It was a thrill to draw this commissioned piece for my friends at the Grand Dutchess Bed & Breakfast. This exquisite Victorian inn sits in the heart of my Hudson Valley town, Red Hook, NY.
Yoda
Yoda is one of the most beloved and powerful Jedi Masters in the Star Wars universe. He lived to be 900 years old, but his wisdom lives on throughout many galaxies. No doubt, "the force is strong with this one." This piece was inspired by a series called World Tour - in which I use maps as inspiration for drawing people, animals, and Jedi masters. Prints are available here!
Portrait of an Australian Actress
This amazing actress hails from a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. She's so talented, her portrayal of Bob Dylan (in the film, I'm not There) seems to embody Bob Dylan even more that Bob Dylan can embody Bob Dylan. Her name is Cate Blanchett, and she's one of the great thespians of our time. Prints of this piece are available here.
Marlene Dietrich
Here’s a portrait of the Marlene Dietrich, drawn on a map of Berlin. In the first half of the 20th century, Marlene Dietrich was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. This talented actress/singer/diva was also known for her humanitarian efforts during WW 2. She helped German and French exiles find housing, as well as advocating for their citizenship in the US. As a bisexual woman, she enjoyed spending time at drag clubs in 1920s Berlin (her home town) . Materials: Pen, dry brush, and pencil
Prints of this piece can be purchased here.
detail of the original drawing
the original drawing, framed
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!
Sumatran Rhinoceros
This is a Sumatran Rhinoceros. Due to poaching, it is believed that there are less than one hundred of these magnificent creatures left on our planet.
Prints of this drawing are available here.*
*25% of proceeds will be donated to the International Rhino Foundation (rhinos.org)
Ego Schiele
Here’s a portrait of Austrian painter, Egon Schiele, drawn on a map of Vienna. I discovered this brilliant artist while studying drawing in the 1980s at Parsons School of Design. His work has inspired me ever since then. A protégé of Gustav Klimt, he was a true master of capturing the human form. Materials: Pen, dry brush, and pencil
Face of a Nation
Our nation has a mean-spirited face. Let’s vote for a makeover!
All Americans, On November 6th, please vote for sane candidates
who will make our country a kinder and better place.
Charles Darwin
Here's a quick study of Charles Darwin, who's study of Galapagos finches helped formulate his theory of evolution. You can purchase prints of this piece 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.
H.P. Lovecraft
Here’s a portrait of legendary horror author, H. P. Lovecraft, who hailed from Providence, Rhode Island. Prints of this piece are available here!
Jamal Khashoggi
Saudi Arabian journalist and reformer, Jamal Khashoggi, rest in peace.
Lux Vidal
Here's a portrait for a new client, Sarah Lawrence College, in Bronxville, NY. It depicts alumna, Lux Vidal, a noted anthropologist. She devoted her life to studying indigenous tribes in the Amazon region of Brazil. She became a forceful advocate for supporting the rights and culture of the Xikran tribe. Not only was this a fascinating assignment to collaborate on, it gave me an opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite elements into the artwork, maps! A special thanks to designer, Hannah Fichandler, and editor, Jean Smith, for this fantastic assignment.
Below are sketches I submitted for this project:
Celebrate Irvington Poster
Irvington, NY is a Hudson Valley town with a lot of culture and an interesting history. The writer who created Rip Van Winkle, Washington Irving, called this beautiful community his home. I was thrilled to illustrate this poster for their annual street festival. Thanks to art director, Elena Erber, for this fun project!
Interactive Community Poster
These characters appear on an interactive poster which is up at the Eileen Fisher Lifeworks Center (in Irvington, NY). The poster asks the question, What quality do I want to express more of in my life and community? Visitors are encouraged to write their answers directly in the speech bubbles on the poster.
Special thanks to art director, Elena Erber, for this very community-oriented assignment!
Eva Perón
“I am only a sparrow amongst a great flock of sparrows.”
- Evita Perón , former first lady of Argentina
Ernesto Che Guevara
Before declaring any manifesto, a passport fluttered open, revealing Ernesto.
Vagabond forging a motorbike-route, he’d peel out hard, on united fruit.
Asthmatic slumping on his chopper, humanity drained, traded for copper.
Before tee-shirts exploited this face, banana republics, branded in disgrace.
Barack Obama
Here's a portrait of one of my favorite U.S. presidents, Barack Obama, created on a vintage map of Hawaii (where he was born). This is part of 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.
Prints are available here!
Holding my newly framed portrait of Barack Obama.
Howard Stern
From all five boroughs of a neurotic mind, seven dirty words are gleefully enshrined.
Subway tunnels connect to Freud and Jung, trains emerge, irreverence on the tongue.
A legend’s lines flow across this chart, with a juvenile sound, rhyming with heart.
Prints of this piece are available here.
Strange Brains
This recent piece for The Wall Street Journal accompanies a story called Strange stories of extraordinary brains and what we can learn from them. By studying people with unusual mental conditions, scientists are further able to unravel mysteries of the mind. This assignment had a super tight deadline, so I pulled an all-nighter to get it done. Thanks to art director Manuel Velez for a super fun assignment. You can read the article here. Below are sketches I submitted.
