Now that my lovely lady has a large office with a window, she is going to need some wall decor. Having traveled the world extensively, she requested a montage of her favorite destinations. This image is an amalgamation of Machu Picchu, The Great Wall of China, Summer Palace in Beijing, Lotus Flower in Macau, Chinese Lanterns in Shanghai and a water rock formation off the coast of Peru.
Here is the process thus far… it is about 50% complete.
Have you ever made a lifelong ultimatum? Some best friends vow to marry if they are still single by a certain age. Others promise to give up smoking crack cocaine when their kid is born. I promised to leave the corporate world at 40 to become a full-time artist.
6:01 PM EST tomorrow, Thursday, July 2nd – I am officially an artist. Details to come.
When I looked out the window and saw the sun, I couldn’t believe me peepers. New York’s heavens have been watching the poignant moment of a chick flick on repeat for two fortnights. After a heaping bowl of meat sauce, Tim and I set out for a bohemian day on Fifth Avenue, and a festival of mustache’s, coffee, beers and art commenced.
Talented cartoonist, hockey teammate and long haired musician Justin Bilicki illustrated this incredibly relevant piece of work. From the artist:
“It’s a cartoon about the real Michael Jackson. Sadly, people are remembered for their faults as well as their weaknesses. In MJ’s case, it would be all too easy but also unfair to remember his early years. His crimes were too plenty and too sick.”
In case you have been asleep in a cryogenic freezer, Michael Jackson passed away yesterday at the age of 50.
After an inspiring day at The MOMA with @pwryan, I decided to create a triptych on 4′X4′ canvases (canvi?). The series, nearly completed, is titled, “Stuff I Like On Canvas With Paint, Wire and Other Stuff”. Eloquent. Let’s go to the tape for a blow-by-blow pictorial of “The Closers”, featuring my retired size 10 gold Adidas.
Many moons ago I submitted this piece to a “self-portrait project“. Approximately 3′X4′, this work was created in the dingy basement of my reality TV house. Today, it sits tacked to the wall, un-stretched, in my parents Long Island home. A proper photograph will follow in the near future, when I have some time to get my hands on this warlock.
This is the last piece I ever signed with my birthname, notice the high-school style symbolism within the canvas; must have been reading Sylvia Plath at the time.
A recent sketchbook – pages photographed, not scanned; this explains the “authentic” fold shadow on the left hand of each page. Over 30 images with varying degrees of interest to follow after the jump.
Final Piece
One evening while enjoying a nice soak in the hot-tub, a gentleman who had seen me painting a landscape off our roof asked me about painting a landscape in honor of his marriage. After toweling off, it was agreed and a commission was in place.
In The Trenches
As always, the canvas began with some initial figurative exploration, Sharpe in hand. Peter Lik’s beautiful photograph guided the way, until I was able to get to Hawaii myself.
Maui Big Beach Painting
Erin and I spent the day on Big Beach with a six-pack of local brew – Bud Light, at this location I have wanted to paint for years.
The Scene
Slightly cloudy, with a forecast of light rain and good times.