My Spirit in War

graphite, 11x14"

I was thinking about my horse the other day. I see him as a friend, guardian, path seeker, and a companion in war (in other words, the hardships of life). I have been blessed to have him and miss him just as much as I miss all that I know and love in the east coast. He has given me a place to go and company to have when needed and wanted. My Spirit warrior and guiding friend.

Now, this is only a sketch, but I feel I would love to be able to turn this into a painting and also be able to play with more Celtic/American Indian/ Art Deco designs as well as extending those horns on Spirit's helm. Good business card layout I think. 

A Little fun with Creature Design

11x14" sketch

I must say, I feel that I should be working with James Cameron on his new Avatar movie. I am more of a Fantasy illustrator than that of a Creature designer, but I do enjoy combining a good four creatures together once in awhile to polish up my imagination/anatomy skills. This one was inspired by a prehistoric sloth. My Academy had a book sale, where I purchased two books references of dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures at a very very cheap price. There was a depiction of a sloth's upper body and I completely changed everything from the reference.

 If one wanted to make sense of this being, it is a sloth-mole-gorilla- T-rex that is very strong but somewhat lazy. This creature is nocturnal and mostly blind, but can see in ultra-viloet light that it generates from those circular scales depicted on its back, neck, and underbelly. I figure because its mostly blind it needed more of a firm gasp of its surroundings along with its need for a certain frequency of light. Therefore, the front T-rex-like arms have fingers much like a frog's, that are very sensitive to vibrations. And because it has gorilla like upper and lower body strength and movement, this thing can charge if needed. But I figure that it is mostly a gentle creature. Just don't get it mad, or you get the claws!

There's always time for a few Horses

Yes I still try and make time for a horse here and there. While working on my first semester of my MFA in Illustration out here in San Francisco, I have little time to just draw or create what I want. But, when I do, I try to make it epic and/or relatable to the Art Deco Era with a little bit of Mucha mixed in. 

To those reading my post, please know that I feel I can call myself a horse anatomy expert. If you own a horse or know someone who does, and would like to commission a piece of this horse for either a gift or personal collection, I am very reasonably priced and open for business. Food will not grow itself out here in San Francisco because I have no real backyard to do that. So support an artist like me and commission a horse portrait. I can literally draw/paint anything you want. Examples: your horse with a Knight, a design with your horse, examples of horses above, paintings, drawings, certain color schemes to match a particular place for display, a formal portrait etc. Thank you. As always, please refer me to any friends and family.

The Cathedral of a Woman

22x18", pencil, pen, watercolor, tea stained Bristol

"For the knight is swift and the Sybil is wise, so is that of every Woman."

This piece was inspired, in its premature stages, with a lone crane feather found on the side of a river bank. With that feather, an idea came, and that idea directed to the self portrait, and then to needing something more to accentuate that piece itself. And seeing how this is a self portrait piece, needed to pick two figures that I reflected to as an artist, which is the Knight and the Sibyl. The knight and the Sibyl are each associated with a being where I find I always seem to think of when I feel the most inspired; a horse and a dragon. I am glad to have had the chance to create this piece before I continue my artistic growth in California in a week. I even have another idea about a story to do with dragons that came from this piece...but I won't spoil that one for you just yet.

Your Common New England Bird

watercolor, pen, 11x14"

Being surrounded by so many birds lately, I had the opportunity to be in the presence of my inspiration for this peice. These birds I saw were those common to the Vermont forests: Blue Jays, American Gold Finches, Cedar Waxwings, Crows etc. Yet, even though, I was engulfed by these beautiful creatures, I wanted to make one with a bit more color. Hard to say, this guy spawned from a crow.

Is it Ready?

Watercolor, pen, 11x8"

After being on the Battenkill River (Vermont) for the past 4 days, I have seen so many rock sculptures and they looked so stable and serene. So I made some too. Some were successful, some failed to defy gravity. Then I got to thinking, what if a scruffy looking Gnome was going creating these sculptures I see randomly place along the river? Thinking along those lines, I found that making these sculptures just right takes time, stability, and patience. Much like the point where all artists come to at the 'end' of a piece: "Is it Ready?"

St. George and the Dragon

18x20" watercolor, ink, color pencil

I have begun a journey that puts me away from my comfort zone and into a new and unknown territory. That can be said for both my work as well as my travel to the other side of the country within the month. But, as I have so much to yet discover what watercolor deems to uphold, I am attempting to discover the possibilities this medium can give. What better way to practice that notion, than on a piece itself rather than on a scrap piece of paper. Yes, one may find that practicing on scrap can give you a feel for what exactly you are trying to achieve, but will you really know where and how to apply it when you get to that point?

Eowyn and Windfola

20x9", watercolor, ink, pencil

I have always related myself to Eowyn in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. In his work, Tolkien describes Eowyn with longing to win renown in battle due —more so because she was royal and the fact that her family has been disrupted by Orcs—but being female, her duties were not so related to such tasks. Therefore, I admire her as a shield-maiden that went against norms, going into battle, grieved but determined.

Beyond the Horizon Line

I was looking at my self portrait humanoid that lead me to have an epiphany as to why this idea came to my head. I am going to the west coast to earn my MFA in Illustration. In my piece I am a centaur/snake looking starkly at my horizon with this snake-like dragon next to me. This creature is my artistic muse looking at a mass of clouds that are pure, white, and void; showing no hint of what is beyond the point where he and I are standing. But I stand ready, strong, with a look of acute anticipation. I will go to places that my muse takes me.

watercolor, 16x20"

This piece is the turning point in my life.

Storm of Feathers and Fur

16x20" watercolor

An illustrative piece with aspects of barbarians versus the civilized. Who will you take sides with in the Storm?