Don't You Worry Bout A Thing ~ No. 2

So I lived through my panic attack getting to the airport, and the the hail storm. Now I am faced with two more heads of the beast that has become this trip [so far]: Time & Distance. The first, I don't have enough of; and the latter, I have way too much!

Watercolor Splotches

I've recently discovered that there's a market for some of these simpler pieces.
I'll give you more information, where and when it becomes available.

Don't You Worry Bout A Thing ~ No. 1

There's a funny story behind all this.

My trip last week gave birth to this new series of drawings. A lot went right during the trip, but a lot went wrong too. "A picture can paint a thousand words", so I'll just let them do that. One of the mornings after I got to Boise, I woke up and I had Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", going over and over in my head. It was appropriate on so many levels, so it has become my new mantra.

It really did hail & rain while I waited for the bus at the Las Vegas long term parking lot. No cover! Once in the airport for about a half hour someone took a look at me, and asked if is was really raining that hard.
"...Yeah! and HAIL!"

Top Five - List No. 3 ~ Road Trip!

Going back the the old standard, "If you were going to be stranded on a deserted island what music would you take?"
Mind you, we live in the days of the series "Lost", where it seems anything is possible, so don't worry about "the hows", "the wheres", and "the whys". If it makes you feel better let's plan a road trip! I'm leaving for Boise in the morning. I hope to get a job, talk to B.S.U, but most of all spend as much time with the kids as possible. So here is my top five: "If I was going to be stranded on a deserted island what music would you take? or road trip albums list to go see the kids!

No.5 Nick & Norah's Infinite Play list [ OMPS ] (2009)
No.4 Jazz [ Queen ] (1978)
No.3 Yessongs [ Yes ] (1973)
No.2 Physical Graffiti [ Led Zeppelin ] (1975)
No.1 All Things Must Past [ George Harrison ] (1970)

Happy Trails!

My Oldest Favorite Word

Determination

[de·ter·mi·na·tion]

–noun

the quality of being resolute; firmness of purpose.

"It is by sheer determination that I got this far"

The Man Who Minds The Moon

The piece you see above you is James C. Christensen's "The Man Who Minds The Moon". He is one of my favorite artist. He's pretty closed mouth about what his pieces are about, fortunately his art has a lot to say for itself. - "I'm OK on my own James" - What I like best, is to find out what gave him the idea in the first place. He taught at Brigham Young University in Provo, UT for twenty years. During that time he taught one of my professors from Boise State, Bill Carman. Prof. Carman was my teacher for most of my illustration classes. Look them both up. You'll be glad you did.

Sun On The Moon

Reflecting on the time I created this sun design from the hand prints of my six sons , I realized I put a lot of time and love into this. Their names are over each of their hand prints in elvish text. As the fingers reach towards the circles and the circles reach towards their names, all of it becoming one enormously large ball of light; or something like that :)

Thank you; Spencer, Griffin, Harrison, Cooper, Ian & Leo.

Looking forward to seeing the kids, and starting a new design with new hand prints [ including Georgia's]

Stripped

I was inspired after looking at my son Griffin's comic strips to start my own. Though are influences are way different, the way we think about things, put things together, is dead on the same.

Batman Vs. Mickey Mouse

I’ve always wanted to be a superhero; not like Batman, though he’s by far my favorite. I would want to be the hero that has the ability to go anywhere I want - and take a friend. The place I would go the most would be Disneyland. I kind of have that ability with an annual pass. This last time I went though, some friends of mine rescued me. Wait. I have to back up a little. For almost as long as I have wanted to be Batman; I’ve wanted to work for Disney. However, given the opportunity right now to live in Burbank or Boise, I choose Boise and being with the kids. Getting to my point, I was in California Adventure and given the opportunity to draw Mickey Mouse! The five year old in me was having the time of his life! Here’s the picture.

“Ugly Baby God”!

When I’m an Art teacher, I’m going to assign a project like “Ugly Baby God”! We were to find the strangest subject and then put it in an even stranger environment. Georgia had this really scary ugly baby doll that was one of my first choices. When I took it to class so everyone could see it, the ugly baby was a hit. Early sketches had the doll in an “Attack of the 50 Foot Woman” thing, as an Aztec chief sacrificing another ugly baby to the gods, and finally an ugly baby in the “Thinker” pose, its own head in hand, contemplating its self. All good ideas, but I opted for making ugly baby a god standing on its own creation “created in its own image” looking into infinity. It was a fun project! I hope my students like it too.

Coming Sooner or Later

I’ve always wanted an English bulldog ~ ALWAYS! Daisy will be three years old on the 25th. I got her as an early graduation gift when she was just a pup. We came down to California in September of 2008, and since Dad passed this last August, it has just been the two of us. It’s a joke to tell people she talks to me, [in a non ~ Son of Sam way], sometimes they don’t get the joke! After one too many of those reactions, I decided I should find a better place to put this energy. The comic is going to be that place, and a new exercise in the creative process. I will be putting it together more than free handing it like traditional comic strips. It’s already become more than I imagined, things that worked out well, and things that blew up in my face. I’m still working on the first piece, because it’s taking longer than I thought. So here’s the title panel, and I’ll just say “Keep looking for it, and trust me. You won’t be able to miss it.”

Georgia Fairy Princess

Tomorrow is Georgia’s birthday! I like making birthday cards, more than I like buying them, and this is hers this year. The image is a borrowed piece from another project. In both instances, it’s still Georgia, my fairy princess. Barely touching the ground, she’s almost floating away. Her snow globe is her only anchor! This pen and ink is taken from the original sketch. Some lines can not be improved a pond, and I didn’t want this one to get away. This rough draft of Georgia is part of a long precession, made up of her brothers and her Dad. In the picture, it’s noticeable that she is the only one that is free of earthly care, and quite ready to be airborne at a moments notice. The rest of the caravan, however, has heavy coats, and heavy objects that keep them earthbound. It’s a great idea. Everyone, eventually, floats and flies, and looses their cares. ~ Happy Birthday Georgia!

Self Portrait No.10

This started out as my last assignment in the watercolor class I talk about. It was all free hand, about 2’X 3’. I love the feel of all the Catholic Icons. There is an innate mystic quality to them. I was reluctant to pattern a self portrait after one though, because some people actually believe the Icon has healing powers. I learned a lot from the project ~ again ~ the teacher was really good at giving away some of his tricks. On the robe he showed me how to take the wet red watercolor, put plastic wrap and dry it with a hair dryer to give the finished piece the look of drapery, very cool! The piece was designed with a blank square in the arms of the subject. I wanted to photo graphic the painting, and then in Photoshop be able to put my favorite album cover there. Why you may ask? Why not I answer?! It’s a piece that lends its self to change, and I like that.

Self Portrait No. 8

Last project @ B.S.U in 2008. Self portrait 5'X6', charcoal on old children's book pages. This was a great class. I'm really looking forward to being back in Boise with the kids, and going back to school.

Top Five - List No. 2 ~ The Letter "B"

Today's list is brought to you by the letter "B"

Rush and I go back clear to Jr. High. Some of my happiest and saddest times are tied to their music...so on this the first day of April 2010, I give you, without fan fair or delay, The top five Rush songs that begin with the letter "B"

No.5 Bastille Day [Caress of Steel](1975)
No.4 By-Tor and the Snow Dog [Fly by Night](1975)
No.3 Between Sun & Moon [Counterparts](1993)
No.2 Bravado [Roll the Bones](1991)
No.1 Bravest Face [Snakes and Arrows](2007)
Though we might have precious little,It's still precious.

Have a Beautiful April Fools day!