Previous Commissioned Work
“Camp Keating”
This was assigned to me by a war veteran who fought in Afghanistan.
There was a specific fire fight that was a very powerful moment he wished for me to capture on canvas. He provided me with maps, dates and uniform/weapon details. He described a kind of out-of-body automation experience as we was awakened in the middle of the night by the noise of incoming fire. After he put on his boots and grabbed his weapon, he then had to run into the incoming fire to get to a position to return fire. Along with modeling the environment after the maps and photos he provided me, I added the Aries constellation in the sky to represent the timelessness of war. The viewer’s perspective is on the edge of peril, set from inside the darkness of the bunk, as the soldier runs into a fully exposed and active war zone.
“Temple Building” Series
These paintings were created for a Psychology Office. I am depicting the guide and the witness dynamic, based on material I was given to read by the patron who commissioned the work. I used a spirit animal character in each panel to lead a “human essence” through a physical terrain symbolizing a psychological terrain. I often feel moods and seasons through a visualization of an environment. t was my hope that patients seeking treatment in this office would be encouraged through these pictures to keep moving on a path to their own personal wellness.
“Sedale Threat”
Two paintings commissioned by a rap group to be used as album art. They provided me with the names of two NBA players, and we discussed over the phone significant moments that would be interesting to illustrate. As a lover of rap music, especially on independent labels, this was a pleasure to be a part of.
“The Maelstrom”
The man who commissioned this painting came to me with this specific image he had in mind. He cited imagery and themes he liked in my previous work.
His wife was going through chemotherapy and they both were confronted with their own mortality. He described to me - a moment when the boat is steering through the rocks, the guy in the boat is gonna make it, but it’s going to be a rough landing.
I incorporated the lighthouse, indicating the ever present support we receive from friends, family, and sometimes strangers who help us through stormy seasons
“Dinner Table”
This painting was requested by a man who has bought numerous paintings from me. against the wall behind the table is a painting which he bought and owns. Dinner with a friend/friends is one of the greatest joys I have discovered in life. To set a table and celebrate abundance through nutrition. It is timeless and there is no better way to feel a deep sense of gratitude.
“Guitarist”
This painting marked a point in a musician’s career when he achieved a level of financial success through his own music business. I was very happy to hear him say that he always wanted one of my paintings and when he looks at this piece, he feels like he’s “made it” as a self-employed, full-time musician. He wanted a guitarist painted in “my style”. I chose to refer to a north-west African character to represent this archetypal guitar player, because much of the guitar that is played today comes from a playing style that originated on the African continent.
“Oak Tree”
This was made for a man who works with wood as a Shipwright. His request was simple enough, to paint an oak tree in “my style”. When I visited his home to discuss the work a family of deer passed through his yard. At the time he and his wife had one child, hence the buck, doe, and fawn.
“Folkloric” Wedding Painting
This was made as a wedding gift to the bride and groom. They were described as having traditional family values, inspired to build a home and grow their family. I emphasized this description by working in a cubist/constructivist style. References to architectural elements appear throughout the “scaffolding” of the piece. Strength in togetherness, union in solidarity, a singular space.
“Conquistador” Wedding Painting
This is a painting the bride and groom commissioned for themselves. It is based on a previous Conquistador painting I had done, which was adorned with symbols of Freemasonry.
For this painting, I was given elements that held significance for the couple, citing landmarks, birthstones, sparrows, the compass, the anchor, all of which tell the unique story of their union.
“Midas”
This painting was the result of a conversation about the layered meanings of the Midas touch. How we can often be our greatest saboteur or create our greatest obstacles preventing us from reaching our goals. The patron expressed she wanted a female rendered in “my style”.
“New House” Paintings
To celebrate the purchase of his first house, this man requested two paintings for a specific location in his home. He told me he like the way I painted figures, that was about all I had to go on. I asked him if there were any significant places he visits in his life. He immediately provided me with photos of a cabin in Wisconsin which his family owns. Also Florida is a place he spent a considerable amount of time in his formative years. I came up with this kind of whimsical bathtub concept where each figure is bathing in bodies of water as giants, interacting with the natural environment.