Here is my submission to the 10th anniversary Plushform show at Rotofugi Gallery. I was invited by Shawn @shawnimals to participate in this fun show. He is the creator of the Plushform DIY plush figure being customized by 40 artists at Rotofugi, a designer toy store gallery in Chicago. The original Plushform show was in 2008. I was waiting for their official announcement before posting my final so I could link people to the site for more info. I was told they are working on it and will announce soon. This will be for sale at the show.
A character concept drawing of a pirate vampire character I created for a collab writing project that died. His clothing and even his hair borrowed aspects from various jelly fish as inspiration. " The snap of inky sails catching the wind punctuated the subtle wooden creaks of the Sea Nettle as it slid over glossy black waves. The night was oppressive. With the moon obscured by clouds, the ship, with its doused lamps and its dark wood was nearly invisible as she crept closer to her prize. Tallis stood on the forecastle, one foot propped against the railing, his hands supporting a spyglass. He drifted the lens between the lights below deck, counting each of them and making note of any movement on the upper deck and in the rigging. A single sailor was at the helm. Another was lazily standing beside him, possibly engaged in conversation that distracted him from his watch. This was to be expected, not many would dare to disturb such a well-equipped vessel of the Luthen royal fleet. Nettie's crew was lesser in numbers, but they were experts in what few on the high seas could manage. Tonight, would be a quiet strike. Open combat spelled unnecessary danger for his crew."
I haven't done a still life since highschool! I was finally motivated to make one after finding this black conch shell on the beach of Rimini. In the past I found one but it was broken, i feel like i've been on a healing journey and was delighted to find a complete full shell. In a way I took it as a sign of the healing graces God is pouring out on me. I also found the coral thing floating on the waves of the shore. I felt the presence of the divine through His creation that day. I picked up the other scallop shells and the red rock there too. The big snail shell I found outside the monastery, there are some big snails here! So yeah, I wasn't trying to be too precise in this still life but I wanted to jot down the idea and my thoughts from that day. Peace be with you all
4 year old Henry engaged fully with thick applications of watercolor and oil pastels. He said it was a stormy sea with a small boat. This was at the onset of the pandemic, when we were all a bit uncertain and confined to our homes. I was reminded of an insight by Kierkegaard written in the early 1800s: “When the sailor is out on the sea and everything is changing around him, as the waves are continually being born and dying, he does not stare into the depths of these, since they vary. He looks up at the stars. And why? Because they are faithful – as they stand now, they stood for the patriarchs, and will stand for coming generations. By what means then does he conquer changing conditions? Through the eternal: By means of the eternal, one can conquer the future, because the eternal is the foundation of the future.”
A whimsical illustration of a large horn-whale creature with fangs, an anchor tattoo on his fin, and a tattoo of how many ships he has sunk on his back, with a whale rider perched on its back, is surrounded by gentle waves. The contrast between the massive creature and the tiny rider suggests a playful narrative. The muted colors and simple lines create a charming and imaginative scene.
A boat floats at the center of swirling, vibrant blue waves, creating a sense of motion and energy. The contrast between the warm tones of the boat and the cool hues of the water highlights the image's dynamic composition.
This captivating ink drawing features a fantasy character standing still, deeply rooted to the earth and seamlessly merged with nature. Surrounded by a complex web of trees and plants, the figure embodies the essence of the natural world. In the background, a mesmerizing sunset casts a warm glow over abstract waves of clouds, creating a harmonious blend of light and shadow. This artwork symbolizes the profound connection between humanity and the environment, inviting viewers to reflect on the beauty of nature.
Tundra walls reveal a sickened creature on the edge of life. In time of passing, lost to history, but restored in the mentions of Earth. A darkness in last waves, but a reflection on the happiness, the loves of ones life respected and acknowledged.
"My life vest is in the boat, and I'm in the water." ~ A blackout poem from a recycled page of Riding with the Hides of Hell, a young adult love story now titled Burnout.
I know nothing of the actress of the same name (although I do need to watch The Spirit Of The Beehive someday), but the words alone had “drawing title” written all over them, so yeah!
Lino cut print over pastel. The story goes: The bird fell in love with the whale the first time she saw him break through the ocean’s surface, sunlight dancing on his back. From high above, she sang to him, and deep below, he answered with a song as old as the tides.
She longed to dive, to join him in the rolling blue. He wished to rise, to fly beside her in the endless sky. But air and water would not trade places.
So each day, at dawn and dusk, they met at the edge of their worlds—she on the wind, he in the waves—singing a love song carried by the breeze and the tide, never together but never apart.
Beginning of acrylic while tuned in live to https://www.mixcloud.com/djtruebrit-otb/. I love how it evolved as the soundwaves flowed through. More to come... XO Tethered2This
