Bear To All

All right, the first page from Running Turkey Studios is available!  Check it out. 

It’s the only piece of content on this site!!!!!! Well, for now…

Running Turkey Studios

I've decided it is time to begin making comics of all the silly stories I day dream about.  Have you ever said to yourself, "That would be great in a movie/comic/cartoon/etc."?  I find myself doing this more and more everyday.  The task has fallen to me to make it happen, hence, Running Turkey Studios. -a platform for comics and other such junk.  

Prepare for stories of all genres(minus whatever 50 Shades of Grey falls into), some more than others, but prepare nonetheless.  For when you find you are stuck reading and looking at eye candy visuals, you will be happy there is a store shelf of canned corn and dehydrated meat to keep you going!

I'll be sure to update when the website is ready but for now enjoy merry thoughts of all the things you can... can.

Waxbillions

Well it isn't much of a surprise but I'm starting an extensive collection of bird studies to be used as plates. 
Here are two examples of the work so far. The completed painting is of an orange-cheeked waxbill (adult). The sketch is a black rumped waxbill. 

Extinction by Association

I've been given a wonderful opportunity to include some artwork in artist Jasmina Cibic's http://www.jasminacibic.org/  upcoming project for the European Capital of Culture in Maribor, Slovenia. "The project is based on the story of discovery of an endemic beetle living in the

northern part of Slovenia, which is in danger of becoming extinct solely because of its name." ANOPHTHALMUS HITLERI is the beetle and the project calls for no research on the insect.  I, and other illustrators are to create an image, a proposed perception, with only the Latin name to draw upon.  The beetle, due its politically sensitive and offensive name, has become an afterthought to many texts.  Bringing awareness of this beetle's near extinction, Jasmina Cibic wants to mirror the uncelebrated history of the creature in her instillation. 



Watercolor on Arches 140lb Cold Press



Anopthalmia or anopthalmus is "without eye".  Seeing as how having that word as part of the beetle's name, I deduced that the creature would be evolved into a blind, pale colored insect with long antennae.  I included some reds and dark browns to draw comparison to the Nazi desert uniform.  Although I found it unlikely that the beetle would have visual characteristics to Hitler, knowing it was named by an enthusiast, I included the desert motif anyway.

Sweet Relish

A trip to Antigua, some painting updates both in progress and finished, that is what we learn today.....Hurray for learning!  Anyway, I attended a wedding for my very close pal(heh heh heh) and Marine Corps family member in Antigua.  A very cool and interesting island it is, armed with adventure at every turn and some beautiful beaches and birds.  Adventure might be an understatement of what went down the first two days on the island but I'll leave it at that.  I'll let you amateur gumshoes dig that one up.

The wedding was beach side on the northwest side of the island which had a nice little collection of birds.  Of those were; brown pelican, laughing gull, lesser antillean bullfinch, black faced grassquit, bananaquit, white crowned dove, zenaida dove, common ground dove, green throated carib, magnificent frigate bird(and it is), gray kingbird, carib grackle, and more.  To be honest, my research of the birds on that island was secondary to why I was there and was in short pathetic.  I have a lot of work to do but the few I did see will prove very important for upcoming projects.

By the way, airport food is a disgrace.  I ordered a veggie wrap that took quite a while to make and turned out to be consisted of only lettuce, cucumber, and sweet relish(I hate sweet relish).  Cheese was additional.  I'm sorry you had to read that last part but let ye be warned.  Travel on a full stomach.

As I said before I am very behind in posting images of artworks in progress and finished...

Forks and Spoons

It would be great if I could find a way to get my mobile device to work properly with this site.  Most of my down time is away from the computer and when I'm between places.  These moments I wish I could spend blogging but instead, I'm experiencing a log jam.

The past two months have been a very interesting time.  I'm questioning whether I should continue my masters at this time or perhaps pursue another bachelors in a different but related field.  I'm considering zoology.  It would put me in the field with the creatures I paint and encompass areas I already make time for, mainly, research.  I could collect my data, take pictures, and enjoy much time outdoors while being paid.  All these things I do anyway minus the getting paid part (except for finished paintings).  On top of that, I'm considering taking several scientific illustration courses although I'm not too sold on the idea yet.


Regardless which route I take, I'll still be illustrating so swallow this....

Just one of the paintings from this past two months.  This one is a header for the children's author Artie Knapp and his website artieknapp.com.  It's painted in Adobe Photoshop.

The Beauty of Nature

If you happen to pass by the Tinley Park area, be sure to check out The Beauty of Nature Show at the Vogt Visual Arts Center.  The show features several American Academy of Art alumni, alumnae and staff including but not limited to Lindsay Sandbothe, Kristina Knowski, and myself.  There are about two weeks left for the show (info here: http://www.tinleyparkdistrict.org/Parks-Facilities/vogt-visual-arts-center.htm ) so go enjoy all the wonderful artwork and someone please purchase Lindsay's heron and Kristina's woodpecker pieces as gifts for me!!!