The following artwork is an 11″ x 14″ drawing and painting of a fedora hat, created with colored pencils, markers, oil pastels, pens, watercolors, and paint pens on paper.

The fedora was often worn by Michael Jackson (b. 29 August 1958, – d. 25 June 2009) during stage performances and public appearances. The article of clothing became nearly synonymous with his image along with other accessories such as a single white glove, white socks with black loafers, and mirrored aviator sun glasses.

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These are two drawings of abstract faces, one with primarily blue colors, and the other with primarily red colors. The blue face is approximately 9″ x 12″, drawn with pens, colored pencils, paint pens, and painted with watercolors. The red face is approximately 8″ x 10″, drawn with pens, markers, paint pens, and colored pencils.

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This is a warm toned drawing and painting of an abstract face yelling “Ahhhhh!”. I mixed paint pens, colored pencils, and watercolors to draw and paint the 8″ x 10″ artwork.

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“Blue Boy” is approximately 11″ x 14″, drawn with markers, watercolors, and paint pens on paper. The strokes are swift and gestural, with abstract shapes and lines loosely forming a wide eyed expression on a boy’s face. The accompanying video shows the drawing and painting process in a time lapse format.

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This is an 8″ x 10″ quick sketch of my dog Spot, drawn with pen, colored pencil, and paint pen. He’s a pure white five year old Jack Russell Terrier who developed rapid onset cataracts this past week. The vet says his vision has deteriorated to the equivalent of looking through a cloudy shower door. And we learned the hard way yesterday that “fetch” will have to be put on temporary hold. The little guy has a lot of energy, and he’s still young, so I’m starting to save up for surgery. The quality of his life is important to me.

Here is one more drawing of Spot; a watercolor painting of the dog from 2005.

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I have a road less traveled in mind. Being sensitive to the external, my attention is often focused outside my body. Now I’m diving inside to explore the source of my thoughts, actions, and affect I bring to the outside world.

It takes courage for me to watch my own thoughts. They drift in and out when not being acted upon. And it takes a lot of practice for me to be calm and sit with myself in this way. But the benefits are clear.

The calm lingers. I can think with compassion. And I’m aware of my feelings, and can see them for what they are… feelings. And this helps me make good decisions in my life.

I’m not an expert on meditation, but I’m also distinctly aware of a higher wisdom in my mind that defies what I’ve learned in a few short decades of life. It’s a Knowing of how to take care of my body, how to live, express myself, heal, and breath. It’s an awareness I suspect is always there, but rarely gets the focused attention it deserves.

But I’m thankful. Appreciative. And very excited to see where this road less traveled leads!

[I Have a Road Less Traveled in Mind was created for Art Challenge #10: A Road Less Traveled at The Artist Challenge. The drawing is approximately 8" x 11", created with watercolors, pens, colored pencils, and paint pens.]

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The drawing/painting entitled Monster In My Closet was created for Art Challenge #9: Behind Closed Doors at The Artist Challenge. The artwork is approximately 11″ x 14″ and includes mediums such as watercolors, colored pencils, pens, markers, and paint pens.

Monsters in the closet, or monsters under the bed, are an interesting subject to me. I think monsters represent strong beings that are deeply hurt, insecure, and afraid, but refuse to be broken. Monsters act on fear, they isolate, and lash out in defense even when no attack is present. After all, it’s a tactic I’m sure worked before, when real danger was present.

Approaching a monster invites the biggest baddest scariest monster face one can muster. Which is commonly mixed with a heavy dose of intimidation, screaming, and flailing for good measure.

I try to see them deep down, as a being with old pain and wounds that never healed. If there is no immediate danger, I say “scream to me, monster, and tell me about how much it hurts.” And the next time I see the monster the pain isn’t as deep. Keep crying, monster. And let yourself heal. You’re safe, vulnerable, and seen for who you are, perfect in the moment.

And in time, there is a yawn, and maybe even a smile.

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I attended a life drawing session this week, in order to improve my portrait drawing skills. My intention is to create custom portraits for people interested in commissioning me to create artwork for them. And the life drawing sessions are a practice method that helps me take one more step in that direction.

The commissioned custom portraits are slightly abstract and may not look exactly like the subject, but they are unique, honest, and will adventurously challenge you to see yourself or the subject in a new way. My portraits are like a conversation with you. I’ll see you without judgment. And you can keep a record of an artistic interpretation of yourself.

The models in the portraiture below posed for 15 minutes each, so I didn’t get much time to hone in on details and backgrounds, but it was great practice! Mediums include pens, colored pencils, and paint pens.

Check out an example of a completed custom portrait of a woman or some custom portraits of a man.

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This is a drawing and painting of a yellow rose, created for Art Challenge #8: Spring Fever at The Artist Challenge! Spring is in the air and flowers are blooming. The grass is growing again and there is a bit more chirping and buzzing to be heard outside. The yellow rose is the first bloom in my garden, so I thought I would let it speak for the season and this months free art challenge!

The rose drawing/painting is approximately 8″ x 11″, created with pens, colored pencils, paint pens, and watercolors on card stock paper.

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The following drawings of the sun (stars) were created in response to Art Challenge #7: Sun Art, over at The Artist Challenge. The first sun drawing is also part of the CBS News Sunday Morning Television Show Art Library.

Each sun drawing is 11″ x 14″, and drawn on paper with a variety of pens, watercolors, paint pens, colored pencils, oil pastels, markers, and acrylic paint.

The first image of the sun represents the power and energy of the source of light and color, and life, in our world. The drawing is also abstract and impressionistic. The other two sun/star drawings focus on the tumultuous bubbling reaction within a star that produces the warm colors and heat amidst the black depths of space.

The accompanying video shows the drawing and painting process for the colorful abstract sun in a time lapse format.

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