A BOOK ABOUT DEATH

My postcard entry to "A Book About Death (ABAD)". My wife, Patricia has been organizing this year's show (May 3-8, 2011) which will be held at Willo North Gallery, Phoenix. This painting, which I turned into a postcard is based on a photograph Patricia did of me a few years back. A lot of entries have been coming in, and I'm looking forward to seeing them all together. There's still time to enter: the deadline for postcard and memento is April 25, 2011.

LIVING AMONG THE GIANTS

Quick sketch, pen and ink...old school, I know, but I still enjoy doing it.

ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN LOSES A PAW

There's a certain sympathy seeing a hurt monster. I'm not sure why I'm drawn to the loss of a hand or in this case a paw. I think it goes back to when I was working at the bindery of a publishing place years ago with an old cutter. There were many people that freelanced there that's lost a thumb or some other part of the hand due to accidents from these old large machines. Thinking back, I remember putting my hands under the cutter many times, in order to prepare the stack of paper for cutting and thought nothing of it.

DRAWING IN BARGEMON

Patricia and I went on vacation for most of the month of November. We went to Washington DC, then visited family in New York and then off to France. We stayed at our friends' house in Bargemon for a week. I drew this picture of Patricia on the ipad brushes application while she was drawing in the living room.

GOODBYE LITTLE DOGGIE

Nearly a year has gone by since the burial of my dog. I remember holding her cold stiff body in my arms one last time before I laid her down and buried her.  Soon after, I carved out this print and wanted her to be a part of much of my artwork. Late August marks the first anniversary of her death and this was the only artwork I've done of her since. Life has kept me busy, and sometimes days go by without even thinking of her, but every now and then I do and it makes me happy...and it makes me sad. Perhaps this now old print will inspire me again to remember her. Goodbye again Brenna B. Jones.

DIVE IN DINER

Patricia and I collaborated on a block print project for the Great Art House Print Exchange. The exhibition will be held at The Brooklyn Art Library on July 16th. For participating we will also receive 15 prints from other artists, so it should be fun to see their take on the theme: "It'll be fun, I swear." Here are some more images on Patricia's flickr page.

A DEBUT GONE BY

Hard to believe that over a week has gone by since the Urban Artists Collective (uac) gallery show debut at Willo North Gallery. I thought it went well as there was a steady crowd throughout the night having a great time enjoying the local art scene.

The Phoenix downtown scene is yearning for a serious art venue that still maintains an urban fresh edge and I'm hoping that with so many artists in our neighborhood, we can contribute in giving this hot city (and right now, I do mean hot) its vibrancy that it deserves.

The show is up through the end of July with events planned for Third Friday and July's First Friday.