Halloween Poem

When crescent has departed
solid black rules the night,
silence becomes supreme.
Creatures open eyes
that glow an eerie color.
Walking faster 
between two rows of oak.
Breath becomes quicker
heart beats a little faster.
Movement in the trees
following against the wind.
The door to safety
the distance seems too far.
running just might help, 
with fear, even more.
A howl, a flap, a shuffle,
and, good lord, "what is that smell"?
Adrenaline kicks into gear
and the door opens with a strong push
"Good Evening" says the count,


"Oh shit" says I.


Happy Halloween to all!!

Sketch Work 1

Three Rabbits Sitting


With this series of work, The "final" pieces that you will see will be from 2 to 5 minute timed abstract sketches. Most are in pencil, but tighten upped with pen. I may use Photoshop to expand on the piece (as I have done in this one) but I want to try to stay "true" to the original sketch. We'll see how that goes. If an idea comes to mind while cleaning up the sketch, I will probably go with that creativity and see where it takes me.

The Mask 3

Painted Desperation


kind of has that impatient and desperate look and feel to the image when I had finished. Bit of anger in there too.


Enjoy

Time for Eternity

photo taken in the Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah Ga.

Fires of Face

the "larger" abstract piece that I completed over the time frame talked about in the earlier posted piece from a couple of days ago.

Eyes of Flame

Going back to the "abstract" here. This is my most recent digital abstract . This piece has several dozen layers, numerous "effects", shrinking, multiple copies, flipped vertically and horizontally, portions erased, and several weeks of experimentation to the point that I would have to go back and try and find the original sketch that started this piece.

This was one of those pieces that came slowly, ideas that were tried and thrown out because it just wasn't working or could not push past the visual blocks I was having.

I put this piece away for over a month until, finally, in the span of roughly half an hour, everything I did, clicked. Feels good to get this one done!!

This particular image is a smaller section of the over-all artwork. I'll post the larger work in a few days.

Enjoy!!

Waiting With Ishmael

Having the Munchies

this little guy stop by for a snack, but kept a close eye on me the entire time. This was taken at my brother's home near Barnesville, Ga.

Lions at the Zoo 2

Who is watching who in this one!?!

Lions at the Zoo

On a recent trip home, Janice and I went to the Atlanta Zoo for the day. Our intent was to take some  reference/stock pictures for future art projects. I feel some of these came out pretty good and want to share with those that visit this blog.

This one is of the lioness soaking up some late morning sun.

The Mask 3

Theatre 18


I lost count of how many images I did in this particular series. I went really productive with these because each design gave me several new ideas for other designs and images became very many! I have gone back through these and several were picked for the calendar, put on the website, and saved as jpeg files that are on my mobile portfolio (ipod touch) 
Looking back at these images, makes me want to start sketching some new designs!!


enjoy!!

The Mask 2

Kabuki Upclose 7


This image (as well as the first of this series) were used in a calendar I designed a couple of years ago. Each month had a black and red kabuki-style image to go with it.  I did a "spread" in the middle (between the months of June and July) that included four designs, one of which is this particular mask.


Enjoy! 

The Mask 1

Kabuki Upclose 5


Thus starts a new series. I am bringing the Sharpie art and Expressive series to a close. Though do not be surprised should there be an encore of either in the future!


About 22 years ago, I was assigned to a naval base in Yokosuka, Japan as part of a weather/oceanography detachment. For the next 4 years, I lived in and around Yokosuka, Yokohama, and Tokyo. 


One of discoveries I made that later became an influence on my artwork, was the Kabuki theatre. I was fascinated by the masks that were painted on the actors. Simple, yet dramatic. Watching these productions gave me butterflies and made my heart pound. One was provided with headphones for translation, but I did not need nor wanted translation because I could FEELl what was going on. 


I had dreams of the Kabuki. The actors wore my masks that I had drawn and made. These dreams were vivid, the kind that you wanted to go back to sleep and hope the visions would come back! I drew as much as I could, when I could to get these images down on paper.  22 years later, I still have these masks running through my mind.


This series will show several influences seen in my designs. Enjoy!

Sharpie Art (pt 12)

Outside the Box

The title for this one is a play on the ol'  phrase some of us here in our various work environments .  As you'll notice, all lines are "outside the box". Quite literal and a "eye roll" here and there, a grunt or two but a bit of fun as well.

Enjoy