Portrait of an artist...

It's taken a while for me to get around to posting these pieces. I finished them last month.

The first is something I have been thinking about for a while and have finally gotten around to turning it into a real image. It's titled "Portrait of an Artist as A Young Man", oil and enamel on paper. Been wanting to do something that incorporates graffiti for awhile now. I find "street art" to be very inspirational so this is dedicated to all those unknown artists who use public space as their canvas.

The second image is so far untitled, working title is "Dirt Road Song". It's oil on wood panels. I put these panels together several months ago and was playing with several ideas of what to paint onto it. Finally this image stuck with me long enough to see it to the end. It was an experiment that left me with more ideas for future works.

E.A.S.T.

East Side Studio Yours are upon us once again. Anyone living in Austin should definitely take advantage of the all the art and events going on on the east side this week. Open studios start this weekend and go through next weekend. November 13th and 14th and 20th and 21st. Candice and I are hosting a show from our home. Studio number 141 on the EAST map.

This is officially the first show for 1407Space. Look for the second to come in December.

"Hand Shake"

Finished this piece last night. Was sort of lost on the background for a while. Painted and repainted, finally found the point that tells me to stop. Funny about the figure, that moment came very quickly.

This painting is called "Hand Shake". There is a lot I like about this piece that I felt was lacking when I started it. I never really had an end point I was working towards I just kept going until it looked like it was supposed to be this way.

The man on the left looks like Richard Nixon to me but I promise that it is not Nixon.

Two new pieces. Same subject approached in different ways. This might very well be an image I have used more then any other. In 2005 I made a painting on canvas of the same image but minus the black mask.

The image on the left is oil on paper. The one on the right is oil pastel and photocopy transfer on paper. As of yet the left piece is untitled but the name "Look towards the horizon young soldier, the future is like a setting sun", keeps running through my brain. The image on the right is simply called "Salute". I love this picture for it's innocence. Innocence in the face of tragedy transformed or disguised.

I always com back to these muted colors. Like a painting covered in a layer of dust.

I'm starting my first blog with my newest painting. I feel like it is appropriate. It's title is, "Thinking of the Things That I Could Do If I Just Had Some Money."

Been painting a lot on paper recently. There is something less permanent about paper then canvas. I feel a kind of freedom. No need to worry too much about the imagery or if I am making enough of a statement. There is more of a sense of spontaneity to working on paper.

"Thinking of the Things..." was never intended to be a self portrait. I don't really think of it as a self portrait but I suppose it sort of transformed into that. Similarly, the background was never intended to be left empty. I began with the intention of eventually figuring out something to fill the empty space. Sometimes the process changes things I suppose.