Abstract Series (3). 2010.

"But, There is Science!"

"Bridge of Sighs" 

"Frances Looked the Apparition" 

"Heaven Knows It's Got to Be This Time"

  These paintings were done in 2010 as part of the second wave of my abstract series. I had taken a break from this series to explore some different approaches. Here I tried to explore different ways to make these paintings while establishing my "style." One thing artist must do is to continue to explore and experiment. This is how we get better and grow. Not every work is successful, not every work achieves that status of capital "A" Art. As in life, we learn from mistakes and failures, as much, if not more, than we do from our successes.

Abstract Series (2). 2009-10.

"The Teenagers"

"Civility"

"G.I. Romance" 

"Foundation" 

"I Might Have a Whole Other Life Next Time You See Me"

 These paintings were made primarily in 2009. They were later in the first wave of this abstract painting series. I painted them in the back of my comic shop. I was experiencing a huge creative burst and in the process, learning to be a painter. There was a lot of growth during that time.  These later works I think show that when compared to the earlier ones. They all provided different challenges and finding the solutions was part of the learning experience.

Drawings. Mount Olive College. 2006-07.

This diptych drawing is of artist Andy Goldsworthy.  In the assignment, we were given artist to research by our instructor and come up with something based off of them and/or there work. I had never heard of Goldsworthy before, but was deeply impressed by his work. He makes environmental sculptures with found natural objects in the surrounding area. The sculptures breakdown over time and return to the natural state. He is worth some investigation if you haven't seen it. The two drawings are mixed media; ink, pencil, charcoal and chalk. I incorporated Goldsworthy and various works of his to create the drawing.  

This drawing is of I-Earthquake. He was the first person know in the Americas to have his name recorded. His name loosely translates as "born the year after the earthquake." I was inspired to do this drawing after reading about him in the book 1491 about pre-European history in the Americas. Along with his imagined portrait, I included corn/maze, Coca-Cola bottles, classic cars, skyscrapers, and cell phnes, creating a sort of  Tower of Babel. I also incorporated the pictograph of I-Earthquake from the historic record.  The record was created by an enemy of this ancient warrior and it actually records his death.

"The Trial of Sacco and Vanzetti."  I have been fascinated with this infamous duo and their trial since I first read about it in middle school. Often described as a great injustice of the American court system,  Sacco and Vanzetti's story should be taught more in American  history classes. In the image I included a famous portrait of the two hand-cuffed together, their death masks, an electric chair, and a courtroom scene. In the courtroom there are faceless jury members and jackal lawyers, as well as a gavel an evidence. The men were immigrants from Italy and worked as fish mongers. This is why I gave them fish halos. This drawing is made in blue and regular pencil.

Abstract Series (1). 2009-2010.

"Apex or Blessing"

"Promise Garden"

"Poem 2"

"This House is Cold,  But I Will Start a Fire"

"Unrequited"

  These paintings were made during a creative burst in 2009. I made around 60 or more similar paintings in a span of about three months. Each one was more complex and a learning experience. These are some of the early-mid period works from those three months.
   I hadn't really painted much in the year and a half prior. I had graduated from college, applied to a couple of graduate schools, and was just working. I didn't get into grad school and ended up buying a comic book store. I felt a great need to make art again, so I began to paint. I wanted to do something new and challenging. I began to experiment  with  pure abstraction and heavy color use, both of which were new to me.
    These paintings made me think about color, shape, and form in a new and more complex way. I put to use what I had learned in art school and in the process, I became a painter, not just someone who draws with paint. People have responded positively to this series and I worked on it for about a two years. Now, whenever I am in a spot, or need to clear my artistic mind, I will go back to working on a painting in this style to get me back on track.

the City & Skyway Ablum Cover. 2007.

My friend Barry Johnston asked me to provide some art for his band, the City & Skyway's album Compose Yourself. I was honored and happy to do so. I made the three drawings below and he and the band selected what they wanted to use for the cover. I had helped in making CD covers before when I was in my old band but his was the first to use my art as an artist and not a band member. They gave me the liberty to do whatever I felt and I came up with these skyscrapers and bridges ideas. The music is good too. 

Four Part Portrait. Mount Olive College. 2007

A large four panel portrait of my old band Art Lord & the Self-Portraits from a photo someone took at a house show. Each panel was 2' x 4' on Masonite with a wood frame. More a large drawing with paint than a painting. I really liked how this turned out. Below are details of each panel and a photo of the painting in process at a home studio. 

Portrait/Figure Series. Mount Olive College. 2007.

"Last Dance" is a painting based on the spirituality and culture of the native Americans and Latin Americans in the time before the Europeans. I was reading a great book called "1491" about the history of the Americas before Columbus. The painting is more of a mixed media piece as it is mostly a charcoal and chalk drawing with some paint. It was 4' x 6'.  I think at the time it was one of my strongest works, but now I see it as yet another step in my development. 

Small ink sketch for "last Dance." In some ways I think I executed this better than the larger work.

"Triple Self-Portrait."  I think this was from an assignment to use repetition. I used the repeated images of the cup and myself. This is more of a mixed media drawing with paint. 

Detail from a portrait the class did of one of the grounds keeper/maintenance man John at Mount Olive College. This was a full on painting, as opposed to the  other paintings here. I learned a lot from making this painting. I remember figuring out how to paint the trees and leafs while driving back and forth school and home. I observed the light acting on the trees. I am fortunate I didn't crash. The flesh tones clothes were a challenge too, but I think they turned out well. The most difficult part for me was the truck. I have never been one to draw vehicles and I struggled with it the most I think. That is why it looks a little off.  Overall, I think it turned out well. 

Independent Study. Mount Olive College. 2006

 I took an independent study painting class in the summer of 2006. I was really into making some political conscious paintings at the time. These paintings, and a few others I made were more like giant political cartoons. I was very politically charged at the time and this felt like a way to make my voice heard. I made four or five large 4' x 4' paintings in this series. I have since painted over some of these as I felt like moving on to follow other muses. Some of these paintings may be abrasive and confrontational, but art has to be that way sometimes.

Circles Series. Goldsboro. 2009.

These are three paintings I did in early 2009. Each is 4' x 4' on Masonite with a wood backing frame.
 It had been a little over a year since I had final graduated from college(s) and had done very little art-wise during that time. I decided I wanted to paint again and I wanted to do something different from what I had previously done. That meant pure abstraction. I took three large paintings that I was less than pleased with and painted over them. They were political in nature. I wanted to move past that and explore new ideas. I did these in the spring of 2009 in the back of my comic shop. Doing these spurred me on to paint more and ushered in a wave of art making where I made over 60 paintings in about three months time. These are the paintings the launched me into becoming a painter and not just an artist who draws with paint. 

Painting from Design II. SWOSU.1995

I have forgotten the title of this painting. I think I was something about pain and beauty and loneliness.  The painting was done over a weekend. I had no idea what I was going to do when I started the assignment. Nor do I remember the specifics of the assignment. I recall at one point this was going in the direction of some kind of Tom Sawyer like river scene, but somehow it morphed into this rural-esque scene. This is the only thing I have kept from that first year of college. It was done quickly and intuitively, but I was pleased with how it just manifested itself. 

Painting Studios. ECU. circa 2000.

 The first painting is "Angels vs. Balloons." I think it was supposed to be allegorical. I can't recall. I made these angels designs based off of some doodles I made while I was taking notes in some other class. I don't know where the idea came from, it just kind of happened.

The second painting is "In the Garden of Eden, Monkeys Helped God make Man." This painting was a building process. At first I didn't have much of an idea of what I wanted to do content-wise. I had this problem a lot when I was younger. I would have either concepts I was unable to complete or no concept at all. During the process of this painting I was listening to the Pixies a lot, and took an idea from "Monkey Gone to Heaven." So I guess in a way I was trying to reconcile Evolutionist and Creationist thought.

 The third painting is a self-portrait with a cane. This is one of those classic "night-before-crit" paintings many of us have done in art school. I really pulled it out of my...tail end, and the instructor made note of that during the crit. He liked it though, so all was well.                                                            

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The forth painting was from a POP art assignment. I found this panel in a beat up old Justice League of America comic from the 1960's. In the story, the heroes are swept away to another planet and blasted with a ray that takes all there powers. This panel stuck out to me. The text on it's own, without the context of the story, is so very un-Superman-like. The pose seemed like a shrug, lacking in the confidence which Superman carries himself. I think I was feeling that at the time. I think I identified with this "in name only" idea. I had all these ideas of who I was supposed to be, but was still trying to figure myself out. I had all these ideas and things I had grown up with, and was being exposed to new ideas and things so very different from my background. Cultures and ideologies clashing and crashing together and me, powerless, stuck in the middle. This is all clear in retrospect, at the time I was in the trenches of that war. But I made out alive; battered, bruised, and a little bit wiser.

Watercolor Portraits. SWOSU, 1996.

 These portraits of Frank Sinatra, John Lennon, Trent Reznor, and Micheal Stipe were made in spring 1996. I don't recall if I chose to use the un-natural color scheme for the flesh, or if it was a part of the assignment. I had forgotten about these until recently when I found them in an old portfolio. I was surprised to see how the color usage is similar to what I do now. I know I didn't understand color back then; I must have done it intuitively. Color was always difficult for me to wrap my head around. I think I was sick the week we covered color in class. I have a much better understanding now, but it took me a while to put it together in my head.

Life/Figure Drawing. SWOSU, 1995-96.

A few pieces from my Life and Figure Drawing classes I took at South Western Oklahoma State University in 1995-96.   They are done in charcoal, ink, white charcoal and pastel. I really enjoyed these classes, as drawing and painting people is what I like do do the best. I had spent a lot of time in my youth drawing overly muscled men with the dream of being a comic book artist. This was the first time I drew from a live model. I remember being slightly nervous when the class began, thinking it might be difficult to focus and concentrate with a live nude model...particularly a nude female model. But that wasn't the case. The only nude model we had was a guy named Terry. He was a good model, and I was the only one in class that would actually draw his genitals. Everyone else seemed to find it difficult.