TWISTED

Often times when I feel myself stuck in a bit of an uncreative pass I'll grab whatever is closest and easiest to manipulate. Which would also explain why I have so many little wire sculptures all about the apartment. It ends up being an exercise to free myself up a bit and try to get the creative juices flowing without committing to a gigantic project. I also just so happened to have a printout of a pic I took of Brandon on my desk and decided that a wire portrait would be a fun challenge. Although I'm not 100 percent pleased with the results, it's a good first "sketch" and a good jumping off point for the next version.

MIAMI - SUMMERFOLK PRESS BOOK RELEASE

SUNSET


I just got back from a quick work trip to Miami. Fortunately, I was staying a beach pebbles throw away from the shore and despite the fact that I was busy during the day with work obligations, I did manage to have my breakfast coffee on the beach and end my day on the beach. I snapped a few pics as all of the early morning joggers and bike riders were getting their day started and I even managed to do a quick lino sketch.

MORNING NORTH


MORNING SOUTH


I think the last time I was in Miami was 20 years ago, so this was a treat for me. Monday evening I managed to go for a long walk on the beach and discovered that when I turned off the beach, I was in the heart of the area with all of the restored Deco hotels lining Ocean drive. Night time didn't really afford the best viewing opportunities to scope out the architectural details of these gems, but it was a pleasant and welcome surprise.

DECO BUILDING ACROSS STREET FROM HOTEL


In other news, I've paired up with Literary Artist, Brandon Lacy Campos and the folks at Summerfolk Press for a book of poetry with accompanying images from my "A Face A Day" series. We're still in the intitial book forming stages and are looking for a 2010 release date, but thought I would share the great news as this will be my first published book work. Stay tuned for regular updates.

GIRL ON TRAIN - "A FACE A DAY" SERIES

NEW YEAR - NEW STAMP LICKER

I figured it was time to retire the old stamplicker/return address stamp. And a special "Thank You" to Brandon for the suggestion as to the concept of the new image.

JANUARY BERUBE-BUG

I just finished printing up the first Berube-Bug for 2009. This one is loosely based on the animal life we saw while in Ft. Lauderdale over the holiday.


INITIAL SKETCH ON LINO


LINO CUT BEFORE PRINTING


INKED LINO


FINAL PRINT

HOLIDAY IN FORT LAUDERDALE

I decided to try something different for my Christmas break this year. After finishing up with the Alice in Wonderland production in Baltimore, Brandon and I headed back to NYC for a few days before flying down to Fort Lauderdale to visit friends, hang out at the shore and relax for a bit.

FORT LAUDERDALE BEACH


BRANDON LACY CAMPOS


FLOWER CLOSE-UP


SEAGULL SCULPTURE


All in all, it was a wonderful trip. A few funky days inland in the beginning were quickly forgotten once we arrived at the shore for the remainder of the trip. Most of my previous trips to Ft. Lauderdale revolved around the beach, the patio of my friends apartment and drawing, painting and relaxing. This time, Brandon and I actually trekked around a bit and headed to the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale to check out an amazing exhibit of Carlos Luna's paintings paired up with a selection of Picasso's ceramic works. An interesting comparison because of their "exile" status and politically infused imagry but in my opinion completely unnecessary as Luna's work can and certainly does hold it's own. I stood in awe over his technical mastery his choice of subject matter, usage of typography in his work and the passion apparent in each and every painting shown.




May the new year bring all of you Peace, Love, Joy and tons of creativity. I know Brandon and I are looking forward to the new year and all of the possibilities it holds for us.

Peace - David

ROBO-SNOWMAN / PROCESS

Well, it looks like I will actually get my 2008 Holiday card into the mail before Christmas afterall. I started the drawing. directly on to the piece of pre-cut lino on the train back from Baltimore Saturday, cut and printed the blue layer yesterday and cut and printed the black layer this afternoon. Since the radiator is cranking in the studio, it looks like the prints are actually dry enough to label and stamp the post cards I printed up with the image and pop them into the mail tomorrow a.m. before hopping on the plane for a week long trip to Ft. Lauderdale.

FINAL DRAWING ON LINO


BLUE LAYER


BLACK LAYER


FINAL 2-COLOR PRINT

HOLIDAY CARDS THROUGH THE YEARS

2008 ROBO-SNOWMAN


I started printing up my own Holiday cards in 1995, having been to design school but never taking a printmaking class I decided to teach myself how to print linocuts. I can't quite remember exactly what inspired me to work with linocuts other than the fact that I believed by using this medium I would be forced to work in a less detailed fashion than what I was used to doing with many other mediums including, graphite, pen and ink and acrylics. As you can see with time, I found a way to work around that perceived notion of a"less-detailed" medium.

Not knowing what the proper tools were in order to do an actual linocut, I bought a piece of wood-backed linoleum and when the time came to actually cut the image out, I grabbed what I was used to working with, an xacto-blade and got to work cutting out my first piece. That became the 2-color self-portrait holiday card I created while still living in Boston in 1995.

I continued to work like this until I moved to NYC the following year and just happened to meet Javier Cintron, a brilliant artist in his own right who at the time was working in the printmaking workshop of Bob Blackburn. Through Javier, I discovered that there were proper tools to cut linoleum with and places where they actually had printing presses to print editions out on. I'd sneak in when Javier was monitoring the shop and work on my own projects while observing the rest of the artists. Eventually when I became comfortable enough with the environment, I became a monitor and as part of the job, I was allowed to use the presses during my shifts.

As time passed, I was able to purchase my own medium-sized press and the rest is history. I'm pretty sure at this point I have a few hundred images printed up over the years.

The following prints represent the work I've created as Holiday cards as well as gift tags between 1995 and this week. I look back at the images and I'm amazed at just how personal and revealing they really are. Although the subject matter changes each year, they have all become self-portraits allowing a glimpse into my state of mind at the time of creation.

I hope you enjoy checking the images out and HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

1995 - SELF PORTRAIT


1996


1997


1997 - GIFT TAGS


1998 - NEW YORK'S INFLUENCE (One Of My Favorites Too)


1998


1999 - (A BUSY PRINTMAKING YEAR)








1999 GIFT TAGS


2000


2001 ( A Very Sad Year Here In The City)


2002


2002 - GIFT TAGS


2003 - SANTA CLAWS


2004


2004 GIFT TAGS


2005 - BETHESDA FOUNTAIN / CENTRAL PARK (Image Part of "1-A-DAY" Series)


2006 - ROBOSANTA (Image Part Of "A FACE A DAY" Series)


2007 - HOLIDAY WHIRLING DERVISH

BALTIMORE MARYLAND - ALICE OPENING

THE THEATRE PROJECT


I had an absolutely amazing time in Baltimore, despite the crappy weather and insane work hours we all put in prior to the Alice in Wonderland production presented by Scott Rink of DanceRink at Theatre Project, I can honestly say that I look forward to heading back to Baltimore for another visit when the weather warms up.

Despite being a contributor to the actual "Alice" production via backdrop and prop designs, I can honestly say that I looked forward to curtain call each and every night. Scott managed to direct and pull together an amazing group of collaborators as well as a brilliant tech team and incredibly talented group of dancers who completely devoted themselves to this multi-dimensional piece. We had a nearly full house every night including today's matinee performance that was pleasantly 2/3's filled with children.

LAST MINUTE COSTUME PAINTING


DANCERS ON STAGE


Brandon and I managed to do a brisk business selling t-shirts featuring images from Alice contributions as well as other pieces with my artwork on them. And if you're wondering, yes indeed, we have a few extra for sale. Feel free to contact me through here if you're interested.

DANCER SPORTING THE CHESHIRE CAT TEE


BRANDON AND MAX ALSO SPORTING THE CHESHIRE CAT TEE


I'll have some professional photos up withing the next day or so. In the interim, I'm going to post a few shots from the trip including this beautiful 120+ year old home/bed and breakfast that the Theatre Project houses it's visiting artists in as well as some shots from Brandon and my excursion to the Walters Museum and a few interesting buildings and sculptures in the Mount Vernon section of the city we bounced around in. As a side note, I have to say, if you want to see some absolutely amazing period architecture, head to Baltimore and specifically the Mount Vernon area as I was absolutely amazed at block after block of Victorian architecture, single family homes, brownstones, banks, insurance companies, they were all represented.

THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE


SCULPTURE IN PARK AROUND WASHINGTON MONUMENT


RANDOM ARCHITECTURE SHOT


THE BASE OF A FLAG POLE WE WALKED BY DAILY


A COUPLE OF MY FAVORITE PIECES FROM THE WALTERS MUSEUM