"sunnyvAle" - 02/13/18
Size: 30" W x 20" H x 1.5" T
Inspiration:
Another commission of one of the greatest TV shows out there. Either you love them or you hate them, but I think they are fantastic. Ricky, Bubbles and Julian make up about half of the cast of the most canadian, trashy and ridiculous sitcom ever created. It's too hard to explain. Just watch and form your own opinion...
"princE" - 01/03/17
Size: 24" H x 36" W x 7/8" T
Inspiration:
Another commission of the late, great Prince. It wasn't too long after he had died that I took this commission and it went to a great home. I seem to have taken a lot of fallen heroes lately...
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"greAtest" - 11/12/16
Size: 30" W x 40" H x 1.5" T
Inspiration:
This is another fantastic commission painting that has challenged me in many ways I wasn't necessarily prepared for. Mainly the figures in the background. It's tough to strike a balance between readable and distracting. The key to the life of this image is Ali, undoubtedly, but when you factor in the audience and all the cameras and their appearances (which sort of help date the image due to their glasses and styles), it's that much more vibrant. You really get the feel that there was a great experience that has just unfolded before all their eyes and the looks they have on their faces really help tell the tale. But then, you don't want to overdo it either. If the focus comes off of the hero, Ali, then it's a portrait of a bunch of unknown photographers. So striking that balance is the real task to do the image the justice it deserves...
"garciA" - 09/17/16
Size: 36" W x 24" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
Another commissioned piece. Jerry Garcia, if it wasn't obvious. This image comes from their Egypt 78 tour (hence the pyramids and whatnot). We started looking for images together and I came across this one and instantly loved it. He sent me the image a couple minutes later and I knew it was fate. His hair and beard swaying in the wind, his "Dead" shirt and the sparse landscape in the background are going to make an excellent homage to a great musician and cultural icon...now we just gotta decide on the background (the sky) and what might work and look best there...
"vEnom" - 08/31/16
Size: 24" W x 18" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
I started thinking about if I were to pick the ultimate team of super heroes/villains who might be on it. I was looking for Earth based characters only and they as a whole needed to be unbeatable but each character on their own needed to be able to hold their own against nearly anything. My THIRD character that I chose, not necessarily in order, was Venom. Yes, he's a symbiote and not technically a human but he can act on his own and basically could be used as a "super up" for everyone on the team. His powers are devastating and he makes everyone that hosts him even more powerful at what they already do. Plus, he can recall and remember powers that he's used in the past and pass them on to his next host. Epic
"manhAttan" - 08/26/16
Size: 24" W x 18" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
I started thinking about if I were to pick the ultimate team of super heroes/villains who might be on it. I am not at all a comic book nerd but I did grow up with Marvel cards and that type of stuff. So, I went to the internet to see who people who actually knew what they were talking about thought the best, most powerful characters were. Unfortunately, what that yielded was a bunch of unknown (for me at least) characters that eat and create planets. I was looking for Earth based characters so I set off on my own again. My SECOND character that I chose, not necessarily in order, was Dr. Manhattan. He is pure energy. He can be anywhere and everywhere at the same time. He can turn bullets into steam. And he's a scientiest and building our future from our future. He's basically indispensible if he's on your side or impossible to defeat if otherwise
"wolvErine" - 08/24/16
Size: 18" W x 24" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
I started thinking about if I were to pick the ultimate team of super heroes/villains who might be on it. I am not at all a comic book nerd but I did grow up with Marvel cards and that type of stuff. So, I went to the internet to see who people who actually knew what they were talking about thought the best, most powerful characters were. Unfortunately, what that yielded was a bunch of unknown (for me at least) characters that eat and create planets. I was looking for Earth based characters so I set off on my own again. My first character that I chose, not necessarily in order, was Wolverine. He heals, he's ageless, he's mean and he's made of Adamantium. Doesn't get much more badass than that...
"elevEn" - 08/21/16
Size: 24" W x 36" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
I got really into Stranger Things. Like many other people, I basically binge watched the entire season in one day. It just has the greatest mix of 80s nostalgia, mystery, horror, parallel dimensions, Stand By Me/Goonies/Explorers type kids and great music to boot. So, when looking for the right imagery, it had to come from Eleven. While this image doesn't show her supernatural side, it does leave some mystery, which is basically exactly what she was...a giant mystery...and a kick ass character
UPDATE: "elevEn" is now an AWARD WINNER for Best in Show at the Rochester, NH State Fair
"dAve" - 08/15/16
Size: 22" W x 28" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
This is a commissioned painting of Dave Chappelle circa the time he was on the Chapelle Show. He was an absolute master of his craft and his tenure on tv was famously cut short by overexposure and being overworked. Some of his skits are among the best skit comedy every created and still, to this day, remain timely and hilariously funny. This commissioned piece was a welcomed opportunity to work on a painting of someone I really admired and had a deep seeded love for his show and comedy in general. I think it's going to come out fantastic in the end, mixed with the Jerry Seinfeld piece too...
"jErry" - 08/15/16
Size: 28" W x 22" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
Another commissioned painting of a great subject. Who doesn't love Seinfeld? Well if people don't there's something wrong with them...Yes, it was a show about nothing but at the same time it was about everything. Every episode can be totally related to in some way. I always thought of myself as sort of a Kramer growing up, but obviously, as I started to really grow up and interact with people, I realized that I am definitely a George. But that's okay because he worked for the Yankess and was an Architect...well, sort of...
"illmAtic" - 08/08/16
Size: 24" W x 24" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
Another commissioned painting of a great subject. Anyone who was a child of the 80s who loved all different types of music got into Nas' Illmatic album, which is fantastic start to finish. What's great about this commission is that it is going to be a great challenge to pull it off. I definitely enjoy being challenged and the dual exposure of the image is what's going to be especially difficult but amazing to pull off. I think I am totally going to rock this one!
"drivE" - 07/31/16
Size: 30" W x 24" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
One of my favorite recent films. It has such a different story than Hollywood usually produces and it's slow and quiet, also against the norm. But that's the type of movie I like. What you see a lot of the time now is the same old thing over and over again, regurgitated for mass viewing pleasure. But not Drive. Sure, it has Ryan Gosling, Hollywood's prince, but he plays a killer and a savior at the same time. Some really great music and great scenery along with really well acted parts...Love it...
"monstEr" - 07/18/16
Size: 18" W x 24" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
I am taking a little bit of a leap away from my typical strategy of trying to not paint stuff that is ultra famous. This image of Frankensteins's monster played by Boris Karloff in the 1931 film, Frankenstein, is one of the most recognizable monster images out there. It's also the go-to image of the monster, who everyone seems to call Frankenstein for some reason. So, my main motivation for doing this one is that I saw a fellow artist do one and I really liked it so I thought I would give it a try too...
"chloE" - 07/11/16
Size: 28" W x 22" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
Kick Ass is a pretty cool film. A very different take on superheros and vigilante justice. And how often is Nicholas Cage actually kind of cool in a movie? And if you look at the two movies that have been made so far, Hit Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) is definitely the coolest character. Plus it sounds like there's a prequel coming featuring her as the main character. Not sure how it'll work considering she's like a foot or more taller than in the first film, but they might pull it off and make it a great third installment...
"tarAntino" - 07/03/16
Size: 20" W x 20" H x 3/4" T
Inspiration:
One of the greatest directors of the last 20 years. Some of his movies will last the test of generations to come. Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, True Romance, Four Rooms...the list goes on and on. His style is unlike any other and he always seems to be pushing the limits of style and story in every movie he has a part of...
"formAtion" - 05/28/16
Size: 72" W x 36" H x 2.5" T
Inspiration:
Another commission here and what a fantastic challenge. It's a great image from the music video "formation" by Beyonce but man, everything about it was very tough. I threw everything I had at it though. The blurry background, the massive amount of jewelry, the blending, you name it...it had everything in it and I am very proud of how it turned out
