Book Of Animals: Fancy Birds (2004)

The bird with the hat still cracks me up after all these years! 
Something about his searching stare...

Book Of Animals (2004)

Another artist's book project from 2004. This book is simply a collection of amusing animal drawings with little regard to proportion or realism. An edition of 5 was made for friends and relatives. More images to be posted soon.

Dream-Land: Salty Ham (2004)

In this part of the poem the dreamer is unable to openly view the insane dreamscape that is unfolding around him. He walks past friends and relatives long since deceased, experiences torment and frustration, but is never able to fully comprehend or even fully view anything he encounters along his aimless path.

Dream-Land: Eidolon (2004)

Pictured above is an illustration for the poem "Dream-Land," by Edgar Allan Poe. I did many illustrations for this poem and in the end bound them into a book along with the text.

At the time, "Dream-Land" was my favorite Poe poem, now it's a toss up between "Dream-Land" and "Annabel Lee." Links to both poems listed below.

Dream-Land: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=178357
Annabel Lee: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=174151

Memento Mori: The Book (2006)

Oops, I forgot that there actually was one more work in this series. It was a book project that was simply called Memento Mori. The image above is a collage of some of the nicer images from that book.

Memento Mori: Babes In Potato Land (2006)

This drawing was made in a very spontaneous way. I didn't make any preliminary sketches and I didn't have any expectations. In time, it evolved into the same sort of psychological-angst-ridden-mish-mash as usual. It is significant to me as the drawing I started in Santa Barbara and finished in Davis, and marks the end of this strange series.

Memento Mori: Piano Death (2006)

My favorite of the series. Basically, this drawing is about the futility of chasing dreams of grandeur. It would just be better to go outside and play catch at this point.

Memento Mori: Dead Dolphin (2005)

This one is very disturbing to me because when I look at it I remember all of the terrible issues I was going through at that time. One of my professors liked it enough to request a print (way back when), but for my own part I almost wish it was never created. It was initially inspired by a dead dolphin that washed ashore in Santa Barbara.

Memento Mori: Arrows (2005)

A perfect posting for Valentine's Day! This drawing is much more structured than the last, but the themes are very similar. One of my all time favorites.

Memento Mori: Rope Thing (2004)

This one was very fun to draw. I didn't really have a plan — I just let it flow. In retrospect, it has a lot of personal meaning for a drawing that started out as a fun exercise. Lots of confused feelings back then...

Memento Mori: Death And A Woman (2004)

There are a few Renaissance paintings out there by the same title/theme. I liked them, so I tried my own.

Memento Mori Series (2004-2006)

This is the first drawing from a series of Memento Mori work I started in 2004 and finished in 2006. This particular piece was inspired by Harry Clarke's illustration for "The Premature Burial," written by Edgar Allan Poe. I'm very happy to say that it has finally found its way to the public as artwork for the band Alaric (limited edition album covers and T-shirts). 

http://www.myspace.com/alaricalaric