Tattoos Famili

Saturday, January 1, 2011

SACRED TEXTS at The Tennessee Art League

My newest art exhibit, SACRED TEXTS opens January 8th at The Tennessee Art League's Premier Gallery in Downtown Nashville during the First Saturday Art Crawl. This show is nearly five years in the making, consisting of works created in 2006-2007. I'm thrilled and excited to finally get this body of work into a public setting thanks to TAL curator Terri Jordan, who was very receptive to the concept of these pieces and was eager as myself to get them an audience.

Click and download the flyer below so you'll have all the details!

On display for the months of January and February will be selected works from two series: Declaration of Tears; Trail of Independence (illustrations on pages from The Declaration of Independence) and Sacred Texts (illustrations on pages from The Holy Bible.) All works are composed with lighter colors being used for the outlines of the subject matter in order to preserve the black text of the pages in tact beneath the art. The themes sometimes compliment and sometimes contradict the literature on which they are created. There is a story to be told with each individual work and I hope you join us to see these bright and beautiful images in person.

[Click here for my blog about the Declaration of Tears; Trail of Independence including an artist statement on my motivations and intentions with these works]

The Bear (left) and Dogfish (right) from Declaration of Tears; Trail of Independence
These works utilize Native American imagery on pages from The Bill of Right and The Declaration of Independence.

Sacred Texts: Architecture

Sacred Texts: Angel
(Certain works from both series of illustrations are composed on multiple pages.)

I will have two artist receptions for this solo exhibit, which will be held from 5-8PM on both Saturday, January 8th and Saturday, February 5th during Nashville's Downtown Art Crawl. (Please note that the January Art Crawl will be held on the 8th since the first Saturday is New Year's Day.) I will be in attendance on both of these nights to discuss my work. I hope to see you tackle the winter chill and get out to see not only my exhibit but all the fine arts which the participating galleries have to offer.

The Tennessee Art League
Premier Gallery (First Floor)

808 Broadway / Nashville, TN 37203

(615) 736-5000
www.tennesseeartleague.org

[Click here for an interactive map of the Art Crawl including shuttle routes, where to park, and participating galleries]

I've also designed a special book compiling the complete works from both of these series. This collection includes the illustrations which will be on display as well as others which have already been shown in previous settings and found homes. The Sacred Texts book is 76 full-color pages with artist statements about both series as well as the lore behind each individual work from Declaration of Tears; Trail of Independence. A limited first edition (just 20 copies available on a first-come first-serve basis) will be on sale at the opening for $20 each. Here's your sneak peek...

UPDATE 01/09/11
The opening last night was a true success in many ways. I had hours of wonderful and thought-provoking conversation with friends and art walkers alike. Many thanks to everyone for coming out and seeing my work. You breathe life into it with your eyes.

Some pics from this the opening reception Saturday night. I'll be back at the TAL on February 5th for the next Art Crawl. Sacred Texts runs through the end of February.

Two works from Declaration of Tears; Trail of Independence

"Peace"

My cousin Nancy with her daughter Rachel

My cousin Sam

"Bullet With Butterfly Wings"

Mom

With local low brow artist, Jeff Bertrand

Scottie and his squeeze made the ride up from Clarksville to see the exhibit.

Of course Elias bought The Beaver. I'm glad it has a good home now where it will be so deeply appreciated.

With my good friend Dan, who put us up for the night with an after party.

Mr. Benji Walker, freshly transplanted from Knoxville, enjoying one of his first weekends in town.

Student Film Maker, Julian Herrera

Friday, December 31, 2010

Illustration Friday: Lova (Happy New Year from DREGstudios!)

This week's theme at Illustration Friday is "Resolutions." My entry for this week is from my Random Acts of Vibrance series (which will be in progress until next year.) All the works under this theme have central figures with either lightbulb heads or lampshade heads who "turn themselves on" and "get an idea" so to speak. Each creates and captures a moment of inspiration.

New Year's resolutions are our ultimate acts of inspiration. Whether they are forced spontaneously or planned for months, they are your deal with the universal spirit to accomplish something. Seize the inspiration and live it and believe it. Live your dream and the dream is real... just realize it may be here and you not see it. You have to be it before you consciously realize it. We don't become masters of our crafts, purposes, and dreams overnight. The Secret to the Universe is positive visualization. Write your goals down and see what you want. We have to see it with our mind's eye in order to achieve it and take that next step in the evolutionary chain... get that next link locked in your journey. See something for yourself today and believe in it... for real.

(Click here to see all my Illustration Friday weekly entries)

Here are my top two personal resolutions for next year...

1. Launch iLLAMENTARY as an online publication to create interest in and allow access to Pop Surrealist and Low Brow arts in the South... Tha dirty needs a rag, we're gonna get it!

2. Turn a profit. This will be just the third year I've filed taxes as a professional artist and haven't achieved this. I'm not saying I didn't make money, I just spent a lot more than I made! It's a good thing I promise, I look at it like pulling back the sling-shot... it can only go back so far before we go sailing much much further and much faster the other direction. This is an ongoing goal since I made the same one last year. My earnings did increase around 500% this year so I'm optimistic.

See you in 2011! Much love and adoration from DREGstudios!

What are your resolutions for 2011?

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Illustration Friday: The Downsized Skeleton

inks on paper / 2007

Here is my first entry for a neat site I just got turned on to called Illustration Friday. Every week they present a different theme for artists to post work around. My entry for this week's theme, "Winter," is from a series which I've toyed around with the past couple of years called Ballad of the Skeletons. These are based on the poem of the same name by Allen Ginsberg. I can't give him enough love this week after watching Howl (see my review from earlier this week.) Every skeleton in the poem has a line of dialog...

Said the downsized skeleton,

Robot's got my job.

For the meantime I've put this series on the back-burner since I got tangled up in some other projects. I want to make much more intricate works with the remaining skeletons I have to illustrate. The themes of this poem stand the test of time and are all still relevant today. I drew this is 2007 but pulling it back up for this online exhibit, it struck me how much more the image hits home after the financial problems we've all had this year. Folks are falling on hard times not only because of technology but now from outsourcing work to foreign countries. The guy at the top makes more as the poor schmucks at the bottom lose their jobs to employees who don't require as much pay or benefits. The American worker is left out in the cold with little notice and/or severance.

(Click here to see all my Illustration Friday weekly entries)

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Top 10 Movie Picks of 2010

Making your pick is tough work sometimes...

Anyone who is acquainted with me knows I'm a movie hound. Movies move me and often inspire themes in my work. I hate television... been completely unplugged from it for six years now and I don't miss a thing but I couldn't live without the joy of cinema. I feel it is one of our highest art forms now, having developed from the exploits and exploration of 70's film to the visual feasts constructed today. A good movie can change your perception of life and the world through various means, whether it be the story, the acting, or even just the cinematography. I love the idea of list-making, which probably stems from me reading High Fidelity as a teenager and I was compelled to compile my Top 10 list after seeing what I feel is the best movie of the year just last night. However, we have to countdown to it so here we go...
Read more »

Monday, December 27, 2010

The Doodles (You Caught Me!)

Drawing has always been a nervous habit for me. My dad got called to school when I was in the fifth grade to discuss this compulsion and its "interruption of my learning" even though I had practically straight A's. The problem was I was (and am) scatter-brained and have to channel the voices so to speak. Teacher thinks I don't listen because I doodle and draw. My notebooks in school would contain illustrations and scribbles throughout. I would often turn in my homework and worksheets with things sketched all over them. This has continued throughout every job I have ever had. If there is paper around and my hands aren't occupied, art happens. My current job involves a lot of talking on the phone and monitoring my employees on their phone calls. During my execution of such managerial marketing duties, idle hands find re-purposed office supplies.

Here is something I brought home from last week...


ball point pen and dry erase markers on chipboard backing from a scratch pad of paper (5in x 3in)

When I first started the job a few years back, I had a bad habit of drawing on sticky notes. Usually, now it's incorporated into my notes and thrown away but sometimes I put to use the cardboard scrap such as is used above. I did have a little stack of the stickies going though and what resulted was this work from my solo exhibit, "Scraps & Motives" at Cafe Coco in 2008...


"The Sticky Incident" Inks on Sticky Notes (2007-08)

ART HAPPENS!

What do you like to doodle on?

01/27/2011

Here's a newer doodle of note (pardon the pun) from this past week.

04/09/11 Ball Point Pen and Highlighter on scrap Chipboard

04/18/11 Ball Point Pen on scrap Chipboard

05/11/11 Ball Point Pen and Highlighter on scrap Chipboard

05/28/11 Ball Point Pen and Dry Erase Marker on Card Stock

06/16/11 Gel Ink Pen on Chipboard

08/06/2011 Hotel Preston (Nashville)

08/16/11 Ball Point pens on Chipboard, taking over a doodle from Cameron McKnight, a co-worker.

09/01-02/2011

09/19/2011 Topsy-Turvy

09/21/2011

10/04/11 Gel Ink Pen on Scrap Printed Card Stock for Titleblocks

10/29/2011

11/09/2011

12/01/2011

12/27/2011

12/28/2011

01/20-22/2012

Gel Ink on Card Stock / 01/27/12

Several months back, we were out of town in a hotel and I put down a couple of doodles which we gave to my wife's friend. To my surprise, she scanned them and used one as the image on her new debit card!