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2010-07-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

"Black and White", oil on canvas, 8"x 10"

2009-11-05T00:35:00.000-08:00

"A Glorious Ruin", oil on canvas, 30"x 40"

In dealing with a series of traumatic event that happened in my childhood, I was reading a psychology book that described man kind in two parallel phrases. One of the phrases was "A Glorious Ruin". It was referring to the duality of man's state of being and value. The book said that Man is glorious because God made us in His image. But because of our sinful or wrong decisions we have been tainted, entering the state ruin. Our first state still plays a part of our make up, hence, a glorious ruin. This may sound bleak to some but I don't view it that way. I see it more as "it is what it is" and lets work with what we got. I choose to celebrate the aspect of gloriousness and let the aspect of ruin sober me and humble me. I use the latter aspect as a tool to help me see my need for God and His help, which will lead me to a richer quality of relationship with Him.

2009-05-13T23:49:00.000-07:00

"Icnocuicatl", oil on canvas, 8" x 10"

Fifteen minutes after I received the call that my grandfather had passed away I was sitting in the break room at work trying to comprehend what I had just heard. Then one of my good friends, Jaime, before I mentioned to him the call, passed me some ear phones playing a song called "Icnocuicatl" by Lila Downs. The song seemed to be a reflection of my mood as I tried to make sense of the news. Then at my grandfather's funeral our aunt shared with us some of his last words directed towards the family. He knew that he would pass soon so he asked us to remember him in music and laughter. The message was uplifting but the atmosphere was somber. When I came back home I played the song over and over again and looked at a few images. This image coupled with the song described for me how I felt at the time. The figure to the right reminded me of my grandfather's silhouette. He would often wear a hooded coat and trucker hat. The figure is heading towards the light and the figures inside appear to be sad. I saw the figures inside as my family and I in response to the loss. As I researched the lyrics of the song, which was sung in a native mexican language, I found that it was a song of mourning. The soul that had passed was asking it's sibling that remained not to be sad but to look up to the sky, where the deceased soul would send down sunshine. I found it very fitting, seeing as the message of the song was uplifting but the mood was somber. I felt as if it all just came together in this one.

2008-11-10T23:57:00.000-08:00

"Transient Slumber", watercolor on paper, 23" x 30"
I felt that the "tran" from transient reminded me of "tran"sportation. And transient slumber is a true description of sleeping on the Bart, it's in and out because you have to stay alert for your stop. And it is also a reflection of my insomnia, unable to grasp a full nights sleep, it's also in and out.

2008-09-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

"Single Patterns", oil on canvas, 16" x20"
This one was another play on words, the word single because their is a single person in the train, and patterns because of the pattern on the ladie's coat but it's about the patterns in our lives that leave us isolated; and also the patterns people go through as singles in the city.

2008-07-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

"Push To Open", oil on canvas, 24"x30".
I had considered titling this one "High Walls", a play on words with the walls of the Muni, and the social walls keeping these two people that are right next to each other from interacting but I thought it would have too much of a negative connotation. So I opted for, "Push To Open", a play on words with the sign at the bottom right and the effort of engagement that it takes to get someone to open up.

2008-07-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

"To The Pure #2", oil on canvas, 24"x 36".
The first, "To The Pure", was a watercolor, this is the first time I have done the same piece in two different mediums. The title comes from the Bible scripture, Titus 1:15
"To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted." It is my ode to purity of thought and heart and my hope to someday be considered pure in God's sight.

2008-07-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

"Passers By", oil on canvas, 48"x 60".

2008-07-22T21:46:00.002-07:00

"Modern Contrapposto", oil on canvas, 24"x 30".
This one is more about me, this guy is isolated in a cold modern world; in a lot of ways I am very naive, and the thought of learning to adapt to the foreign stages of maturity can seem frightening. The contrapposto pose has been an important one throughout art history (I'm a huge history buff), and putting it in a modern setting is a parallel to my old way of going about things being introduced to a technological day in age.

2008-07-22T21:46:00.001-07:00

"No Fair", oil on canvas, 8"x 10".
This one stands as a bond between my nephew, Louie, and I. I grew up in a broken home, with repercussions that continue to surface to this day. My nephew is also a product of a broken home, and I assume that this will also have a great effect on him as he grows up. I did this one to remind him that I understand his plight and look to be a support as he stumbles upon some of the harder truths of the events in his upbringing. "No Fair", is a play on words of the no fare that children are charged on the Bart, and how children often escape paying the price of the pain that comes with understanding until they are older. And that I think it is unfair that he will have to go through some of the hard things that my parents' divorce called me to encamp on.

2008-07-22T21:45:00.001-07:00

"To The Pure", watercolor on paper, 17"x 24".

2008-07-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

"Stranger", watercolor on paper, 13"x 16".

2008-07-22T21:43:00.001-07:00

"Composure", digital.

2008-07-22T21:41:00.000-07:00

"Out Bound", oil on canvas, 18"x 24".
I started this painting back in 2006, stopped, and had no intension of finishing it. When I saw this man scrunched up on the Muni, alone on his half of the train car, I asked myself, "Where is his family, where are his friends?" When a scene causes me to ask questions, it hints at me that I might need to paint it. For the next year and a half, quite a few people asked me to finish it, so they could buy it. But it wasn't until I went through a serious bout with depression that I felt the strong desire to complete it. During that time, I became very inward and felt trapped in an apathetic mindset. I wanted to communicate what I was experiencing but seemed helpless to do so. Working on this painting, I felt a kin to it, as if I could finally relate to and understand this man. This painting became an outlet and way for me to communicate what was going on internally. In hind site, I was very happy to discover that even in depression I was able to have a drive and the discipline to keep painting. It made me feel like a professional.

2008-07-22T21:34:00.002-07:00

"End Of The Line", watercolor on paper, 12.5"x 18.5".
When I saw this man I was drawn to the character, but what I saw next is what drew me to paint him. At each stop he would struggle to gather his things and stand up, then try to make it to the door on time, only to realize that it wasn't his stop despite how sure he was of it at each halt. I had seen this before, my grandfather had been losing his memory for years. Once again questions resonated, "Where was his family, who was looking out for him? Will I be in this man's shoes someday, and will somebody be taking care of me?" This man was at the end of his line and I will be too someday.

2008-07-22T21:34:00.001-07:00

"After Work", oil on canvas, 18"x 24".