posted: March 15, 2010

Portraiture and likenesses are relatively new to me. I've been slinging ink for a while now (first gig was in 1990 or thereabouts. I flubbed it. Ancient history) so I've had to provide a likeness here or there, natch. But it's been an infrequent request on the part of my (lovely,talented and remarkably good-looking) clientele. A while back I decided - full disclosure, I'd lost my third monthly gig and was a bit panicked - to concentrate on likenesses. I did a bunch, put 'em out there and let the people say what they would. Mostly what they said was nice, but the enthusiasm wasn't exactly blowing my wig back.

Don't know how or why, but at some point it kinda clicked. I started seeing the bigger picture; the broader shapes. I could compare my drawings to the subject and see where I'd made mistakes. Obviously some people are easier to draw than others (hello, Marty Scorsese and his Marty Scorsese eyebrows) and beautiful women are amongst the hardest to draw as they all essentially look exactly alike, all smiles and eyes and flowing hair. But I think I'm getting better at it and if you don't agree, please keep it to yourself. Remember, it's nice to be important but it's important to be nice.
 

These drawings ran yesterday in the venerable news daily the Boston Globe. The AD was Jane Martin. Drawing pictures for a living a pretty good racket, but some jobs are just fun. This was one of them; I actually caught myself chuckling a bit while working on these.

posted: March 4, 2010

It would be difficult to pinpoint exactly from whence these images were born. There's several threads running through them: a nod to Russian folk art, an abiding interest in fashion, thoughts about oppression both political and otherwise. The title of this series is a nod to my paternal grandmother Sophie, who was a Russian immigrant and a milliner. She had a millinery shop in Cincinnati in the early 1940s and it is suspected that, in the looming shadow of it's impending failure, she set it ablaze for the insurance money.

As these images were being developed, I imagined large swaths of old-growth evergreens and frost on the ground. I envisioned secret meetings among the pines; whispered plans delivered in the darkest shadows of the deepest forests.

Secrets should be kept at all costs.

All creatures work together so that none shall perish alone. Fleet of foot and strong of heart; silent as a field mouse and with the ferocity of a bear. Our lips will remain sealed tight, but today the breaking of chains will be heard.

And some, many miles away, will feel it in their hearts.

posted: January 20, 2010

When the mercury rises this Summer those in the know will be letting their freak flags fly. Behold:The Sour Jazz limited edition tee shirt availiable soon in any color you choose so long as it's black.

posted: January 13, 2010

While I'm not NOT a fan of Steve Earle, it wouldn't be truthful to call myself a fan. You know what i mean. I'd always found him pretty easy to ignore, to be honest, until I caught him in his turn acting on HBO's excellent drama "The Wire". Earle's music was featured in several episodes as well, and maybe by virtue of his association with the show I found myself intrigued and wanting to better familiarize myself with his recordings.
I have a passing familiarity with country/folk music, mostly where it intersects with rock music. Mostly I like my country music (and I do like my country music) unadulterated by pop/rock and of the pre-Nashville variety. I'm well aware of Graham Parsons and Townes VanZandt and the impact their material had on many contemporary rock musicians. Mr Earle's story became infinitely more interesting when I learned that Townes VanZandt was indeed his mentor and they had a professional relationship and friendship that lasted for 25 years until Mr VanZandt's death at the age of 52. Earle honed his craft under the tutelage of Mr VanZandt; unfortunately it would seem that VanZandt also showed his protege to a life in shadows.

VanZandt's struggles with alcohol and heroin are well known and it it widely believed that his excesses brought him to his early grave. Mr Earle managed to kick his heroin addiction in the middle nineties while in jail on drug and firearm posession charges. His character on 'The Wire' was that of an ex-addict and a wise, empathic NA sponsor. He was charismatic in the role and most convincing. His unique presence and appearance inspired this portrait which was used as a self-promotional piece.

Townes VanZant's "Waiting Around To Die" is a masterpiece of high lonesome. And nobody should roam this earth without having heard "Quicksilver Dreams Of Maria" at least once.

"The Devil's Right Hand" By Mr Earle is a catchy yet scathing indictment of gun violence although Earle insists it's 'just a folk song'. The barrelhouse piano and raucous atmosphere of "Snake Oil" belies the song's underlying condemnation of 'politics as usual'; it suceeds admirably on both levels.

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