New Illustration: Dance of the Blue-Footed Boobies

I just completed a series of mixed media drawings of a dancing Blue-Footed Booby for the 2x2 exhibit in the Quimby Gallery. I also put them on a mug that can be purchased at my Zazzle Store

The original 7 drawings are available for purchase at my store on my website or you can purchase a limited edition print of all of them together.

The Blue-Footed Booby can be found along the western coasts of Central and South America from the Gulf of California to Peru. Many can be found nesting on the Galapagos Islands.

2x2 at the Quimby Gallery

This year the Quimby Gallery at Northern Vermont University - Lyndon is hosting 2x2 a Community Art Event. Any one can submit artwork that is 2x2 inches to the gallery until March 17th.

It is a great event seeing the art work come in from all over and watching the art increase daily as we hang it.

Art work can be sent to:
Quimby Gallery
Northern Vermont University-Lyndon
1001 College Road
Lyndonville, VT 05851

Opening night at the Quimby Gallery

It was a wonderful opening night at the faculty art exhibit in the Quimby Gallery this evening. This was an opportunity to exhibit my whale illustration and a number of my recent sketches. What was even better was the amount of students and faculty that showed up. 

The Annual Lego Competition at Northern Vermont Universities Quimby Gallery.

It's that time of year again to get ready for the Annual Lego Competition at Northern Vermont Universities Quimby Gallery. This has been a great event over the past number of years. I am always amazed at what everyone comes up with.

New Illustration for “North”

For the Northern Vermont University Visual Arts 2018 Faculty Art Exhibit “North” I exhibited a number of illustrations that I created over the past few years. I also spent time creating a new illustration for my “A is for Alliteration” book that related to the the theme of North.

This one is titled “N is for a nearsighted Napoleonic navy nabob navigating nervous narwals not so nicely through narrows near numbats nibbling nachos, nine nefarious newt ninjas, and naïve nerdy naked mole-rats wedding neither necklaces nor neckties 'neath the nebulous northern night.”

I like long titles.

Process

I have been slowly working on an illustration for Northern Vermont University's Lyndon Faculty Exhibit entitled North. As a colleague said, “You illustrated yourself into a box.” I gave my self a difficult challenge visually and after many thumbnails and roughs finally figured out a good way to compose the image. It was not easy and I wanted to give up and change my idea a few times. I am glad I stuck with it.

Now on to studies and the final.

This and a number of my past illustrations relating to “North” with the other Visual Arts Faculty work will be on exhibit in the Quimby Gallery starting November 27 at 6 pm until January 18th

Wallace Tripp (1940-2018)

In 2011 I had the idea to contact one of my favorite illustrators, Wallace Tripp, and invite him to exhibit in the Quimby Gallery at what is now Northern Vermont University. This is a man who's illustrations probably had the most influence on me and my work, and it was only one book that I had and devoured (I have since found more). I love his humor, his wit, and intelligence.

Yesterday, I received word that he passed away at the age of 78. words cannot express how grateful I am to have met him and to have seen his great illustrations. I have been reflecting a great deal on the importance of allowing yourself to be influenced and to have heroes. The importance of taking a leap and asking your heroes to be a part of your life, even if it is for a brief moment, and even if you are deathly afraid of the outcome. I have been thinking of the importance of giving back to others and sharing what you have found.

Wally was a great illustrator, He did all of these things for me and for others. I am glad I was able to tell him what he did for me.

Here is some of his wisdom:

“The experienced illustrator subscribes to the principle of the application of the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair. Should inspiration whisk don your chimney, be at your table.”

“Illustrators are word people who happen to draw. We work with one foot in a book, the other stuck in a paint pot. Our Shoes are a disgrace.”

And now for something completely different!

Here is an example of another passion of mine, LEGOs! This was my entry into the Annual LEGO Competition in the Quimby Gallery at Northern Vermont University (formally Lyndon State College). This was inspired by my trip to Cambodia last year. I received the Bronze award for it. My Daughter beat me. Her work was incredible and it had a story to it. I should have realized as an illustrator that the story is what connects people to the work.

#39 of 100 Elephants: The Elephant Centaur

I will admit this idea has been dancing around my head and in my sketch books for some time.  I could just never get it right. Here I feel as if I finally made a break through.

On another note, the Quimby Gallery had the closing reception for the itty-bitty 2x3.5 inch exhibit last night. It was a wonderful event. The gallery had 802 2x3.5 images on the walls. 100 of them were this elephant series. It is a beautiful sight to see and so exciting for me as an artist and a gallery director to see the participation and the incredible work. I was also able to sell a large number of the original images from this series. This one is still available.

#13 of 100 Elephants: Gorgon

This was an exercise in curves and playing with the thickness of the line. From the outset I wanted gain more experience and skill in using a pen. I tend to use a pencil because of the ability to correct mistakes. (I also like the look and feel of it. The Idea came from the thought of an elephant trunk being like a snake and I just pushed the ice more to a gorgon. Instead of having snake hair, the trunk became multiple snakes.

#8 of 100 Elephants: Small but Big Heart

#8 was again a practice in opposites. Where #7 was tall #8 went short, but with this one I was able to add little more personality with the stance, the big innocent eyes and the act of giving something.

#6 of #100 Elephants, Strong

For #6 I inverted the body shape. Normally I put the thinner part of the oval at the top. This created a stronger, more powerful and confident character.

#5 of 100 Elephants A Large Head

For #6, I started playing with proportions more.

#4 of 100 Elephants Sneaky

I pushed the creepy sneaky feeling of this elephant. I took some inspiration from Golem of The Lord of the Rings. One of the things I was most happy about was the idea to turn the tusks down. That continued to bring everything inward.

#3 of 100 Elephants Four Arms

On #3 I just increased the number of arms. I think this was rather obvious. I should have done more.

#2 of 100 Elephants Goofy

For the second elephant I took some inspiration from Goofy. I pushed the thinness and awkward nature of the character. At the time I thought this was pretty extreme and a far cry from my normal elephant drawings.

#1 of 100 Elephants

This last semester I gave my introductory visual arts class an assignment to create 100 somethings. I took the challenge myself and created 100 different elephants. It was an incredible exercise in creativity. I often found myself stuck and then would have this burst of inspiration using my ideas to unique and new directions. I also determined to go completely traditional and practice my use of the pen.

It was frustrating and exciting.

These will be on display in the Quimby Gallery at Lyndon State College between January 23 and March 16 as part of the “the minuscule, wee teensy-weensy, tiny, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, eensy, infinitesimal, very small miniature diminutive, lilliputian mini art show with a mega LARGE title” exhibit. Anyone can create a work of art that is 2 x 3.5 inches and send it to the gallery between Jan 23 and March 13 and it will be hung.

In addition to that I will be selling the original 100 elephants for $5 each. If you are interested contact me. I am in the process of setting up an online store and will announce when that is done.

Community Art Event

I will once again be hosting a community art event in the Quimby Gallery. This year create a work of art that is 3.5 x 2 inches and get it to the Quimby Gallery between January 23 and March 16 to be hung in “The minuscule, wee teensy-weensy, tiny, itsy-bitsy, itty-bitty, eensy, infinitesimal, very small miniature diminutive, lilliputian mini art show with a mega Large title” exhibit.

I already have over 200 works of art. Starting January 23, I will be posting the progress of the show here, on my Instagram page and the Quimby Gallery Facebook page.

Facing My Fears

Last spring my graduating seniors gave the faculty at Lyndon State College the assignment to create a work of art based on our fears. In order to truly experience my fear of bees, I needed to immerse the patrons in the experience of being in a swarm with both the visual and the auditory.

The show, The 2017 Faculty Art Exhibit, It Came From the Visual Arts Department, opened last night and is on display until, November 27 in the Quimby Gallery at Lyndon State College.

More Photography for ART Squared

Another example of some of my Photography work for The Quimby Galleries ART Squared Exhibit.