Teeter ...

"Teeter"

I actually finished this piece with time to spare, its such a rare occurrence I felt like sharing, because usually I'm running out the door with the varnish still wet. Its especially uncanny considering the size of this piece, at 10" x 20" it's not the biggest thing I've ever done, but its still roughly twice the size of my usual fare.

This piece is going into a show with Brandon Sopinsky next week at Alpha Cult called "This is Going to Hurt". The title of the show sort of inspired this piece. I went through a lot of different ideas before I got anywhere I liked, and even then I had to draw this thing like four times before I liked it enough to start painting. Even then I still ended up making a lot of changes on the fly, which was sort of a change of pace. Usually I have everything locked in before I ever touch a brush.

The show is opening on the Eighth of November, so if your within a stones-throw of Long Beach you should pop in and have a look-see. Apart from being a classy gallery, Alpha Cult also boasts a fine selection of Vinyl Toys and Collectibles. It's totally the place I'd shop if I had enough money to buy my own paintings.

Atop a precipice ...

Just a quick post, letting you all know I still exist and post and such. Just a little sample of my current piece, as yet unnamed, which I'll be contributing to Brandon Sopinsky's "This is Going to Hurt" early next month. I just finished all the environment bits, so I figured this was a pretty good time to snap a picture and share it with all my internet friends. Stay tuned for more updates, and let me know what you think.

Au Naturel ...

"Au Naturel"

This Saturday, Alpha Cult will be hosting a little group show called "Against the Grain". The show is all about wood, specifically its use as a medium in the contemporary art scene ala Audrey Kawasaki.

I didn't have a lot of time to work on this piece, but I wanted to try something a little different, both from my usual offerings and from the current trend. For the most part woodgrain is often used as a background, so I decided it would be fun to try and use the woodgrain as my foreground element instead.

The skull in the painting above was masked out so that the original wood panel would still show through after I finished the background. Then I fleshed it out with some transparent washes to create a bit of rendering. Overall I decided to keep everything simple, because I wanted the usage of the wood to be the focus of the piece.

I ran into a few snags at the beginning, and anytime I try masking is always a harrowing activity, but I'm really happy with the final product. The whole thing was sort of an excuse to play around and experiment with technique, but I think it turned out for the best.

You can check the piece out this Saturday at Alpha Cult in Long Beach.

La Calabaza ...

"La Calabaza"

If your wondering that's Spanish for "The Pumpkin". However, because it's in Spanish it immediately sounds cooler and more mysterious, especially with the z in it.

I actually drew this character almost two years ago, but I scrapped the original painting and hadn't really had any use for him until now. I figured it being an October show I'd show off a little Halloween spirit. He he, spirit (cuase he's a ghost, ya know? ... never mind). I really like the way the lighting came out on this piece, especially with the dual lighting on the character, and the glowing Jack-O-Lantern skulls.

This piece will be at the Hive for tomorrows big October group show, which will feature brand-spanking new work from my buddy 13:11. I strongly recommend your attendance, assuming of course you live within a reasonable driving distance of the Downtown Los Angeles Area, and that you like cool things. Which I think you do.

Just check out the flyer...