highlights from another finished book:

This one spans the first two thirds of 2011, January right up to just about my twenty sixth birthday. there are a lot of bars and shows and nights-out in this round. This is a book I'll be happy to shut for a while, many memories I'll be glad to put away. This year has been something of a rolling catastrophe; so much change, so many polar swings. It's not over yet..

Two from Break the Mold:

Highlights from a finished sketchbook:

It's always a great feeling turning the last page on a sketchbook. It's cathartic, like the end of an era. Now I can tuck this one away on a shelf and come back to it in a year or so when I'm feeling nostalgic. But, before I do, I figured I'd share some of my memories from this roughly six month period. Most of these are bar drawings. I don't normally advocate drinking and drawing but most of these were done one or two drinks in..right in that warm, euphoric, everything is right with the world moment.

more palm trees and power lines:

charcoal/conte on 18x24 paper (all of the above)

Two small drawings from the Sunday session:

The model had some beautiful poses this time. Unfortunately my drawings didn't come quite close enough to doing her justice. I'll have to work on pushing the value range a bit next time and let us not forget about the shadow edge!

still got it:

I haven't drawn in a model session for I don't know how long. Good to find that the figure is still a beautiful and intoxicating subject. I don't know if I'll be able to make it to many Sunday sessions these days, but I'll be there if I can. The community there is too important to me to miss that opportunity.

First skeptically finished painting in a great while, (and a sketch):

Approaching the curb, 30x40", oil on canvas

Orange Crossing, 34x41", charcoal/conte on paper

The painting on top is in a really good place. I'm not sure if that means it's finished exactly; it still needs to rest. The composition is from what I'm calling the stabbing party which was out in Long Beach some months back. on the bottom is a fairly quick drawing from a photo of a rail crossing near the Orange circle. It was such a beautiful photo to begin with that I'll really have to work to wring a decent piece out of the reference.

two sketchs:

guitarist sketch, approx. 3x4 ft., conte/charcoal on paper

2 palms sketch, 16x20, oil on canvas

I finally have some current work to show, even if they're not exactly finished projects. The drawing on top will probably end up as a step on the way to a painting or maybe another drawn version. Its drawn on that super cheap contractors paper which actually makes a pretty good neutral tone ground for conte crayon. The little painting on the bottom is a quick sketch from my backyard. My white is polymerizing in the can and getting really stringy and chunky. I'll have to do more quick ones like this to get my money's worth before the paint goes bad completely.

Three more drawings

"Mesa 2, visitors"  40x32", charcoal and pastel on paper

"Mesa 1" 32x40", charcoal and pastel on paper

"Canal 4, berm" 32x40", charcoal and pastel on paper

These three are from an older series of drawings that were done in the Bolsa Chica wetlands. The idea was to spend the night drawing from the landscape with only the available light to work under. When the moon was full the task was a bit easier, though when it was dark or cloudy the results were often more interesting. The experience alone was worth the effort. After a few hours alone and quietly drawing, the local residents became much more comfortable with my presence...