Venice Cathedral Sketch (I)

Amazing to think that at this time last year I was sipping cappuccino in Venice and drawing this church, which loomed over our hotel (itself a converted monastery). I feel so lucky to have treated myself to that experience! Check out my post from last year, with more art and photography. 

 

Kickey! Chapter 5: The Pet Sitter! (V)

I needed a last minute pet sitter and Greg was LITERALLY the only person available. Hijinks ensue. 

Very special thanks Joe Waterman, making his fantastic NPP debut with a cowriting credit to boot. This guy's the best - and we're working on another one for Greg! Stay tuned!

Click the pic to watch the latest in my series featuring my little blue cat friend, Kickey!

Mynah (I)

A lil mynah bird I painted in Hawaii. These guys are everywhere there!

Paintober: Watermelon (I)

Watercolors on watercolor paper, 8.5" x 11".

Happy Pride 2025! (I)

 

Goodbye, AIDS LifeCycle! (V)

This weekend marks the end of the AIDS Ride, known more recently as the AIDS LifeCycle. I rode in 2007, then I did five formative years as a Roadie on Rest Stop 2, and it was amazing. It's an incredible event - if you participated, you know, and thank you. In 2011 and 2012 I made some films that give you a taste of life with the wonderful folks on RS2, please click on those links to watch. 

Waikiki (I)

Lately I've been doing a bit more sketchbooking. I draw in ink, then add watercolors - it's a great way to meditate and focus on the present moment. On a recent trip to Hawaii, I spent time in the mornings sipping coffee and drawing the view from the condo I was staying in, then later I turned it into a thank you card for the owners.

It started with one...

Then there were two...

Now there's three! Congratulations, Meaghan, and thank you so much for the honor of these commissions!

Paintober: Elephant

Paintober is STILL happening, two years later...sigh. Oil and acrylic paints on 2" x 2" wooden board with charcoal pencil details. 

Brekkie Boyz! (I)

Whatchoo know about these heroes??

Papaya (W)

Here's another piece of writing I created for Writing Battle, which is a really fun way to spark some creativity if you're looking for it - I highly recommend their contests. This time the genre was "cozy fantasy," the setting was a "picnic," and it had to include a "life coach." I really liked this story, and I'm considering developing it out into a series of stories about Paul's trip through Leinad...you know, in all my free time!

Below is an excerpt, and if you'd like to read the full story, please click on the illustration provided by my amazing friend Ms. Carody Irish!

"Papaya"

    Paul looked out over the sumptuous feast. The steaming meal, set out on hundreds of shining metal plates and platters and goblets, held absolutely no appeal for him. After weeks in the land of Leinad, he knew that every food would taste like marshmallows or popcorn or green apple jellybeans, possibly some combination of all three. All of the drinks would be either orange soda- or vanilla milkshake-flavored. He sighed, happy to stand tiredly, awaiting their host...

Kickey! Chapter 4: Rideshare! (V)

Some familiar faces reappear when our favorite blue cat takes on a new job! Introducing a rising star in the East Bay theater scene, David Mack! And of course very special thanks to Carody Irish, Non-Permanent princess, and Heather Mack, reigning queen. THANK YOU ALL! What a delight. CLICK HERE to watch!

Team Tatonka! (I)

A t-shirt design for a friend - stay delulu, ya'll!

Paintober: Full Moon (P)

A very happy birthday to my biggest fan. I love you, mom!

Spectaculathon! Poster Design (I/GD)

I've done a few posters with my friend Nikki, but it's been a few years. Now she has a new position and we're BACK, baby! The play is a rapid-fire trip through all of the Grimm's fairy tales, I wanted something playful and colorful for the poster. Click on the "Show Posters" link on the side to see more of our collabs, and other posters I've done over the years. Good to be back!

Kickey! Chapter 3: The Fridge! (V)

Kickey just wants to look in the fridge! Again! Click HERE to watch the latest video featuring my little blue friend.

Paintober: Redwood Tree (P)

Acrylic and pastel on two canvas boards, 1' x 4'.

David and the Giant Peach (I)

I had the honor of seeing a friend's son in a production of James and the Giant Peach. I made this as a congratulations note - what fun! 

Sergio Toppi (OPP)

A recent discovery for me, Sergio Toppi is a MASTER of linework - check out the images below. I'm working my way through Sharaz-De: Tales From The Arabian Nights. It's slow going: I just sit and stare at the beauty of his designs. Stun. Ning. 

Happy Lunar New Year 2025!

This is my third year of making Lunar New Year designs. Check out the Dragon from last year, and the Rabbit from the year before that. Want some merch? Visit my Spreadshirt store. As always, feel free to email me if you'd like this design on a different product. Happy Year of the Snake everyone! 

Kickey! Chapter 2: House Call! (V)

Today is the beautiful and talented Heather Mack's birthday! She is the queen of the Non-Permanent Parliament, always ready for another video, always ready to say yes, no matter how many takes it takes! Thank you my wonderful friend for all your love and support. Kickey thanks you too! 

Click the pic to watch the latest video:

 

Holiday Card Design 2024 (I)

To everyone reading this - and even those who aren't - thank you for supporting another year of creativity for me. It is truly a gift to make art, and I try never to take it for granted. Here's a bunch of psychedelic manta rays for you, my holiday card design for this year. You can watch the timelapse video by clicking here. 

See you in 2025!

RIP Pearl (P)

A few years ago I did a portrait for a friend of mine who had lost a truly phenomenal friend. This is the companion piece, commissioned for another amazing creature, and I was more than happy to help. It was an interesting challenge, trying to at least approximate the first piece's feel, and I think I did all right. 

Rest in peace, Pearl.

Journal Flowers (I)

Lately I've been trying to do more quick sketches, trying to be a little looser with my expectations, let things flow a little. Here's a sketch I made in about 45 minutes, pen and ink on graph paper with some watercolors thrown in. I'm into it!

Venice! (P, I)

I went to Venice back in August for a 10-day painting trip and LOOOVVVVVED it. I had to stop myself, like forcibly, from taking a picture of every single canal. We all had a final painting assigned, so here's mine, which incorporates various elements from the trip onto three canvas boards, each about 12" x 24":

We saw a bunch of art exhibits, including the Biennale exposition, and we made some sketches around the city. Here's one I made over a couple of mornings where I'd wake up, buy a cappuccino, and sit by the Giudecca Canal:

And of course I took a ton of photos. Please click here to see them!