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Often times the desire to paint a particular subject comes upon us in unexpected ways. An image you might have seen before, takes on a new significance upon viewing it again. Such an instance happened to me as I came across both of these ancient images recently depicting the famous scene from Homer's The Odyssey. They inspired me to create my own version soon after.  Roman mosaic, 2nd-4th century AD  Attic red-figure stamens, ca. 480-470 BC With my own painting, I strove to capture the maddening, aching struggle of the hero as he wrestles with his bonds and the insurmountable allure of the Sirens' song.  Odysseus at the mast, latex paint on canvas, 36 x 72", 2020
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Happy to announce the release of my new collection - "ICARUS UNBOUND" - a large triptych painting accompanied by 6 preparatory drawings. Click on the image below to explore the new work.  In August I released two new Heracles-themed paintings - "The Shield of Heracles," and "The Madness of Heracles." Read more about the two new large pieces below.  The shield of Heracles, wrought by the hands of Hephaestus, appears in the account of the hero's encounter with the god Ares with his son Cycnus. The murderous Cycnus challenged Heracles to a duel, when the two met upon the road. Taking up the glorious and unbreakable shield, Heracles defeated Cycnus and with Athena's help the god Ares as well. "The Shield of Heracles," latex and acrylic paint on canvas, 60x55", 2020  Upon returning home from his final labor, Heracles was weary and ready to find peace. Instead, the hero found his father, wife and sons on the verge of being executed by his enemy Lycus. Heracles destroyed his enemies, but the goddess Hera wove madness before his eyes and the tragic hero turned his malice on his own family as well. "The Madness of Heracles," latex paint on canvas, 60x55", 2020
Something BIG is on the way. Sign up for my Studio Newsletter to get a first look once this new large piece and others like it become available. I was recently approached by Minted.com to teach a lesson for their Minted Creativity Camp - a camp for 5-18 year old art students. I was happy to help and decided to create a lesson on blind contour drawing. Creating the lesson was great experience for the drawing course that I'm in the process of developing. Check out the video by clicking on the image below or using this link.  A new collection of works will be coming outing in June 2020, titled PAOLO & FRANCESCA, featuring the tragic lovers immortalized in Dante's "Inferno" and Rodin's "The Kiss". Subscribers to my Studio Newsletter will get first access to the new work in early June. Valentine’s Day is almost here, and what better way to celebrate than a feature by Minted of both mine and Lauren’s work. The feature touches upon how lucky Lauren and I are to have an artist as a spouse. Click on the image below to see the feature!   Etienne Jules Ramey, 1827  Francois-Leon Sicard  Antonio Canova, 1782
 Theseus and the Minotaur II, latex paint on canvas, 55 x 60", 2019 Revisiting a subject from 2016, this painting portrays the brutal encounter between the hero Theseus and the monstrous Minotaur. Some accounts describe the hero as taking the Minotaur by surprise and slaying him with his bare hands. Like the 2016 piece, I have purposely blurred the distinctions between who is the monster and who is the hero in the scene.
 Golden Portrait 2, latex, acrylic & spray paint on canvas, 18 x 25", 2019
 David with the head of Goliath, latex paint on canvas, 43 x 55", 2019 In this painting, the biblical hero David holds the severed head of Goliath, following their brief and surprising battle. The theme (a long tradition in painting and sculpture) portrays a key moment in the biblical narrative, and celebrates the story of a humble shepherd overcoming a more powerful enemy with courage and precision.
Earlier in September, Lauren and I had the great opportunity to visit the "Andrea del Verrocchio: Sculptor-Painter of Renaissance Florence" exhibit at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. While there, I studied the amazing paintings, sculptures and drawings of the Italian master.  Studies of a terracotta "Sleeping youth" and the painting of "Saint Jerome" by Verrocchio
 Study of a small bronze sculpture of a nude male, title "Il Pugilatore" or the boxer
 Davids by Donatello and Verrocchio  Caravaggio's "David with the head of Goliath"
 Famous Spearman, charcoal and pastel on paper, 11 x 14", 2019  Glorious Achilleus, charcoal and pastel on paper, 11 x 14", 2019
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