Wednesday, December 15, 2010

WITHIN A VIEW

















For Emily, she saw her world of possibility. For Bernard, he saw a garden. And a garden can be a world of possibility, because it demonstrates newness and growth. I thought this up somewhere in sleep one night. Life glows, life is grand, and life has an aura around it which ernergizes, defines and illuminates it. I also remember seeing the silhouette of Don Quixote climbing one of these hills...dreaming the impossible dream with in my dream!

19"x24"
SOLD (original)
Prints available

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

NEW SHADE
















I had a friend request a drawing for her home. Exciting challenge, indeed! I try to incorporate the things about a person that are those things that no matter the age, time, or place - are a part of who they are. Two things about her that always come to mind are her love for the color purple and the flittering and fanciful Tinkerbell, then I throw in a little of myself in with the things I know of her. The white space in this represents the new shade, that is untouched and ready to be rested in. It's saying, "Step inside this space for a new coolness and a fresh breeze." It's hope and newness surrounded by comfort. I hope this new shade in her home provides just that upon each glance and that it's new and different with each pass.

19"x24"
SOLD

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

SOUL FEATHERS





















My soul feathers are made up of lines that inspire me, that make me feel free in thought and that give me comfort. I imagined this one up on a foggy early morning walk through a woodsy neighborhood where I felt like I was swimming through the misty air and shadows of trees and dreams. The birds nests are where my soul feathers came from. They are my Mother's eyes, which were hazel.  The birth of my soul through my Mother's eyes.  After my Mother passed away, I remember my Dad telling me about a dream he had of her, and it was solely her eyes he saw, and what I saw and heard in his eyes and words were my Mother's soul reaching out to him.  The eyes are the gateway to the soul.  I get that.  And these are my soul feathers, fluffed by my mothers eyes and inspiration.

22"x30"
SOLD (original)
Prints available

Friday, July 16, 2010

LATE BLOOMER
















First, I feel comforted by these colors, and I think that when I started this piece, I was looking for an escape from high energy. So much of my drawings are based on experience, feelings, emotions - and I think I was ready for a gear shift. This involved, at first, dots - just tapping my energy away with some easy on the eye (mind) colors! Then I got bored with the dots, gave my 'easy Sunday drive' passenger a slightly playful look with my hand hovering over the gear shift and punched the clutch and slid right into a new gear. I do not draw and drive, nor do I have a passenger in my brain, but I felt that this was the best way to explain the variation here. And much like people, sometimes, it takes a while to get to who a person really is. If you are patient, you may get to see something completely different and enjoyable and your view changes on that person. The gift of that allowance to each of us would be a glorious thing, more practiced, you think?

11"x14" Bristol acid free Recycled paper

Friday, July 2, 2010

METAPHOR MAN



















We can sometimes bury ourselves amongst a world of beautiful metaphors, stories, experiences...so much that nothing and no one can ever really get to the real being. Surrounded by life, but still untouchable. A beautiful mess, if you like.
I listened to "November 1, 1832" by Balmorhea a lot while drawing the tree. 159 times to be exact, on repeat until every root was drawn. Something about it is beautiful and painful. It makes you smile and cry. Which were the thoughts and feeling behind how this drawing developed.

14"x17"
Le Plume II and Sharpie
SOLD

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

JULY SHOW @ STARBUCKS. 5TH & LAMAR

I've been busy these past few months wrapping up a lot of drawings (finished another one last night that I can't wait to share with you all) and beginning quite a few more pieces. I'm playing around with a few different surfaces to see what happens that also happen to be about three times the size of anything I've done thus far. It's exciting!

I'll be installing my drawing in the Starbucks @ 5th and Lamar on Thursday July 1st. They will be there all month. Hope you can swing by for a cup 'o joe and a look at my 'stories'. If you are free Thursday, come by and say hi! I'll be around by 7:30 and there for a few hours.

Enjoy the mid-summer rain until then!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

LEAF ON LEAF



















I tried to combine a couple of my favorite things about nature with in these lines. The first thing is nature up close and how much how its function is like ours. The second thing is the layers of nature and the change in shades. Every vein of every green thing is full of life and here for our adoration. And for fun, have you ever listened to, "Have You Ever" by Brandi Carlile? Please do! I'm pretty sure it was played a time or two while working on my leaves.

11"x14" original
Sharpie and Le Plume II pen

SOLD (original) $425
Prints available

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

INSIDE OUT


















A couple of weekends ago I went to Daryl Colburn's studio for a work shop "Embrace Your Essence" - emptying the old to put in the new. I really didn't know what to expect. I knew that it would involve some copper, a torch, hammers, and a journal. I went in wearing a white shirt (which everyone questioned when I got there) and I somehow walked away after hours of torching and pounding the copper with my shirt still white. Now when I look back, I see that and tie it into the weekend in its entirety. I'm sure people do this workshop for a variety of reasons. Perhaps to do some soul searching, to relieve some pent up emotions, to express some creativity, or heck - just to do something they have never done before. I'd say no matter the reason for signing up, you'll walk away feeling fulfilled. To create something with your own two hands is the best thing someone can do for them selves. With the help of Daryl, who has spent years in this environment (creating with a heart and purpose to express) the experience is smooth. Even if what you uncover is rocky, I could imagine a rockier way to uncover it!

Everything was metaphorical. The copper is your essence. The torch is love. The hammer is the world. You start out nice, clean and flat...and after time...love and the world have worked us into these bent up heaps that resemble nothing like what used to be. Some good, some bad. Some we are aware of, and some we are not. Starting out I felt like I knew what I was doing. I was folding it (myself) just the way I wanted so I would look just the way I wanted. After a couple rounds of heating and hammering...I had NO control - I was just trying to get this heap into the smallest form possible with a sledge hammer with out feeling too much reverberation in the aftermath! Still hammering with thought though...thinking about the troubles in life, the things that frustrate me about myself and others, the things that disappoint me and others, the energy I seek to work through those... and my shirt was still white! Day two. Time to undo all that I had worked so hard at. The un-doing proved to be WAY more difficult than the doing. I couldn't do it alone. I had to ask for help. At one point, there were three of us pulling on my heap to open it up. I could not have accomplished what I did with out the help of Daryl and Sherrie. As is in life - there are things we can not accomplish on our own. We may think we have conquered it all, but what's unknown is what you can conquer with a little help from a friendly foe.

The weekend was perfect for me. I needed that practical application of self and action to work through some of the things that tug at me. I can talk all four legs off a horse, but I won't ever get anything done until I actually do something. So - this was a good way for me to sort of step out side of myself and watch what I do to myself. I named the piece INSIDE OUT. Me bringing what is hidden inside, out. There are still some areas that are a little more difficult to be seen...but they are open enough to where they still get a breeze, to be found by some wonderer wandering through the woods on an afternoon stroll when they suddenly stumble upon the unseen. And what I learned: I am stubborn. I take the difficult road even when the easy road is just as accessible but I still take the difficult road to prove a point...as to what that point is...??? And as much as I try to prove I can do everything on my own, I prefer company.

And now for the white shirt tie-in. No matter how damaged you may feel, no matter how far from the stranger you used to be that you long to be again, no matter the challenges ahead - it is still possible to come out bright and shiny. It may take some long hours - some pleasant, some not, and a little help from friends - but it is possible.

I look forward to working with copper again. Stay tuned...

http://www.darylgcolburn.com/workshops.html

Friday, May 14, 2010

DEVOTCHKA























































This is my Devotchka project. I listened to one song for each piece to draw the main shape of the page then listened to all other Devotchka songs which helped maintain the rhythm of the background. If I changed music, the shapes changed - so I decided to stay true to Devotchka for the entirety of the 4 pieces. If you don't know the band, YOU SHOULD!

Songs listed from top to bottom:
Lunnaya Pogonka
Enemy Guns
Charlotte Mittnacht (The Fabulous Destiny of...)
Devotchka!

Each @ 8"x10" SOLD
Sharpie pen

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

TUCCI



















The room tends to light up when Matthew (or Tucci if you like) enters a room. He's got lots to say, half of which may or may not make sense right away - because I think he's still figuring it out too. Full of energy, words and a big heart to go along with it all. I made this as a going away gift a couple of years ago, and I almost had it finished and Matthew told me to STOP and not finish it. I saw it as A.) fitting for who Matthew is - a little different and just fine with it, not worried about weather he looks 'finished' or not, B.) a metaphor for his life - in that he was leaving what he'd always know to find a new way and he needed that blank space on the page to fill in for himself.

8'X10" original

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

BLADE
















He's tall dark and and handsome, strategic, intelligent, and full of stories and humor. Separated by an ocean, our paths continue to cross making the friendship more defined.

14"x17"

Monday, April 26, 2010

SUMMERMOON



















Something about the summer evenings...I think I've seen this sky in my dreams. Probably after some good star gazing and perhaps some fireworks!

8"x10" original (SOLD)

NATURAL



















I wouldn't call this a self portrait, but it's feeling IS inspired by growing up with with curls. Some days I love it, some days I don't pay attention to it, and some days I can not stand how it has a mind of it's own. When my step Mom saw this drawing in it's early stages she reacted to - or should I say she felt connected to it. And that is when I decided to name it what I did. She has a sign hanging up in the house that says, "Security is having naturally curly hair." When I looked at the picture and remembered her reaction - it gave me a thought direction. I believe in how certain things have a way of expressing themselves, and the realization of that desired expression comes much later.

Original 11"x14"

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

AWAKE MY SOUL



















ORANGE! The color I love and wear not enough. It's almost as though I save it for a special occasion or feeling. Not sure - but point and case is I could sink into an orange world of dreams and be quite happy, sunglasses included.

KUT 90.5 Eklektikos host John Aielli has been my right hand man for music offerings the last couple of months. I am off track with my regular concert attendance, so am relying on this man to throw some new delight my way every now and again. Last week on St Patrick's Day he offered up Mumford and Sons. #10 (Awake My Soul) starts off quiet and cresendos into something quite soulful. I like the idea of giving your soul the occasional awakening because that's what we are here for - is to live, love, create, learn and share. There is a quiet side to my soul and a completely alive side - and there is beauty in them both. What is the color of your soul?

"If your everyday practice is to open to all your emotions, to all the people you meet, to all the situations you encounter, without closing down, trusting that you can do that - then that will take you as far as you can go. And then you will understand all the teaching that anyone has ever taught." - Pema Chodron

14"x17" original
SOLD (original)
Prints available

Thursday, March 18, 2010

IAN















Ian's birthday was coming up and he pretty much had everything he wanted. A Ducati included. He also loved photography. You didn't see pictures of people on Ian's walls - you saw pictures of guitar strings, rear view mirror shots, wheels, gears - the details of how those favorite things of his do what they do. I figured I would get my pen and do an interpretation of one of those things. I chose the Ducati wheel because he was getting to sell that particular bike - not because he wanted to - but out of responsible necessity.
8"x10"
sharpie pen

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

VANESSA



















Inspired by one who is beautiful and vibrant with a heck of an eye for fashion.

8"x 10" original

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

LOVE LETTER















At first I thought I wanted to draw a wave. And that wave sat there for at least 6 months. One night I was listening to some throw back songs from high school. Along the likes of K-C and Jo Jo, Terrence Trent Darby, and then Toni Braxton came on. I had just landed on this page and in a glance, I saw words. I quickly picked up my pen and began to 'write'. I used to throw multiple letters in the mail to various friends and family on a weekly basis, but not in many years have I done that. Until I started tappin my toes to Toni and in my mind, I was sharing the beauty of a love letter to anyone who saw this. Just to give you the feeling, not to be blurred with words to translate. The empty space leaves room for translation; to write your own words. (I'd suggest zooming in to see the true detail of this one!)

11"x14" original
SOLD

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

ED













I met a fellow and struck a deal - my end of the bargain was to draw a picture that I hoped he'd find worthy for his wall. I didn't know much about him but over time I learned enough about Ed to portray a part of him from my eyes. My attempt in showing him a side of himself he'd never seen before, in a sense. Ed is a lover of John Denver, nature, taking it easy, metaphors and a good ole pair boots. A thrift store cowboy.

14"x17" original


Friday, March 5, 2010

WORLDLY HOLIDAY















I found myself bringing in the New Year with a new friend, Marco, and his Mom. We went to a giant house party that was hopping! I was amazed at the cultural representation of people at this party. We danced all night, giving our best efforts at the salsa. Ate some paella from the most gigantic bowl of paella I could ever imagine. All in all, the best New Year's I've ever had! I started this picture one night listening to a reggae mix that I had seen marco tappin' his toes to once. I chose blue because Marco and I met up for coffee once wearing the same blue - as is in the picture. I had been asking myself why (or how) Marco and I had our friendship. Valentine's rolled around and there we were again spending another 'holiday' together. I knew why he was my friend after this holiday. He said in a conversation about relationships, "I don't think enough men treat women like they have souls." And he meant it with all his heart. I appreciate a person who can be so honest. Thank you, Marco, for the holidays.

11"x14" original
SOLD

STAINED



















My Mom did stained glass while I was growing up and I always thought it was so beautiful. This is my simply my version, with different materials, of course. I started this after a hospital visit to a close friend and co-worker, Justin, who was in a coma. It was the first time for me to see someone in that state since losing my Mom 12 years ago. I sat in church that same morning having a conversation with Mom and Justin while looking into the stained glass all over the church. The birds represent 'us' flying around, spending time with those that we are unable to speak with.

SOLD
11"x14" original

LISA















I started LISA sitting in a quiet cabin on the Frio river with nothing but a cooler of snacks, a lot of music, vino, and a new set of pens so I could do a picture with color! New for me...I had always worked with black and white. But I knew if I was going to start something for Lisa - I HAD to have blue. She was from the mountains of North Carolina and a Tar Heel fan - her collection of plastic UNC cups told me she was a fan - and when her old friend from UNC came to visit, she brought Lisa a present. More UNC plastic cups! So - blue it was. What we appreciate about each other the most are our differences and how we have learned from each other over the years. I've had the blessing of watching Lisa grow and change into the growing and changing person she is now and it's been fun! When she got engaged a while back, she said she wanted peacocks at her wedding, which was the last part of the picture that I put in. My attempt to give her some peacocks, because they didn't make the cut for the wedding.

8x10 original

Thursday, March 4, 2010

SEISMIC REFLECTION















My earth's strata and what keeps the roots company.

11x14 original

SERENA















She can play the bongo drums. The day before her 29th birthday she was talking about how old she was getting. HA! I drew this to illustrate how I feel about get older. Excited and full of knowledge and experience.

8"x10" original

GROWING INTO



















Sitting in my favorite cozy coffee shop, I drew a circle and didn't stop for about two hours. As usual there was no plan and the simple circle grew into a full page (which took more than two hours). A metaphor of sorts to our lives and just letting go. When we do, great things can happen.

11x14 original

MODERN SUN















Yes, the beginning. I figured with a great start to the day with coffee, a good friend, and a great chat on COURAGE, this would be the fitting thing to do with my day.

This is the beginning of me being able to share with you what I love to do; to draw. With ink. I love to tell a story with the lines, colors, and shades. I've spent years drawing pictures for various friends in my life that tells their story. At least my story of who they are to me and how I see them. With in the last year I have ventured out of the friend realm into myself, music, and a whim. I hope you enjoy my stories and their lines and I look forward to the journey with a lot of ink!

I wanted to post this particular picture because it is somewhat fitting for this sunny day in Austin. 'Modern Sun' - made for a friend whose home is modern, but warm. He himself is modern (if a person can be 'modern') and warm. I think I put the tree in it because there is so much life in a tree - so many roots to so many things. Ryan seems to put his heart into everything, lets life take him where it may, and willing to share a part of himself and what he has learned along the way to those in need.

SOLD
11"x14" original