Happy New Year 2008

Melissa feeling triumphant

Winter Vacation 2007

I can't believe the Valentines section is out on the floor in the supermarket already, it's not even New Years yet...America's so commercial.

Illustration Friday: "para-mount-soar"

Painting something that makes me happy.

Xmas Eve observations

My 2007 Christmas Card

Illustration Friday: The table's horizon (second period)

The Table's Horizon (second period)

They both sat focused intensely on their drawings as the clock winded its way down to another winter vacation. Second period was the quietest drawing class in years and reminded me of a summer school math class I was in where no one spoke for the full two months. This was different, this is an art class. I'm sure that the large grouping of tables didn't help and neither did the hour or the particular lesson; but the music and passion alone should've made it work. They were talented. They were passionate. They even seemed to really enjoy the class, they were just silent.

The Man in the Hat

Classroom Portrait

I kind of like this portrait.

Illustration Friday: Backwards

A Winter Wonderland

I love the holidays but I hate the stress... here's the holiday card I was working on.

Tim

Illustration Friday: Little Things

These are the little things that go through my head all day (today I feel primative).

My afternoon with Bill Clinton, Santa and Mick Foley

I had an opportunity to meet Bill Clinton weekend. It was a super brief hello but it was cool meeting him. I was stuck in line for a while waiting in the cold but Santa was there with some elves and Mick Foley (a former WWE wrestler) so I didn't mind. I also had scrabble on my cell phone. What beats scrabble in the snow?...Exactly

The experience made me think of the worst line waiting I've been part of. Here's my top five:

5. Bill Clinton- Great to meet him but next time I'll bring soup if it's snowing so I don't freeze.

4. Disney World- I don't even remember why the lines were so long because I was so young but man did they suck.

3. The Scream Machine- the line for this roller coaster at Great Adventure was endless and the ride was about a minute (it was my first real roller coaster so it was worth it once but never again)

2. Big Red's Lobster Shack in Maine- it legendary but waiting an hour for some fried fish is tough, especially in the middle of a hot summer day.

1. Waiting for a modeling shoot when I was 6- it was a never-ending line in a nasty part of the city that ended with a 2 second Polaroid in a garage.

(this is why people hate blogs- who cares about me waiting on line?)

Beat Poet

Illustration Friday: Excess

Illustration Friday: Zoo

The Pink Room

Lunchroom Faceoff

Illustration Friday: superstition

The superstition: A bee in the house means you'll have visitors shortly, if you kill it they will bring bad news... if the bee is magical your house will float away.

The Babysitter

I saw my babysitter from my childhood this week. Last time I saw her she was 16 and the day after she watched my she ran away to California. She was gone for at least 10 years. It was like a weird bomb going off in my head and reverberating for days.

Birds on a Wire

Velvet Lounge Art

Last night was the Barroom Hero's show at the Velvet Lounge in Stony Brook. The show was a good time with a nice crowd and a great DJ. It was cool getting to talk to local artists and compare notes and technique.

The Reverse

Here's the new piece I made for the Velvet Lounge show yesterday. It was shotgun art at it's best working up to the last minute.

The Flatiron Flash

I was back in NYC this week for a show and was in my old neighborhood again. I always like hanging around 23rd street where I dormed for SVA. The Flatiron building is always a cool place to view the city.

Illustration Friday: Scale

Here's an illustration for an article in a local magazine titled "Why am I fat?". I lost 150 lbs in the past 2 years (weight watchers) so I've had a close relationship with my scale for a long time now. We're not quite friends but we get along.

Here's the article if you're interested:
http://www.lipulse.com/Articles.asp?id=1145&section=1

Feelings...

Here's how I felt yesterday. It was a long day...

My First Dunny

I just finished my first dunny. Here he is (does it reflect my emotions at all?)

Illustration Friday: Hats

I've never been to Redding

I've never been to Redding Pennsylvania but Jimi Hendrix's bassist was Noel Redding so I imagine it's pretty cool. Here's what I imagine a guy might look like listening to Jazz there.

The end of another sketchbook...

I completed my first full sketchbook of the school year today (the last one was partially finished from the summer). It's always bittersweet leaving one and starting another...

The Faces

A long week...

Illustration Friday: Trick or Treat

Thing on Wheels

Here's a thing I drew on wheels (or things that appear to be wheel-esqe). The thing is bouncy I can tell...

Illustration Friday: Grow

Sometimes there's a lot of room to grow..

Ludlow Street

I was back in Manhattan this week so I decided to check out my old haunts on Ludlow street. Most everything was gone except for Max Phish and the Pink Pony (and of course Katz's Deli). It was still a pretty happening spot though so out with the old and on with the new.

Sentimental Beach Days

I hit the beach again this weekend for a while. I get sentimental there sometimes in Fall (with Boys of Summer or Jazz music in my head and a little breeze with a jacket on).

Velvet Lounge Art Show

Here's a flyer for an upcoming show that I'm participating in at the Velvet Lounge in Stony Brook on November 10. Hope to see you there, should be a cool show!

E-Rif

Illustration Friday: Mr. Extreme