JAH SoulWorks – Page 4 – Funk It Up & Love On

Norah Jones Album Cover. Pencil on paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa December 2002.

“View of the Appalachian Trail from Peace Mountain Farm.” This was my first landscape at home. It’s not as detailed as I’d like, but that was part of the lesson: you can’t paint everything, so summarize. My mother’s pet fish love this painting placed at the back of their tank to entertain them. I grew up on a rescue farm, so I’ve learned that animals get bored sometimes, too. And who am I to say they can’t appreciate art? Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. April 10, 2005.

“Bohemian Cinderella.” A single Birkenstock (look-a-like, I believe) in front of a draped bandana with a cloud pattern. I learned that a brown, wooden desk is translated into red in my brain, apparently. Some people see a face in the upper left/center. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. March 6, 2005.

Self portrait. Crumpled from storage. Pencil on paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa 2002.

“Guitar on Green Cloth.” The topic for this piece was “7 Objects”, meaning we needed to identify shapes of colors, as opposed to a drawing. For example, I found many more than seven objects in the subject, despite our left brains telling us there are two: a guitar and a cloth. Even though I like the effect now, I learned that I painted the strings on, as opposed to painting what I actually was seeing. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. February 16, 2005.

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

“Wine by Candlelight.” This piece focused on glass, which is a challenging subject. In the wine bottle you can see the reflection of the corner of the wall behind me; on that wall is a framed painting. To the right of the framed painting is a staircase and skylight. In the stem of the wine glass you can see the reflection of both the candle and the bottle. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. April 11, 2005.

This was practice with modified contours, with an unfinished nail on the lower left and a paintbrush handle in lower center. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. March 29, 2005.

Part of a series of experiments with Imprimatura, or priming the background with a color. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Early February 2005.

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

First Oil Painting. When I arrived on the first night, I was told I couldn’t take the class because I had none of the prerequisites needed. I asked if I could at least stay until the end of the night. Afterward, the professor told me I could take the course. Oil on sanded and gessoed panels. January 18, 2005.

Lo’s Cousin. Pen on paper. Circa 2004.

Part of a series of experiments with Imprimatura, or priming the background with a color. I use this one as my logo and front of my business card now. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Early February 2005.

The first piece of Gaia. Permanent marker and watercolor on paper. Circa December 2014.

Gaia in Progress. Permanent marker and watercolor on paper. September 13, 2015.

Hippie Feet. Pencil on paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa 2002

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

My printer ran out of ink while printing out a copy of my story written in the fall of 2016. I used the page where the ink ran out to add “Soul”: pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

First experiment with reflective surfaces. In the lower center, you can see the shadow of the flower in the metal can. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Late February/early March 2005.

“Wild Ivy on the Trellis.” Another from the landscape series. April 19, 2005.

Colored chalk on chalkboard.

This was my first acrylic piece. Acrylic on canvas. Finished December 2015.

Selena. Pencil on Paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa January 2003.

Another experiment with Imprimatura. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Early February 2005.

Chef Matt Kovitch commissioned this piece to feature the logos of his locally sourced ingredients. (No, those aren’t stickers. I get that question a lot.)

Gaia in Progress. Permanent marker and watercolor on paper. August 2015.

“Curious George Flashlight and Comb Handle on Green Cloth.” This assignment was a focus on warm and cool colors. An art critic who writes for the New York Times asked to buy this painting, but I explained that it already belongs to my supervisor I had as an intern at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park in 2010; he was shocked when I said I wouldn’t ask for it back. Prints of my work can be made available, of course. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. January 31, 2005.

Ophia & Wilson at #40Boyz Showcase 2.0

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

This was my first landscape with oil, located on the campus. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. April 5, 2005.

Part of a series of experiments with Imprimatura, or priming the background with a color. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Early February 2005.

Baer. First drawing of a dog. Pencil on Paper. Contrast added after scanning. 2013

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

Lo on Horseback. Pencil on paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa 2002.

“Backstage.” First experiment with glass. You can see the beginning of eucalyptus in the lower right and another glass bottle on the left. I was short on time, but I like the effect of it being incomplete here; the focus was on the angle of the flower. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. March 8, 2005.

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

Jameson the Dragon. Pencil on Paper. Contrast and saturation increased after scanning. Circa Fall 2012.

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

Ophia, NoJo, & The Messenger performing “The Message” at the first #40Boyz Showcase

One of the running jokes in my family is my dad stating “Dad is cool” followed by us kids shutting that down immediately. For Christmas 2016, I presented him with this and promptly apologized to my siblings for the betrayal. Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

Chriscoe. Pencil on paper. Color and contrast added after scanning. Summer 2013

“Front Porch.” A rusty trowel and a chipped pot on its side. The trowel handle might be my favorite part, next to the rust. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. April 4, 2005.

Pencil outline with fine and ultra fine point permanent marker on paper.

“Snowy Night”. With this at-home painting, I learned how difficult it is to paint marble. I used Imprimatura, or priming the painting with a color; in this case I used blue to give it the feel of a snowy night, despite being indoors. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. Early February 2005.

This was another, if less fruitful, experiment with glass and strange angles. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. March 15, 2005.

Hazel Basil. Pencil on Paper. Contrast added after scanning. Circa 2011.

In the next class we practiced with another orange slice accompanied by sbasic objects. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. January 25, 2005.

“Driving.” This was the last assignment and we were told we could do whatever we wanted. I had been told earlier in the semester that we were not allowed to do portraits because they were too difficult. This was not a still life; it was based on a small camera phone photo (back in 2005 it was probably a handful of pixels, relatively). I am no longer with him, but I am happy I have this piece of the father of my child. Oil on canvas. May 3, 2005.

“Passing Thunderstorm.” This is likely the most dynamic “still life” I’ve painted. Oil on sanded and gessoed wood panel. April/May, 2005.

“Still Life with Strange Things.” If I’m going to stare at something for this long, it had better be interesting, right? This assignment was focused on painting three reflective objects, which I did not excel at in this case; and I still don’t know what that triple buckle thing is for. The other object is a horse bridle. Oil on canvas. May 1, 2005.

Into the Mist

September 3, 2016 No Comments

My childhood friend Caroline passed away in 2014 from melanoma. I wanted to honor her memory with this piece. I gave it to her mother when I finished it at the end of 2015.

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Art, Permanent Marker, Watercolor

Gaia (In Progress)

September 3, 2016 No Comments

“Gaia, a Portrait of Mother Earth.” A piece still in progress.

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Art, Pen and Pencil

Pen & Pencil

September 3, 2016 No Comments

Mostly pencil sketchings over the years based off photographs. “Hippie feet” and “Self Portrait” from a mirror.

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Art, At-Home Oil Paintings 2005

At-Home Oil Paintings 2005

August 29, 2016 No Comments

The following are paintings I had more than a class period to work on from Art 241: Oil Painting.

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Art, In-Class Oil Paintings 2005

In-Class Oil Paintings 2005

August 28, 2016 No Comments

The following are the pieces I did in class in Art 241: Oil Painting.

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Hullah!

August 28, 2016 3 Comments

Welcome to my new site! It is, of course, still under construction, though I hope you will stick with me through these growing pains. Here’s to a future of funking it up and loving on!

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