Nature Rocks


I may add some highlights to the Roses, but I’m bored, and as Rey found out when turning over her scavenged goods on Jakku, what was worth four rations yesterday, is only worth 1/2 today.

About the painting:

The idea stems from an audial affair I had with an old friend, Concrete Blonde. Concrete Blonde, for those wondering, is an 80’s band fronted by still smoking hot bassist Johnette Napolitano. Her gothic voice, driving rythym, and intense lyrics sucked me right back in as I was navigating my music collection.  

I was listening to the song ‘Caroline’ a lot, especially on my many recent road trips. One day, curious, I pulled up the video…

…And I sort of became inspired. So, the rocker in the painting is Johnette, although I’m horrible at 1:1 realism, and she’s wearing the dress from the video. I took artistic license with the guitar, sue me.  Here’s a still:


The roses? The song ‘Caroline’ is from the album ‘Bloodlettng’, which is chock full of roses. It’s been remastered for its 20th anniversary, by the way:


So that is the story. I guess you could call it fan art? Really, it’s stream of consciousness painting to good music. 

As for the title? Nature does rock. It fits and I’m a fan.

Parity Lost

A surreal painting titled "Parity Lost" features a blue-skinned figure with dark wings kneeling and gazing into a large vessel. A woman with curly hair peers out from the vessel, swathed in pink fabric and surrounded by trailing vines. Abstract pink clouds form the ethereal background.

“Everyone knew the war would one day end. It had raged for eons since Lucifer decided he would rather own his house than pay rent. The sides of light and darkness had fought themselves to a standstill. “If only God’s pets could see the ethereal ruin that lay in between their Starbucks and obsession with the Kardashians,” most angels mused to themselves as the conflict went on.   

What no one expected, was for the war to end today. No one foresaw that the strongest of the Angels would exercise her free will, just as Lucifer had at the beginning of time. She had grown weary of the routine, the constant pressure of vigilance, of maintaining the balance, and had decided to do something about it. She would become what God loved most – human.
As her wings relented under the blade, tremors shook the ethereal, summoning Lucifer to her side. He loved her, this angel, his greatest threat. He had held her in greater esteem than those braggarts Michael and Gabriel. She, who had fought him to an aeons-long standstill, had earned his respect, and worse, corrupted the purity of his hate with love, however selfish.

She had chosen to become mortal, a contemptible, imperfect, creature that had what all angels desired. Now, the balance had shifted. He had loathed the favorites of God, he had achieved self-actualization through his torment of them – and now she was one of them! Could he go on destroying them? His heart sank at the only conclusion he could reach. The war was over.”

Squareset

A vibrant abstract painting, titled "Squareset," depicts a sunset over a forested landscape. The sky is filled with orange and yellow bursts of color representing the sunset, while below, the forest is rendered in deep blues and purples.

Squareset is an abstract representation of a sunset using strictly horizontal strokes (kind of a thing I’m developing).  This is mostly a test set for color, but I think it stands on it’s own.  I don’t know if no-impressionism is a ‘thing’; if not, I’ll plant that flag.  If you like it, let me know in the comments, and I’ll make more.

#Abstract #Landscape #Acrylic #Painting

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Queen of the North

A painting of Viking figures on a dragon-headed longship in dense mist. One figure at the front holds a fiery torch, lighting the scene with an orange glow. The background, suggesting dawn or dusk over a calm sea or river, adds a mystical aura fit for the Queen of the North.

Sometimes you take risks. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it does not. This is one of those ‘do not’ times. Yet it is mine, and I claim all of my failures.

The scene: The King has died. On a cold, snowy morning, the Queen readies herself to go to Valhalla with the love of her life. The people mournfully prepare their regent for her departure in the depths of the early morning fog.

Acrylic on canvas. 18 x 24. 2016.

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Gathering of Souls

A vibrant painting depicts a dark blue bird mid-flight against a colorful, abstract background. The background, reminiscent of a Gathering of Souls, features dynamic, multi-colored brushstrokes in green, yellow, red, and more. Additional smaller blue birds can be seen flying in the distance.

‘Gathering of Souls’: People once believed that when someone dies in battle, a raven flies at dusk to carry their soul to the land of the dead.

This is a rescue painting. Originally it was going to be a geometric design based on the Old Futhark rune for prosperity, which looks like an angular version of those ‘support x’ magnets you see on the back of cars. It would have been entitled “The Tree of Othala”, which is the name of the rune.

Unfortunately, I’m not Cezanne and kind of messed up; so I went in another direction.
I can do better but I wanted to show that not everything we do as artists is that great. Still, I’m curious as to thoughts on it?

Castle’s Fall

Nestled in the hills overlooking the sleepy valley, the Sandmen of Castle Dream-guard keep watch on the distance.  For in the far-off mists the armies of the nightmare realm gather for their nefarious purposes.

The castle is modeled on my favorite, Lichtenstein Castle.

Spray Paint and Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24.  Unframed. Available for purchase here.

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Harvest Knights

A surreal painting depicts a vibrant, oversized orange moon against a pink and purple sky. In the foreground, a lush landscape with tall, dark trees and dense foliage evokes the Rites of Spring. A small arched bridge crosses a tranquil stream, with mysterious ruins to the right.

“Harvest Knights” Acrylic and Spray Paint on Canvas, 18 x 24. Deep in the night, under the blood moon a pair of knights rush along a deserted road, past ruins of long forgotten folk towards an urgent engagement. At least that’s the idea. The skills never match the concept.

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Rites of Spring

A surreal painting depicts two gnarled trees with twisting, leafless branches against a dramatic gradient sky, reminiscent of the Rites of Spring. The ground is covered in warm-toned, orange-brown grass, with a small patch of vibrant green plants and colorful flowers in the foreground.

Deep in the night as the vernal equinox reaches its apex; while the moon blankets the land in cold light; the sleeping children of Nature stir.  The trees begin the dance of awakening, twisting and undulating in reverent celebration.  Their movement coaxes the Earth Mother to coalescence; like the creation of a galaxy, swirling, spinning, concentrating the forces of life against those of decay. The first buds begin to bloom, a supernova of light their birth cry – Spring has arrived.

That was the thought.  I’m fascinated with the pagan past of humanity, wrapped in rich mysticism which is completely the opposite of the modern fascination with the cold facts of science.  This interest is reflected in this painting.

P.S. There are no people in the painting.

The painting itself is a mix of spray paint and acrylic brushwork.  It is flawed, at least I see the big flaw, but until I figure out how to fix it without destroying the composition, I guess its finished.  The dimensions are 18 x 24. It’s for sale at $200 plus shipping (should be about $20, I’ll pick up anything above that).

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The Murder

A silhouetted, leafless tree with The Murder of five birds perched on its branch stands against a twilight sky that transitions from deep blue to orange. Surrounding foliage and distant terrain are also seen in the fading light.

This one comes straight from depression.  I call it ‘The Murder’, if you know your object quantifiers, you’ll figure it out.  It’s a combination #spray #paint and #acrylic brushwork on #canvas.  It’s also part of my #light series.  I think I’ll probably go back and do some touch-ups. The camera didn’t catch the depth of color; I regret that.

I would have gone with, ‘Crows Observe the Dawn’, but it didn’t have that echo to it. I was painting through a period of things not going my way. Music during the painting process was #Faun – particularly the song “Ero Escuro.”

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January; A Light Study

A painting of a bare tree and a vintage streetlamp against a vivid, swirling sky with shades of red, purple, blue, and black. The tree’s branches are twisted and reach towards the streetlamp, which emits a gentle glow. This evocative scene offers an eerie yet beautiful light study reminiscent of January nights.
Okay, I’m leaving this one like it is and starting another. I like the forlorn nature of the #painting. A cold January evening, as the last rays of the light ephemerally touch the clouds, the tree embraces the cold brilliance of the street lamp in hopes of seeing the Sun again. I was going to #paint leaves reacting with the #light, but that’s for another time. It’s spray-paint and #acrylic on #canvas, 18 x 24 and part of a #series of light studies I’m doing.
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Alien Flower

An abstract vision of what an alien flower would look like.  This is an acrylic on canvas painting.  I used air-duster cans, some brush and gravity/splatter techniques in the composition of the artwork.  18 x 24, 2016.

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The view from straight on.

Alien Flower Side

A side-view, which shows the textures used in the piece.

 

First Contact

A vibrant painting depicts a person in a spacesuit with a helmet visor. The figure is lit with red, yellow, and green hues against a dark, starry background with abstract blue and purple patterns, evoking the sense of First Contact in deep space.

‘First Contact’.  I took a better resolution photo than what is probably on my social media sites.  This is 24MP vs. 8MP. It’s #acrylic on #canvas #artwork.  I experimented with #airbrush in the beginning, but don’t have the special #paint (more finely ground than standard acrylics), and so I went back to the brush.  It’s a sign I need a rich patron. The #art is #forsale, along with everything else.  This particular piece of #fineart will set you back $648 plus shipping.

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