WoRDS To LiVe By

 

DON’T WORRY

24″ x 36″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

When life gets me down I put it on and play it loud… Don’t Worry.  When my niece gets nervous, to calm her down she sings your song to lose her frown… Don’t Worry.  When my brother is bummed cause the sun is not out, he puts it on and clears the clouds… Don’t Worry.  If you are feeling sad, if you’ve got the blues, just put it on and he’ll sing to you… Don’t worry, about a thing. Cause every little thing, is gonna be alright…

~ Three Little Birds, Bob Marley & The Wailers

A huge thanks goes out to Christian Gallego for letting me “steal” his idea. His Bob Marley caricature is the inspiration behind my painting.  You can see his caricature and more of his art at:  http://christiangallego.blogspot.com/p/2d-characters.html

Thank you again so much!!!

YouR GoD

HOLY TRINITY

18″ x 18″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

There is something out there and we can’t figure it out. Some people believe and some filled with doubt? Is it the father, the son, holy ghost? Or monkeys up there putting on a show? Hard to keep faith with questions unanswered. Family and friends taken by sickness and cancers. The poor and the hungry, the lost and the hurt. How will the meek inherit the earth? Asked to believe without any proof. Seek for yourself and you’ll find your truth. The god you pray to will be there for you. The god you pray to will be your truth. Let go of your doubts give in to your faith. One day she’ll call and you’ll be wide awake. When it’s your turn you’ll get the answers you’re after. Your heart will be filled with joy and laughter. But until then just patiently wait. Believe in your god, believe in your faith.

SoMeTHING iN THe WaY

PRETTY WHEN YOU SMOKE

24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

See you on the corner, just came off the bus. Usually pass right by without making a fuss. Something in the way the smoke swirls around your face could change the whole feeling of this place. Or maybe it’s the way you talk ending sentences with laughter. Or maybe it’s a mystery that will be solved after. Not really sure at all, it seems like it’s a joke. But there’s something that makes you pretty when you smoke.

GoTTa GeT aWaY

SEPARATE

12″ x 24″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

Gotta break free, gotta get away, gotta separate. News, media, violence on TV, too much hate. Kill in the name of your god and say that it’s fine. Car bomb, school shooting, what will it be next time? Two people in love can’t get married cause they are gay. Who are we to judge love and say what’s okay? Social media everyday all up in your face. No really thanks I don’t care what you ate today. Soldiers sent to protect this land for the government. Come back home, one less leg, on unemployment. Politician grants a favor looking in your eyes. Turn around take your money, spend it on his lies. Is this really what is meant by being civilized? If it is, then… you can count me out… No one hears our cries… Separate.

PoWeReD By THe SuN

SUNFLOWER

24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood

Sunflower power flower powered by the sun. Do a little dance and have a lot of fun. Wave your arms from side to side, wave your arms way up high.  Get your head out in the sky, move your body cuz it’s time. Flower dance now everyone. Flower dance now for the sun. Feel the rays touch you on your feet. Get you up out of your seat. Move your body to the beat. People dancin’ in the street. The time is here, the time is now. Tell the people in your town. Have some fun in the sun. Cuz this summer is almost done.

THe WaY

 

PEACE LOVE RASTA

11″ x 24″ Mixed Media on Wood

Take a piece of this peace. Spread a piece of this love. Learn the way of the rasta. Learn the way of above. Not all about dreadlocks ‘n’ smokin’ weed. More about brotherhood ‘n’  livin’ in harmony. Lend a hand when you can to help out your fellow man. It’s a part of the plan and with Jah we will stand. Lift me up hold me high keep my head up in the sky. Feel the love from above and guide me with his light. Give me strength give me life help me always to do right. Walk with me by my side he is there he’s a guide. Give a piece of this peace to share with the world. Take a piece of this love for every boy and girl. This is us we are here we can’t do this all alone. Take this peace and this love and spread it so they know. Rastaman vibration taking hold of my soul. Got this peace and this love and I won’t let go. Give a piece of this peace to you and a friend. Give a piece of this love spread it till the world’s end. Peace Love Rasta again and again…

CoSTa RiCa DReaMS

PALM AT DAWN

24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood

Wake up look out the window, see some palm trees. Start the stove, heat the water I need to make my coffee. Grab a book as the sun comes up, turn the page of a new day. Listen to the sweet songs the birds sing and what they say. Head out the door with a board under my arm. Hope that the waves don’t cause too much harm. Sun on my back wind in my hair. Seems like yesterday that we were up in the air. Hot patacones y gallo pinto. Banana mango smoothie with ice to go. Travel through the hills in the north country. Taking in the sites that were there to see. Miss the lazy days that we got to share. Can’t believe it’s been two years since we were there. Atlantic to Pacific all in one day. I know we’ll meet up again in some way.

So FoaMy

WHITE WATER

7″ x 15″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

Surrounded. Gasping for air in a giant washing machine filled with foam. Which way is up? Which way is down? Getting tossed around like a rag-doll in the mouth of a pit-bull. You have no control. Just when you finally pop out another set rolls in. This time worse than the last. Try to roll with it. Don’t panic. You’ll make it through this. When you do, you’ll paddle back out and try it again. Have no fear. Be Strong. Face the day. Be the wave.

TaKe WHaT You NeeD

 

 

 

 

 

SUGAR DADDY

24″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

Try to give you what you want.  Hope you take only what you need.  Just can’t be no sugar daddy.  Fancy clothes, cars, phones, diamond rings.  None of those things are my thing.  Fake boobs, make-up, nail salons.  I’m passin’ by and movin’ on.  Gucci, Prada, Louie V.  Big name bags don’t impress me.  Who are you really?  What’s inside?  Behind the smoke and mirrors that you hide.  What moves you?  What breaks your heart?  Are you funny and are you smart?  Are you worth more than what you buy?  I need to get into your mind.  Just can’t be no sugar daddy.

MoRe WaTeR, MoRe SuN

FLOWEBURST

10″ x 15″ Mixed Media on Wood

Seed gets planted, just doesn’t grow. Not enough water, not enough sun. Needed more attention. Seed gets planted, something begins to show. Little more water, little more sun. Little more attention. Seed gets planted… BLAM!!! Something begins to SPRouT! SPRiNG! FLoW! More water!!! More sun!!! This could be big, this could be the one! Stars aligning. Planetary shifts. Cycles of the universe, bring this seed a gift. Let this flower grow, let it have a thirst. Let this growth be big. Let it be… a Floweburst. Happening for a reason, not just because of chance. Floweburst do your thing. Floweburst just dance, dance… dance.

FoR My DauGHTeR

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.

STRuCK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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’oeuvres, lots of conversation and praise.  It was electric in a way.  When the night was over every piece had been sold.  Everyone was happy.  Then… I woke up.

No WaLL FLoWeR

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 EugenidesThe Virgin Suicides

FRoM My MiND FRoM My BoDy

 

 

 

 

 

FROM MY SOUL

36″ x 48″ Mixed Media on Wood

 

The voices in my head are shadows, shadows. She comes to me, to tell me what they’re after. Says it ain’t the end boy but you best be careful, careful. Might catch your tail end in a circle, circle. The ocean how she moves in ripples, ripples. In flashing lights I swear she wore old film then the color bleeds and she becomes an angel, angel, hmmm. Calls out to me like a siren to a scoundrel. And I say come on child, and I say come on child.
The blanket where she hides my virgin lights look to the sea where the cotton hits the turnpike. Staring at your knees but I don’t have the words right, words right now. If up to me my maker turned right, turned right. Lost another one but she still smiles, smiles. Black lava rocks and instead she sees for miles says she wants, oh wants to.
Stay a child, child right now. And wonders why we ever ever have to die. And I say come on child and I say come on child. Just a touch I’m gonna carry, carry. Another time where I probably shared the same life. The accent of a kiss whispers we’re married, married now. It’s either love or just the sun in my eyes and I say come on child. And I say come on child. Love love love love love…
~ Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros CHILD

HiGH aBoVe

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…