sketchbook...

ahh, the  old tape collection. My nostalgia apparently is not available in mp3 format. Memories tinted through music that is long  gone through a Black Hole, never to be heard from again...

 

Here are some shots from the Society of Illustrators 'History of Fashion Illustration' exhibit from last month in nyc. Of course I didn't bother to write down the name of the artists, my apologies. a prize for whoever names these historically famous lesbian lovers, in dresses to boot...

just messing around...

here is a comic I did the last couple of days while I've been confined to the indoors whilst I recoup from having my wisdom teeth pulled earlier this week.

                                                                                     more nyc street art shots

James Jean doesn't really need anymore press than he's already gotten, but I can't really resist. If you follow the Illustration community at all, than you probably already are familiar with his work. And if you aren't you should hop to it. here is a pic of his installation at the Jonathan Levine Gallery from a couple months back.

             also, discovered this ultra rare Ricky Powell tag in the meatpackin district awhile ago.

I like Urban Decay in relation to graffiti/street art. The multi-layered effect that is naturally produced by the many individuals who all sat in front of their stoves stirring flour with water whipping up that wheatpaste. Who headed out onto the streets, risking arrest to create an image that says I am here, I exist, and I am a freethinking creative person with opinions, tastes, and desires!! Check-check-it out. One after another they head to this one hot spot that degrades naturally or that is cleared by workers. However you choose to define it, or analyze it, it serves as documentation.

                                               meat packing district, NYC

                           wheat-paste remnants, too much damn rain in Portland,Oregon 2008

today i went to the MOMA only to find it is closed on tuesdays. nice paying attention to the details....by default I choose to get lost in the city streets, dodging tourists, it wasn't long before Grand Central Station's architecture called me from five blocks away dwarfed by modernity, commanding my attention with it's beauty. Finally ended up in the Kinokuniya Store  (http://www.kinokuniya.com) in Bryant park where I spent $40 on expensive pens imported from Asia. At said store, one is faced with three floors of awesomeness. Manga, Artbooks, Magazines, Toys, office supplies and stationary, and even a restaurant.  It includes mass amounts of calendars, tapestries, books, pillows, and stationary all bearing Japanese prints of such masters as Hokusai, Yoshitoshi, and Hiroshige. Inspired, I came home and drew a koi fish for fun...weee.

also, if you've never heard of Charles White,

 you should research his work as soon as possible...

  here is one of his pieces...

                               

       

 

              For your enjoyment; some sketchbook pics....

                            

                                                this is a piece I somehow found the time to create this past year. I like it better than most of the stuff I did for school. It was real fun to paint. the monkey in front looks so somber doesn't it?  some folks love parties, some people can't stand to get out of them as soon as they're in them. I'm definitively the latter.

                                                 i like this.

what you might read a lot about on this blog will be topics relating to Street Art. I'll tell the truth now....I have a tendency to politicize just about everything. At times it works in my favor, at other moments, it does not. History has revealed that my interests are intertwined within this context. I think for this reason, I've been a huge fan of street art/graffiti for many years. I like the idea of reclaiming public space. I like when art is free without charge. Not because I think it rules to get free shit, but rather because I am a fan of people who don't normally get to see art, getting to see art. I am a big fan of exposure and access, which I think may have something to do with opening up minds. I prefer no door fee to that....
                                                    

Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY 2009

              'SMILEE', acrylic on wood, on wood stump, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY 2009

Andy wheatpaste montage, Portland, Oregon, 2008

              Nick Sumida has gotten so good, and keeps getting better. He is one good looking gay guy from Hawaii, and draws a mean comic. Here he is in front of his shit, and a detail of one of his comics on display at the Senior Studios show this past week at SVA....

now that school is ending the fun is beginning. pass go, collect $200 and make the work that represents you most.  Inevitably the paintbrush is fed up, demanding my presence, dragging me by my heels out of the closet. It's one of the toughest sighs of relief I've ever known. I'm looking forward to making some work regarding queer identity, as it unsurprisingly is lacking in representation in the world of illustration and beyond. The subject is close to my heart. It should be interesting to see where the work goes...

      

                  work in progress.....acrylic on mason board 9'' x 12'

we are some talented cats at SVA, here are some pieces/photos from tonite's Senior Studios show. posted photos of pieces are as follows: Tory Sica, my four pieces, Steph's wallpaper w birds, Darlin Frometa, myself and Darlin preparing to cross the threshold, Ricardo's factory, Mike Parr,  and Jacob Cohen. My apologies to some of my peers for not knowing their last names, but just you wait, you will in due time.....

Tomorrow is the last day of classes for me as I pursue a BFA degree in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. It's been a rough rollercoaster that I am proud to say I was tall enough to ride. I want to thank all the bad-ass amazing artists I was lucky enough to take classes with and gain some knowledge from. The Faculty at SVA is amazing, passionate, and in general pretty gosh darn supportive. They deserve all the recognition they receive, which I'm sure isn't enough. One guy who gets plenty of recognition , is Tomer Hanuka, who I was honored to have taken a class from this year. This is the last piece done for that Portfolio class. And so I wanted to post the work as a starting point, because this is where the fun really starts.....