Matt Berninger

 

 

The National is a band whose music has helped me (and many others) through troubled times. Their songs seem to tap  into our worst anxieties, and then they help us exorcise those emotional demons. I drew this portrait while listening to their new album, The First Two Pages of Frankenstein. It was inspired directly by lyrics from their singer, Matt Berninger. If you're familiar with the band's music, you might be able to guess the song.

 

Adrianne Lenker

 

The borough of Brooklyn is a famous hotspot for groundbreaking indie-rock bands. In that spirit, here’s a portrait of Adrianne Lenker, singer and guitarist for Big Thief. I drew this while listening to their rewarding new Album, Dragon Warm Mountain I Believe in You.

Patti Smith

 

Last year, my dear friend Bernadette found a beautiful Hammond Atlas at a Brooklyn yard sale. Knowing that I’m obsessed with drawing on old maps, she generously gave it to me. I wanted to give her a thank you gift, and she suggested a portrait of the great Patti Smith. Knowing that they’re both Jersey-girls at heart, I was sold on this idea. I hope I captured an inkling of this artist’s poetic spirit. Thank you for this incredible gift, Bernadette!

Aldous Harding

 

This singer-songwriter from New Zealand makes the most enchanting music. I drew this portrait solely while listening to her new album, Warm Chris. Her lyrics are so cryptically beautiful, you're compelled to keep listening in order to decipher them.

Prince

I was searching for Paisley Park on an old map of Minnesota, and somehow ended up drawing this portrait. No doubt, if Minnesota had a Mount Rushmore for great artists, Prince would be right up there, next to Bob Dylan.  

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

Krista Weaver CD Design

 

 

I had the pleasure of designing and illustrating this CD for a fantastic signer-songwriter, Krista Weaver. The storytelling in her songs evokes a wonderful sense of place, hence, the integration of maps into the design. 

This was my first endeavor into CD design, and I learned so much from the experience. Enormous thanks to Krista for including me in this project. 

Please check out and order Krista's amazing new album here, or you can order the CD here.

Thanks for visiting!

Taylor Swift

 

" But I, I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me. " 

These are lyrics from the song "Seven", from Taylor Swift’s classic album, Folklore. This iconic singer-songwriter's persona seems to transcend all borders, but we all start off in a hometown. In her case, it was a farm in Reading, Pennsylvania. From there, she would go on to conquer the world with spectacular songwriting skills, and an enchanting voice. This drawing unfolded from the pages of an 1893 atlas a wonderful artist friend gave to me. More portraits to come soon!

Cole Porter

 

Do an of you know how to Begin the Beguine? Maybe the brilliant songwriter, Cole Porter, knows the answer. Better yet, maybe the answer is right in the song. I better start listening to it!

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

Ian Mackaye

 

 

This musician has always been front and center in the Washington, DC punk scene. The founder of legendary bands such as Minor Threat, Fugazi, and The Evens, it’s Ian Mackaye. His integrity and DIY spirit are truly inspiring. Oh yeah, and the music kicks ass.

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

Nina Simone

 

With songs like Mississippi Goddam, she energized the civil rights movement of the 1960s. We’ve been missing Nina Simone for some time now, but her music is still the perfect soundtrack to the protests of this past year.

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

10% of proceeds from each print will be donated to Black Lives Matter.

Sam Cooke

  

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

 

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! 

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!

Ezra Koenig

I attempted a portrait of Ezra Koenig, the frontman of one of my favorite bands, Vampire weekend. He’s written some beautiful tunes about Capre Cod, which sparked this idea.

Prints of this piece are available here!

Kurt Cobain

We lost Kurt Cobain on this day, 25 years ago, but his musical legacy will always be in bloom. Local friends, this drawing is part of a group exhibit - The Grand Floral Show - at The Farm Salon, Greig Farm, Red Hook, NY, April 6-28th. The gallery is open Fri-Sun 10-3 pm.

You can order your signed print of this portrait here!

Kacey Musgraves

Here's a small study of singer/songwriter, Kasey Musgraves. This drawing of one of my favorite country artists was inspired by her song, Butterflies. No doubt, when I listen to her music, I get butterflies! 

Signed prints of this piece are available here!

Amy Winehouse

Heres a portrait of the brilliant singer/songwriter, Amy Winehouse, in which I utilized makeup brushes to draw. So many iconic musicians have tragically died at 27 years of age, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones. Sadly, Amy joined that club in 2011. I drew this tribute on a map of her hometown, London.  Rest in peace.

Signed prints are available here!

Yoko Ono

She’s a visual artist, singer/songwriter, and philanthropist all in one person. She steadfastly honors the legacy and vision of her late husband, John Lennon. And when it comes to waging peace, Yoko is numero Ono.

Prints of this piece are available here!

In Bloom

I was recently looking through a book of copyright-free engravings from the 18th century, and came across a page of flowers. It got me thinking about a song, In Bloom, written by one of the voices of my generation, Kurt Cobain. More than two decades after he died, Nirvana's music is still as relevant as ever. I was compelled to draw this tribute to him.

Prints of this piece are available here.

Bob Dylan

He emerged from the land of ten thousand lakes, with poetry tapped from the deepest of waters. His name is Bob Dylan.

Prints of this drawing are available here.

Here's a detail of this portrait.