My Original Species from 2006; Roach, mosquito, and human

Graphite on paper, mounted on foam board. Approx. 24” X 36”

 Graphite on paper, mounted on foam board. Approx. 24” X 36”

Graphite on paper, mounted on foam board, Apprx. 24” X 36”

Graphite on vellum, mounted on foam board. Approx. 24” X 36”

Graphite on vellum, mounted on foam board. Apprx. 24” X 36”

Graphite on paper. Approx. 11” X 17”

Colored graphite on toned Canson paper, mounted on foam board. Approx. 24” X 36” Designed 2006. 

Eons ago a meteor from outside our galaxy crashed here on Earth, carrying a hibernating bacteria. 

Tho in a weakened state it still managed to infect a cockroach, which in turn was fed upon by a mosquito, who then bit a Cro-Magnon woman. The woman‘s body was enveloped by a cocoon from which this new all-female species emerged. This species has evolved alongside our own.

It can eat decaying matter, drink blood or body fluids, or feed on living tissue, smelling prey from up to 25 miles away, making it a formidable hunter. Growing up to three and a half feet in height, its bones are chitinous like a bird’s, which lowers its overall weight enabling it to fly. It only has two functions; the need to feed, which is shown, and the need to reproduce. 

Since the species is all female it requires human males to produce offspring. Puncturing through the male’s abdominal cavity with their ovipositor she lays a single egg that feeds on the living host in an act called Stylopization. Maturity of the larva takes only about four months, upon which it burrows its way out of its living host and emerges fully able to hunt and reproduce. The host is left in a weakened state with severely impacted sexual functions…

(Have you noticed the rise in demand for Viagra? These things are draining Earth males dry!)

Charcoal and charcoal pencil on paper. Approx. 18” X 24” 

I loved the Phantasm movies and I wanted to recreate one of the dwarf zombies from them.

Alternately, this is a portrait of my Mom, whom I used as my model for this piece. 

It recalls one of many happy memories with my Mom, who has since passed on. We were laughing so hard the whole time as I was attempting to photograph her for reference shots. I was trying to coach her as to what moods I wanted her to exhibit; anger, fear, a threatening look, to which neither of us could hold a straight face and we’d burst out laughing! I still have her reference shots filed away somewhere, and I can still clearly recall that afternoon…

Charcoal pencil on newsprint paper. Approx. 18” X 24”

Charcoal pencil and Conte crayon on toned paper. Approx. 18” X 24”

Charcoal pencil on textured toned paper. Approx. 18” X 24”

Charcoal pencil on toned paper. Approx. 18” X 24”

Charcoal on paper. Approx. 18” X 24”

Watercolor board swatches, colored paper, and colored graphite on card stock. Approx. 9” X 12”

The state between sleep and reality.

The photo does not do this piece credit; the hues of the watercolor pieces are much more vibrant in person. 

Tissue paper, acrylic, and See’s candy wrappers on a sheet of music. Approx. 8” X 11”

Tissue, See’s candy wrappers, card stock, transferable letters, and two one dollar bills on card stock. 

Approx. 9” X 12”

This started out as an anti-Valentine; I feel the holiday is too commercialized and way too much emphasis is put upon what gifts are received rather than Love.

But then it turned into a commentary on the United States and how money is worshiped.

Magazine clippings on card stock. Approx. 9” X 12”

This is a criticism on the rise of torture movies as entertainment. At any time what is seen in these movies might be being enacted for real upon some poor victim in real time, which is sickly sad.

However, the first viewers of this piece after I created it thought it had to do with how women are culturally restricted from eating for beauty’s sake, based on the forks and knives displayed.

Interpretation is in the eye of the beholder…

Tissue, magazine clippings, and colored graphite on card stock. Approx. 7” X 7”

Textured tissue, watercolor swatches, paper clippings, gold foil, plastic button, and white graphite on card stock. 

Approx. 6” X 9”

Watercolor swatches, tissue, gold foil, colored paper, plastic button, and colored graphite on card stock. 

Approx. 6” X 9”