ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS
8.5″ x 11″ Marker on Paper
Walking around with my eyes and mouth separated from my body. I came across a group of ladies, naked ladies, worshiping a giant tortoise. He was popping out from the ground like a flower. The women were chanting, only in your dreams… only in your dreams. I looked to the sky and it was filled with pinwheels. Only in your dreams. Then… I woke up… grabbed my pad… and drew this.
WALK ON
8.5″ x 11″ Markers on Watercolor Paper
When you walk through a storm hold your head up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of the lark. Walk on through the wind. Walk on through the rain. Tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown. Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never ever walk alone. Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you’ll never walk alone. You’ll never ever walk alone.
You’ll Never Walk Alone ~ R. Rogers/O. Hammerstein II
THE BLANKS
11″ x 15″ Markers on Watercolor Paper
I only see yo——-> in shades of gray. The memo——–> all seem so far away. You had be——-> for quite a while. With that w—–> with that smile. A certain ——-> in your eyes. A certain ——-> in your stare. You gave it ——-> across the room. You gave ——->hen you flipped your hair. ——-> time could be put into reverse. ——-> there ——-> time to rehearse, ——-> it all ——-> out the same? ——->ou ——-> my face and no——-> The love w——->h care? Were ——->red with yo——->nough? The ——->een part of ——->ust have been ——->u’ve se——-> of my life. ——-> for t——->. ——-> it ever really mean to be? There’s always going to be something new or something better suited for you. Well wishes as you head ———->
WHO
11″ x 15″ Sharpie on Watercolor Paper
Who is that I hear inside my head? Is it the lives I have lived in the past? Who is that telling me to stop and think? To slow down. To keep calm. Who is that presence I feel? Guiding me. Holding my hand. Walking by my side. Who is that that visits my dreams? Telling me that everything will be fine. Don’t worry. Don’t waste your time. Who are you? Were you me before I was me? Have you… I been here before?
PLEASE
11″ x 15″ Marker on Watercolor Paper
Palms get sweaty in the grip of cold hands. She is so damn fine. His throat breathes hot fire and he wants to say something, but his words will feel as dry as his mouth does. Why did it have to be today? Please… don’t walk my way. Every step is a reminder of every wound of every time she stabbed his back. But she is so damn fine. Her voice in the dark was more powerful than her face in the light of day. Why did it have to be today? Please… don’t walk my way. Please. Reminders of love whispered at the back of his ear. Closed eyes take him to those moments like a time machine. Opened them… and she was gone. Was she ever there? Please… please come back my way.
INSTANTLY
8.5″ x 11″ Sharpie on Cardboard
All we need is love and love is all we need. Kiss me tonight like I won’t wake up from sleep. Kiss me tonight like you don’t want me to leave. Kiss me tonight like I’m never going to breathe. All we need is love and love is all we need. Walk with me forever like there’s no one on the street. Walk with me into the future like no one else exists. Walk with me forever our hands together as one fist. All we need is love and love is all we need. See me in your arms and hold me in your dreams. See me in your dreams turned to something true. See me in your forevers and I’ll do the same for you.
CALMADNESS
8.5″ x 11″ Sharpie on Paper
So calm on the outside, so crazy looking in. Her eyes are windows to the world that old souls see out of. She breathes in and heads begin to spin. She breathes out and hearts freeze. Grants you a favor she answers your cries. Wipes away fears and puts tears in your eyes. Nothing asked in return. Just be good. Just be good. Her beauty is created by your acts of kindness. She is crazy. She is calm. She is right. She is wrong. Just be good and good things will happen. Just be calm in the face of this madness. Just be calm. Just be crazy.
YOU ARE A STAR
11″ x 15″ Marker on Watercolor Paper
Burn bright in this world, because you don’t know if there will be another one to shine in. Burn brighter than you did yesterday, because your tomorrows aren’t guaranteed. Burn brighter than you ever thought possible, because you can make the impossible… possible. Burn bight, burn bright… burn… brighter…
BABY TREE
11″ x 15″ Markers on Watercolor Paper
What will you look like? Who will you be? Will you stay close or fall far from the tree? I’m sure you’ll have blue eyes, but what will they see? Will you be a writer or an artist like me? Will you dance in the sun? Will you surf in the waves? Will you listen to nature and all that it says? Will you love the music that I listen to? Will the words that you hear influence you? Will you want to go travel and see different worlds? What will you be like my baby girl? My dreams for you are really dreams for me. I know that you’ll be who you’re gonna be. I won’t get my hopes up that you’ll be like me. But I hope that the apple stays close to the tree.
THIRSTY
8.5″ x 11″ Pen on Paper
Last drop out the cup of the coldest water you were no more. Looking out of different eyes to see the daggers thrown. Words turned into whispers into blood. Pain that the brightest sky couldn’t cure. But the sun will always rise. It will always rise. Blood into whispers turned into words. Pulled knives from the heart let the blood flow out. Fill the cup so full it overflows onto the ground. He comes to your side. He lifts you up. Turns blood into water and you are reborn. Lift yourself up from off the ground. Find the strength. Find the fight. Find the way. Find the light. Drink from the cup. Get back up.
MY HAND
11″ x 15″ Sharpies on Watercolor paper
Passin’ by, don’t just say hi. Throw one up and give me five. If you’re with me, if you care. Look alive, don’t just stare. We are here, here as one. Lets be free, lets have some fun. Put ’em up, up in the sky. Put ’em up and let ’em fly. You know you’re right. You can’t be wrong. If you’re with me sing along. If you’re with me sing this song. Sing it loud and sing it strong.
FROM SOIL
11″ x 15″ Prismacolor & Sharpie on Watercolor paper
When is the last time you put your hands in the soil? When is the last time you felt like part of this Earth? Don’t get disconnected from your mother. Don’t forget what life is worth. Planted here for a purpose. Planted here to grow. Planted here to be a part of something bigger than you know. If it were all just so easy. If you didn’t need to try. Would you still make an effort before you died? Put your hands in the soil and become one with the Earth. Plant seeds today and make the most of their worth.
BETSY FLYING
11″ x 15″ Sharpies on Watercolor Paper
She kept trying and trying and every single day was a hurdle. Some days were good and others were not so good, but it didn’t stop her. Anything that was thrown across her path she felt like she could handle. She knew that with each challenge met there would only be strength to gain. Then one day it all got a little bit easier. One day she was set free. One day she grew wings and she learned how to fly. One day…
MAKE THE CONNECTION
10″ x 10″ Mixed Media on Paper
This one started with a spray painted background on paper. Then I took these color samples (for matte board) and stuck them down onto the page. Next, I sat in the living room drawing, writing and watching TV with my wife, my brother Matt & our friend Joe. While we were hanging out I would ask what is the first thing that comes to mind when I say light blue? What is the first thing that comes to mind when I say toaster? And so on and so on until I thought it was finished. This is a mash up of their trains of thought. Do you follow them or do you think of something else?
PRESSURE
11″ x 15″ Pen & Marker on Watercolor Paper
If you change yourself you will change your world. If you change how you think then you will change how you feel and what actions you take. And so the world around you will change. Not only because you are now viewing your environment through new lenses of thoughts and emotions but also because the change within can allow you to take action in ways you wouldn’t have – or maybe even have thought about – while stuck in your old thought patterns. ~Gandhi