Acrylic latex on primed plaster. 3′ x 5′.
Our Lady of Sorrows, a variation of the Virgin Mary, kicked off the new mural set I’ve been commissioned to do. It prompts us to keep our eyes on the prize (true beauty), despite the ugly hardships that life can bring. I feel great about the piece!
Acrylic latex, paint on primed surface. 15′ x 10′.
I completed this piece tonight at Milokan Botanica. St. Michael, or the Archangel Michael is a vital part of the patron’s spiritual narrative. In the 4th century he was first seen as a healing angel. Later he became a general, leading God’s armies against the forces of evil. The idea of him also being a protector of youth was what made his image ideal for this space.
Acrylic latex, paint on primed wall. 3′ x 5′.
This mural of the Black Madonna was completed today at Milokan Botanica. The idea of the Black Madonna was first realized as the dark skin of the goddess Isis. Her dark skin (or blackness) was associated with the life-force of all matter. This iconic Earth mother plays an important role in modern spiritualism.
Acrylic on watercolor paper. 11″ x 17″.
This piece was an exercise in impressionism. Its a tribute of sorts to the artists of the past who continue to influence and inspire my work in that rebelious spirit that made them great. Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, and Renoir all had an idealist aura about their techniques that really resonate with me because they not only painted the world as it was, but also as it should be.
This is the ” See,” card that I produced for our new card game! Its called Ocho The Game and its totally competitive. A lot of people despise this card when it is played in conjunction with another card in the deck.
Paint pen and ink on paper. 8 1/2″ X 11″
This piece evolved over the course of 3 days. The process was incredibly exciting! It began with the idea of a serene buddha. The dense forest took it to an entirely different level. The idea of being able to find one’s center, at the center of chaos itself. The space around the buddha is so loud, alive, and unpredictable, and yet there she sits; absorbing the jungle in the sheer brilliance of her own peace. I feel that inertia every time I see it!
Acrylic, gouache, ink on linoleum, 12″ X 12″ (each).
This piece was conceived on a cold, rainy day in the magic city within a 3 week period. I witnessed the demise of a relatively small, simple and elusive creature. It got me thinking about the state of things and the irony of our inevitability. I hit on the idea of death as a transformation rather than an end, and beauty existing even in the breakdown of the final procession of this journey. The idea of having a chance at spiritual rebirth; like a phoenix from the ashes. I think Joseph Campbell called it “the awakening of awe.”
It always fascinates me how people’s facial features are as distinctive as their fingerprints. The human face reveals a sense of history, both past and future.
Acrylic, pen, and ink on paper, 12″ X 18″.
Voltaire was once inclined to think that eyes were the windows to the soul. That becomes more apparent each time I look at this painting. The joy of starting fresh, of being loved, and of feeling brand new all radiating from her eyes! I felt as much glee painting this, as the baby did at that moment! Its the potential inside the painting that really moves me.
Paint pen and ink on paper, 18″ X 24″.
This painting took about ten days. The two subjects share a basic instinct. I like to leave it to the viewer to decide what that really is.
Paint pen and ink on paper, 18″ X 24″.
They say when it rains it pours, but on this particular rainy South Florida day the rain fell silently on our beautiful city. I looked out from a two story building at work to a mysterious place. Silver beads saturated everything in sight and for the first time I was able to see the magic in the well. All the different tints and hues of blue and gray gave reverence to the whole place! The beauty of decay, the wilting of the economy, and a residue of greatness just jumped out of the whole area.
Acrylic on canvas, 24″ X 30″.
Chief Seattle once wrote that man didn’t weave the web of life, he was merely a strand of it. He pointed out that ,”…whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.” That’s what I was grooving on when I painted this. The idea that if we allowed ourselves to be still long enough, then we would be able to look around and, you know, see ourselves in everything.
This one really resonates with people. I think it reminds them of “one of those days.” We’ve all been there. It’s like breakfast is burnt, you’re late for work, and all your problems kinda run together like a watercolor in the rain.
Colored pencil, Paint pen, and ink on paper, 12″ X 18″.
I think kids are really great to paint because most of the time, they wear their enthusiasm like a second skin. They are tabla rasa; a clean slate, so they are truly incandescently happy. They make really fun subjects!
Acrylic, paint pen, and ink on paper, 18″X24″.
To me, this piece really deals with the awkwardness of adolescence. The idea of being in a state of pre-self discovery and everything you do just feels so off kilter. It’s a time of crafty defense mechs and little bouts of self- deception. Elsie’s expression is pure joy, but by the time I get to the eyes they’re saying something quite different!
Acrylic on canvas, 18″ X 30″.
Comics have always been a major influence in my life. They really inspired me to want to be an artist. Comic Illustrators/ artists tend not to be taken seriously in the Fine Art world, but that doesn’t make them any less relevant to our lives. In this painting Superman’s vulnerability to, what most people consider the most harmless thing, is amplified by the presence of his hostess, whom he would rather evade than fight. So he finds himself in a sticky situation. I’ve seen this little allegory played out many times in the course of my life, but on a much more real scale.
Acrylic on canvas, 24″ X 30″.
Dr. Strange is another fave from the comics. What always intrigued me most about our modern mythos was their habitual references to physics. What I thought about when I painted this was the idea that you can’t create energy, but you can convert it to some other form. In the painting Dr. Strange is having to make the best of the conversion because his powers lost some of their potency in the transfer.
Photoshopped Print from Mural, 11″ X 14″.
The mural this was based on is actually 6′ X 9′. It was done in my last semester of college. Up until that point, I hadn’t painted very many portraits. It was painted on several pages of old newspapers that I glued onto raw canvas. The whole process of painting it was phenomenal! Everyone sees it differently and each time I look at it, I see something new. I think that makes it something else. Entirely.
Acrylic on canvas, 20″ X 30″.
The Avatar painting was really a metaphor for certain forms of inspiration. Whether you’re deciding what to cook for dinner, writing a book, running for President, or just saving the world, the muse has clearly seized you.
Paint pen and ink on paper, 18″ X 24″.
This piece was done within the 5-day work week. Its always been one of my faves because of the strong contrast between the two subjects. The juxtaposition of Elle to her mom is life in a nutshell. Children have such spirit and for a while everything about the world is so enchanting and exciting! Then they grow up and before long, the responsibilities of life kick in.
Acrylic on Canvas, 20″ X 36″.
This piece has always delighted me more than some of the others because of its perfect union of light and subject matter. That high noon sun light that pours itself over everything and really brings them to life. It makes Rian’s skin blossom. The shadows become like smooth brown sugar at the base of the pumpkins. It makes for really yummie texture!
Amore Colore: Nina's Color Lab. 