Vultures...
In High School I fell in love with the works of Edgar Allen Poe. I realize that's not particularly unique as many high schoolers identify with his sort of reality. Somewhere in me that same sort of intrigue exists. The vultures are testament to Poe's influence on me. To look at things that are dark and relay them to the world. And the hope that is within that is not to shock people, but to engage people and challenge culture.
I was writing a Poe-esque fiction to follow along my vulture theme and to co-habit a space with this image above. Like Poe I wanted to create a space that drew the audience out of the words and into the story. To feel the talons of the bird, and smell the stench dripping from the end of its face. Unlike Poe I have a tendency to be contrived and reaching. Poe had an ability to over embellish and yet simply tell his story.
Vultures are shadows in the sky. Searching for the dead. Coveting the diseased.
Vultures are death-eaters and life-bringers.
Cathartidae...
Think about the the thoughts that are associated with the imagery and name of vultures.
Are they majestic?
Are they noble?
Are they beautiful?
It is common to view vultures with contempt. They are symbols of death. How could they not be with their writhing, red, balding heads. The sunken eyes are the vision of their teetering between the living and dead. When there is a vulture over-head then death is near-by. What high praise can be given to a bird that seeks out death?
John Mayer expresses this view plainly in his characterization of vultures in the aptly titled track 'Vultures.'
All of these vultures hiding Right outside my door I hear them whisperin They're tryin to ride it out Cause they've never gone this long Without a kill before
I might just go ahead and posit another thought here. Perhaps the nature of vultures is not about death, but about life?
It is about more than the vital role that they play in the environment. Vultures represent a specific moment in the transitional times of life. Their lives transcend the simple but lead us to the sublime. In certain cultures the vulture is revered. It is called a death-eater, a cleanser, a purifier. Imagine the beauty of life. Imagine a life being lived and filled with the joy of existence. When that joy has turned then death enters. Note that this is not when the vulture enters. Death takes what it wants and leaves nothing but a token of what once had lived. In the midst of the tragedy of death comes the vulture to eat what death has left behind. In this death the vulture finds life. The vulture redeems the act of death to an act of life.
The vulture's life is all about redemption!
The vulture's life is about renewal!
Ponder that idea. Wrestle with a new understanding.
The Age of the Vulture...
As I was peering out the window of the rickety old Taurus I inherited from my parents I saw a shadow circling in the air. With my poor vision it was hard to make out what exactly it was and came to the conclusion that it must be some sort of carrion eating scavenger. Its movement in the sky was nothing less than graceful. Wondering at the fowl creature's beauty several thoughts crossed my mind. Thoughts of ravaged carcasses, thoughts of rotting flesh being torn from the bone, thoughts of a rickety old bird with sunken red eyes and an 80 year old man's scalp huddled in shadow, reaping death's reward. What is it about vultures that invoke such thoughts as 'reaping death's reward?' I think back to Disney's Snow White, toward the end of the movie and the portrayal of vultures. There is nothing endearing about these birds. They are framed in greed and lust for death. As the Queen falls to her death we are comforted by the justice of fowl loathsome animals descending to devour a fowl and loathsome being. And even from the first shot of the vultures' piercing eyes, crooked necks and stormy sky debut we are begged to have an unease about them.
I like Disney's portrayal of vultures in the Jungle Book much better. Perhaps they are not quite endearing characters but they have an attractive appeal that is lost on such- dare I say- noble birds. And I will not go as far as to say that they will help you tie a burning branch to the tail of a lion, but they certainly represent something more honest about the ideal of a vulture.
As I drove on down the highway I wondered if there really was something dead nearby. I wondered how it might have died. I wondered if it was something that had to happen. I wondered where my exit was.
Gimli and the iPhone
It's the next in the series! The council of Elrond is one of my favorite chapters in the books and I could not pass up the opportunity to illustrate an image in the series from such a pivotal and cinematic moment. Gimli, in his great impatience is too eager to destroy the thing that is causing the whispers of war throughout Middle Earth.
This iPhone is too powerful to be destroyed by a simple passionate movement of a short-tempered dwarf.
This is a 9×12 inch watercolor painting on multi-purpose illustration paper. Stylistically different from many of my detailed and highly rendered paintings this watercolor series will capture an emotion of gritty reality.
Come back in a while to see how Gollum feels about this great power.
Frodo and the iPhone
Part of a new series I am working on. It consists of combining to of my favorite loves- Lord of the Rings and Apple products. The main focus in these will be replacing the 'one ring' with Apple's iPhone 4 and placing it in situations that we have seen in the cinematic representation of Tolkien's beloved books. My hope is that by juxtaposing these iconic images together that the viewers will be intrigued by their relationship.
This is a 9x12 inch watercolor painting on multi-purpose illustration paper. Stylistically different from many of my detailed and highly rendered paintings this watercolor series will capture an emotion of gritty reality.
Prints available for purchase here.
Be looking for the Gimli painting coming next!
Angry Bird
My bossed asked me if I wanted to do a painting for him. Of course I said yes. I mean, I can't pass up an opportunity to at least attempt to show off. Brian, my boss, wanted a picture of his son riding an 'Angry Bird'. This became a chance to try my hand at something new- vector images.
One of the biggest issues of painting something like 'Angry Birds' is the thick black lines that surround every form. With this I have no chance to fudge a line and say that it is because 'the light is hitting it just so…'. No sir, no ma'am I had to try something new.
It just so happens that the very same day I got the call from Brian I had purchased some liner brushes from Sam Flax after seeing Atlanta artist Sam Parker painting in store. As I was walking up to his work space he was outlining a form on the canvas. The newness and brilliance of his technique swept over my artistic sensibilities and nearly on the spot I purchased my new and awesome brushes.
Below is the progression of the painting. It is the four main stages from drawing, to watercolor wash to finished painting.
-When painting in watercolors I almost always will start with a pencil drawing that defines my shapes and general values.
-Next I do a wash over the entire painting then pull out the color from specific highlight areas. Areas such as the nob of the nose, the eyes, the bottom lip and forehead.
-The angry bird is made of 4 layers of color, one on top of the other. For the 'starburst' effect I used frog tape to mask the paper and allow for more freedom in my brushwork.
-Finally I went into the details in the face and we are at the end. Enjoy!
Yoda's Burden
Here it is. I hope that the title is description enough. If there is anything about this story that you would like to discuss please hit me up!
If you would like to purchase this item please follow the link to my etsy or just click on the image.
Cute, cute Whale. Now on Sale!
Check it out! Now on sale for 25 dollars.
This 8x10 print is the perfect gift for your best friend! Or all of your best friends. Or even just a regular joe you meet on the street.
Your beautiful beautiful Whale will be printed on E-Surface Photo Paper (matte finish). As a professional paper, it boasts rich, sharp color that won't fade or yellow, creating beautiful prints that will last for years to come.
Trogdor, Robot Unicorn, Dolphin...
I was so so pleased to get this commission. It started out with just a man riding a dolphin. As it progressed it became so outrageous and so amazing that it has been one of the best experiences I have ever had. Before this commission I had actually never heard of trogdor. This creature was a fantastic creature of a brilliant mind. Robot Unicorn Go!! Again, this is something about which I knew nothing and now I'm in love.
Among the joy was a plethora of knowledge and new experiences. Now that you have read through my story of this painting enjoy the beautiful painting.
Kim Jong Il and Orca
After my recent show I received an email about a new commission piece. It mentioned something about a fascination with Kim Jong Il. When I read that tidbit of information I was taken aback. To what degree of fascination I'm not sure but nevertheless my intrigue was captured and my hands trembled with anticipation. The sketches were simple and straightforward and I moved right into the painting.
What came of it is shown below.
Mr. Miyagi...
So the Graveyard Tavern opening night was a hit! No it wasn't a firesale or anything of the sort, but by all means it was a success. We began setting up around 7 and were ready to go by 9- more or less. The support from friends was overwhelming but unfortunately there is no photographic evidence. The work will be up through the rest of the month so be sure to check it out. Buuut if you can't make it then pay attention to the blog in the coming weeks to see the works that debut the work of Sunflowerman on the Atlanta art scene.
Mr Miyagi (already sold =] ) was the headliner of the show. If you haven't made it out then here is a taste of what you missed.
At the End of the World
After all the nuclear radiation has half-lifed out, there is still life on earth...
The past and the present...
I'm back at it again. Here's a little twist... Instead of a person on an animal I put a robot on a dinosaur. Big deal.
Beer and Wine
So, as I do on occasion, I came to the call of my amazing bosses (for a fee of course). Some designing needed to be done and as the resident artist I was obviously the man for the job. Recently the restaurant had acquired a nice chalkboard that Terry (affectionately T-Wayne) decided would be good for some advertisements of alcohol. I picked up some very nice chalk-paint at Sam Flax and went to work. The images below describe what followed...
Death Eaters
Below is a taste of a project I am working on dealing with resurrection. It's about life and death, sacrifice and selfishness.
These little guys are 5x7 acrylic illustrations. Each is a small grisaille- initially painted in gray scale then covered in colored glazes. They are part of a myriad of similar sized and themed paintings that will be hanged together to tell a story.
Man, Animal Watercolors...
I decided to post these together because I don't believe that either of them really have the merit to stand alone. Each is smaller than their wood counterpart and carry with them less of an impact of details. With that said, I really like how they turned out. The first was the vulture which has in it a conceptual basis. The second is the surfer which was more or less a fun painting to get done before the show last Friday.
WiseMan, Octopus...
I have had quite a bit of feedback about this piece. To this point it is the most attention grabbing, and perhaps most well done of the series. The color scheme and composition for this painting very from the template I was using for the first several 'man, animal' paintings. WiseMan, Octopus was sold the day after it was finished, but if you would like prints of it just give me a holler.
Caveman, Dodo...
I did this little guy last night. I am preparing for a showing this Friday where I want to feature my 'Man, Animal' series. The hope is that I can sell some of the work and actually have some money.
On the Wings of an Eagle...
I hope there is little explanation needed for this painting. It developed while eating brunch at Radial Cafe in Atlanta with my roommate. We were discussing some of the ideas I was working on and after some discussion back and forth this imagery came about. The Chinese man riding an eagle. There is so much going on in this painting so if you have any questions feel free to ask.
Girl, Snake
The Found Wood 'man, animal' series has led up to this current related series. This painting is not on found wood, and it is not simply about the imagery.
Girl, Snake is the work of concept about identity. It is about how we see ourselves as human beings, and finding our identity in the whole of our reality.
The subsequent pieces will follow the same theme in that they will contain the familiar 'man, animal,' be conceptually driven, and will be painted on canvas.
Enjoy.
