CIRCLE SPACE
8.5″ x 11″ Mixed Media on Board
Why circles? Why do I paint so many circles? Is it because they are the perfect shape? Is it because they are infinite? We have circles of friends. Everything comes full circle. Circle of life. Perfect circle. Inner Circle. 360 degrees in a circle. Walk around in circles. Circle circle circle. It doesn’t sound like a word anymore. Circle.
SHE WANTS
12″ x 18″ Mixed Media on Wood
I haven’t seen your face before, but you are the most beautiful person in the world. I’ve yet to hear you make a sound, but cannot wait to listen to what you’ll have to say. I don’t know yet what you want, but I know you will have dreams. I don’t know what you’ll need, but I’ll give you everything. I cannot wait to take your little hands into the palms of mine. I cannot wait to love you until the end of time.
THE BOOM (SOLD)
24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
I remember when I felt it. BOOM! It hit me so hard right upside my head. I never saw someone so beautiful. I never knew that feeling existed. After a while of getting to know her more I felt it again. BOOM! This time it was stronger. This time it hit harder. This time it meant more than what I had seen on the surface. The effects of it have been rippling through time ever since. Over smooth surfaces and over rocks. Over the moon, around the sun and back. It has weathered storms. It has grown through the worst of times. It has flourished through the best of them. BOOM! Can you see it? BOOM! Can you feel it? BOOM! It has been well over four years in the making, but today I celebrate these past four with her. I love you Nicole… with a BOOM!
NESTA
8.5″ x 11″ Mixed Media on Silk Screen
Did you know that Bob’s middle name wasn’t Nesta? Did you know that when he was born his father was 60 years old and his mother was only 16 years old? Did you know that his father was a white man? Did you know Bob died when he was 36 years old? His last words to his oldest son David “Ziggy” Marley were “Money can’t buy life.” Did you know that Bob’s name wasn’t Bob? It wasn’t Robert. It was Nesta. Nesta Robert Marley. If you haven’t see the new Marley movie by Kevin Macdonald it is out on DVD. Totally worth watching for people who know nothing about Bob, casual fans and huge fans like me. Long live Nesta!
IN THE CROSSWALK
18″ x 24″ Aerosol on Oak Tag
Here’s a fact: Shibuya Crossing in Japan is the busiest crosswalk in the entire world. It has been estimated that 2.4 million people use it everyday. Another fact: I’ve used it a few times too. When Nicole and I were teaching in Japan we would take the train into Tokyo on the weekend to walk around and hangout. It was so busy. People flying around in every direction. Being in that intersection would be the death of a claustrophobic person. I know it might sound strange, but if you ever go to Japan you’ve got to go to Shibuya just to cross the street. Oh, and the sushi and ramen noodle houses are great too. Kanpai!!!
ELECTRIC CITY
24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
You could feel it as you walked through the city. There was this sort of buzz in the air. Everyone was talking about it in some way. Everyone was going to be there. The max capacity would not hold the amount of people that wanted to see his work. Some of them would have to peek in through the windows. There was wine and hors d’
BUMPER TO BUMPER
18″ x 24″ Mixed Media on Oak Tag
Ever feel like you’ll be in traffic so long you’ll end up sleeping in your car for the night? Think about this the next time you’re stuck in traffic. What a waste…
The Texas Transportation Institute estimated that, in 2000, the 75 largest metropolitan areas experienced 3.6 billion vehicle-hours of delay, resulting in 5.7 billion U.S. gallons (21.6 billion liters) in wasted fuel and $67.5 billion in lost productivity, or about 0.7% of the nation’s GDP. It also estimated that the annual cost of congestion for each driver was approximately $1,000 in very large cities and $200 in small cities. Traffic congestion is increasing in major cities and delays are becoming more frequent in smaller cities and rural areas.
By late 2010, the five cities in the United States with the worst rush hour traffic congestion were New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles ~New York Times. 2010-11-24
PRETTY GIRL (SOLD)
18″ x 18″ Mixed Media on Wood
“We felt the imprisonment of being a girl, the way it made your mind active and dreamy, and how you ended up knowing which colors went together. We knew that the girls were our twins, that we all existed in space like animals with identical skins, and that they knew everything about us though we couldn’t fathom them at all. We knew, finally, that the girls were really women in disguise, that they understood love and even death, and that our job was merely to create the noise that seemed to fascinate them.” ~ Jeffrey Eugenides, The Virgin Suicides
FROM MY SOUL
36″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
NEW HEIGHTS
24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
When I first came up with the idea to climb this tree I was like oh sure, I can do that. Then I started. The beginning was easy. There were plenty of branches to grab onto and move up on. As I got further along it felt really good. So I climbed and climbed and climbed. I got passed the mid-section of the tree. Now I’m just beyond halfway and the top seems like a reality, but man this tree is big! I know that if I keep climbing I’ll get there. I just can’t wait to be looking down at all the branches that helped get me to the top…
BLEED FOR YOU (GIFTED)
8″ x 10″ Mixed Media on Board
“Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colors seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.” ~Bob Marley
BURNT TOAST IN BED
10″ x 10″ Mixed Media on Paper
Our friend Joe was back home from London, England for a bit and came over to visit. I was working on the project as usual and thought I’d get him in on it. I did a little version of the Rorschach test on him, but only for this one image. “What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at this?” Burnt Toast in Bed was born. Do you see what Joe sees or is there some other image in your mind?
FROM WITHIN
36″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
JUST mijumi
24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood
When I fall down, I need a helping hand. And when I lose my head, it’s cause it’s always buried in the sand. When I get stuck on myself, feelin’ sorry for myself. Will you help me grab a hold and please don’t patronize my soul. When I start to lose control, when I get irrational, when I start to get too high, you see me come floating by, I say… Touch me in the morning sun, when I feel impossible. Touch me in the morning sun, show me what is possible. Touch me in the morning sun when I feel impossible, show me what is possible. ~Michael Franti
MAGENTA DREAMS (SOLD)
18″ x 18″ Mixed Media on Wood
What do artists dream of, when they take a little artist snooze? Do they dream of paint on canvas, or Jackson Pollock drinkin’ booze?. Don’t you worry your crazy haired head, we’re gonna get you back to creatin’ in your cozy studio shed. And then we’re gonna find our new canvas and then we’re gonna paint them and make a mess. Art, Art, Oh, Art Artie Artie Art Art. But if you sleep through alarm clock speakers, well then we’re s**t out of luck. ~my take on Stu’s Song