Hand drawn line work then digitally colored. Part of a weekly prompt challenge from my local art shop. The character is loosley based on a well know japanese octopus character.
Here on the big island we experienced unprecedented volcanic activity in 2018 from Kilauea and made global news. I went to work on a lava triptych inspired by the event.
Part of a series of four illustrations I will be posting more of, based on poems written by children. These were made for a uni project working with Grimm & Co, a charity that enables children to express themselves through writing.
"Nowhere Fast" is a compelling still life that blends mundane domesticity with surreal, slightly ominous undertones. The scene is anchored by a wooden table where a spilled glass, a pack of matches, and an ashtray with a smoldering cigarette suggest a moment of interrupted pause or quiet, long-term stagnation. Dominating the foreground is an oversized, weathered cigarette carton boldly labeled "WARNING", its subtle but unsettling presence hinting at a consumption that leads nowhere.
In the background, a vintage RCA television set displays a stylized amanita mushroom, a recurring symbolic motif that adds a layer of psychedelia and altered perception to the otherwise drab setting. The earthy, muted color palette and soft lighting create a feeling of weary introspection, capturing a sense of being perpetually stuck in a cycle. The piece masterfully uses everyday objects to explore themes of vice, time, and the quiet, slow march toward an uncertain destination.
