Sugar on my tongue

I can still play about 5 or maybe 6 full songs on the guitar, (note the guitar neck is bent from the humidity and I can only visualize this greatness in my mind). Sugar on my Tongue by the Talking Head is one of the songs that I kick monkey ass on. Here's a picture sketch done in Europe 1999 from the song.

Enjoy

Why a wordless comic?

Here's my first Rada story "Imitation of Invention"and some of my thoughts of the first comic.

Rada was based on Buster Keaton, Alien (the Ridley Scott movie) and animal characters from Norwegian cartoonist Jason. Rada has no emotion, bringing out his inner animal and hoping the reader are encouraged to invest their own emotion.

I almost find it a bit embarrassing to watch overemotional films, like Woody Allen flims or Magnolia. It takes me out of the film.

I think using no text makes the stories more universal. They become fables. You don't hit the reader on the head with all the answers. It's more up to each reader to interpret the story, he has to fill in some of the answers him/herself. It's more of a meeting between the artist and the reader, but at the same time you gain something more unexplainable element, a feeling of mystery.

Here's another panel that is repeated because I can't get the damn thing off.

The homeless.

I did go into some shady places in spain, ten years ago and here are some of people that I drew. The couple were by a major mall, and skid row joe was by a subway. After it was finished i tip them some change for their service.

This is how I feel!

I'm not having a good day. I found out my gym closed up shop giving a phoney number and location. Going in tommorow to my bank to close payment.

Brothers in Arms

I have a strange relationship with my younger brother, Lee. We are both opposites when dealing with politics, religion, and environmental rights. We both have basic respect for each others values, but our conversations for the most part go into entertainment when we meet for the holidays. It might be this way forever, but who can really say. This image done in Europe, illustrates this meaning.

The kiss

"In my art I have tried to explain to myself life and its meaning I have also tried to help others to clarify their lives." (E.M.)

Edvard Munch one of the founding expressionist painters, was one of the reason why I wanted to paint. For the Kiss, the blending of the two faces in this picture is a symbol of how when two people are in love, they lose their own identity and meld into one. Munch didn't have a high opinion of love or for that matter women.

But for myself, it's still one of favorite pieces, showing the love between two people in a single kiss, so much they seem to share this love and moment. Incredibly painted, especially the contrast between objects, but not in the faces. I've been looking back at his work and have become a little turned off by some of some subject matter,but with due respect this man lived a hard life. He was often ill and kept out of school, who felt death constantly advancing on him. Compounded by excessive drinking and brawling, throughout his adult life, he would be on verge of madness. Never respected in his life time as a great painter, he spent the last 20 years, solitude at his nearly self-sufficient estate in Ekely.

Here's my version of Munch's Kiss. Being a fan of his wood cuts, I painted the background to reflect wood varnish, but strengthen the people by brightening the tone and color giving them more of a pop art quality.

Basho

Will you start a fire?

I'll show you something nice -

A huge snowball.

The master haiku Poet Matsuo Basho's ( Edo Period)poem was written by this image on my european art book.

I don't call myself a zen student anymore (dad looking in your direction), but i do still enjoy zen poems and my favorite has always been Basho. The teacher lived all alone in the hut and would listen to the wind blowing through the banana leaves. Some people who visited this teacher of poetry nickname him Basho ("banana plant) Hut. He he was happy to accept the nickname and used it for the rest of his life.

Here's a couple of favorites,

an ancient pond / a frog jumps in / the splash of water.

another year is gone / a traveler's shade on my head, / straw sandals at my feet

even a horse / arrests my eyes—on this / snowy morrow