The Serpentine Oak and other drawings

  These drawings are from a series of oak trees I created over a period of time. I used the micron pens to create the various textures and depths of the bark and hollows of the trees. This was definitely a project I needed to get out of my system, because of my constant fascination and admiration for these large and often monstrous, beautiful forms of life. It was and is symbolic of the spiritual essence I experience as a human being and an individual. The tedious applications of hatching and crosshatching was very meditative and disciplinary for me as an artist and a person.

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1. Oak in Winter is a piece that allows me to see the tree bare from its foliage. The oak resting in dormancy during the winter season. It also is such a striking and beautiful scene to view it contrasting with the bright white of the settled snow upon and around its solid trunk and resilient branches.

2. Oak tree is one of the first successful attempts at creating an oak in full bloom from a somewhat dog's eye view. The angle is an interesting interpretation that usually unintentionally creates itself. Especially when drawn from my imagination, where most of these tree drawings came from.

3. Oak trunk gave me more confidence in trying to capture the dog's eye view of a tall and massive trunk of the oak. The light hits it in interesting areas as various branches may conceal penetration.

4. The Serpentine Oak was actually based on a real tree, I still see on my way to work sometimes, when I remember or decide to glance over while driving by. It is a tree that stands before a small house like looking building, that is used for a small business. One of the Protruding, lower extensions of the old trunk reaches interestingly far away from the rest of its body. It also has a greenish-blue discoloration along parts of its weathered bark. I had to try and remember what little I could see of it while quickly passing it during weekday, rush hour mornings. In essence it gives the viewer an idea of a tree unlike the majority of those in the area.

5. Wisdom Oak is one of my favorites from this series. It is the kind of oak tree I long to see upon stretches of land. The most interesting part of trees are the lower trunks and their connections to the large roots that burl into the earth. This is an important part, because it displays the strength and reception of the tree's adaptation within its environment. It's a system that determines how well the tree will stand during weather and changing seasons. I love old, gnarly, and large trunks that display a ton of history and survival over the decades of their lives. This particular piece expresses that awe inspiring nature I experience whenever I see such a tree.

Blues In Rumination and other drawings

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                                                5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 1. Bodybuilder is one of several drawings I've done over the years of my ideas of bodybuilders. Their figures are fun and interesting to draw, for the same reasons I enjoy drawing stocky,bulky male figures in general. There is more opportunity to add various lines and shadows for curves of muscle and protruding shapes beneath the flesh.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      2. The second drawing is a frontal closer view of the same guy in number one. It looks as if he is posing during a photo shoot in a lobby where bodybuilding events take place.                                                                                                                                                                                                             3.Dogwood in Blossom is an actual location I used to park my car at work. Spring was just beginning and as I sat during my lunch breaks, I noticed the opening white bulbs slowly appearing on the dogwood tree.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          4. Blues in Rumination was inspired by people who would often stand outside of apartment buildings to converse and unwind from the stresses of everyday life.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          5. Chocolate Cake was a pleasure creating, because it focuses on one of my favorite topics, sweets! I dreamed I was sliding my tray along the rails in a familiar restaurant. I was excited especially when I arrived to the dessert section of the food display. It seems I wanted two slices of chocolate cake, because obviously one just wasn't enough. I remembered while finishing this piece, I explained to a coworker as I continued to layer detail on the cake, " I want it to look like God on a plate! "                                                         

An Introduction

  I begin with five chosen drawings created with pen and ink wash. The ballpoint pen is a miraculous tool, that has helped me explore a plethora of ideas on paper. It has most importantly developed a distinct style for myself as an artist. It is waterproof fortunately and adapts extremely well with layered ink washes.

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    1. This is a character I named  Forde. I've been drawing him periodically for some years now. He was inspired by a man I'd seen several times in the past, from a distance. His physical appearance was very appealing to me and inspired me to create a man with similar features. It captures the essence of the man I'd seen, but mostly includes my own interpretation and ideas, based on my fantasies.                                                                                                                                                                                     2. The gymnast is a piece inspired by the grace, beauty and musculature of the men who perform gymnastics. It definitely has an erotic nature to it, as I emphasized the details of the strength and power in the legs and feet. This is a great floor exercise pose I've seen in images done by several men that was interesting and challenging to draw, because I wanted to capture the grace, skill, allure and desirable effect the male figure can have in such a position.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         3. The Moonlight and You, displays two men who aren't  what a stereotypical gay couple would look like to some. It portrays the guy next door, man on the corner, or walking the street after leaving a convenient or grocery store. It is an embrace between common men, who love and celebrate simple things in life, such as a cold beer on a warm, moonlit summer night, on an apartment balcony.                                                                                                                                                                                    4.  Walking is what I occasionally see while driving. A man walking along the sidewalk to get some fresh air and clear his head perhaps. As a draftsman of the male figure, I'm constantly observing the types of men I enjoy drawing. These tend to be men of a stocky nature, who display more curvature with a slightly muscular build. It demands more detail and space in the composition. And I have more options to explore as to where I want to insert weight, muscle, shadow, light and bulk. The hand gesturing as a sort of swipe creates a more loose effect, expressing motion and spontaneity.                                                                                                                                                                                       5. Wilderness #2 was inspired by the idea of a man traveling over various seas during different climates and times of day. He sees a lot of things, and some of what is witnessed with his eyes cannot be explained necessarily. He experiences some of the mystery of  what lies beyond his own reasoning.