2014: The Year in Review at DREGstudios!

Strange Days, strange days and a few more strange days filled my life and art "career" over the past 12 months.  I've been drifting back in and out of calling what I do a career.  Is it a career? a hobby? a passion? a lifestyle? a daily therapy session?  Monetarily, my art brings home only around 5% of my income (on top of my day job in the marketing biz) so am I an amateur? Alas, the problem with labels, titles and positions in life muddying the waters.  All I know for sure is I take solace in my work no matter the storms I'm weathering.  I find home at my drawing table and find hope in the universal art spirit.  Thanks for tuning in with me.  Here are some highlights from 2014 at DREGstudios...

The Gift of Art

Grandma with her portrait of Jesus

This year for Christmas, I invited my immediate family over to the house for Aurora and I to host a fun-old-fashioned-family Christmas! This was a treat because its the first time in quite a while we'd all been under the same roof together for such an occasion.  I gave all the family members copies of the C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland book I recently had artwork featured in.  I also created custom portraits and artwork for all my guests.  I was scrambling to get everything framed before Christmas Eve and forgot to scan all the illustrations.  Fortunately, my sister got some great pictures of everyone holding their new eye candy!

FOCUSED dOOdle

This past week dealt some changes to my general outlook on my life and my future.  No matter how hard we plan and chart our course, our footfalls the next day seem to be guided by more powerful forces than our own ambition.  Sometimes we find we've been focused on the wrong things and have to step back in order to re-align our thoughts.  Today I'm feeling a bit like my older self and remembering to keep the child-like wonderment of art, friends and fun in my life.  The Universe puts certain folks in your path for guidance when you need them.  I experienced such visits over the weekend which helped get my sight grounded again and realize I was already home and already where I needed to be the whole time.  Looking forward to the holidays with my loved ones and to the journeys ahead next year...

5th ANNIVERSARY

Today is a pretty special day here at DREGstudios.com.  Exactly five years ago, I made my very first blog post.  It was another 18 months or so later when I decided to convert my existing website completely over to the blog format.  In hindsight, I couldn't be happier with the results of consistently updating my friends, family and fans of the day-to-day workings of my craft.  Art is my hobby, my therapy and my passion.  It's a religion which drives and revives me.  It's my medicine and encompasses a great deal of my own personal sense of worth and accomplishment.  Writing has always been my second love and this blog has served as another outlet in itself fusing my words with the images I create.  Thank you for taking the wild ride with me and here's to 5, 10, 20 and 50+ more years sharing the joy of art with you and your fresh eyes!  Knowing you are there keeps me going... 

Topsy-Turvy: More than One Way to Skin a dOOdle

The Grind dOOdle (Changes)

Everything changes, even when you're running in circles.  The cycle expands and contracts and facilitates its own change by push and pull...


"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom."

~ Confucius

"The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."

~ William Blake

"To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly."

~ Henri Bergson

PIG'S HEAD SOUP (The Outrage of Justifiable Homicide)

Much of the general public here in the United States is in a reactionary mode rooting from the continuous and seemingly warranted executions of minorities by Police Officers.  How do we deal with the outrage caused by these high-profile deaths?  How do we bring attention to the issue of addressing racism and fanaticism within our broken and misused Justice System?  From the extreme of looting and burning to the targeted peaceful protests which shut down the traffic of major cities, citizens are crying for help.  We are crying for help because the people who are supposed to protect us are at war with us.  They are armed with military-grade equipment and shielded by their job title from prosecution when they break the very laws they are employed to enforce.

Giving THANKS!

“When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.” 

-Dalai Lama

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” 

-John F. Kennedy

"Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life."

-Robert Louis Stevenson

"Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. "

-William Faulkner

Michael Brown's Shoes

Too many black youths in America walk in Michael Brown's shoes every single day of their lives.  The story is all too common now- an unarmed black youth gunned down by Police.  It's a frightening trend across our country which has garnered more and more attention with cases like this young man's from Ferguson, MO.  Each time a cop passes sentence on another citizen in the streets instead of the courtroom, minority communities lose a bit more faith in the justice system.

In his address to the public announcing there would be no charges against Officer Darren Wilson, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch stated that the young man's shooter exercised the same rights which all American's have to defend themselves if they fear for their lives.  Somehow, I don't think these rights would stand up to the same scrutiny under different circumstances.  Try putting Michael Brown's shoe on the other foot.  A white Police Officer strikes a black youth for trying to tell him what to do.  The youth retaliates by firing 12 shots at the Police Officer, killing him in the street.  The black youth would be sent to trial by a grand jury's decision in three minutes, not three months.  He'd be a cop killer and sitting on death row.  As the case rests today under these same circumstances, the public is told Darren Wilson did his job.

Michael Brown was only 18 years old.  He was no saint.  He disobeyed a Police Officer.  He struck a Police Officer.  He broke the law and he should have been punished, not murdered.  He should have been given a chance to reform himself through the proper channels of a justice system we're supposed to trust.  Instead, he was given a death sentence in the middle of the street.  Michael will never see a day in court for his wrongs- and neither will Officer Darren Wilson for his.  Today we were all told two wrongs make a right.

Tonight I was compelled to draw a portrait of Michael in memoriam.  Tonight I stand in solidarity with the people of Ferguson, MO as the city feels their unrest.  Tonight I stand in solidarity with every black youth who has been gunned down instead of being sent to trial.

IN THREES dOOdle

(Pen and Dry Erase Marker on Scratch Paper)

“There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see.”

-Leonardo da Vinci

“I have just three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures.”

-Lao Tzu

“Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.”

-Confucius

“Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge”

-Plato

GET PHILOSOPHICAL in the dOOdle ARCHIVE

RiGHT EYE BLiND dOOdle

Can't help but feeling we're being led to slaughter some days.  Too many of us are rightly blind (political connotations intended...)

DUNCE HAT dOOdle No. 439

"Talk sense to a fool and he calls you foolish."

~Euripides

"Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven."

~William Shakespeare

"The more often a stupidity is repeated, the more it gets the appearance of wisdom."

~Voltaire

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge."

~Charles Darwin

DEAD EYES dOOdle

"Men fear Death, as children fear to go in the dark; and as that natural fear in children is increased with tales, so is the other." 

~ Francis Bacon

"Years, following years, steal something every day;
At last they steal us from ourselves away."

~ Horace

"From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity."

~ Edvard Munch

CHEEZY dOOdle

All about that cheddar...

"A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart." -Jonathan Swift

"Money often costs too much." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver." -Ayn Rand

"Wealth is the ability to fully experience life." -Henry David Thoreau

"Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that." -Norman Vincent Peale

LiVE PAiNTiNG from TOUR of WURDZ

I had a blast this evening doing a live painting at a Benefit for the Lupus Foundation of America.  My partner in crimes of the arts, Gikuyu hosted this special edition of TOUR of WURDZ at the Flying Saucer in Downtown Nashville.  ToW is a non-profit open-mic event which has been going for around 10 years now.  Each event is hosted to bring attention to and raise money for a different cause.  This evening, representatives from the Lupus Foundation Mid-South chapter were on hand to raffle off prizes such as prints of my art and books of Gikuyu's prose and poetry. Toward the end of the night, my live painting was auctioned off to a good home and raised even more money for the cause!

WE DID IT TENNESSEE!!! Yes on 1!

Election Day dOOdle

Today is Election Day!  If you haven't gotten to your local polls yet, you have until 7PM in most places here in Tennessee to cast your vote. Contrary to some cynical beliefs, every vote does count and there are many important issues on our local ballot this year including the Constitutional Amendments we discussed here on my site last week. Get out there and let your voice be heard!

As for myself, I just visited my polling spot up the street at a local church.  Voting was a success.  Roof not blowing off the church with my presence was a success. Trying to fool senior citizens by wearing a red shirt was not a success.  I'm pretty sure the long hair and tattoos still give me away as a bleeding-heart liberal!

Day Trippin' on Natchez Trace Parkway

Adaptation is a key to life.  Along with nature, we have to adapt to the weather at times.  Over the weekend, Aurora and I experienced a lesson or two of such.  We had planned a few months back to drive halfway down the Natchez Trace Parkway on Halloween for a day-trip nature outing.  For years, I've wanted to make the drive while the Fall colors were setting in.  Due to some nasty weather, we decided to take the less scenic route down to Tupelo, MS Friday and hoped for some sunshine to drive back in on the Trace Saturday.  The shift in plans paid off well.  The Universe rewarded us with a reaping of nature which encompassed a full spectrum of fall colors and experiences!  We saw it all from areas completely bare of leaves, areas where the colors were peaked and areas where everything was still green and thriving.  It was a weekend of lessons counting our blessings when our plans didn't turn out as we envisioned.

Vote NO on Amendment 1 to Protect Women's Rights

Tennesseans must soon decide how much freedom should be allotted to women in making choices about their own reproductive health.  On Election Day, there are 4 Constitutional Amendments being proposed on the State Ballot.  The 1st Amendment to the State Constitution involves the issue of abortion.  In a nutshell, the amendment would give state lawmakers the authority to pass legislation beyond those defined by the Federal Government in regards to abortion.  This would open the door for women's access to safe and confidential procedures to be limited (if not eliminated) by over-legislation. Unfortunately, this has already been the case for women in other parts of the deep south.  Today, many women in bordering states are forced to seek abortions in Tennessee to even have one done legally.  This is an issue which should be put to rest as women have the fundamental right to make decisions about whether or not to bare a child (with the consultation of a doctor, not a politician.)  

C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland Art Exhibit and Book Signing

Tonight the Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council put on a one-night art exhibit and book signing for the release of their publication, C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland.  Hosted at the L&N Train Station here in town, the artists whose work was featured displayed their creations and signed copies of the book for guests.  Each artist was chosen to illustrate, paint, photograph and otherwise create artwork for their assigned theme.  Themes were based on each letter of the alphabet and chosen by the public earlier this year.  Books will also be available for purchase at the Roxy Regional Theatre, Downtown Artists Co-Op and Customs House Museum throughout the holiday season if you missed the show tonight!

Sunset on Center Hill Lake

I believe the sunset Aurora and I witnessed Sunday evening was one of the most breathtaking of my life.  We watched the palette of burning pinks and oranges change and radiate before our eyes from the middle of Center Hill Lake here in Tennessee.  The co-owner of the company I work for, Eric had an employee outing for a Fall Cruise of the lake on his houseboat, "Out of Office."  We had a brilliant time laughing and having a bit of fellowship with the great family of folks we work with day in and day out.  Eric and his main squeeze, Linda were all too hospitable to us all throughout the day.  After the gaunt gloom of the past couple of weeks, the fresh air and amazing scenery was much needed.  It couldn't have been planned for a nicer day.  I hope you these postcard-worthy shots Aurora and I took of the lake, a double rainbow surreally spotted directly overhead of us and of course the amazing sunset...

C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland BOOK SIGNING!

This Tuesday, The Clarksville Arts & Heritage Development Council will release their new book, C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland.  Collecting a plethora of local history and culture, local artists were assigned letters of the alphabet with themes the public suggested to the Council.  I was asked to illustrate J (for Cave Johnson.)  This historical figure spent most of his life as a resident of our town.  As Postmaster General, he created the first postage stamp.  My portrait places him on a stamp though I've heard he's never had that honor... until now!

The book will be available throughout the holiday season at The Roxy Regional Theater, The Downtown Artists' Co-Op and The Customs House Museum.  To kick off the release though, a Book Signing and Exhibit will be held this Tuesday, October 21st at the L&N Train Station (10th and Commerce here in Clarksville.) The doors open at 5:30.  You can see all the original artwork created for the book in person as well as get your copy signed by as many of the artists as you like!!!

SUPERMAN Sketch Variant

This week I spent a few days working this blank sketch variant cover of an issue of Superman Unchained!  I hope you guys are enjoying these covers as much as I am.  I've purchased twenty in all and the Kryptonian alien himself makes 8 down.  As I told an old friend this week, each one is like living out a childhood dream- too cool!

An issue of Superman was actually the first comic book which ever came into my possession as a child.  I got into comics at about age 11 when Superman had just been killed off and subsequently came back a year or so later to the world of DC Comics.  As an introduction to relaunching each Superman line, there was a different "Superman" helming each of the four titles.  Who was the real Superman?  I love a mystery and I was hooked! Of course none of them were and then the real Supes came back with a mullet which is pretty much where they lost me.  Plus, Superman is a cheater.... comic geek debate in the comments below?

Little Doe-Eyed Devil dOOdle

"Don't you know there ain't no Devil, it's just God when he's drunk."

-Tom Waits

"The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged adversity are excellent campaigning weather for the Devil."

-C. S. Lewis

"Neutral men are the Devil's allies."

-Edwin Hubbel Chapin

Have some Sympathy for the Devil in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

THE WALKING DEAD Sketch Variant

I suppose it's no coincidence I drew Michonne from The Walking Dead over the weekend. Season Five of the cult phenomenon debuts tonight!  I know all you zombie freaks have been doing the staggering pee-pee dance of the undead this week in anticipation.  To pass the time myself, I drew Michonne (and her pets) on a blank sketch variant I scooped up recently.  This beauty was a labor of love since Friday night with some intricate and time-consuming detail on the trees and chains.  Despite a good deal of pondering, I decided to go with a grey scale on this drawing just like the comic line of The Walking Dead.  She's filled strictly with set of Prismacolor Cool Greys and a little Black.  Enjoy the drawing and the show tonight! 

SABRETOOTH Sketch Variant

As a casual comic reader, the X-Men was probably my favorite brand which I read off and on throughout my youth.  Since revisiting my love for the sequential arts the past five years or so, I've found myself going back again and again for more of the mutant saga.  A few weeks back, I drew on the first of two Wolverine #1 blank Sketch Variants I picked up to illustrate.  The first cover featured Wolverine so I only found it fitting that the second feature his arch nemesis- Sabretooth!  Being a fan, I had a lot of fun drawing one of the staple villains I've seen in action since I was a kid.  Interestingly enough, Victor Creed was around the Marvel Universe for nearly 10 years before being crossed over into the X-Men to find his place in the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and in Wolverine's world.  He matches the companion cover well...

Cacophony of Cardboard Creations

"Peaker" (ink on cardboard / 2014)

So if you come around here much, you know I can't keep my hands still most of the time.  For the past few years I've been sharing my dOOdles with you guys on what has become a pretty consistent basis now.  Here's a handful from the past few weeks which have stacked up.  Many of these sit on my desk and get hashed out a little bit at a time over a couple of days.  Each one is kind of a meditation which fills small voids in time where my brain is firing off in 20 directions at once.  It provides clarity and relieves stress... I recommend it to anyone- draw!

GALACTUS Sketch Variant

Monday evening I finished up this Galactus sketch cover I had worked on all weekend. Along with the Thanos cover I shared with you yesterday, it made for a productive few evenings in the home studio!  Just as I've gushed with the other few covers I've shared so far, this guy was a gas to capture in my style.  Galactus is a world-eating omnipotent villain who has terrorized galaxies across the Marvel Universe for over forty years.  I aimed to stay true to the original Galactus design rooting back to his first appearances.  Of course, as is the case with even comic industry artists, I stylized the character to my fitting.

Enjoy this dose of pop surrealism! I've got many more to come as my addiction has grown and I expect another lot of 10 blank sketch covers in the mail tomorrow.  This group includes Hulk, Deadpool, X-Men and even some DC and Image lines like Superman / Batman and The Walking Dead!

THANOS Sketch Variant

So I'm falling in love all over again with illustration the past few weeks as I've worked on a handful of blank Sketch Variant comic books I picked up.  The wonderment of childhood really does fill my time at the drawing table creating custom covers for these.  Thanos was one of the subjects at the top of the list when mulling over what to lay down on these covers.  This first batch were all Marvel titles and Thanos is really one of the ultimate baddies around that neck of the woods.

My idea turned out to be a pretty involved illustration.  With a mesh of visionary and surrealism, I wove a field of eyes into the space background.  The colors of the eyes match the Infinity Stones of the Gauntlet our villain wields.  The Infinity Gauntlet story line documenting the Mad Titan himself is one of my all-time favorite arcs.  I really had a gas capturing him not only on paper- but on my own custom cover of The Heroic Age New Avengers #1!!!

Click HERE to see my WOLVERINE 

and SECRET INVASION Sketch Covers!

Fancy Fowl dOOdle

"Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings."

-Salvador Dali

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song."

-Maya Angelou

"Be as a bird perched on a frail branch that she feels bending beneath her, still she sings away all the same, knowing she has wings."

-Victor Hugo

SiNG ALONG in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!

#GoodnightLava

Alex Pardee over at the ZeroFriends art collective out west posted the line work of his "Goodnight Lava" art recently for other creatives to color in, draw on and otherwise bastardize for their own purposes.  Here's my own version I hatched out this morning on a piece of blue paper I used for the print...

"Pen on Blue Paper / 2014"

KICKSTART THIS: Works and Days by Miranda Herrick!

Selections from Works and Days

I need your help over the next week folks.  You see, I really really really need a copy of Miranda Herrick's Works and Days book!  I've already reserved mine at KickStarter but you have to help out in order to make everyone's dream a reality.  Miranda is almost at her goal of raising enough money to publish her collection of 365 daily drawings.  Each illustration is a daily meditation- a journalistic mandala documenting the entire year of 2007 and moving through the entire color spectrum month by month.  As an owner of originals from her series, I've dreamed right along with the artist about the reality of making a book which encompasses this body of work.  This will be a reality with your help!  CLICK on over to KickStarter and pledge a reservation for your copy of Works and Days (among many other cool incentives!)

Wolverine and Secret Invasion SKETCH COVERS

Several months back I scored a pack of 10 random Marvel Sketch Covers off of eBay.  After collecting a bit of dust, I wiped them off the past couple of weeks and braved laying some markers down on a couple.  They turned out very trippy and I learned a lot from working on the surface which was a bit foreign at first.  My markers didn't lay down like they do on my trusty bristol board but I've quickly grown smitten with the covers.  Keep an eye out for more as I'll surely be back on another one of them sooner than later! 

Marvel along with many other comic companies create limited runs of certain comics with blank Variant covers for artists to draw their own versions of their characters on.  It's a very cool thing to see an industry support creativity and give a wide spectrum of artists the chance to "live the dream" by putting their art on the cover!  Here are some process pictures from my versions of Secret Invasion #1 and Wolverine #1...

Not Much to Say about It...

"He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words."

-Elbert Hubbard

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

-Aldous Huxley

"The true genius shudders at incompleteness - and usually prefers silence to saying something which is not everything it should be."

-Edgar Allan Poe

~ HAVE a MOMENT of SILENCE 

in the dOOdle ARCHIVE ~

Belcher No. 7843

BLaaaaaaaaaaAAAwwwRRRrrrrrrrrrP!

~ A Special Broadcast Message from DREGstudios ~

My First 1st at Riverfest's Tour D'Art!

I've been a regular for years now at the local Tour D'Art which is held at the Smith-Trahern Mansion as part of Clarksville's annual Riverfest.  Until tonight however, I've not taken the top spot for any of my entries.  This year I entered "Guernica in Blues and Roses" into the Professional Drawing category and "Imperial Octopus" into the Professional Painting category.  Unfortunately, the crazy-cool octopus painting (read its story HERE) didn't even make the cut to be exhibited.  Guernica made up for things though by placing 1ST!!!  ...and of course I'm shocked...

Images from the Art Institute of Chicago

This past weekend, I was privileged to spend a few days in the Windy City for work as our company attended the 60th Anniversary RainSoft Convention in Chicago!  After an opening night private party at the House of Blues, we spent a whirlwind 72 hours learning, networking and seeing as much as we could of the city.  A couple of the guys joined me during some down time to visit the Art Institute of Chicago before we left.  The four hours we had weren't enough to really scratch the surface of one of the largest collections of art in the country!  We had to use our maps and hit the highlights before visiting their current special exhibit, Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary- a journey through around 100 works of art from one of my favorite surrealists.  With dimly lit passageways, black walls and concentrated lighting, AIC created a haunting environment for the body of work.  In contrast to the low roar throughout the rest of the museum, Magritte's vibrant creations glowed in stunned silence as the crowd navigated the halls of the exhibit.  It was truly an experience I'll never forget.  Though this special exhibit is confined to my own memories due to a no-photography policy, I can however share with you some other images from throughout their collection... enjoy!

Jaw Dropping dOOdle

"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt."

-Abraham Lincoln

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."

-Ernest Hemingway

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

-Epictetus

KEEP QUIET and VISIT the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

Falling In Love All Over Again at Fall Creek Falls

My wife Aurora and I spent our 5th Wedding Anniversary in one of Tennessee's most breathtaking parks, Fall Creek Falls over the weekend.  We had a lakeside hotel room with a pleasant view and gave up plenty of sweat to the trails, hills and steps leading to their variety of water falls and scenic spots.  I love soaking up the nature since I live in the city now after growing up in such a rural area.  It was a much-needed and refreshing getaway.  Gazing out of the overlooks at the blue mists of the hills and the bottoms of waterfalls really gives you magnificent insight and perspective.  It's hard to take bad pictures of such enchanting sights but you do lose much of the depth perspective considering the misty atmosphere from the scattered showers all weekend.  Enjoy these postcard-worthy shots we got from the few hundred pictures collected over the weekend!

"Roma American Gothic" (A Preview of Tomato Art Fest this Weekend!)

Starting Friday, Art & Invention Gallery is hosting the opening of their annual Tomato Art Exhibit which coincides with the East Nashville tradition, the Tomato Art Fest!  For this year's exhibit, I created a parody of Grant Wood's "American Gothic," by recreating the contemporary classic with tomato-headed subjects!  This miniature 5in x 7in work will be on display with a slew of other tomato-inspired creations this weekend and all month long at the gallery.  This year you won't find me at the big festival though as I'll be celebrating my 5th Anniversary with my Ultimate Art Wife, Aurora!  Someone take a picture of the framed and finished work on the gallery wall for me!

DEATH MASK dOOdle

And now on to this Sunday's religious material...

"To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent."

-Buddha

"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time."

-Mark Twain

"From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity."

-Edvard Munch

CLICK HERE to TESTIFY in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

PRiMAL SCREAM dOOdle

Nosy dOOdle

All up in the Kool Aid and don't know the flavor...

Exercise Your Prying Eyes in the dOOdle Archive!

Rose Period Ajna Chakra dOOdles

My doodling as of late went into a Rose Period where I've been doodling on colored paper with a plain blue gel pen.  These drawings serve as mind flexes- meditations really.  Usually while I'm tied up on the phone or between odd tasks throughout the day, I'll throw a few lines down on each miniature work of art (which usually takes course over one or two days.)  I always start with some loose and gestural pen strokes and then tighten up what I see from there, hatching and lining away here and there.  The few pieces of red paper I found to dissect have proven to be impossible to scan correctly for some reason.  Everything comes out in shades of magenta and fuchsia.  The paper in reality is a deep red. These two third eye dOOdles came about over the past few weeks...

Click HERE to SPiRAL OUT in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

Click HERE to READ More about the role of the 3rd EYE in my ART!!!

Do You Care? PROVE IT!!!

(inks on bristol / 2006)

Early this morning I signed a petition at MoveOn.org for Manna Cafe Ministries to be allowed to open their homeless shelter in Clarksville.  Currently the founder, Kenny York is partaking in a bit of noble activism to bring attention to the issue of homelessness here in my home town.  Kenny is just a few long days into the two weeks he'll spend on the streets living homeless in his efforts to provide help to those in need of shelter.  Having been homeless himself, he knows just what types of real world problems bring people to such dire straits (and it's not because they won't get a job.)  When you see the guy on the corner this weekend asking, "DO YOU CARE?" give him a honk, a wave and a donation (which will go to Manna Cafe.)

It's Monday so Get those Tongues a-Waggin'...

It's back to the grind once again today so get your hustle on- get those arms moving, legs steppin' and tongues a-waggin'...

"A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work."  -Colin Powell

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense."  -Thomas A. Edison

"I know you've heard it a thousand times before. But it's true - hard work pays off. If you want to be good, you have to practice, practice, practice. If you don't love something, then don't do it."  -Ray Bradbury

GET MOTIVATED in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

Smitten dOOdle

I'm thankful for getting to feel the love hanging with some of my friends and family these past few weekends.  The artist's life isn't always the most social of lives these days despite my roaring 20's of yesteryear.  However, I do feel the love (a much more meaningful love) for those who've stuck around and been part of the journey and in-turn allowed me to be part of theirs.  Aurora started prepping another round of pork for this weekend as we're gonna cook out for family and get some more social time in enjoying the best parts of summer.  If you see me around, come holler at Papa Love- I still got plenty for ya!

GIVE and GET a little LOVE in the dOOdle ARCHIVE!!!

The Irony of the Isolation of Independence

from "Random Acts of Vibrance" (inks on bristol / 2010)

Today in America we celebrate our independence- and by definition our self-rule.  It is in theory the principles of democracy lay ground for many a man to rule his lot in the land of the free.  It is at times a difficult concept which stumbles into the territory of contradiction.  Without community, the self cannot survive for it takes a village and a tribe.  Likewise, without government and system the village would fall into bedlam and lawless abandon.  Therefor in fact, we are all part of the machine which manufactures independence and freedom through calculated control.

To gain freedoms in terms of equality, history has bore witness to bodies of peoples petitioning the general public and government through protest and upheaval.  No single individual can stake claim on the American Revolution, the Labor Movement, the Civil Rights Movement or the modern strife of equal rights for other minorities and the LGBT community.  Only through organization and reliance on others can social change and acceptance occur.  Only with a unified voice can citizens gain justness and law to the benefit all peoples equally.

King's Landing dOOdle

"There is no king who has not had a slave among his ancestors, and no slave who has not had a king among his."  

-Helen Keller

"Death is the king of this world: 'Tis his park where he breeds life to feed him. Cries of pain are music for his banquet."  

-George Elliot

"Kings are the slaves of history.”  

-Leo Tolstoy

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