Clay, Ink, and the Princesses

I try not to labor over these pots too much since I haven't perfected my firing and glazing technique yet. I haven't done enough work yet to feel like I can confidently guarantee a successful result. So if they don't work out so well I haven't put to much blood and sweat into them, (makes it easier to swallow if they meet with disaster). I look forward to the day when my glazes will turn my work into something uniquely special.
Here's our two little girls, our found kitty Zen and my wife's precious little girl Shimmey. I'll have to post some video of them playing one day, they love to wrestle, and it's a hoot to watch.
Drawing continues. I would love to be able to spend a week on a drawing and see where I can take it, but for the moment I'll settle for a stolen hour here and there. I find it hard to weave a long deep story into my drawings unless I spend a great many hours focused mainly on the drawing. This drawing has no real story at this point, just a simple theme that's been showing up in my ink drawings. People biting people, although I love zombies, I don't think that is the motivation, and I'm not craving brains or human flesh. I have an idea what it means, it's just I haven't spent enough time exploring and weaving my tale.

Work continues

As I continue to draw my small 4x6 pen and ink drawings on my breaks at work, I can't help but get the itch to do some larger scale work, so I just started one. I'll have to try and shoe-horn this into my routine somehow. Just do it until it becomes part of the day.

Like I said time to make some pots, The weather has made a turn here in Florida, and it a perfect time to fire up a 2000 plus degree kiln. Not to mention, that come February of next year my wife and I would like to be able to open up our store front on Etsy.

Back to Pots

With the cooler weather hopefully just around the corner, I'm looking forward to firing up the kiln again, it's been awhile. Someday money will come find me, and I will no longer have to leave the studio to find it, then I will be able to focus on all that is waiting for me around the studio:)

almost lucid in my dreams

I still am using my breaks at work to do small pen and ink drawings. No real preconceived ideas as I sit down with a sandwich in one hand and a dip pen in the other. As I look at these last few drawings in my book I've done, I can't help but see a story unfolding. Still going with the man and woman theme, just with a twist or two.

New Sculpture in the House

This is Number two of a series of man and woman themed sculptures I plan to do, all having to do with the idea of growing together within you relationship. As you may notice these figures are hollow open vessels, which I think is symbolic and also seems appropriate for the medium that I choose to work in. I have also done a little color study of how I might go about finishing it up. I'd like to use some beautiful ceramic glazes, but also paint some with under glazes and finish them with a clear coat glaze.

Working

Heres' something to look at: an etching plate I proofed this weekend, an Albino Frog out in the back yard, and me working on a sculpture that is nearly completed. Life is good.

The life and times of Timmy Fifel

The trick is not to get distracted, drawn in, don't be reactive. Just remain still and present without judgement. I know, it's hard, but try.

Blogging Blogs

Awhile back I posted some pics of a friend I worked back at Disney with,  Tom Thorspecken,when he came over to sketch me while I sculpted.  He started a blog in the beginning of the year with the goal of posting a new sketch every day. He's covered many interesting events here in Orlando over the past 6 months. His sketches are always impressive and his stories compliment them well. Right now I follow two blogs, one is his , and the other is Justin & Shels stop animation journey at Stop Motion Mission. They both inspire me with there dedication and love of what they do and also the work they produce because of this  passion & dedication. Tom posted the sketch he did of me that day here :)

It wasn't easy, but nothing is............

After finishing a sculpture I started many moons ago,I decided to have a little fun with it, colorful fun that is. Interesting thing about this sculpture; it is based on a pen and ink drawing I did awhile back "Growing Together" . My wife and I live a modest life in a modest house that is supplied with an arsenal of artistic weapons. It's our sanctuary, and we rarely seem to stray from it, at least for the last 5 years now. During that time we seem to have grown together, and made quite a content life for ourselves, both of us pursuing our art. I began drawing these man and woman themed pen and ink studies where the two were physically growing together. This 1st sculpture in a series I hope to do. It took some time to complete because of time issues and also a wandering mind that led me astray. When I did have time to sit and work on it my mind was not where it should have been and I veered off and added a bunch of design elements that had no real purpose and did not add to the story. I had a moment of clarity the other day and began lopping off the dead wood, so to speak. When I was done stripping it down, I found myself back at the original drawing. I think I have learned something from this, and if not I hopefully will be able to see more clearly when I am making poor design decisions:)

etching proof

Here's a look at an etching proof I ran tonight. I'm rather pleased with the direction that my etchings are headed in. I scribbled on this plate off and on for the last few weeks during my breaks at work, along with scribbling on quite a few pen and ink drawings I have not finished yet. This plate was a bit of an experiment to try and see the kind of detail in line I can get to hold up through the acid biting process, I think it faired pretty well, and I think I can take it much further. Once I get through these last few plates and start working in copper with ferric chloride I think I can take it still even further. The ferric chloride bites straight down, so there's less expansion of line during the biting, which equals more detail holding up:)

Infected

I know I'm supposed to be posting my first sculpture by now, but I just have not been able to finish it yet. I'm not sure that my schedule will allow me to produce my sculptures as quickly as I had hoped. But none the less, I still plan on doing a series of 12 sculptures, as you can see I'm continuing to explore the man & woman theme in my drawings. It's probably time to start tinkering with some etching plates along the same theme also. 

Kiss!

I think this will serve as inspiration for my next sculpture, speaking of that I'd better finish up the first sculpture. I think I'll be doing a series of let's say 12 sculptures, all with the man and woman theme. I guess that's what happens when you're happily married, it seeps into your work. 

Back to sculpting

A friend of mine, Tom Thorspecken asked if he could come over and sketch me while I was working on a sculpture. Tom is an extremely talented artist living here in Orlando Fl., and since the beginning of the year has been doing a sketch a day and posting them on his blog. While most of us may cringe at the thought of trying to tackle complicated and cluttered scenes, Tom revels in them and dives in with little trepidation. Along with a loose and carefree style of documenting all in his point of view, Tom has been writing the most wonderful, stories of his sketching adventures, that I find very entertaining and sometimes informative. You can see his sketchbook chronicles at his sketch blog here. 

I'd like to thank Tom for giving me the jolt I needed to make some time to get back to playing with clay, and also for finding me to be Sketch Blog worthy. 

I'll talk about the sculpture next weekend when I hope to have it finished up, Let's go for one sculpture a week, that shouldn't be too hard to manage? we'll see...... 

Pen & Ink continues

The plan is simple at this point in time. Just to continue on smiling. The end of the year seems as good a time as any to pick up my head and look to see where I am. Sometimes giving up control, and being more content and accepting can take you to places you may not have been able to get to had you taken control yourself. I hope to find my work has traveled to an extraordinary place when I pick up my head to look, sometime at the end of this year. 

Etching proof

I stole some time last week during my breaks at work to scribble on a plate, which I dipped and proofed this weekend when I was supposed to working on some freelance. This one is getting a little more busy than the last ones, which I like. I still have to take them further and spend more time on each plate. No fear though, a have a bunch of plates to get though, and I plan on living till I'm about 92, so that gives me plenty of time to do some really unique pieces. 

Pen & Ink

There is a story here, I promise you that. 

Pen & Ink

Life just seems to get easier when you stop fighting it, and just enjoy the ride. My new mind set of working seems to be paying off. I've wrested long enough with my artwork, I'm just going along for the ride these days, and it's pretty darn fun! 

proofs

Proofs

Proofing plates

I guess it's been at least three years now since I bought my self an etching press. But for a number of reasons I have not produced any etchings besides a christmas print the first year and an occasional failed attempt to recreate my drawing style on an etching plate. The one major reason for not producing plates was just a yellow streak that was running down my back, and now with my new found happy art making mode, the fear of bunking up an etching plate has been alleviated. Good bad or everything in between, from now on I'll be making prints. The fear is gone, at least for now. These are some pics of me proofing some plates I did this past week. 

Back in the saddle

I said yes to some freelance 2d animation work and then I remembered I had sold my animation desk last summer. So I had to throw together a box to draw on. Here's my 30 dollar animation box hung on a drafting table. Next can of worms to open is Zbrush, I got a demo yesterday from a friend at work, and I'm sold. Trust me there's a path here somewhere. 

Ease

Now it's not that I haven't been working that I haven't posted any new work. I have just been working on computer animation, yes Maya, the 21st century, I have finally arrived!! But lately I have been drawing, and enjoying myself I might say. I hope to soon be posting some etchings that I am currently working on . I'm sure all my loyal fans we be thrilled at what I have come up with. This drawing is titled "Ease" for the reason of my new demeanor have have taken with the approach to my work. No more struggles here mate, all smooth flowing lines of artistic bliss:)

Back to making masks

I know you may think I haven't been doing any work lately, but your wrong. 

On Display

I've got a number different ways that I would like to display the masks I've been making. this is one way, building display bases that hold them.

Beauty in death

Thanksgivings flowers may be dead, but I find them more beautiful that way anyhow. 

Buddha gets mounted

Well, it's been a hart warming story that continues on with Buddha moving to greener pastures. A dear friend of mine showed up at the show last week and loved my work:) So he decided to become a patron. He purchase one of my masks, then he saw Buddha and loved him so we decided that he should go and live with Sam, Claire, and the kitties too. I could not think of a better place for him to live. So like the title implies, I've mounted him and am getting him ready for his new home. Thanks Sammy, for your support, your confidence and also your friendship. 

Sculpture show

This thursday, Dec 4th I'll be out at the Orlando Museum of Art for a sculpture show. I'll be showing three of my pieces with a smile. I also thought I might put out some promo cards, to try and expand my fan base. Now I'm not saying that I don't appreciate my loyal fans that I already have, I just think the three of you might be lonely and thought you might like to have some company:)

Buddha at dinner

Well, some time ago, I posted a sculpture that was a over sized head with some arms that sprouted from beneath and with these he was walking on, also the back of his head was blown out and hollow. What was supposed to be inside of his empty head was this sculpture of buddha. Unfortunately, that large sculpture didn't survive the firing and came crashing down inside the kiln, which proceeded to take out a number of other pieces that were below it. Everyone but Buddha bit the big one that day, everything came crashing down around him, and I was lucky not to have any kiln damage and our little friend Buddha sat there untouched. Well that's something to give thanks for, so it seemed appropriate to have him join us for Thanksgiving dinner. I hope all my loyal blog readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving day, all three of you:)

More book art

Here's a look at two more illustrations from that book I was working on. These were all done in the application painter, I think I would like to start painting in oils for the next two books I do. I like working in painter but there's something that starts bothering me along the way and I'm not sure what it is, I just think I'd rather have a real painting in front of me to focus on. 

Chapter Cherubs

These are the drawings for the chapter headers on the book I'm working on. 

Signature page

This is a drawing for the book I'm working on, this will be the signature page. I call it "In the Shadow of the Dark Angel. It's for a book being published by Roy Robbins at Bad Moon Books  titled: "Shadow of the Dark Angel" by Gene O'Neill. I should be finished with all the artwork by the end of the month and will post more then. 

Dark Angel Slump

Well, I opened the kiln this morning and found that the Dark Angel sculpture slumped quite a bit during the glaze firing. I thought he might slump backwards, that's why he has those little feet coming off the bottom of his wings, to help give him support. I guess I've got another head scratcher on my hands, plenty of thoughts about why it happened that I won't bore you with. If you look at the sculpture unfired he has a bit of a backwards lean..... Oh well, I'm never quite sure what goes on inside of that kiln. 

Pen & Ink

Just exorcising some demons

Intestinal Disorder?

Or I guess we could call it Montezuma's revenge

Work in progress

I've recently discovered something while making my dough one day. It's a simple little thing, but it makes a big difference in the texture of the dough and also the bread after it is baked. Now you'll notice that I basically pour out the dough onto the table after I let it rise for an hour or so. You would think that I'm using too much water, but you get a better rise and a smoother texture in the dough this way. And when you bake it you get a nice crisp crust and a light fluffy inside. Now I had no cheese in the house to make my pizza tonight so I had to settle for just some diced tomatoes, and some spice. Let's call it Pizza Bruschetta. And remember always cook your pizzas at 500 deg. for that nice crispy crust! One day when I own my own gallery, I'll have my pizza oven in it, so I can cook pizzas for every show opening, hope to see you all there:)

Testing

This is a piece in progress, which like most of my work makes me stop and scratch my head from time to time. I had this really fun idea in my mind that this sculpture, "Unforeseen obstacle" would look great if I constructed this light box with a thick piece of plexiglass that came up out of it (the "Unforeseen Obstacle"). You would turn on the light and the whole piece of plexi would glow (illuminating the "Unforeseen Obstacle"). Well as you can see only the edges of the glass glow. Which in the top pic, in the light, hardly seem worth the trouble. So, now I'm back to scratching my head to figure out if I should do something else. 

Sculpture show

I took a little time and finished up the base for the "Burly man" which I have submitted along with 2 other sculptures, for a sculpture show at the Orlando Museum of art. I got a chance to use a piece of that granite I picked up awhile back. It was quite a task to figure out how to cut those miters to trim out the granite. The angle was more then the old miter saw can get to, so I had do some head hurting thinkin' to figure it out. The little piece of walnut on top is on a lazy susan so you can turn him around. If you want to read a little about the "Burly Man" you can read it at my website. The Other 2 are "The Struggle Forward" and "Looking Back". Wish me luck, I'm hoping this might get me started in the local art scene. 

Pen & ink

I think I'm getting in the mood to do a nice big complicated drawing, now if I'm just smart enough to make the time to do it. I think the secret is not to make a big complicated drawing in my head first. Too much premeditation in work makes you focus on the completed drawing and not the drawing of the drawing. 

Visit from the Dark Angel

This is one of the interior illustrations from the book I'm working on. I think I want to say it's finished but I can't guarantee that I won't paint in the foreground figure some more. 

"Shadow of the Dark Angel"

This is the cover for a the book I mentioned I was doing, I'll post the interior illustrations as I finish them up. It's sort of a psychological exploration of the main characters damaged inner world. I think most of us who have spent too much time inside of our own heads, can relate to how messy things can get in there. 

Posted new/old work on my website

A few years ago I started messing around in Maya, which I really enjoyed, and thought I might be able to pursue a position in, somewhere? But after a few interviews with some studios, I realized that having no real experience, and little training was not going to get me very far. By that Time I had already gotten the bug to pursue my other work Pen & Ink drawings and Sculpture. I did enjoy working in Maya to come up with designs for a story of my own, something I hope one day to stop and return to finish. If your interested in seeing some more of this stuff, I've posted some of it on my website here 3-D Modeling

I also posted some visual development work I did back at Disney for a small side project that died one day because of production demands. The story took place on a wall and was told by the animated cave drawings that lived there, the story was base on the story of "King Lair". This is a panel of thumbnails I did to get some idea of the wall layout, and color. See more here  Cave Art

A little over a year ago I spent some time working with a good friend of mine, here in Orlando. Xin Lin, pronounced "shinyee", a former background painter at Disney who grew up in China. Xin has many stories of what it was like to grow up in Communist China under Mao and the communist party. I'm glad I took sometime to get back to the basics with Xin, and would like to make sometime to do more work with him. Anyhow you can see more drawings and some other stuff here. Drawing & Painting

I've also posted some examples of my digital illustration,which has been off and on work for me, but at the present moment is on. I'll be posting some new work pretty soon after I finish it up for an up coming book title "Shadow of the Dark Angel" written by Gene O'Neill and is being published By Roy Robbins at Bad Moon Books

You can see more illustration work here Digital Illustration

The Devil from within emerges

I was going thru some old archived files the yesterday and came across this portrait with horns. Since Halloween is coming up on us soon, I thought I would post it. It's just some digital photography tinkered with in photoshop. Happy Halloween- Boo

Life & Death in the back yard

I was out doing some yard work this week, and this is what I have to show you, the last pineapple of the season, possibly the last bloom of the season, and a poor little squirrel skull I found under the wood shack. 

Blessing

Yin crushes Yang?

I think this one is pretty good. Something about the tinted paper, I'm liking on these last few. Art to me is about enjoying the ride, if I struggle with something 9 out of 10 times I won't like it after I finish it. When you tense up and struggle with your drawing you loose the rhythm, and even if can mange to finish it up successfully, there will be less unity in the piece. Your head can be as much a hindrance as it can help you make the right decisions. These days I'm trying to ride that fine line of using my brain but not abusing my art with it. 

Growing together

I like this one

Pen & Ink

I've been a little busy with some book illustrations and some other stuff. But I finally sat down to scribble out a drawing. 

RIP

Right after Gerry Garcia died, which was I guess back in 1995, an old friend of mine called me with an idea. He said that since the Grateful dead was in deed now dead, that a new group would soon take it's place. This new band was Phish, and the one thing fish didn't have was artwork to peddle. That's what he came to me for. Well anyway, we didn't get very far into our master plan, whatever that was. But I did do this funky drawing for what back then was one of their most popular songs, "Run like an antelope" 

Ego 3

Brain Sucker

I think this was a little drawing I did after I realized that all my ideas that usually swirl around in my brain in abundance, were disappearing from time to time. I was convinced that something was cyphering them from my head. 

What?

This is an old ink drawing with water color that was sitting around in a box of many other old drawings just collecting dust. I like the energy and tone of what ever it was I was doing here. 

pen & Ink

Ego2

Pen & Ink

Ego 

"Then Came Shimmie"

This will bore most everyone!

This is a movie I made in protest to the time when my wife Jacque decided we needed Another little mouth to feed. We already had two doggies, but she wanted her little Pomerianian, and me being Mr. Sappy went along with it. There's some really fun video on here with Dunkin and Shimmie playing, something they don't do anymore. I know, it's a home movie.

Pen & Ink

I just like ink. It doesn't even have to be a good drawing, I just like the way it looks, and I like making the marks. Take these two doodles for instance, they stink, but I still sort of like them:)

Made symmetrical

This is that same painter illustration from before, with much more work done on it, cut in half and book matched to make two. For some reason I like doing this.

Two

I was cute!

Magic Eye?

Something from painter, with a little help from photoshop.

Colors I found in the back yard

Pencil sketch

In the shadow of the Dark Angel

A young boy named Dunkin

Thought this was a funny video that goes hand in hand with my earlier sentiments about my boy Dunkin. It was shot when he was just  a pup, not the hairy beast he has become today. Even back then I was locked in a battle that, although the boy new very well he could not win, he still was not willing to admit defeat nor give in . Stubborn son of a Bitch! 

More Sap

Decided to make a little play place for our 2 little girls, Zen and Shimmey to play in. They took right to it too. I tell ya, if we had to get saddled with a kitty, we got lucky that it was this kitty, she's been great so far. I guess we were owed something for all the baggage the boy Dunkin came with. Now if I can only figure out how to keep the boy occupied.  

Oops

I had a little computer mishap and..... well let's just say the rest of this illustration doesn't exist anymore. This was from a painting I was working on in the application painter. Every once and awhile I do something really stupid, and this was one of those times. 

Mr. Dunk

Let me tell you a little about my life with Dunkin, I'll start out buy just saying: he really is a sweet boy, loves people, but hates other dogs!! There's something built into the wiring of terriers, a stubborn focus that's hard to break, and even harder to change. Whether the boy knows it or not, he's slowly wearing me down, just when I think he's given up the fight, and that he's made a conscious decision to be an obedient doggie, he reverts right back to stubborn aggressive terrier. My only consolation is that I'll most likely out live him, and I can watch him take his last breath on his death bed; Bittersweet, I tell you! :)  Long live the Dunk

pen & Ink

Just for the sake of posting something.

Pen & Ink

Drawing......... one day it will all make sense?

Here Kitty Kitty

Well, it's official, my wife has turned me into a complete sap. We rescued a poor little stray kitten a couple of weeks back, she had been hanging out at an office building just around the block and we were leaving a can of cat food for her each day. One day, against my better judgement, we were able to catch her. So I guess we've got ourselves a cat now. She was pretty skinny except for her belly full of worms, but we've got that all cleared up now, and she's starting to put on some weight. We've named her Zen, "Zen Fay Pierro", Zen because she's very calming to watch, the world seems to melt away, Fay because we got her off the street before the tropical storm Fay came to town and rained for days. Now, if I can only get our dog Duncan not to kill the poor thing. She is sweet though......... See I'm getting really sappy here. 

Pen and ink

Just thought it was time to post something. Here's some sketch book stuff.

Dark Angel Sculpture

Here's a paper clay sculpture. After a few disappointing disasters in the kiln, I've decided to start sculpting in paper clay to give my sculptures a better chance of surviving the inferno of the kiln. Building the sculpture is step one, there are many other steps left to have a completed piece of art. Drying, firing , and glazing. Good luck Dark Angel! 

ink on paper

Blah, blah, blah, another drawing. 

Dark Angel mask

Dark Angel sculpture soon to follow. 

Self Portrait

I think everyone should shave their head at least once. 

Mask #8

Not much to say about this except, here's mask #8

Mask # 7? I think

Trying out a new batch of paper clay. I've been meaning to do more masks, so here we go. 

switch-a-roo

I got a little side tracked but I'm back now. Now like I was saying I should of been building something like this with paper clay, I was just asking for a disaster.  After firing the big head sculpture and it not surviving I decided not to take a chance with this one. It's a shame to I was really enjoying making this sculpture, it reminded me of that Dali' painting; I think it was called Civil war, with the body pulling itself apart. As I was disassembling it I couldn't help but want to reassemble it, so that's exactly what I did. I also added a bowl to burn a candle in when I make my sacrifices. I was going to post the wreckage of the big head in the kiln, but that one hurt a little too much, and I decided that I didn't need to immortalize it. 

Kids, don't try this one at home!

Now this would have been a fine time to pull out that new batch of paper clay I mixed up. But this just seems to be the way things go. I had started this sculpture with something in my mind, somehow what I started with has been replaced with this. Now don't get me wrong I'm having fun and I have a pretty good idea what I'm trying to do with this piece, but paper clay would have made building it much easier and safer. So again kids, don't try this one at home. I think I need buddha again.

scribbles before bed

Good Night

Buddha in my Head

Just what the world needs right now!

New work

Thought I'd post some new work so you wouldn't think I had given up. Thanks for being so patient, it's tough keeping up with the expectations of all my loyal fans who log in hoping to see the new wonders, day after day:) There's a good comparison of a ruffed out sculpture and then it cleaned up. I know you wanted me to remove the arms Ronnie, but that's not something that little man inside my head would let me do. That reminds me I still have to make the little man inside his head. 

more doodles

No comment.

Late night doodle

Just a few lines on paper tonight.

Ready for the curb

Now that boxed up nicely; don't ya think?

The boy looks sad; cheer up pup, tomorrows another day!

Disaster Strikes again!

Now I'd like to say it wasn't my fault, but unfortunately it was. After I examined the reckage, I noticed where I trapped some air along his back and shoulder. The same area where the support rod was while I was building him. When that area blew out, everything else must have let go. One good thing was, I got very lucky and the kiln survived with no damage. Happier days hopefully will follow. 

morning doodle

Brain to butt filter

day 2

Late night doodle and a second trip to pick up some more granite. 

granite for bases?

In my never ending pursuit to figure out what the heck I'm doing with my sculptures, I've traveled up to Ocala to pick through the dumpster of a granite place. I have hopes that if I surround myself with the right materials, I won't have to scratch my head so much; the answers will just jump out at me. I wanted to save so many more pieces from becoming land fill, but my jeep needs new shocks and probably some new springs and was sitting a little low in the water. So what the heck I'll just have to go back tomorrow and get some more.

more sketchbook doodles

More of my futile attempt to draw in a way that might actually make sense to me.

New work

I know, you've been asking yourself what's with these drawings? Well rest assured you're not alone. And if it makes you feel better here's a sculpture in progress. Working title is "In order to see more clearly"

more doodles

Apparently I'm doing a drawing at the end of every night these days. And I guess I'm posting them too.

more doodles

more doodles

more doodles

groovy

more doodles

No brain used in this one either. really

Late night doodle

No brain was used while drawing this, I promise.

sketch book

sketch book doodles

New work

Here's a fifty pounder. This piece is titled consumer. Let me know what you think. 

Glaze Firing 5/13/08

More Kiln Magic, watch them change before your very eyes!

New work

Here's some more work in progress. A crazy piece called Three Wishes. And a page of some new bowls, that once fired will hopefully look really cool. The grey will be black after firing and glazing. 

Mask #6

Is my hair really that grey?

"A Heavy Weight" turning

Thought I'd show you a turn around, the base does turn. "A Heavy Weight"

Mask #5

This is fun, (making masks).