work

Did you ever have a page in your sketchbook that was so bad and so embarrassing that you tore it out and chucked it? This was one of those pages that made me cringed every time I came to it. So today I said to myself, "ENOUGH!" and ripped it out of my moleskine. But something wouldn't let me throw it in the can. Now, I'm not one of those artists that can't bring himself to throw away any of his stuff because each and every piece, good or bad holds some kind of sentimentality or sense of importance. This particular page was a result of a crappy angst filled day and stuff poured out of me. For some reason, it felt like I was throwing away some piece of my soul. There were parts that were overworked and others that were painfully too personal. So I decided to cut it up and put it back together in no particular order, however it seemed best. As I was pasting the pieces down it occurred to me that this had a comic book feel so I scanned the final and added the black borders in photoshop which I really dug. I like that it is cryptic and jumbled up like my brain can so often be. This reminded me of the awesome @johnhendrix who said something in his book, Drawing Is Magic that stuck with me. He said, "Don't worry about doing anything wrong. If you're hoping your sketchbook turns into a glossy display of only your best drawings, you are not carrying a sketchbook, you are carrying a portfolio." In other words, explore, take chances, loosen up and have fun. Try your best to go at it like an uninhibited child. In so doing, you will stretch as an artist by avoiding repetition and predictability. We all know how to do what we already know. To sum up, I created a bad page, and whether or not I was able to fix it, it expanded me. So, follow your pencil, pen, or whatever and let them take you to places you never imagined when you started. Then, maybe you will end up staring happily at the final and with childlike wonder, say, "man, where did that come from?"

Lunchtime doodle

Sometimes just a spot of color keeps things light, not overworked. And red.

Acrylic painting I did of a plant cell under a microscope, though it also works as an abstract piece.

First piece of art for 2025. Still working on botanical watercolors. Im in love with the background tho.

Work in progress

Still working on updating my cat style. I liked how this guy's fur turned out. I find the sketching part the hardest, it seems so easy to mess up the cat at that part.

New drawing in the works, ready for color.

Three kings stopped a walking man to ask advice about their dreams. But the man said, "Oh no please, I don't want to hear these things." "I have dreams of my own although they'll never come to pass... I just work my life away while all you rich guys sit and laugh."

Digital artwork

Thanks to all the hard working moms on this Easter, like this hard working Easter bird with it's giant baby.

Something a little different than my normal work. I just started a tattoo apprenticeship so I am learning to draw in traditional tattoo flash style. My old style of illustration work will not go anywhere. I am continuing that but just growing artistically and learning something new.

"If MF DOOM was a fox, he’d pro’ly steal a kid and lock it up in a box. But not to do it harm... More to save it from a life of working on a farm. He’d do that kid a favor. He would save her. Just what you would expect from a friendly rapping neighbor."

I was fortunate enough to to take my sketchbook class to observe medical students dissect donor cadavers. These donors gave there bodies to science to further our knowledge of the human anatomy and to train our future doctors. We worked alongside the med students and anatomy fellows. It was a humbling and fascinating experience.

Another Tree of life work A bit different ideas used

i took a landscape course; our project was a mystic, foggy landscape. I went a bit different adding in the figure looking out to the island

Sketch for future artwork

As a teacher, I see the full range of work ethic and value choices. Tatum works while Melanie sleeps. I do not judge because everyone is fighting a battle. I provide a safe place for students to create and breathe and sleep and be. I create a non-judgmental space that often accomodates students and adults who feel free to voice thier opinions... which can often be judgmental. We are fighting battles and we are on our own journies of self awareness. Peace.

A ship at sea I did as a study. When I was learning to draw I reproduced orter artists work.THe orgional belongs to someone else.

Halloween’s a bit early this year. I’m working on a scratch board technique video featuring a drawing of Nosferatu from my sketchbook.

Rooftop mural for a new co-working space Work not Work in Saigon, Vietnam.

Same idea as previous dragon work but a bit difference way

Working on making my cats a little more fun. I added this guy to redbubble and he is available as a sticker and on other items.

Working on characters.

A different kind of mouse than I normally make. I am taking a year long class w Danielle Donaldson and we work on a different animal each week.

There's a phone in Graham's Up the Tree and kids will have no clue what they're looking at or how those "buttons" work.

Latest work of my animals in hide serie

I took a course on imprimatur/underpainting and enjoyed the effect. I'm just working on adapting traditional skills to digital skills in Reblle.

I love creating work that starts from a point in nature and develops into something more abstract, something that can be interpreted in many different ways. It’s interesting to hear what people see, what connection to their own life they bring when viewing a work.