My 20 Favorite Sketches of 2011

Each year I try to do a different top list of something from the previous year. This year I was flipping through my stacks of sketchbooks and decided to scan and upload my 20 favorite sketches from the past 12 months. For those that know me, my sketch books are filled my private thoughts and odd notes about all sorts of things, many times not something I openly share. I often have over 5 different sketch books following me around.

Before we begin seeing all 20 images, remember that these are MY favorite sketches of the year and they are not my BEST sketches and many of them are really rough. I will explain why I choose each sketch, because many times it was because they reminded me of a certain time and place, some sketches led to bigger ideas or projects, and some of my favorites just make me laugh.

In no particular order, we will start with the image at the top of this post.

#1. Basquiat Scribbles
I spent one night watching The Radiant Child documentary, and then Basquiat the movie. During those six hours (i also watched a bunch of bonus features) I was inspired to draw 20 ink sketches just trying to replicate Basquiat's ability to let himself be free with his visual space. In the end this sketch was blown up to poster size and I painted over it to make two larger paintings. Not many people notice that the two paintings come from the same ink drawing, mainly because of the different orientations.



#2. Wolf Angel
I read Zacharia Sitchin books whenever I get a chance. It really inspired me to study Egyptian and Mayan drawings and I was using a lot of that imagery in my own drawings. This wolf angel was a sketch that ended up as a larger painting. I will be posting the finished painting on my facebook Art page (like me on facebook) soon.



#3 Mandala
All day orientation makes Billy a dull boy. However, much like grad school and college, there is something that sitting in a stagnate room for long periods of time just listening to people talk that makes drawing 10 times as fun. I miss school.



#4 Self portrait
Another micron drawing. I almost included a self portrait sketch I did of myself, but the crudeness of my naked body in that drawing, and the fact that the scan was really bad, forced it to not make this list. The drawing of my face will have to do.



#5 Don't Make Me Play a Song
This summer I was invited back to the International Music Camp to teach art class ( GO LLAMAS!). In a camp filled with 95% music students it is always fun in charge of the fun and exciting art group. IT is easy to be inspired by all the music though. This sketch was to prove to my student that I could draw comic style characters. His back story included his ability to defeat bad guys by playing songs that either made them cry, sing, or dance uncontrollably.



#6 Open Mind
In Portland, Maine I had the pleasure of meeting an incredible group of people that would meet every other week and discuss different topics. My notes always became a jungle of sketches. This particular day was about 'using art & music as tools for change'. I remember this was about the time I met artist Abbeth Russell.



#7 Waggly Holes
This crude sketch was one of those middle of the night, lean over in the darkness, and sketch out this brilliant painting idea. These sketches, like this one, usually do not make much sense in the morning. And if they do make sense, they are usually a lot less brilliant the next day. I really like this sketch, and it reminds me of all the times I have jotted down random ideas and how many times those ideas never go anywhere.



#8 Man Planet

Another sketch from the Salon discussions in Portland Maine. This discussion was about Gender Roles and sparked an incredible debate about many different topics. The sketches while interesting are most important to me because I can remember so many great moments during that discussion where I was learning so much from so many people. You have got to love elephant pants.



#9 Lightning Tongue

Random quick drawings can sometimes result in really fun childlike images. This drawing has a lot of elements I would not typically use for a drawing or a sketch. But in the end I really enjoyed this creature and the interesting animals growing on him.



#10 Jesse's Brush Pen

This drawing makes the list because of my friend Jesse who was actually very present in the salon discussions I mentioned above. I did this drawing many states away from Maine, when I was in Minneapolis. Jesse has spent a large part of the year travelling all over the country and she stayed with me for a few days. She played music, I drew pictures, she made prints and earrings and we sock wrestled. It was a lot of fun. I used her brush pen (which i had not used since I was a little boy) to create this drawing.



#11 The Face

Very similar, and drawn right after, the self portrait up above. I remember sitting in my friend Clints' house, with the entire house to myself for a few months. I took a deep breath, finally feeling done with the transition from Maine, to Michigan, to Minnesota, to North Dakota, to Canada, and back to Minnesota. I finally felt I could rest, and I dove right into my sketchbook to draw these faces. Which were the first things to come out of me.



#12 Occupy
I chose this sketch for two reasons. The first reason is because the octopus on the right side was one of my first ideas for the Occupy Octopi which shows up in one of my larger Occupy paintings (click the link and scroll down a bit to see that painting). The second reason, is because the character on the left makes me laugh. I drew his He-Man action figure-like arm first and the rest was just a series of random shapes. What a goofy looking thing he is. Definately a favorite sketch of mine from 2011.



#13 The Immortal Self

This drawing, done on the back of my schedule, is probably the 50th time I have created an entire epic story line for a graphic novel, feature film, role playing game, or book I plan to write while standing in the Walker Art Center as a gallery monitor. Yes, I guard the art...with my life. Almost never do these stories go any further than a few sketches and notes. This story involves a warrior monk who goes back in time to train his childhood self to become a better warrior. He reveals this to his childhood self by cutting the boy's hand and then showing the boy that the scar appears on his own hand magically. I could spend hours telling you about what they learn together about the politics of time travel and how the first time traveler rules the world by sending himself back in time over and over and over to create an army of himself. But I wont.

#14 Crocked Flower

I remember sitting at Local Sprouts, my favorite place to eat in Portland, Maine and drawing this flower. It was one of the first times I met Kelly Rioux who was working behind the counter. She is this beautiful woman who also turned out to be a great artist. We later collaborated on a large window mural of Local Sprouts in support of the Maine Labor Mural being returned after it was unlawfully taken down by the Governor Paul LePage.

#15 Draw A Thon

One of my very first times on Congress Street was attending the Draw A Thon at the Space Gallery. I met a dozen incredibly talented, peace and politically motivated minded people like Kenny Cole, Brian Reeves, Natasha Mayers and Robert Shetterly just to name a few, who continue to inspire me today. Not to mention a great group of people from Code Pink and Veterans for Peace who were also at these events helping out or protesting. These people changed my life in a million ways. The sketch above was my first idea for a poster for Draw A Thon. While I think it had potential as a design, it really had nothing to do with the Draw A Thon and I scrapped it for a big chubby guy with a missile for a head. Which probably would havemade my Top 20 sketches if I could find it.



#16 Masked Rods

A few times every year I try to brainstorm new sticker ideas. This page was a bunch of my ideas for new stickers. Including some rather controversial masked rods. While nothing has come of any of the drawings on this page, I do think I might explore a few of these themes a little further. I got many of these ideas from some train hopping friends who stopped by to see me in Minneapolis. Although they did drink all my beer, but it was great to meet them.



#17 Dive Art

The Heart Opening studio was one of the most inviting spaces I have ever been in. This yoga studio in Portland, Maine was beautiful and relaxing. However the open space often also made me want to dance, do handstands and run from one side of the room and slide headfirst across the wood floors to the other side. In a moment of brilliance, I decided to dive headfirst across the floor with a big sharpie marker and try to draw a picture in the two seconds I was gliding across the floor. This is what I came up with. It is beautiful. Thanks to Ryan, Mike and Ingrid for egging me on.



#18 The Meg Perry Center

I was invited to put up art shows in three consecutive First Friday Art Walks
in Portland, Maine. Thanks to all my friends at Peace Action Maine, and all my other friends (especially those from Staples) who came to support my art shows, I was able to make new work and have it on display almost immediately. This drawing was the first idea in a series of multiple layered drawings which where painted on glass. You could see through certain parts of the art to another layer below.



#19 Body Painting

I have been involved with Body Painting for a number of years. After meeting Kirk from Kirkworx Dupuis who invited meto join in some black light body painting at a show in Hoboken, New Jersey at the Pudding Factory which was set up by my friend and talented model,Shandra Stark (who I body painted a few years ago). At this time I was also just getting to know a beautiful woman by the name of Dawn. Dawn also seemed willing to be painted for this body painted project, but I ran out of time before leaving the East Coast before proposing my project to Shandra, Dawn and a few others I was hoping to propose this project to.



#20 Basquiat Bookends

This list started with an abstract drawing inspired by Basquiat and ends with one. The drawings from that movie marathon are some of my favorites from the entire year. The odd energy and randomness is just so freeing. While I may be the only one that likes these drawings, they represent an ability to make marks that have a life of their own and not previously positioned by my mind.

The amazing thing about this list of 2o sketches is not all the things and people I met and mentioned, but all of the people and places I did not mention. The year of 2011 was filled with so many amazing people and experiences that I could easily pick out 100 drawings just so I could tell you all about Took and the Derby Girls in Michigan, and about Molly McLain and the Buffalo Gals, and the incredible Youth Activist Gathering. I could tell you about Bill Nybo and the kids from Jamestown North Dakota, and sketches inspired by Portland Pastes activist wheat pasting. Not to mention the things I learned from the Punk Patriot and the green party. Or the incredible Art Group at the Minnehaha Free Space. Or the Canvas Killing in St. Paul. Or the radical art of the Bee Hive Colelctive. Or Talib the giant 10 foot paper mache Phoenix. Or the Two Box Art Battle with Matt Semke. Can you believe this was all from my year in 2011?

I guess if you want to hear about those things you will have to start going through this blog post by post and read all about this crazy year. I suggest you subscribe so you do not miss anything in 2012.

Jamestown Art Center: printmaking time!

The road to Jamestown is complete. I have spent this week in my home away from homes; Jamestown, North Dakota. I love the kids of this town, and I walked into the art center to an awesome group of students.

The class is only half over and I am teaching these 14 students, linoleum cuts, stamp printing, gyotaku fish printing, screen printing and mono printing. I could write a series of blogs on each printmaking technique, and write even more about the strategies of teaching these techniques to kids of all different ages. My strategy is to teach the concept and explain the potential uses and the potential visual outcomes for each method and then turns the kids loose. There would be benefit in also hand holding kids through a very step by step process to achieve a particular outcome as well.

Enjoy the photos. I am glad to swing back into Jamestown. Next week I attend the International Music Camp, and teach an art program to middle school ages kids. The week following I return to Jamestown to paint a huge mural at the old nearby folks home.

International Music Camp: Middle School Art Class

International Music Camp (IMC) director Dr. Tim Wollenzien e-mailed me in the winter asking if I would like to come and teach the first ever IMC middle school art class. I was honored to be asked, although I wasn't full aware with how great IMC really was. In fact, to be honest, I did not know anything about this music camp or this peace garden at the US and Canadian border. Regardless, I was excited to accept.

With my North Dakota artist roster position and recommendation from fellow artist teacher Ali LaRock (who has taught at other IMC camps before) I was a good candidate to teach at a very renowned camp for practicing musicians and artists. If you were like me and do not know much about IMC, or camps in general (i only went to one camp for a school trip before i was 18) then it is fun to explore just what IMC has to offer budding musicians and artists.

International Music Camp invites groups of students (ages vary depending on time of year) to come stay at a camp and dedicate a portion of their summer to learning their craft. The student get up each day for breakfast and then into different areas of the camp to take lessons, practice one on one, take tests and recite. I heard every instrument under the sun during my week, and choir as well. The kids get breaks in the day to explore the ground, play games, enjoy the snack bar and then back to work again. Each night there is some event, movie, recital, band, dance, going on for the kids to take part in. I will tell you this, IMC is not a place to kick back and relax or goof around. IMC is serious business, you are their to learn and have while doing it. The kids where so focuses, energetic positive and genuinely loved what they were doing!

By the way, the food was great. Even for me, a vegetarian. I ate more salads that week than any week in my entire life. These weren't baby salads either, these were salads piled with peppers, carrots, mushrooms, sunflower seeds, spinach, olives, crutons and it was different each day. They had vegetarian options for each meal of the day.

I am overlooking (actually saving the best for last) one of the most important and impressive part of International Music Camp, the teachers. The instructors are masters of their craft from all over the country (and at times the world). The guest conductor for the band was from the South, and wrote many of the pieces the kids played. The pieces were great. All of the other instructors are jaw droppingly good at their instrument, or voice. At the faculty recital, I was honored to be among the list of performers.

Then, after one week of work the parents return to the camp for the mega recital. All the hard work condensed into one huge performance. My kids, who were amazing by the way (see photos below) put up an art show in the center of the gigantic recital space and we had a reception before the music started. The choir then performed, followed by two full bands. It was quite the show, and quite the camp.

If you want to see the drawings I created at IMC make sure to see that post (here).

Below are some of the photos from the first IMC middle school art week:

Olivia in front making a funny face. This was the seven great kids I was lucky enough to teach this week. They all worked hard. Some of them were distracted by the millions of caterpillars on the camp grounds, but overall we did tons and tons of projects.
You can see some of them here. We used watercolors, colored pencil, micron pens, and pencils.
This day our huge artist building was cold, so despite the nice weather outside, it was freezing in here. It was a good excuse to go do life drawing in the choir building. Which was a blast!
I used these white boards to optimal capacity. Here was a group quiz on light and shadows. They aced it. I would draw shapes and ask them where the light source was coming from, or what was wrong with the image. We learned a lot about shape and form, which helped us in other areas as well. Especially when we got to the perspective drawings.

Here are the peg boards we used to hang our best 6 works for the music camp to see. Over 2000 people came in to see our work before sitting down to listen to the music performances. We talked a lot about hanging work, and making sure we are showing our best products. The watercolors and the rainy weather made a few works more messy than originally intended, but abstract was one of our projects so it fit that theme nicely.

Thanks to IMC and my 7 students for making the beginning of my summer a real enjoyment. I had a great time, despite leaving my girlfriend and cats behind for a week. For those thinking about attending IMC as a student/teacher or volunteer I would highly recommend it.

Drawings from International Music Camp

This is a collection of drawings/paintings I have done at International Music Camp this week. I was selected to teach the middle school art program here, and I was lucky to meet 7 awesome students. Together we studied forms and shape, drawing people (from all angles even above and below), 2 point perspective, color theory, abstract art, plien air drawing, sketching people and a number of other great topics.

All of this in only one week! While we drew, we got to listened to other students learning to play instruments or sing choir; we got to collect caterpillars (hundreds of them); and walk to the International Peace Garden. Each student got to pick their 6 favorite works and put them up in a gallery for the performance. Here is the 8 I selected for the Faculty Showcase Slideshow. Enjoy: