The borough of Brooklyn is a famous hotspot for groundbreaking indie-rock bands. In that spirit, here’s a portrait of Adrianne Lenker, singer and guitarist for Big Thief. I drew this while listening to their rewarding new Album, Dragon Warm Mountain I Believe in You.
Aldous Harding
This singer-songwriter from New Zealand makes the most enchanting music. I drew this portrait solely while listening to her new album, Warm Chris. Her lyrics are so cryptically beautiful, you're compelled to keep listening in order to decipher them.
Krista Weaver CD Design
I had the pleasure of designing and illustrating this CD packaging for a fantastic signer-songwriter, Krista Weaver. Here whimsical songs evoke a wonderful sense of place, hence, the integration of maps into the design.
This was my first endeavor into CD design, and I learned so much from the experience. Enormous thanks to Krista for including me in this project.
Taylor Swift
" But I, I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me. "
These are lyrics from the song Seven, from Taylor Swifts classic album, folklore. This iconic singer-songwriter's persona seems to transcend all borders, but we all start out in a hometown. In her case, it was a farm in Reading, Pennsylvania. From there, she would go on to conquer the world with spectacular songwriting skills, and an enchanting voice.
Kurt Cobain
In serendipitous fashion, this city and musician helped to put each other on the map. The phenomenon of Kurt Cobain and his band, Nirvana, helped shine a spotlight on the vital Seattle music scene. This late-great singer/songwriter will always be associated with the beautiful city he called home. This is part of a series called World Tour - in which I use maps and pages from an old atlas as canvases - painting images relating to the place on each map.
Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop!
Nina Simone
With songs like Mississippi Goddam, she confronted the ugliness of Jim Crow racism directly. We’ve been missing Nina Simone for some time now, but her music is still the perfect soundtrack to the protests of this past year.
Signed prints of this portrait are available here (in my Etsy shop)!
10% of proceeds from each print will be donated to Black Lives Matter.
Elvis Presley
Just looking at pictures of a young Elvis Presley, it’s easy to understand why he found such meteoric success. This native of Tupelo, Mississippi exuded an aura which has yet to be duplicated. While drawing this legend, I found myself continuously mimicking his distinct southern drawl. He sadly lost his way in life, but his early contributions to rock and roll will reverberate forever.
Signed prints of this piece are available here (in my Etsy Shop)!
Nick Cave
Here's a portrait of legendary Australian musician, Nick Cave. This dark poet composes some of the most melancholy music on this mortal coil, yet, the results are sublimely beautiful. This is inspired by a series called World Tour - in which I use pages from an old atlas as canvases - painting images relating to the place on each map.
Signed prints of this piece are available here!
Ezra Koenig
I attempted a portrait of Ezra Koenig, the frontman of one of my favorite bands, Vampire weekend. He’s written some beautiful tunes about Capre Cod, which sparked this idea.
Prints of this piece are available here!
Kurt Cobain
We lost Kurt Cobain on this day, 25 years ago, but his musical legacy will always be in bloom. Local friends, this drawing is part of a group exhibit - The Grand Floral Show - at The Farm Salon, Greig Farm, Red Hook, NY, April 6-28th. The gallery is open Fri-Sun 10-3 pm.
You can order your signed print of this portrait here!
Here's a small study of singer/songwriter, Kasey Musgraves. This drawing of one of my favorite country artists was inspired by her song, Butterflies. No doubt, when I listen to her music, I get butterflies!
Signed prints of this piece are available here!
Amy Winehouse
Heres a portrait of the brilliant singer/songwriter, Amy Winehouse, in which I utilized makeup brushes to create depth. So many iconic singers have tragically died at 27 years of age, including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones. Sadly, Amy joined that club in 2011. I drew this tribute on a map of her hometown, London. Signed prints are available here!
Jerry Garcia
As a band, the Grateful Dead seemed to tap their inspiration from the deepest of American wellsprings. With music that was earthy and organic, they gained a following who rewarded this authenticity with complete loyalty. As a singer and (legendary) guitar player, Jerry Garcia channelled their vision to perfection. He will always be the face of the incredible community. Signed prints are available here!
Édith Piaf
Heres a portrait of the Little Sparrow, Édith Piaf, drawn on a map of Paris. I was introduced to this legendary singer's music while sketching in my life-drawing class (at Parsons School of Design), and was utterly charmed. This immensely talented woman has earned an iconic status in France, and around the world . Materials: Pen, dry brush, and pencil
Prints of this piece are available here!
In Bloom
I was recently looking through a book of copyright-free engravings from the 18th century, and came across a page of flowers. It got me thinking about a song, In Bloom, written by one of the voices of my generation, Kurt Cobain. More than two decades after he died, Nirvana's music is still as relevant as ever. I was compelled to draw this tribute to him.
Prints of this piece are available here.
Leonard Cohen
Enough with trade wars and tariffs. America needs more great Canadian imports, like Leonard Cohen. This legendary singer/songwriter, poet, and novelist was born and raised just outside Montreal, Quebec. We lost him last year, but this true artistic spirit's legacy lives on.
Sinead O'Connor
Here's a portrait of Irish singer, Sinead O’Connor. While drawing this piece, I kept contemplating the tragic losses of public figures, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Like many, I kept thinking, how can these people who seemingly have it all, choose to take their lives. There’s a saying, “You don’t know if the roof is leaking unless you’re inside the house”. It’s too bad we can’t see inside the internal landscape of anyone’s psyche. They might be stuck in a dark emotional valley, and don’t have a map for climbing out of it. It’s a good reminder to be kind to others, and stay tapped into our empathy. It might make a difference in their lives.
Patti Smith
Here's a portrait of a truly inspirational New Yorker, Patti Smith.