Holy beans! Its been too long!

Well I have been neglecting my website! 

There has been a lot going on in these here parts.  First off, last fall I got a fun new contract.  I used that contract as an excuse to renovate my studio.  Then I used that renovated studio to survive (hide from) the large amount of family that stayed with us over the holidays.  I think this new studio is going to work out just fine.

One side of the new studio showing new workbench, shelves and painting storage, and a new easel.

To break in the new studio I made some unfocused abstract paintings like this one.

Turtle Crossing

A sketch from my notebook.  This is pretty accurate depiction of driving around with my dog.  He likes to sit in the front seat which makes him subject to my lightning fast dad-arm-seatbelt.

George Washington Carver

Here are some illustration examples made for the Notable Missourian book on George Washington Carver.  What a fascinating man!  Artist, scientist, thinker, doer. The Notable Missourian series is published by Truman University Press.

Baby George Washington Carver and his mother and brother.

Young George Washington Carver in his woodland garden.

Collage of George Washington Carver growing up.

George Washington Carver teaching at Iowa State University.

George Washington Carver sharing effecient farming techniques with poor farmers.

George Caleb Bingham

Recently I made some illustrations for the Notable Missourian book on the painter George Caleb Bingham.  He was an interesting man in both art and politics.

Young George sits and watches Chester Harding paint a portrait of Daniel Boone.  His love of art was now official.

George went east to study the works in the big museums there.

George was passionate about the plight of the people, and got deeply into politics.

Not only did George enjoy politics, but he used it as a subject of many of his works.

George as an elder teaching a painting class.

Furry Family Portraits

While gathering with fellow illustrators (We like to pretend that we have co-workers like normal people), it was suggested that we make some paintings to sell at a local humane society auction.  I had to think of something to paint on the spot, so I opted to immortalize my old a-hole dog, Marcus,  and my even older, grumpier bag of bones cat, Fritz.  It was a fun, spontaneous project for sure....I'm kind of sad I won't have these portraits of two of my oldest friends on my own wall!  Thats what prints are for.

Johnson County Library

Awhile back I was commissioned to make an illustration for the Johnson County Library system based on their main branch location.  Their idea was to use the illustration in their annual promotional materials. Well, recently I had a chance to see how the printed materials turned out and I was super impressed! Using the artwork, the library design department put together a summer programs guide, book marks, posters, a summer reading booklet, and a mural I need to see. Below is the original illustration as well as a photo of some of the printed materials. 

Long time no post!

Busy busy!  Now where did we leave off?  Oh yes good old James Cash Penney.  Here are some of the final illustrations for the story of his life, written by Jason Offut and published by Truman State University Press.

Young businessman J.C. Penney raising and selling pigs in his family's yard, much to the chagrin of neighbors.

J.C. as a young man, working at the Golden Rule dry goods store in Wyoming.

J.C also had an interest in raising prize winning livestock.  Now that I look at this illustration for the first time in awhile, I realize both the men look related or like the same guy.  Eesh.  

J.C. going over accounts while his wife does some canning.  Every penny had to count during the depression.

An older J.C. at a department store during the 50s.

JC Penney

Its time to get started on the 2017 Notable Missourian illustrations for Truman State University Press.  The first book features James Cash Penney.  That's right, JC Penney himself.   Here are some of the sketches done for Chapter 1 - They show a young JC in the hog business.

Groundhog Day

I'm not sure if its perception or reality but it seems like one could wake up from hibernation to an increasingly strange world these days.  This was thrown together real quick on Groundhog day when I should have been working on story revisions.  

Chili Season

I have some problems with how I chose to compose this one, but I still like the lively atmosphere.

New life for an abandoned painting.

"The Gift" original "unfinished" version

So in my studio has sat a painting that had confounded me for a few years now.  I wasn't sure if it was done or if it was unfinished. To be clear, I would tell myself it was done, but there was always a little voice in the back of my brain saying "no its not".

Well the other day I decided I needed to paint.  I was going through old paintings trying to decide if I wanted to paint over an old so-so one or use a new canvas.  While digging around I came across the aforementioned painting and for the first time it struck me that I should finish it...whatever that meant.  So I did!

"The GIft" acrylic on 24"x36" canvas. It probably went a completely different direction then what I originally had in mind, but thats kind of what makes the recently finished version cool.

Hard Working Robot

I bet you didn't know it, but robots love apples.

Andrew Taylor Still teaching

This illustration shows an older Andrew Taylor (A.T.) Still watching over a class being taught at his newly founded school of Osteopathy.  This illustration is for the Notable Missourian series published by Truman State University Press.

Final art

Rough sketch.  You can see quite a few changes were made.