Seven Things

Coloredsocks has put out the call to list seven things that inspire you, that you are working on, or whatever you want, so I'm answering the call. Mine are pretty diverse:

I started taking bluegrass/old-time fiddle lessons a couple months ago, it's been amazing fun. There is an old expression that goes "the devil rides a fiddle stick" and I'm starting to understand what it means. Forty-nine special also has a new website in progress.



There is a book called "The Circus in America" by Country Beautiful publishers that I found at Strand that has tons of great old circus posters in it. I love the weird palette and the line work combined with the texture of the "bad" reproductions.



I've been going back to the renaissance painters for research and inspiration for a picture book that I am working on that is set in the 1500's. Titian is my favorite, he's all heart. His figures feel like actual individuals while also having an iconic, universal weight.

This is one of a series of Bible story illustrations I just finished for a children's school textbook. The research on renaissance painters came out here too, a bit.

I did this drawing for the CD cover of Kyle Fisher's new record "Black Milk". His solo stuff is awesome, and you should also know his old band Rainer Maria. They were loved!

Tintin is better than the movies. I broke down a while back and got them all. "Explorers on the Moon" is my favorite. Great outer-space drawings and Captain Haddock and the T(h)ompsons are at their craziest. Just started reading that one again last night.

Philip Guston has it all, his paint is infinite, somehow both clumsy and bold AND subtle. He has that Morandi magic where the paint seems to stand for something else. I'm always inspired by his work.