Posting Notice

Despite my best intentions, my rigorous schedule has kept me from posting frequently. I have a great deal of accumulated work that I would like to share, and I hope to post much of it in the near future. In the meantime, the the backlog grows daily and most of my energy goes into learning, creating, and desperately struggling to keep the wolves at bay.

Photo: The Chaos of my life... (clockwise from top) der Junggeselle, Little But Hope (cropped at right), Irascible Desires (partially obscured), Standard Decay (sideways), The Missionary's Daughter.

Hard Candy

This poster is for Seattle's Showbox SoDo. Hard Candy is an bi-monthly event showcasing local and national bands. I reworked the Tantalus motif to fit the sweet, edgy vibe of the event.
If you're in town and up for a fun night, come check out Hard Candy at the Showbox SoDo lounge. Guaranteed delicious, just remember to brush afterwards.

Matchbox Reliquary

Acrylic on Matchbox
Available

This is a wee reliquary for the devout traveler. I was shooting for a feeling of street-fair preciousness.



The front features an Agnus Dei and a wandering vine. The side is an ornamental Memento Mori.

On the back are the Four Evangelists.

Inside, we find a little Crucifixion. Look! It's the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and St. John. Up by the cross is Longinus with the spear. The angled bar of the cross points up to Dismas, the repentant thief, and down to Gestas, the unrepentant. It is a symbol of the possibility of last minute redemption. Also, at the foot of the cross is the skull of Adam. The river is my own addition referencing St. Christopher.

Inside, where any little relics would reside, we find St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers. He was a giant (hence the dog head in the Orthodox depictions) who carried the infant Jesus across a river. As he crossed, the tot got heavier and heavier until Christopher carried the weight of the world's sins on his shoulder. The Vatican removed him from the calendar of saints in '69, saying it was unclear as to whether the whole story was historically accurate. I'll limit myself to saying that that's a mighty slippery slope for the old Vatican to be traversing.

Still Life with Virgin Mary

Conte and Chalk on Paper
Approx. 8"x12"
Available

Pigeon

Charcoal on Paper
26"x18"


Pigeon is one of the best models at the Gage Academy. As a result of her striking features and her skill as a model, she has been painted, drawn, and sculpted more times than I can count. Here the likeness is not exact, and there are some anatomical problems, but I enjoy the drawing nonetheless.

The Tears of Sleeping Birds

Oil on Panel
24"x26"
Available

This painting came in response to a news story about a moth that drinks the tears of sleeping birds with a harpoon-like proboscus. Originally, the painting had an additional area on the left, depicting a doorway through which a lamp-lit bedroom could be seen. On the wall of the bedroom was a painting that gave rise to the previously-posted Leviathan drawing. After some deliberation, I took a saw to the panel, removing about 8", which greatly improved the composition. Ironically, the cropped portion sold immediately as a separate work.

Leviathan

Pen on Paper
8"x12"
Sold

I based this drawing on the engravings of the age of exploration. There were several types of sea monsters that were commonly depicted. This whale-like creature is my favorite. Here, a passing vessel (upper right) bears witness to the sinking of an unknown ship. I took the liberty of substituting a Pacific Northwest landscape for the psuedo-tropical landscape more commonly depicted in this era.

Into the Wilderness study (detail)

Into the Wilderness Study
Watercolor and Pencil on Paper
Original Dimensions Approx. 17"x13"
Destroyed

This study was a late version of the sketches for Into the Wilderness (image below). I came across this file in a folder of bits and pieces on my computer. In addition to the traveller on the right, the original sketches called for a dark, distant figure in the space to the left of the building. The size of the paper exceeded the limits of the scanner that I used, which caused both the figure and corresponding space to be cropped out. I based the distant figure on this illustration that I made in 1998 for my poem 'Attempts to Map the Genome.'

"Trick: Banality is Adaptation"
Ink on Paper
17"x11"
Available

As I worked on the final painting I removed both people from the painting, which greatly simplified the composition. I was happy with the decision and quickly finished the work.
Unfortunately, calamity struck during the creation of the painting. A miscast cigarette butt ignited the building that was under construction across the street. Fanned by heavy winds, the fire advanced on the surrounding neighborhood of Carver. Burning insulation rained from the sky and set secondary fires that made many homeless. At its peak, the column of fire lay horizontally across the street and was twice the height of the VCU Fine Arts Building. The firefighters saturated the surrounding buildings for approximately eight hours. Many burnt, but the FAB was only mildly scorched.
Inside, the studios were soaked and much work was destroyed. Many of my fellow students lost their entire body of work. I lucked out and lost only some small drawings, photographs, and this study.
For eight hours, Into the Wilderness teetered on the brink of destruction. I was grateful to see my unfinished painting intact when I was allowed to return days later. My gratefulness has only increased with time as my painting has travelled the country and served me well. I am also thankful for this haphazard scan, and lament all that was lost in that fire.
Imagine if one could open a museum exhibiting the art that has been lost throughout history. I'm sure it would outshine the Met and the Louvre.

Into the Wilderness
Oil on Panel
48"x30"
Sold

My Art Space Featured Artist

I joined My Art Space at the recommendation of Christopher Reiger. It is an interesting and bustling free website that allows artists to exhibit their images and network. Artists can organize their artwork into 'galleries' and 'portfolios,' which gives the artist a great deal of flexibility in sorting work. Shortly after uploading images, I was notified that I am one of this month's featured artists. Surf on over and check it out.
Above Image:
Scribe
Digital
2007

Blue Heron Gallery with David Carmack Lewis

Not the Birthday Girl
Acrylic on Panel
12"x24"
Sold

Last month I had the pleasure of showing work at the Blue Heron Gallery in Vashon, WA. I shared the gallery with Portland Painter David Carmack Lewis. The show was a great success, and I bid farewell to a number of my favorite paintings, including the one pictured above. In the process of publicizing the show, an astute staff member noticed that David and I both earned our degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University. Our work dovetailed eerily well, and the coincidence of alma mater simply drove the point home. Perhaps Richmond leaves its indelible mark on those that have sweated and soaked in the city on the James.

Hero

Hero
Watercolor on Paper
6"x4"
Sold

This little watercolor is from 1999. Of all the work I was doing at that time, I think it's held up well over time. I took a long time painting it, and eventually sold it at a VCU Student Art Sale.
Sometimes I miss the past.

Fed By Ravens

Elijah in the Wilderness
Hand Drawn Digital

For quite while, I have not been posting as often as I would like to be. The delay has been a result of both technical difficulties and a busy schedule. Since September I have been enrolled in the Drawing & Painting Atelier at the Gage Academy of Art. I have the great privilege to study with Mark Kang-O'Higgins. He is a keen wit and a fine teacher, not to mention a skilled artist.
The atelier is a constant challenge, and it is a pleasure to spend so much time studying and drawing. I feel that my skills have increased greatly, especially in the life room. I have great hopes for the upcoming Winter and Spring.
I am also lucky to have come in contact with Gage's talented staff, students, and alumni, including Spyder, Jason Sho Green, Sam Hamrick, and Crystal Barbre.
The image above was drawn as one in a series of weekly conceptual exercises. In addition to these projects, we have technical exercises, cast drawings, and personal projects-- and that's just before lunch. After lunch we spend three hours in the life room drawing the human body through direct observation. I will post more images of recent work as time and technology allow.

On Dark Ground

As promised, I am posting some images from the series 'On Dark Ground.' I will post more in the future, though the quality of some of the phtograhs are too poor to include. All are acrylic on panel. Sizes are approximate. All are sold.

In Good Company
20"x 8.5"


And Then She Knew
24"x12"


On a Lucky Morning
20"x10"

Circo dell'Arte

Like Any Other Morning
Acrylic on Panel
30" x 8"

Sold  

Vashon Allied Arts recently held their annual art auction in the Blue Heron Gallery in Vashon, WA. I was invited to participate and included this piece from the series 'On Dark Ground.' The series consisted of 16 paintings. It originally hung in the Harrison St. Coffeeshop in October of 2005. This was the last piece in my possession, and I was happy to include it in the auction. I never posted images of the series because of glare in my photos, but I think that I may post some in an upcoming entry-- glare and all.

Far From Home

The following paintings make up the show 'Far From Home,' which hangs through July at the Selvedge Studio in Missoula, MT.

Suffer a Witch
Acrylic on Panel
24"x36"
Sold

Noli me Tangere
Acrylic on Panel
24"x12"
Sold

Sheep May Safely Graze
(In the Course of a Dream #1)
Acrylic on Panel
24"x12"
Sold

A Quiet Place
(In the Course of a Dream #2)
Acrylic on Panel
20"x10"
Sold

Wind & Weather
(In the Course of a Dream #3)
Acrylic on Panel
20"x10"
Sold

Far From Home

Fishing in the Night Sky
Acrylic on Canvas
2.5"x3"
Available

Her Grip Was Unsteady, But Her Aim Was True
Acrylic on Panel
12"x24"
Sold

Far From Home

Ibex
Acrylic on Panel
2"x3"
Sold
Apocastasis
Acrylic on Canvas
6"x4"
Sold

The Missionary's Daughter
Acrylic on Canvas
8"x10"
Sold

Far From Home

der Junggeselle
Acrylic on Panel
19"x15"
Available

der Dieb
Acrylic on Panel
4"x19"
Sold

Having Come to This
Acrylic on Panel
16"x24"
Sold

Secret Flaws
Acrylic on Canvas
10"x8"
Available

Broken Porthole
Acrylic on Canvas
10"x8"
Sold

Nocturne
Acrylic on Canvas
8"x10"
Sold

Far From Home

Despite the lack of updates, I've been quite busy lately. After a brief hiatus, I hit the studio and pulled together a body of work for my upcoming show. The show is entitled "Far From Home," and will hang in the Selvedge Studio in Missoula, MT. Along with an armload of new paintings, I've selected roughly a dozen older works. I hope to post the entire show here in the days to come.
The Selvedge Studio is a hip, little fabric store and gallery in bustling downtown Missoula. For those of you that are unfamliar with the area, Missoula is a happening little town in Western Montana and home to a exuberant arts community.

Show updates

I was pleased to discover that my Into the Wilderness was hung in the place of honor at Ouch My Eye. This photo was taken from the sidewalk, where you get a great view of my goats.
Back on Vashon, Dubious Theodicies drew a good crowd, and a quarter of the paintings will be heading off to new homes.
I'm also pleased to announce that I'll be showing at Gallery 070 on Vashon in May 2008.
Stay tuned for my July show at the Selvedge Studio in Missoula, MT.

RIP J.W. Phillips

Another good man gone.

Goats in the city!

These goats do get around.
I'm pleased to announce that 'Into the Wilderness' will be featured in the Urban Wildlife show at Ouch My Eye Gallery in Seattle. This is my first incursion into this new city, and I'm excited to be gaining a toehold. Come on down for the opening:
May 4th
8Pm-2AM
Ouch My Eye
1022 1st Ave S
Seattle, WA
206.381.8457

Dubious Theodicies

Dubious Theodicies

Acrylic on Canvas

Sold

I'll be having an open studio show on Saturday, May 5th, in conjunction with the Vashon Studio tours. The show will run from 12-5, though I intend to keep it up for a week for 'by appointment' showing. I'll be featuring over a dozen new paintings along with selected older work. Come on by and check it out.

New and Selected Paintings

May 5th

12-5PM

Corner Studio

Harrington-Beall Greenhouse Complex

18515 Beall Road SW,

Vashon, Vashon Island, WA

Noli Me Tangere

Acrylic on Panel
24"x12"
Sold

Chicago, IL

These images come from the apartment of painter Dennis Mathews. Dennis is currently studying to achieve Grand Master status at the Art Institute of Chicago. We traded artwork shortly before we both left Richmond.

This painting, entitled No Reason Why, is a portrait of a dilapidated house on Church Hill in Richmond. The house had been abandoned with all of the previous owner's possessions still inside. It is one of three paintings on the theme. The initial painting,Not even a Letter (32-20 Blues), was commissioned by the woman that was about to rehabilitate the building. With any luck I will be able to get the owners of the other two to let me post pictures of them.

At the time, I was listening to the music of Robert Johnson and lost in my own bittersweet blues. It was spring. I was involved with a beautiful woman who was nothing but trouble. I was packing my bags and leaving town. The mood was right. I photographed the house on a stormy afternoon and executed all three paintings in rapid succession.

As you can see, Dennis is a very well read and educated young scholar. Dennis points out that next to the painting are "a theories of modern art book, ee cummings book, plato perhaps, and history of the
church book." I can also see some movies, but I assume they are only materials from Dennis's extensive research into pop culture.

A Jules Buck Jones painting hangs adjacent to mine. This painting is a good specimen from our time at VCU. During the time that Dennis, Jules, and I painted in the same studio, Jules executed an enormous scroll-drawing on a roll of paper. He was lost in a fascinating world of roadtrip imagery. These days, his work plays with a bizarre naturalism and dovetails nicely with the work of Christopher Reiger.

Dennis also has a ceiling fan. Above my painting you can just glimpse a fragment of the original Magna Carta.