I have been a barista for most of my adult life. I also went to art school so a lot of my friends like to say I’m a walking cliche or a caricature of myself; a barista with arty dreams in a town that is obsessed with coffee culture. My Disgruntled Barista series is a response to that “cliche”. There are a lot of disgruntled baristas in my generation. We tend not to be paid enough so we work for tips, which means we have to be charming and/or put up with bad behavior. Since caffeine is an upper we can be pretty excited about the work we do, but the crash can be brutal, and that’s when we can be disgruntled. My plan is to eventually create a comic strip about the characters I am revealing with these drawings. They are all inspired by real people: friends of mine.
The Big Draw
I recently participated in The Big Draw as a shadow puppet person. For those of you that don't know; I am the artistic director of a puppet troupe called In Shadows. Here are some pictures and links for all to peruse and ponder....
In the middle of the commons of PNCA was placed a drawing of the earth for kids to color. The name of this particular Big Draw event was "Future Custodians of the Earth". Translation: Twas a environmentally friendly theme for children to take home and think about.
To stay true to the environmental theme of the event I brought recycled supplies to create shadow puppets with. I scavenged cardboard boxes from my coffee shop job and handed them to the children to make puppets with. A good pastry box goes a long way don'tchya know?! I also found some great recycled supplies at Scrap to use.
My brother Andrew and his friend Zach Allen helped set up the stage and instruct the masses on how to build a puppet. I really couldn't have done it with out a troupe. This is a collaborative venture.
Back Into The Shadows
I will be teaching a workshop at PNCA in December on Shadow Puppetry. This class is still in the developmental stage so I'll have more details about it as the time draws closer. I will be designing the workshop around the Oregon author; Opal Whitely.
I chose this author from a long list of Oregon authors because her story is so ethereal and dreamy, which parallels the medium that is shadow puppetry. Read up on this beautiful person and check out my workshop if you have the chance to. Suffice it to say it shall be a swell time had by all.
Portlandia on Bikes
When I was in Boston six months ago I watched a marathon of Portlandia because I was homesick. Portlandia is brilliant. Nuff said. Carrie and Fred have a special place in my heart and hopefully they will like these cards I made for them, and hopefully they won't sue me. ahem. Oh 'hawt' celebs, how I enjoy putting you on bikes...
1. Fred and Carrie 2.Lance and Nina 3.Peter and Nance 4.Candice and Toni refuse to get on the bike because they believe it is invasive and sexist.
A Bitch At Work..
This is a portrait of my friend Ashley selling Bitch magazine at last Thursday in Portland OR. I'm working on a Portland series right now, and this was my first painting towards this series. For those of you who don't know, Bitch magazine is a kick-ass non-profit publication of feminist writings, based in Portland OR. Last Thursday is an art street fair on Alberta Street, PDX. Occasionally I join forces with the loverly Ann Heideman to set up on the street to sell our wares. She sells jewelry and tarot card readings, and I sell my cards and prints. Ashley, who is the subject of this painting, was interning for Bitch when I snapped this pic of the bitch. ( I had several other references, besides the picture of her. I usually work off of more then one reference picture)
I have here a series of pictures, illuminating my artistic approach and thought processesesesssess''''...
First I draw, and map out the painting, keeping in mind the proportions and the general composition. You can see her head ended up being too big in this drawing which I didn't catch until I stood the painting up on an aisle and stepped away from it to view it from afar. Many artists make the heads' of their subjects' too large probably cause it's the focal point of the painting and fun to geek out on...
Next I try to fill the whole of the paper with paint all the while, considering my color scheme and remembering a light source. I tend to forget about a prominent light source during this stage, which is problematic later in the painting...
For this painting I worked out the background next. I was determined to have it be set specifically on the Alberta street art fair, so I put some art vendors in the background. I also put a bike on it, keeping in mind Portland's love of bikes.
I was painting this in Tucson AZ so just look at all that beautiful desert sun light I got to bask in while I was painting! No wonder folks get so colorful in the South West! During this stage I was keeping in mind how much of a bitch Ashley is. Ha! For reals though: I was thinking about 'attitude' and how to convey it in this painting. I spent all day on her face.
And in the final stage I'm concerned with details, details, details, values and more details. The final stage is my fave part of the painting. FIN
They're still Hawt!
All of you in Tucson,
How would you like to see some 'Hawt' Celebrities on bikes?! I say 'Hawt' because everyone living in Tucson understands that 'hot' is not a laughing or pleasing matter. Also in my case, the distinction between 'hawt' and 'hot' has to do with trendiness, and attractiveness. Okay kids, I have good news for you! you can now purchase my 'Hawt' Celebrities On Bikes' Cards at THREE locations in Tucson!! Never heard of it?! Shame on you! I will enlighten you: I have slaved away on two series of cards, hand drawn, hand photoshopped, hand printed (with the help of a home printer, and/or a sales associate at Office Max and/or Office Depot) hand cut, and hand packaged all for you!! Oh it was nothing, don't fret old chum. I have made 15 all together, 10 of which have flirty messages written inside of them for amusement and swooning purposes. Why are you still reading this?! Go get 'em! Oh, Ha! I haven't told you where they reside.
Transit Cycles is carrying Gael Garcia Bernal, Salma Hayek, Idris Elba, Ryan Gosling, Christina Hendricks, Beyonce, and Tom Waits.
The Gypsy Emporium is carrying Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Audrey Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Tom Waits, Ryan Gosling, Johnny Depp, Beyonce, Emma Watson, Idris Elba, George Clooney, Kirsten Dunst, Salma Hayek, Christina Hendricks, and Gael Garcia Bernal
Fred's Thrift Shop (located in the back room of Copper Country Antiques) is carrying Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, Audrey Hepburn, Marylin Monroe, Tom Waits, Ryan Gosling, Johnny Depp, Beyonce, Emma Watson, Idris Elba, George Clooney, Kirsten Dunst, Salma Hayek, Christina Hendricks, and Gael Garcia Bernal
Hurry go get 'em before they're all gone!
A Three Month Tour...A Three Month Tour
So I'm in Boston yesterday, strolling along Beacon street, on the site where some revolutionary battle was fought when it occurred to me just how long this walkabout of mine has been. A lot happens in three months, and maybe it is time for me to talk about it all. You know, get down and dirty and show off all the cool new art I've created and such. Yeah well, originally I had planned to keep a blog throughout my trip and blog about everything, but that's an overwhelming task when you're constantly on the go, go, go. I've also realized I am not the sort to gather my thoughts and findings and understand them well enough to write about them right away. I need time to categorize, analyze, alphabetize, correctly pronounce, plug in, plug off, log in, remember passwords ("You need a password to brush your teeth these days"-Andrew Moore). And on top of all of that overstimulation, you must also remember to sleep, eat well, catch a train, bus, taxi, plane and ALL OF THAT.... noise. So here I am at the end of my trip, beginning to think about how to talk about all of my new epiphanies. Patience friends! TRUTH and BEAUTY is on it's way! ...but only if you're into that kind of thing. Ha! In the meantime do yourself a favor and read this book! It's so funny and so smart, I forgot I was reading a self-help book! Also here is a picture of some cute graffiti:
...I stole it.
Sarah and Brent
"Hawt" Celebrities on bikes are Here!!
Here they are! "Hawt" celebrities on bikes! Each one of these cards comes with a special message inside of the card...find out what these stars want to say to you. Let me know if you want one or some...email me at lxmoore3@gmail.com and we can talk about a special package or visit my etzy account. Ya! Take a look....
A Lineage Written in Water
In Shadows: A Lineage Written in Water.... Promo Video
Bobby
I grew up in several places. My parents were travelers so I call a lot of places my home. One of those homes is Niantic CT, where I spent my defining teenage years. I hated that town. It was a dreadfully dull town for a teenager with an over active imagination and a yearning to get in trouble. I rebelled some in high school and dropped out for a spell mostly to smoke a little pot and party in the woods with my other disillusioned friends. There was a bunch of us 'back in the day' in Niantic CT, I think for a minute we called ourselves the "strip kids", but I'm not sure how original that nickname was, or where it came from. We skated in isolated parking lots. Instead of going to 8AM Biology class we went to Friendlies and packed ourselves into booths sharing one pot of coffee and packs and packs of cigarettes. We threw terrible parties in the woods and threw cans of beans into the fire. We stayed up all night in graveyards and beaches. We made the most out of our depressing age, and trying circumstances. Several weeks ago an old friend of mine from this era of my life passed away. Bobby Vonins was always crazy! He was fun and exciting and completely adorable! I think everyone had a funny crush on Bobby. You couldn't help but be charmed by his gross sense of humor and mischievous ways. We were the same age, but he was way ahead of my time when I first moved to Niantic. We were 12 then, and I was scared of everything. I had lived in Germany before moving to the States and had gone to German schools and such, so I was completely weird in Niantic and felt it. I remember taking a walk to the beach when I saw this boy my age walking towards me. He had bleached tips and a brown leather jacket and I was intimidated by his coolness. I was not cool at all. I tried to avert my eyes and look otherwise engaged but as he passed he made sure that I payed him the proper attention and said in his deep, deep voice "HELLO THERE!". My response was timid I'm sure, but there was something in his voice that eased my fears right away, and I instantly felt like a tool for being intimidated by him.
Bobby and I became friends a few years later, he was kind of famous amongst the "strip kids" and I, like everyone that spent a significant amount of time with him, learned to love him. I haven't seen Bobby since I moved out of Niantic some 12 years ago and I feel like I've had several life times since those days. I was still extremly saddened when I found out about Bobby's passing. I realize that in a lot of ways he has come to symbolize those teenage years of my life. Those years are meant for important discoveries about oneself and collecting a strange bravado that rarely survives the roaring twenties. Bobby Vonins, rest in peace , I will never forget you.
Here are the stages of my painting. I painted him by the beach with members of his family behind him.
gossip column...
Here they are!! We've spotted them. Celebrities on bikes!! These celebs found a more environmentally friendly way to get around town, and just look at them! Aren't they fabulous?! Of course the deceased celebs featured here were also virtuous once so their publicist's called me up and made sure I included them in this series...
(Coming soon: cards of Obama and Michelle, Stevie Nicks, and the 27 club....)
Which Way Do I Go? Which Way Do I Go?
Summer is here. I have so many projects I need to get to. I owe some people paintings, and I need to replenish my cards and prints at local stores, I have a New London CT painting series I've been working on, and then there's the shadow puppets. I recently had an interview with two of my professors and they advised me to focus in on one genre for a while...I choose painting. The problem is that my focus likes to multitask these days...or so I say until I get annoyed at myself and decide to watch many episodes of Upstairs, Downstairs instead of working. I love that show.
Another problem with narrowing myself down is that I really like having a presence in the local crafty DIY gift shop's in Portland. It seems to me that these stores prefer cartoons and humor, to fine paintings. I love comics and cartoons and find it hard to imagine giving those up. The other nice thing about cartoon work is that it's faster then painting, and more relaxing in a way. Which way do I go? The shadow puppets are getting some attention too, and they are so exciting and beautiful. My professors had very little to say about my puppets, which is understandable since they teach Illustration first and foremost. "That's another world" one of them said...yup 'tis true.
I'm going to try and do a little of all of these and see which one prospers, and sway which way the wind takes me. I think it's probably a good thing that I can bounce in and out of genres right? I guess time will tell. Check out my new promo cards!! I think they are beautiful...one card for puppets, and the other for paintings/drawings...
Front:
Shadow Slang:
Alameda
My two favorite paintings I've done this year are of two of my favorite people. Stirling, my man-friend, who is the head man of the band Alameda, and Jessie is the head gal of the same band. I painted Jessie walking in NE Portland somewhere thinking this painting would be the cover of the French release of their last album. Unfortunately the Frenchies never came through and now this painting remains just a painting in my living room for this Francophile to admire. I painted it on green paper.
This next one is of Stirling playing the guitar in a coffee shop called The Boiler Room in Port Townsend, WA. This is a pretty shabby coffee shop compared to the ones I'm used to here in PDX, but charming nonetheless.
There arefour other members in this band. Perhaps I will paint them too if they are good.
Logo?
I am a very detailed oriented artist. I LOVE clutter in a drawing and or painting and or puppet show. I think it's nice to spend time with a piece of art and have to stare at it for a long time to see all the details. I think that kind of time spent with a piece of art work is like having a conversation with it, a dialogue if you will. I make detailed work, I love it, it's my way of communicating the world I see. I see a complicated world that is beautiful and harsh because of all it's details. This is why I had a really hard time coming up with a logo for myself. In order to come up with a good logo you really need to simplify. It was suggested that I write down all the things that are important to me, what I draw from and so forth. Out of this brainstorm I had to come up with visual shortcuts. The very first logo I came up with was a quick sketch of me squating with a sketchbook and drawing, but it looked too much like I was going to the bathroom in the woods somewhere I was told. ahem. Unfortunately this came to my attention after I had used a sticker of this same image on many cards and prints to be sold at stores. Yes, twas a tad embarrasing. I no longer have that image to show here. The following have also been used here and there.
This one was pretty simple...My face with coffee, a pretty regular phenomena.
Then I tried this one out for a spell, but eventually decided it was kind of sterile.
Then I got really creative and vomitted logo all over the page. This one is truely silly...
Finally I decided I really needed to get away from my face already. How vain can I get for chrissake?! I settled for now, on this next sketch, which is based off of an old photograph of old relatives of mine. These are sassy, tough looking great great aunts of mine taking a dip in the ocean. Pretty neat I think. Full of character, feminist imagery, the ocean, and details...perfect.
Puppy Pop Portrait
I just want to start this off with saying that I GOT A KITTY! His name is Pablo, and he's a Casanova cat, total lover. He's the cutest kitty you eva' did see. My friend Jim has a pup named Velma. I haven't met this pup but I have drawn and painted her plenty in various artworks. A couple of summers ago he asked me to do a portrait of her based off of this picture he took and manipulated in photoshop. Here are my results. It's a Pop portrait of a rockstar dog....
First we have the original picture...
The painting in progress
And the final:
Shadow Slang
I would like to take a moment and introduce my shadow puppet troupe. I would also like to share some pictures from our first production: Waver Clamor Bellow Picture Show... Our poster and logo image for this production created by me for our show at the art collective and community Milepost Five in Portland OR. (This image is without the text):
This is the band Waver Clamor which consists of these two dudes, Verne and Ben. They composed four beautiful songs each of which is a scene in this production. Verne is the man sitting on the floor playing the glockenspiel. He has continued to be my close collaborator for In Shadows. He also built the stage that we use for these productions.
Besides being fellow puppet builders and performers, Jessie and Stirling also have an amazing instrumental indy folk band called Alameda.
My brother Andrew is a brilliant artist, puppet builder, puppeteer and art director. He understands construction and movement better then anyone!
He built this puppet: The living Spider Spaceship. It is able to move in all kinds of ridiculous ways and Andrew is the only one who can operate the thing. In this picture the Spider Spaceship is hanging out next to it's caught prey.
Katie is our lovely lighting director, puppet builder and performer. She is also great at scene compositions. Here she is trying out the Spider Spaceship.
This is the end of the space scene in which our heroine prepares to land on Earth.
This is me with my fave penny-farthing puppet. I direct this thang....
Hicksters
I love doing personal commissions for people. I think most of my close friends have commissioned me for a painting in recent years. Two years ago I came across an old high school friend on facebook who reminded me that I sold little drawings of Disney characters to my fellow classmates when I was 12 years old. She still had my drawing of Aladdin's Abu. I had completely forgotten about these first commissions of mine. How funny. Anyway, last year I was commissioned by my dear friend Kyla to do a family portrait for her. This has become my favorite finished commission. At the time of this commission Kyla and her boyfriend Arlo were pregnant. They live in Tucson AZ, and are practicing a very sustainable living. He builds solar panels for people, she teaches gardening, they buy all their food locally, they take trains, ride bikes...it's all quite gruesome to watch considering they live in a place that is consistently over 100 degrees for 8 months of the year! When I lived in Tucson I enjoyed a very air conditioned existence.
Kyla is a curmudgeon. She had many requests for this painting. She had to be pregnant, there had to be javalinas knocking over the trash in the background, she wanted a sun hat and a cute dress, a desert landscape and their two dogs. Eddie the dog, had to be eying a fly. It was quite the list. I was excited to do it.
I kept thinking about Grant Woods' painting American Gothic when I was sketching out my ideas for Kyla. I decided that that was my inspiration painting. I aspired to keep a similar humor in Kyla's portrait, and also have it represent a lesser visualized part of America which is the South West. I also like the fact that this is a portrait of two people that are doing real good in the world with their progressive methods, good-natured teachings and sensibilities. These two are some 'good guys' of my generation fighting the good fight and I was proud to capture them. Arlo pegged the term "hickster" for himself, and I like it!
Here are some in-progress sketches and the final painting. The painting was huge!
Sketchbook Love
Sketchbooks are wonderful and some artists turn their sketchbooks into beautiful works of art. I do not have a nice sketchbook. My sketchbook is a mess of random drawings , notes to self, ripped out papers, grocery lists, W2's and pay stubs stuck in here and there, birthday cards, and so on. In fact I have about five of these laying around all of which I randomly pick up for whatever project I need a blank piece of paper for to brainstorm visually. I can remember only one artful sketchbook of mine. I created one in my late teens when I volunteered for this indy club called The Taz in New London CT. I'm pretty sure I left it around the club for cute boys to find and thumb through and fall instantly in love with me. What?! I was a teenager! I'm sure those cute boys fell in love with me all the time but were too shy to tell me about it. I wonder what I would have done if they had!! EEgads, I hate to think!
Thanks to modern technology such as photo shop I can paste together sketches of mine and create beautiful looking sketchbooks for all my fans to view....
Who do you love?
Look! A celebrity on a bike!
Now that school is approaching it's end I am getting excited about following up on all those projects I've been wanting to do. I really love series, and have the beginnings of several of them lying around the house. My fave series in the works is 'Celebrity's on Bikes!' This is a pretty self explanatory series. I will turn these into prints and cards to sell around town and everyone will go bonkers over them! oh yeah! Here are the two that I have preliminary sketches for: The sex in the city gals, and Obama and Michelle. Either of these could also be easily turned into Valentines special cards...
I suppose checking in on some copyright laws might be intelligent before I sell such cards.