Zuzu

I drew this commissioned portrait for some dear friends, 

who's beautiful kitty is named Zuzu.

Fritz

 

Here are some Christmas cards I drew for my daughters. In such a calamitous year, where would we be without our beloved four-legged friends?

Vincent Van Gogh

This portrait is a tiny tribute to a monumental Dutch master.

Sam Cooke

  

Out of the Mississippi Delta, Sam Cooke emerged as the the King of Soul.

 

Björk

 

Björk lives on a creative island in and of herself.

Anthony Bourdain

  

Out of culinary curiosity, Anthony Bourdain looked to explore parts unknown.

Kamala Harris

 

 

Emerging out of California, it’s the next vice president to the United States, Kamala Harris!

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

Audrey Hepburn

 

This iconic actress is one of Belgium’s most extraordinary exports, Audrey Hepburn

Signed prints of this portrait are available here (in my Etsy shop).

Sitting Bull

 

His name was Sitting Bull, but as an advocate for indigenous rights, 

he towered like a Standing Rock.

Prints of this piece are available HERE (in my Etsy shop)!

Princeton Pod Life

With a pandemic raging, Princeton students aren't allowed to set foot on campus, but this doesn’t mean they can’t emulate university life. Many are forming pods of five or more students, and living together in houses across the country. Living responsibly under the same roof, they can share in their educational experiences, and form a lasting camaraderie. Thanks to art director, Marianne Nelson (at Princeton Alumni Weekly) for another fun assignment!

Below are sketches i submitted for this piece:

Thanks for visiting. Please visit my website to view more fun stuff!

Harvard Remote Learning

 

Here are some drawings for Harvard Magazine. In this age of COVID, even a school with a 40-billion dollar-endowment has struggled with the limitations of remote learning. This article is about how they’re attempting to make the virtual experience more engaging and meaningful for students. The drawing above addresses ways in which Harvard is attempting to make zoom called more interactive, and multi-dimensional (with polls, charts, breakout sessions, etc) 

A history professor is exploring the idea of 3D tours of cultural monuments and ruins.

  

Music students are collaborating remotely to compose group compositions.

Harvard has an excellent IT staff to support needs of professors.

Enormous thanks to art director, Jennifer Carling, for another super-fun assignment!

Allen Gwelzo

This portrait for World Magazine accompanies a Q & A with noted Civil War historian and Princeton professor, Allen Gwelzo. I depicted him on a map of the Gettysburg battlefield. Special thanks to art director, David Freeland, for this fantastic assignment.

Please visit my website to view more fun drawings and projects.

Song of the Morning

This drawing was inspired by a piece of sheet music I found at my local recycling center.

You can view more portraits like this here, on my website.

Congressman John Lewis

On the day I was born, SNCC members marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, from Selma, AL to Montgomery, MS, protesting for the right for black people to vote in the south.  Because these peaceful marchers were treated so violently, it was called Bloody Sunday. Coverage of this event brought much attention to their cause, and spurred on other marches and activism. Months later, the Voting Rights act of 1965 was signed by LBJ. One organizer for that march was just a college student, John Lewis. He would eventually go on to serve in the United States congress for seventeen terms. Regarding Black Lives Matter, this man marched through life fighting for civil rights all the way through. He was an American icon, and he will be missed.

Thanks for visiting. Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop.

Leon Botstein

Bard College is a vital part of my small town, Red Hook, NY. This institution adds so much culture and diversity to our community. With this pandemic raging on, I really miss the energy and spirit all the students bring here. Here’s a portrait of the school president, Leon Botstein. He’s also the principal conductor of the American Philharmonic Orchestra.

Thanks for visiting. You can view more of my map portraits here, on my website.

Grace Kelly

Rear Window is one of my all-time favorite films, and this stunning actress is a big reason reason why. Born in Philadelphia, Grace Kelly would become one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and would eventually wear a crown as Princess of Monaco.

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

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

 

She doesn’t wear boxing gloves, but this congresswoman is a tenacious fighter from the Bronx. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez fearlessly champions the working class, civil rights, and human rights.

Signed prints of this piece are available here (in my Etsy shop)!

 

On the Road to Literacy

This piece  for American Educator accompanies a story about the magazine’s archive to supporting research-based reading instruction. It was fun to work with a very straight-forward  concept, On the Road to Literacy. This is the publication of the AFT, the largest teacher’s union in the US. I have many friends who’re public school teachers, including my girlfriend of 8 years. It is nice to know this magazine will be delivered to their mailboxes, and that I can connect with them through my artwork.

Given that we’ve been living through a pandemic, this has been a very challenging year for educators. Living with a teacher, I see firsthand how dedicated they are, and how hard they work. To all my teacher friends, I salute you, and wish you a relaxing and peaceful summer. You deserve it!

Here are sketches I submitted for this assignment:

 

Special thanks to art director, Jennifer Berney, for this super-fun assignment!

Joe Rogan

This guy may just look like typical musclehead from California, but looks can be deceiving. With a simple podcast, and an ocean full of curiosity, Joe Rogan has pioneered the art of long-form conversation. Joe is also known as an amazing standup comedian, martial arts expert, and UFC fight commentator. But for my money, his greatest contribution to society is showing us the value of a good deep-dive conversation.

 

Signed prints are available here, in my Etsy shop.

You can check out my collection of map portraits here! 

Dr. Cornel West

He is a philosopher who understands the topography of art, spirituality, and politics. From Sacramento, California, the one and only Dr. Cornel West. As we live through so much societal unrest, he offers compelling views on race, class, and other structural issues which we must address (to make America a better place). 

Signed prints are available here, in my Etsy shop.

(25% of proceeds will be donated to Black Lives Matter)

Please check out my collection of map drawings on my website!

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. 

 

Tom Waits

It's interesting how certain musicians we discover in our youth help shape our world view. I stumbled upon one such artist as a senior in college, Tom Waits. With his entirely unique approach to songwriting, this singer effortlessly channels downtrodden characters, like hobos, carnival barkers, and junkyard dogs. His attention to those fringe dwellers in society helps to confirm the humanity in all of us. Thanks to this artist, who was born in Pomona, California, for reminding us that everyone has a good story to tell.

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

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! 

Elvis Presley

Just looking at pictures of a young Elvis Presley, it’s easy to understand why he found such meteoric success. This native of Tupelo, Mississippi exuded an aura which has yet to be duplicated. While drawing this legend, I found myself continuously mimicking his distinct southern drawl. He sadly lost his way in life, but his early contributions to rock and roll will reverberate forever. 

Signed prints of this piece are available here (in my Etsy Shop)! 

Martin Luther King Jr.

When people of color are continuously let down by our justice, healthcare, and economic systems, frustrations bubble up to the surface. Martin Luther King Jr.  summed it  up best, ‘A riot is the language of the unheard.’

Signed prints of this piece are available here. 

(25% of each sale will be donated to Black Lives Matter.)

A Sweet Elderly Man

I work part-time in a nursing home, and was tasked with keeping this sweet elderly man company. I didn’t have my sketchbook handy, so this portrait was drawn on piece of printer paper. 

You can view a fun gallery of sketchbook drawings here, on my website.

Sojourner Truth

She was born into slavery, in Ulster County NY, but would channel her faith towards abolishing America’s original sin. With a name like Sojourner Truth, she had be a badass, right?

Thanks for viewing. You can check out more fun map drawing on my website. 

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!

Henry David Thoreau

Living the majority of his life within the borders of this map, Henry David Thoreau would dream big ideas on Walden Pond. His essay, Civil Disobedience, is an argument for peaceful protest against an unjust state. Right now, while our leaders consistently favor corporations over everyday people, this concept is more vital than ever.  

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

Riverdale Women of television

Here’s a new piece for Riverdale County School in the Bronx. This story is about three graduates who’ve become successful Television writers/show-runners (for series including Gilmore Girls, Supergirl, Glow, and the Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce). They share their thoughts about creating careers in this industry.  Special thanks to Cicely Upham for this fun assignment, and for art directing this piece!

Please visit my website to view more fun illustrations and drawings! 

American Illustration Winners

Enormous thanks to the jury at American Illustration for recognizing these drawings.  It’s an honor to have portraits of Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar included in their archive.

Signed prints of these portraits are available in my Etsy shop, here and 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.

Dolly Parton

She’s larger than life, to an iconic degree. I simply couldn’t fit this portrait, in just Tennessee. Born in a one-room cabin in Appalachia, Dolly Parton would grow up to master country and bluegrass music, acting, and business. Her efforts to promote literacy, along with her support for the LBGTQ community, have shown her to be a true humanitarian.

Signed prints of this portrait are available here!