Ft.Worth

I have begun working on  a piece based on my trip to Dallas/Ft. Worth Texas.

The image I am showing here is simply a color comp and will be used in a larger composition.

This painting is  one of the few new pieces I have painted with acrylic paint. I am beginning to really enjoy using acrylic, as it offers so many possibilities. Having the option to build up layers of glazes while being able to work opaquely in a quick manner is very attractive.

This painting is tiny measuring only 5x5 inches. The finish will be much larger and will incorporate a cowboy being flung into the air above.

Dreaming about climbing

Lately it has been all work and not a lot of play so I decided to post some fun photos.This is a shot of me climbing the Great Dihedral in Northern Vermont on a crisp fall day. The photos were taken by my good friend and climbing partner Dave Watson. Dave has made the summit of Mt. Everest on 2 different occasions and is soon headed to climb K-2 in June. Hopefully Dave and I will be meeting up in northern India in January for some skiing and climbing. This trip I hope will become the  inspiration for a few of  my  final thesis paintings. 

mfa

The first contact period  for my MFA was held in Pasadena.

From that trip I created this painting for one of Murray's assignments .

12.75 x24 Oil on Panel

Bangkok Tuk Tuk driver

I recently traveled to South East Asia, where I was lucky enough to have the experience of riding in a Tuk Tuk. Tuk Tuk's are pretty much super high powered go carts that race around the exhaust covered cities of South East Asia  at extreme speeds. Tuk Tuk's are considered dangerous by many , and seem as if they could tip over as they weave in and out of traffic. Tuk Tuk's do not have seat belts, and you may never reach your destination due to the lack of communication between you and the driver. Despite all of that I still highly recommend riding in one for the sake of the experience. The design of the Tuk Tuk's varies from country to country.

Here is a small cartoon of  a typical Thai Tuk Tuk . This image will be used later in a larger composition for my MFA Thesis project.

Hartford MFA

I have been lucky enough to be a part of the University of Hartford's  MFA in Illustration, which began this past july and will continue to July 2009.  Murray and Carol Tinkleman are the amazing people in charge of the program , and I highly recommend this program to anyone seeking an MFA in illustration. My plan for this Blog is to catalogue my work as I continue to create it during my time in this wonderful program. 

Recently our MFA group had a contact period in Fort Worth Texas.

While in Texas we were lucky enough to have the pleasure of having  many great Illustrators speak to our group. We were able to meet Jack Unruh, Don Ivan Punchatz,  Jose Cruz, and Bart Forbes to name a few.

During this trip  and while under the guidance of my great peers(whom are all amazing illustrators), Greg NewBold, Ron Mazellan, Ron Spears, Chuck Primo, and my Thesis Advisor Doug Anderson I was able to pin down what it was that I will plan to tackle over the next year as my thesis project. The project will consist of 6 to 8 large panels all dealing with ones' search to find paradise in life. In my case the paintings will be composed of images of the many places I have been  in pursuit of my personal view of  paradise. 

I am sad to say I am yet to find it, but along the journey I have captured some great imagery that I am eager to share in my paintings.

Well here goes

The time has come to make an effort in promoting myself as a painter/illustrator. More and more I am hearing about the importance of creating an online presence. Creating an "online presence" seems to involve as much work as creating the art work in which one plans to promote.

Either way I am nearing the end of my graduate program at the University of Hartford , and  I am beginning to feel the pressure of getting my work out there. Although I have a website(which is so outdated I will save you from going there) I decided to begin building my online arsenal  of art work here in the form of a blog.

So here we go.

Hope you enjoy!!!!