Meeting and shaking hands with The President of the United States...

Yesterday was a pretty significant day at DreamWorks Animation! The President of the United States gave a speech on the importance of film and entertainment for the world.

I was lucky enough to shake his hand and have a few seconds with him!

Love from my gallery show in Paris!

Love from my gallery show in Paris! 

Muses

I was fortunate to have two beautiful French sisters poise for my painting “Beautiful New Adventures” for my upcoming Paris show. They were incredible muses and their help and enthusiasm helped make one of my favorite paintings – this painting took about 3 months to paint and the luggage took a lot of patience and LOTS of wine! I can’t thank my muses enough! I hope to have you pose for many paintings. Merci Mon Cheri Belles Eva & Julie

My Gallery show opens in 1 week in Paris, France at Galerie Arludik!!!

La Belle et la Bete

The early sketch for this drawing has lingered in my sketchbook for 2 years just waiting to be realized. I finally found a perfect moment for it in my upcoming exhibit in Paris at Galerie Arludik. I love the fairytale of Beauty & The Beast and I love the emotion conveyed in this drawing.

GALERIE ARLUDIK Paris, France / September 5th - October, 2013 / Opening Reception: September 5^th

The Real Housewives of Orange County

I was so excited this year to find out that Doug & Lydia Mclaughlin were added to the Real Housewives of Orange County cast. Not only are they the sweetest and most amazing couple, but they are also the proud owners of two of my favorite paintings!!!! I was so thrilled to see the paintings featured in so many shots in their house this season!! I am so honored and glad these paintings found such a happy home and could not belong to a more awesome family!

TURBO

Here are early concepts for the DreamWorks Animation Film “Turbo.” I was one of the first artists on the movie and I was asked to take a quick pass at some of the main characters! Many of the ideas in these early sketches made it into the final characters. 

You can see a few of my sketches in “The Art of Turbo” book – here are a few more! Check them out! 

Always a story...

^{When I paint, I often have many meanings behind each painting. There is always a story…}

^{My painting “Snake Charmer,” is about regaining our power, conquering our fears and ownership of ourselves as powerful sexual beings. The Snake symbolizes the chains of our past. The woman in the painting is no longer a victim and has suppressed her fears and used confidence and sexuality to seduce her captive.}

^{This was another painting that I exhibited and sold at Art Monaco 11 in Monaco, at the Grumaldi Forum in 2011.  This was an honor to show in Monaco. I was happy it got the love and attention back! It’s a favorite of mine!}

Your Own Utopia...

My painting, “High Fashion Safari” deals with the notion of creating your own perfect utopia. What if you could literally re-fashion the world as you wanted it to look? That is the question that I hope my painting provokes you to consider. The painting also contemplates our lust for luxury items and desires to make the things around us beautiful.

This painting was exhibited and sold at Art Monaco 11 in Monaco, at the Grumaldi Forum in 2011. This painting got everyone talking and was a favorite at the art fair! 

Their Words Will Never Hurt Her Again

This Painting, "Their Words Will Never Hurt Her Again" was created for the Contemporary Art Auction by Maitre Pierre Cornette de Saint Cyr held in October 2011, in Paris, France. 

I was so honored to be apart of the art auction amongst masters of contemporary art like; Dave Lachapelle, Andy Warhol, Basquiat, etc.

This was one of the 3 paintings I completed for the auction. I was reading lots of articles at the time about the problems of bullying and the effects that it can have on a person. I wanted to create a painting that took on the issue, but also added the element of empowerment. I have always been a fan of classic fairy tales, and the story of Cinderella seemed perfect! I added my own fashion twist of coarse, and showed a confident Cinderella scrubbing away the evil names called to her by her step-sisters! This piece means a lot to me and is an absolute favorite of mine!

Blast From The Past Part 3

Face sketches from the “The Wanderer” project that I worked on over 10 years ago. Project by the Brizzi Brothers. Wow how time flies. 

Yummy Yummy for My Tummy

This was a cupcake that was made based on a character I designed - B.O.B. from Monsters Vs. Aliens. Above is a sketch of mine that I did early on.

I have to say… that is one yummy resemblance! And it tasted just as good as it looked!

On The Seventh Day The Lord Wore Chanel

This is one of my favorite paintings! It brings up the question what if God was a women…If she was, I feel she would be the most stylish of all and making walking on water very high fashion!!! The wine in the painting was based on a bottle of wine gifted to me from a famous Grammy winning song-writing friend of mine. I saved it for over 8yrs looking for the right occasion. The right occasion happened to be a dinner with my beautiful wife to be! 

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone – this was artwork that I painted that appeared in the French Magazine Fluide.G in 2011.  

Mommy (Quick head)

Mommy (Quick head) this was another quick warm up doodle to get the blood pumping!

Monkey Madness

Monkey Madness - fun stuff! Animals are always fun to draw and stylize!

Look Who's Coming to Dinner

This was a fun warm up for a project! A chef character I did that was in the DWA Halloween film Scared Shrekless. Cooking scene with Gingy. 

Jack Frosty

I was asked around very late 2008 or early 2009 I believe to do a quick pass on a face for Jack Frost for the DWA film Rise of the Guardians, by the original director. They wanted me to combine some of the awesome ideas done by some of the other talented vis dev artist and distill a take of an angst emo teen! I only worked on the movie for about 2 weeks.  I was kinda thinking of peter pan and a splash of a teen idol! Was definitely in a more stylized place back then. 

A Day In The Life In The Hollywood Hills

This painting “The Last Cowboy of Hollywood” is one of my favorites!! I wanted to create a sort of Alice in Wonderland feel! The main subject of this piece is a dear friend and neighbor of mine. I think he is awesome and have wanted to paint him for many years! If you are lucky enough to live and party in the Hollywood Hills, you will meet many awesome characters like him! He is truly the King of Hollywood! The sexy girl in the painting is the beautiful international model Katarina Van Derham. She is also a dear friend of mine and has posed for many of my paintings!

Lovely Ladies of Monsters Vs. Aliens

These were quick head studies while I was working on Monsters Vs. Aliens trying to blend a lot of influences together and make some interesting stylized humans. Sadly a lot of these inspirations did not make it in the film.

Blast From the Past - Part 2

Blast from the Past 2 - This project with the Brizzi's Bros was a real pleasure to work on!

More 80's Rap

Found more of my good ol' 80's RAP inspired doodles!

80's Rap

Inspired doodles while grooving to some good o'l 80's rap! 

Old People Are Cool

Gramps was a really awesome character I created. He was a ton of fun to design - from what he looked like to what he was wearing. He already has so much life in this sketch. 

Sketches, Sketches and More Sketches

This is a quick sketch of one of the many I do on a daily basis. 

The Machines Are Alive!

This is a cool project I did combining animal species and robots. I had a lot of fun.

Destruction

Another villain concept for the movie Megamind. Had a blast designing this guy.