Careening into Fall

Summer is winding down and the light is starting to change around here. Where I live, it means the blue dragonflies are done for the season, squirrels are pretty busy with their nuts and things, and the bats are getting fat gorging on gnats.

Whats new in the CRG Store you might be asking? Well I happen to have a very limited number of Melvins 7” vinyl lp picture discs on sale this Saturday, September 22nd at 12:00 noon pst! I have 40 to be exact, and they are $40 plus shipping. I expect they will disappear pretty quickly, so get the change out of your couch and pony up!




Pachyderms on Display

If you are a resident of the windy city Chicago, or if you are passing through in the next few days, I have a painting on display at the EXPO Chicago art fair from September 20th - 23rd at the Michael Kohn Gallery booth. Clowns, owls, and a few sad pachyderms are all hanging out in one cheery painting. Come take a looky if you are around, you might get some ideas for that cave circus you wanted to start.

http://expochicago.com/





In the Studio
I’m back in the studio and here are some fun peeks of stuff I’m working on.

Bunnies anyone? I'm working on a secret-ish project, here is a little peek, but more to come!




Hey, who are these cute little guys? What the heck are they up to?


This gang showed up on my table, they look like they are up to something if you ask me...



Until next time friends and strangers! Growing feet for children’s shoes, as Tom Waits would say. Happy fall!

Where Does Inspiration Come From?

This is the question I seem to get asked the most from young artists, and it is the hardest one to answer. Inspiration comes from everywhere, but it usually starts with things I have read, things I have seen, music that I listen to, and dreams. Those go into the brain filter and come out the other side in the form of sketches, little writings, and finally a painting or drawing.

For the painting I am currently working on, these clowns that I bought on ebay a while back insisted on being featured. Although I usually don’t paint clowns, for reasons I won’t go into, I wanted to do something circusy.

I also recently saw the Mexican women surrealist show, “In Wonderland” at the LA Count Museum, and it was unbelievable. Remedios Varo was one of my favorites, and I became a little obsessed with drawing her. 

I start jotting down ideas about what I am going to do, concepts and symbolism, all the heady stuff.

I also do little rough drawings of characters and little scenes. Some don’t make the cut, but once in a while I find something I can use!

Finally they make the long journey from idea to thing, and end up in a painting or drawing! The strangest combinations are possible...

Enjoy your imagineering, and remember, inspiration comes from everywhere!

For more peeks into my sketchbook process, check out this little feature on the Hi-Fructose Magazine site!