this stage in the game. Look at the door of the spaceship. That's good stuff. Even the color pencil attempt isn't half bad.

The Gang

When I was in high school, everybody had a nickname. Good or bad, you got called something other than the name your parents gave you. Being the cartoonist of the bunch, I took those nicknames and created a group of superheroes out of my friends. I won't give away the secret identities but the heroes are (clockwise)

- Ramjet - because he drove his car way fast.
- Senor Hefty - because he was hefty. Not sure where the senor part came from.
- Great White Buffalo - because of his size and because he had a friend who lived and breathed Ted Nugent.
- Professor Gonzo - because he lived and breathed Ted Nugent.
- Space Ghost - although not an abino, he was pretty dang white.
- Blurp - a useless sidekick name given to any number of useless hangers-on in the group.

I'm pretty sure some of my other friends ended up with nicknames and hero identities as well. I'll post them as I find them.

Flea Force

There's no date on this drawing but I do remember creating these guys in middle school. There was this guy who used to do these drawings of flea circuses (don't question the mind of a middle schooler) and I just took it a step further. I do know that this drawing doesn't date from that time because they seem a bit too well drawn for my middle school years. I guess this was one of my many attempts to create the newest, hottest, most unique team of superheroes around. So listen up Marvel, DC, Cartoon Network, etc...the Flea Force has arrived!

Mogron the Titan

Okay, I decided to go as far back as I could. This drawing is dated 2-8-76, a mere 4 days after my 14th birthday. Wow! Pretty unsophisticated considering what 14 year olds are capable of these days. I guess back in the day I must have thought this was the bomb. I found this in a composition book of other drawings (that I'll post later). It's funny because on another page I scratched out this monster's name (Mogron) and replaced it with "Titan." I think I like Mogron better. How about Mogron the Titan? Has a mythic quality to it, doesn't it? Can you tell I grew up on a diet of comic books and monster movies? It doesn't show at all, does it?

That 80's Painting

I thought I would include something from this century. I like this painting but my wife won't hang it because she says it's too 80's looking. It was actually done around 2001 (I think). This one was fun because I used sheetrock mud on a piece of plywood. I drew into the surface of the mud and let it dry with lots of texture then I just painted what came out at me. I like it...even if it does look 80's.

Pirate's Chest Volume 3

On this one, I referenced one of my muscle magazines. (I was into working out then...sue me) I also branched out and did the lettering myself. (Stretch, Marty, stretch!) The back cover was a bonus. Woo-hoo!

Pirate's Chest Volume 2

Told you it was awful.

Pirate's Chest Volume 1

I had a friend who taught in the English Department and this was his project. I did 3 covers in all during the early 80's. The first 2 are pretty awful. The third one is better.