Patti Smith

 

Without question, Patti Smith is one of the most iconic Jersey girls to emerge out of the Garden State. Attending one of her concerts, which are filled with inspiring songs and poetry, is like witnessing a force of nature. Her message is to use your voice to help make this world a better place. Patti has the power to make us, as citizens, realize we have the power to make a difference on this planet. For that reason, she's one of my heroes.

Gabriel García Márquez

 

 I attempted some magical realism while depicting one of my daughter’s favorite authors. No doubt, this beloved Colombian belongs in the pantheon of Latin American writers. 

Stephen King

 

Just as the boogeyman was jumping out of the closet, Stephen King was emerging out of Maine. At age 14, I picked up my first collection of short stories by this author, Night Shift. Foolishly, I brought this book on a camping trip, deep in the New England woods. While reading in the isolation of the forest, his stories scared the crap out of me, and I loved every minute of it. Decades later, I'm still hooked on the King of Horror.

Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop

Louisa May Alcott

Concord, Massachusetts was was home to respected American writers like Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne. Not to be left out is this beloved author, who knew a thing or two about Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. 

 

Nathaniel Hawthorne

 

As we live through this pandemic, I’ve been reading a lot of nonfiction, but also finding escapism through classic literature. One particular story which was assigned way back in high school English class, Young Goodman Brown, has always stuck with me. Having recently reread it, this devilish tale still spooks the hell out of me. The author is the descendant of a judge who presided in the Salem Witch Trials. With that kind of family lineage, no wonder his writing is so vivid and haunting.

Signed prints of this portrait are are available here, in my Etsy shop! 

John Steinbeck

Much of this author’s literary universe is set in the fertile lands around his hometown, Salinas, California. If he didn’t have the life experience which was shaped by this region, we would never have The Grapes of Wrath, or Of Mice and Men.

Signed prints of my John Steinbeck portrait are available here!

JD Salinger

JD Salinger was a master of social distancing, living a reclusive life in New Hampshire. I imagine his ghost is still eluding us, hidden amongst the birch trees of this granite state.

Zadie Smith

Here’s a portrait of noted author, Zadie Smith, who was born and raised in London. Her novel, White Teeth, is my younger daughter’s favorite book.  

Signed prints of this piece are available here!

Samuel Beckett

This portrait of Irish playwright, Samuel Beckett, is one of many literary figures in my exhibit at the Starr Library, Rhinebeck NY, up all of February. I'm having a reception today, 5-7 PM. If you live locally, please stop in and say hello!

Jack Kerouac

Born in Lowell Massachusetts, he was destined to go on the road. Jack Kerouac emerged from this New England town to become a poetic voice for the beat generation. 

Prints of this piece are available here!

Nick Cave

Here's a portrait of legendary Australian musician, Nick Cave. This dark poet composes some of the most melancholy music on this mortal coil, yet, the results are sublimely beautiful. This is inspired by a series called World Tour - in which I use pages from an old atlas as canvases - painting images relating to the place on each map.

Signed prints of this piece are available here!

Please visit my website to view more fun portraits.

Honoré de Balzac

On a recent visit to my local recycling center, I came across a mysterious book, Esoteric Astrology, which was published in 1912. It was filled with strange diagrams, as well as astrological charts of notable people.  Here’s a portrait of French novelist, Honoré de Balzac, drawn on his birth chart. More to come soon!

Please visit my Etsy shop to view more interesting portraits (signed prints are available)!

Or visit my website to see more cool stuff!

Margaret Atwood

Spawned in the creative wellspring of Ontario waters, a literary current flowed down to southern daughters. Spreading into bible-belt tributaries, this handmaid’s tale bled into harsh realities. When fiction dilutes into fact, Margaret Atwood foresaw these repressive acts.

Signed prints of my Margaret Atwood portrait are available here!

Donna Tartt

Here's a portrait of one of my favorite authors, Donna Tartt. Born and raised in Mississippi, she went on to write three superb novels, The Secret History, The Little Friend, and The Goldfinch.

You can view a complete collection of my map drawings here.