Illustration Friday: Queen of Clubs (Suit)

After having done some brief research I found out that the playing card has evolved from the domino in China, changing to Money Cards. They then moved on to the Middle-East and had the suits of Coins, Cups, Swords and Polosticks (Tarot?). Southern Europe had the same suits except the Polosticks were Sticks since they didn't know of Polo. The suits we are all familiar with today (Club, Heart, Spade and Diamond) came from the French in the 1470's.
Inked in my Sketchbook with Photoshop manipulation 6 x 7.5"

The Fourth Annual Pcom International Creative Awards

I received an e-mail this morning that said I've been a chosen Merit Winner for the Portfolios.com International Creative Awards! This is the illustration that I submit, which was created for Nature's Path Foods EnviroKidz. A club to inform children about endangered animals around the world and how they can effect change. Acrylics, Colored Pencil ,some Photoshop manipulation 9 x 12"

I've been busy preparing for an upcoming show (The Good, The Bad and The Ugly) that will feature some of my work in three different galleries. The Corridor, Gallery OK and Mnemonic Gallery in downtown Seattle. The show runs from July 5th-28th, so please stop by if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

I.F.: The Divisive State of America (Signs)

This painting is about the signs of the United States economic divisions, the signs of consumerism degrading the environment and the two party representation dividing the people for their own interests instead of the peoples. Please click on the image for a closer look.
Acrylics on board 26 x 17"

Illustration Friday: Lady Citrus

I wasn't sure what to do for the theme this week (Citrus), then yesterday while looking at some portrait paintings of the mid 1500- 1600's this idea came to me. The ladies in English fashion (Elizabethan) had these laced and frilled collars which made me think of an orange slice instead. I've a few small things to finish but I'd thought it should be posted since it's already Thursday!
Acrylics, Colored Pencils and Photoshop 7.5" x 12"

Illustration Friday: The Way (Neighbor)

" Every religion is true in one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically. But when it gets stuck in its own metaphors, interpreting them as facts, then you're in trouble."

-Joseph Campbell

An earlier painting that was inspired by the work of the late Joseph Campbell. Showing many religions and myths in coexistence, the pantheon as neighbors. Being that they ultimatly have far more in common, rendering their differences insignificant.

Acrylics on Canvas 24" x 30"

Illustration Friday: Life Cycle (Remember)

Remember:

Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes.
Don't resist them- that only creates sorrow.
Let reality be reality.
Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.

-Lao-Tse

Acrylics and Colored Pencil on Linen Canvas 11" x 11"

Wedding/Telux Spielplatz Mural

This mural was created for an inner-city playground (spielplatz) in Berlin, Germany. The playground also has an area for children to take care of animals, a wood shop and a bicycle repair shop. Many kids would make it their second home while their parents had to work late. The mural is painted on the office building for the staff which is also the restrooms for the children. The dragons head was painted twice so he could be looking in the office when the window was open, the lion and lioness are on the boys and girls restrooms.

I painted murals on the whole building, this is just one side of the office. Oil based paints

Pirates Map Room

The Pirate's Map Room was created for a seven year old boy's bedroom who is fond of old books, maps and pirates! He was included in the mural by naming the locations on the map. There are two trompe l'oeil alcoves near the window and a painted wood carving relief over his door too. The mural was designed to maintain an age appropriateness throughout his growth process. Acrylic paints

Alice in Wonderland Mural

This scene from Alice in Wonderland was painted in the bookstore Slightly Foxed in Oamaru, New Zealand. You can see at the bottom left that there is a small door with the scene of the book with the shrinking elixir on the table painted around it, for children to enter into their own shrunken reading room. The stairway leading up to the right has the Cheshire Cat perched in a tree on the top of a bookshelf. Acrylic paints

Aux Quatre Coins Restaurant

This decorative painting with the Art Nouveau filigree design was done for the restaurant Aux Quatre Coins (From Four Corners) in Gruisson, France. The owners Sanna and Jean-Marie specialized in fusion foods from around the World and were two of the kindest people I've ever met, not to mention fantastic Chefs.
Above is the sidewalk sign I also had painted for the restaurant.
Acrylic and latex paints

The Goddess Gallery

This mural was painted for the Goddess Gallery on their door which welcomed people into the shop in Portland, Oregon. It shows two Goddesses holding the Mother Earth as they fade into the universe and stars. They've since relocated on Hawthorne St., but the owner said she was going to take the door with her! Acrylic paints 4' x 7.5' on metal door

Space Room Mural

The Space Room mural was done for an eight year old boy's room in Beaverton, Oregon. He's a fan of technology and space exploration, so he loved it! To the left and right of this main image the mural faded into the white walls to prevent the room from being too dark. Acrylic paint 8' x about 16.5'

Jungle Ruins Doorway

This doorway mural was done in a Foster Home for kids from the ages of 8-16 in Berlin, Germany. It is the ruins of a lost ancient civilization that the jungles have started to encroach upon. The other side was done with Roman pillars. 9.5' high in Acrylic paint

Cultures of the World Tapestries

Here are three in a series of five tapestries done for the Morning Star Boys Ranch in Spokane, Washington to celebrate cultural diversity and show the richness inherent in their differences. Each tapestry was done on an 8' x 5' loose canvas then sewn at the top and bottom to receive dowels which gave them a scroll effect. The paintings were done with a limited monochromatic palette to both give the feeling of an aged parchment as if they were old maps and to compliment the Murphy Hall's existing color scheme.

After each tapestry was completed I had the opportunity to present them with an explanation of other countries and their cultures. The boys themselves are of a wide variety of ethnicities and each enjoyed seeing their individual heritage celebrated.

Acrylics paints on loose canvas 8' x 5'

Tropical Sunset Mural

A residential Tropical Sunset mural done on Guemes Island, Washington. My clients whole house was decorated with this same palette, and this was in her bedroom. She wanted to wake up to a brightly colored beach scene in the morning since she loves the colors and I suppose it is therapeutic too, since the San Juan's and Western Washington in general can be gray for a good portion of the year. Indoor Latex paints 8' x 10'

French Cafe Mural- Cafe Louis

(Click on images for a larger view)

A residential mural I've recently completed in Edmonds, Washington. The mural is of a French Cafe for a French themed patio. Painted on a converted garages old barn-style sliding doors. There will be bricks layed to match the mural, a fountain and an iron gate leading to the patio. The furnishings will be as if it is the Cafes outdoor seating. (The address numbers are France's Independence Day)
The area was first prepared by filling in the board slats with caulking to create a more even surface. A primer was then applied over the top to get ready to accept the paint. After the mural painting was completed the entire surface was sprayed with a non-yellowing polyurethane for protection. Outdoor Latex paints 7.5' x 16'

Illustration Friday: Yin Yang (Polar)

The polarity of the sexes. Equal and opposing forces; Complimentary to one another and yet completely different, coming from opposite perspectives. No wonder the relationship can be so confusing and satisfying!?
Acrylics on Canvas 15"x 15"

Illustration Friday: King Aprilus (Fortune)

The Monarch of Good Fortune; Konig Aprilus Kaninchen VII von Gluckswald (King Aprilus Rabbit the 7th from Luck Forest). The Prussian Kaninchen Royal family is synonymous with positive fortune and legend tells that even a glance of their gaze in your direction will set undreamed of synchronisities into motion. Though his banished brother, Le Lapin de Mort (The Hare of Death)... the 6th Kaninchen is said to bring equal misfortune.
Acrylics and Colored Pencil on Linen Canvas 9.5 x 13.5

Illustration Friday: GreenMan (Green)

The Green Man emerges from the darkened woods with his cherished descendant the acorn, glowing with the green life-force contained within. Springs new flowers announce that it is time again for the season of sprouting.
Acrylics and Colored Pencil on Linen Canvas 11" x 11"

Illustration Friday: Modern Anxiety (Snap)

Here's a guy who has had too much; office and world politics, marriage contention, financial troubles, the general pace of the modern world, a little too much coffee with the addition of a bit of rudeness on his cell and he's snapped!
Ink and Colored Pencil in my Sketchbook with Photoshop manipulation

Illustration Friday: Life and Death (Total)

The total of Life and Death; growth and decay, beginnings and endings, one cannot exist without the other. (Click on the image for a larger view)

Inked in my Sketchbook

Illustration Friday: New Era (Wired)

This painting has a dual meaning that applies to the Wired theme. It shows the peeling away from an era that was Nature based to one that is oriented toward Technology. It is also applicable to the hemispheres of the brain; the right being fluid and creative and the left side being linear and logical.
Acrylics on Illustration board 6.5" x 11.5"

Illustration Friday: The Dishonest (Hide)

A potential backstabber hiding his true intentions...but he has some form of conscience which has left a monkey on his back and a paranoia from even his own shadow.

Acrylics on Illustration board 10"x 15"

Illustration Friday: Empathy (Communication)

A spot illustration created for an article about cultivating empathy.

Acrylics on Illustration board 8" x 3.5"

Iraq

Created as an editorial illustration for commentary on the complexity inherent in the Iraq Occupation. The purple fingerprint from the Iraqi National Elections in the eyes of the skull.

Acrylics on Illustration board 7" x 12"