The Goings On
Yep things are different these days. I went from imagining a world where I share my art with the amazing people I meet at D&D game conventions, to having trouble imagining what I’ll be doing tomorrow. Thankfully I’m working with a great career coach and she’s been very helpful keeping me on task and figuring things out as time marches forward. I’ve had some freelance gigs pop up as well as a commission that I’m still working on. I love working on these projects, but what’s really got me excited lately are the latest series of paintings I’m working on.
Thoughts on the Things I love to create
There are a few things that influence everything I create. The first of these is iconography. I’ve always been interested in what makes a thing, look like a thing. I guess it goes back to a love of cartoons and comics which mostly involve simplifying items down to their basic visual essence. This came in handy when I was creating icons and logos as a designer for such clients as the USEPA, FEMA, and Dean Foods and when I painted the mural of Val Camilletti in Oak Park. Whenever I’m drawing or painting I’m thinking about what are the elements of this object or scene that make it look like what it should be. With this series, I want to paint and draw gummy bears so much that I can think in gummy. I’ve got plans for chainsaws, owl bears, and explosions made of gummy eventually I’m thinking portraits too. My goal for these works of art is to make them immediately look like they’re made of gummy. Oh and with the brightest colors I can use too. Because that’s the next thing that I love to use in my art. BRIGHT and EXCITING COLORS.
I especially like to play with complimentary colors. The way they can be teased into vibrating against each other is almost like magic. My choices in that regard are inspired by Bob Burridge and his “goof proof” color wheel which is available at Cheap Joe’s and on Burridge’s site (https://robertburridge.com/) It’s based on the Munsell color system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsell_color_system) and can really help make things pop. I want to use colors that barely seem real like fluorescents and shimmering iridescents. Hopefully this series will help brighten up your day and if you become a collector of one, brighten up you whole life. Thanks!
Speaking of collecting. In the next few weeks we should be pulling together a web store and these initial paintings will be available for purchase. I’m creating them in “snack size” versions initially. To me “Snack Size” means on 5″ x 7″ paper and the cost will be under $100, most likely $80 each, and will include shipping within the continental U.S.
