nature

Eater of Worlds

by
An abstract painting featuring a large, blue face with a wide-open mouth, from which a trail extends. Figures walk on the trail towards the eater of worlds. Red and pink flowers surround the scene. The background is filled with swirling blue, green, and yellow patterns.

This painting is about #depression.  I could waste words trying to be eloquent about it but depression is a soul-killing illness that people joke about but don’t really understand or think is a real illness (as recently observed at work).  The flowering trees represent the beauty of the world, the ladies on promenade humanity, and the force in the background? Churchill’s ‘black dog’, that force which is the destroyer of worlds.

I was inspired by Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream,’ although I did not borrow from this great artist per se.  What more is there? This is an #acrylic #painting on canvas. 18 x 24. Available.

In other news, I’ve planned it out, I should have a studio by December 2018.  I’m working for the man to pay off my divorce debt, so that is why it will take a minute to get set up. All my fans will be invited to stop in and share a glass of wine.  However, I won’t know you’re a fan unless you say something 😉

dsc_0473_usefin

God Bless!

Blessed Be!

Alhamdulillah!

Sukhi Hotu!

Have a great day!

Postscript: Apparently a major social media company isn’t impressed with art or maybe is anti-depression. Regardless, my promotion was canceled. They (the company) would not say exactly why, save that it didn’t meet with their guidelines. 

This is the first post since I’ve been doing this that has been rejected. So if someone complained that it wasn’t happy enough, thank you! Depression is a serious topic. Maybe my art is nouveau-degenerate, but then again, art is supposed to make a statement.

Here’s the cryptic messages they sent.

Majesty

by
A colorfully painted depiction of a lion's face, composed of vibrant brushstrokes in shades of orange, blue, green, and yellow. The lion's eyes and facial features are abstractly represented, blending into the textured background to convey its majesty.

The interesting thing about this piece is it was accomplished with nothing but short horizontal strokes of the brush. I also limited myself to metallic paints. This limits choice to blue, green, purple, copper, bronze, gold and white; so lighting was also a challenge.

I’m happy with the painting, it’s a good first step into a style I would like to pursue for a while, but am really unhappy with the way this artwork presents itself on film.  If you are standing  near it, the natural light does really wonderful things that photographs can’t capture and the metallic feel is lost in the transfer to film.  I’ll have to invest in bettering my skills.

Majesty refers to the Lion and it’s place as the ‘King of the Animals.’  Even lounging in the grass of the Savannah, the lion exudes comfort in being the Apex Predator.  Conversely, humans are only a 2.2 on the 1-5 scale.  The fun fact is that we humans maintain our perch over the animals due to our rational thinking and technology.  Without these two things, we are grouped with the likes of pigs and sardines.

Anyway, this is 16″ x 20″ and is an #acrylic #painting on canvas.

dsc_0431

Earth Mother

by
Surreal painting of a glowing blue face with a serene expression emerging from a dark background. Spiraling, bright green vines rise from the orange-red base, entwining towards the face. The artwork conveys an ethereal and mystical ambiance, evoking the presence of an Earth Mother.

I went ahead and signed this one because I don’t know when, if ever, I’ll get back to it.  It’s a nature piece, dealing with the mystical forces surrounding the entity that is Mother Nature, both from a pagan and artistic perspective.  She’s never really portrayed as a creature one wants to be around; rather, people would rather just appreciate her children.  This is why she is depicted as serious, even of stern visage, in my portrayal of her.

Once again, the vision in my minds-eye did not match what came from my hand, so I will have to keep trying.  The exercise in the piece was lighting from multiple sources, the plant, emanating the energy of its birth, the right, and from above, representing the night.  One can see faint traces of it in the downward strokes of the background.

Vitals: 18 x 24 acrylic on canvas.

Comments are welcome, more so if they go beyond “this is total rubbish”.

dsc_0375_1

The Forest

by
The Forest scene features towering redwood trees with thick, reddish-brown trunks. Sunlight filters through the canopy, casting soft, natural light onto the forest floor, which is covered in green foliage and plants. Shadows and light interplay throughout the image.

I originally was going to use this as a background for a Halloween painting. Halloween has come and gone, and so I decided to let it stand on its own.  Most people don’t appreciate the woods, but every time I’m in nature, I feel that connection between man and the environment. So, while the painting may be boring in a media-filled, sound-byte ridden world, I think there’s a certain peace to it.

New techniques to be found in this? Linear painting, maybe? I’m mostly practicing things I’ve developed in the past.  The hardest part of art , in my opinion, is getting light right in the woods, as there are so many contrasting areas of light and dark colors. Throw in streaming sunlight and one is tempted to cast aside the brush and bow to nature’s perfection. This is an imperfect representation of that beauty.

18 x 24, acrylic on canvas. Part of the closet series.

dsc_0360

Berries

by
A vibrant painting depicts abstract red flowers and berries on green stems against a background of swirling yellow, blue, and green hues. The bold, textured strokes create a lively and colorful composition.

“Berries”, a fluff piece really; designed to get me painting again. I’d lost the Muse for a moment, so I just went with what I felt. This is a combination of acrylics, extremely watered down to look like… errr, watercolors. I then used some spray painting (nice fumes on that one) with stencils and these odd polystyrene balls I found at Michael’s. To finish it off, I used fingers to paint what the balls could not. I’m hoping the brilliance of the reds hold when the paints dry. This is 18×24 and is multimedia.

berries-1

Castle S

by
A misty, ethereal landscape painting depicting a medieval castle with pointed towers and rooftops. The background is shrouded in fog, creating a mysterious atmosphere. Warm autumn foliage surrounds the structures, adding a touch of color.

I’ve completed another painting. I’m experimenting with fog / mist. It’s a process. I didn’t do so well on this one; hence ‘Castle S’. I’m going to call it a practice piece for the next work,  in which this will be the background for the action in that scene. This is 16 x 20, acrylic and spray paint on canvas. If you’re interested, I’ll let it go for $100.

use-me

Firefly

by
A colorful mixed media artwork featuring a large painted tree with square panels integrated into it. Each panel has illuminated cut-out designs, including a cluster of grapes, a leaf arrangement, and a tree. One panel includes glowing lights resembling fireflies dancing over a moss texture.

Firefly is a 36″ x 48″ 3D sculpture / painting utilizing acrylic paint, multiple canvases, mirrors, LED lighting (Solar or electrical power) tissue wrap paper, model railroad foliage (branches) and fake grass.  Evocative of a Midsummer Night, this piece draws on unconventional landscape effects to bring the composition to life. This is for sale. I’m asking $999.00. It may seem like a lot, but it allows me to eat and create art in an expensive area.

Firefly

Alien Flower

by

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.

Alien Flower

The view from straight on.

Alien Flower Side

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