Edson Arantes do Nascimento ~ Pele

This is a caricatured manipulation I did tonight of world famous soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento or Pelé to you soccer fans. I had a request to caricature some soccer players or football to most of you out there. Being from the U.S., I don't know a thing about soccer, but even I know who Pelé is. I remember watching him as a kid. He was an incredible player. This was a very quick study, but I will be doing a series of soccer players from around the world. There are lots of great subjects for caricatures in the soccer world. Hope you enjoy, and I hope this will appeal more to you international readers. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

 Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and be inspired!

Pamela Wilson ~ A Compelling Narrative

My work this evening could star in one of those "Fail" videos, so instead of putting you through that misery I'm going to give you something much better. I’m featuring one of my favorite artists this evening, Pamela Wilson. Otherworldly, dreamlike, haunting, dark, and hilarious absurdities are a few of the words used to describe some of the works of this incredible artist. I'm including a short Bio and a few of her works, but you will want to visit her web site to see more of her brilliant artwork and learn more about this amazing and very unique artist.

Pamela Wilson’s works of art transcend the commonplace to enter the realm of the sublime and otherworldly. She develops haunting images that evoke moods and memories inspired by real life, and which create a remarkably compelling narrative. The physical and emotional isolation of her characters has emerged as a hallmark of her work. She has much to say of the dark and hilarious absurdities we must often endure... while we are creating ourselves.

Primarily a figurative painter, Wilson has worked in many other mediums, including photography, printmaking, and assemblage. She received her MFA from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she was awarded a Regents Fellowship, the Abrams Project Grant, and a Regents Award for her Thesis Exhibition. She is currently Mentor Faculty at Laguna College of Art & Design, Laguna, CA, as part of the MFA Program.

Wilson has exhibited consistently since 1992 in galleries in New York, Chicago, Miami, Philadelphia, California, and Santa Fe. She has been included in many museum exhibitions, including the National Museum for Women in the Arts, Washington DC, and a solo exhibition at the Arnot Art Museum, Elmira, NY. Her work is included in many prestigious collections. She is currently represented by Sarah Bain Gallery, Anaheim, CA, and Evoke Contemporary Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.

I hope you enjoyed this brief peek into the life and work of Pamela Wilson. Please take the time to visit her web site where you will find a wonderful Portfolio, Bio, Résumé as well as an excellent feature and interview with the Ramshackle Review.

The Web Site and Portfolio of Pamela Wilson

 Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and be inspired!

A Caricature Study of The Rolling Stones

Tonight's project was a caricature study of The Rolling Stones. These guys are great caricature subjects. Every one of them has a load of character. They all have really interesting features begging to be exaggerated. I consider this a mild caricature. I typically exaggerate a little more and put the head on a smaller body, but since I was using the existing bodies from the source pic, I tamed it just a bit. I've wanted to do these guys for a long time but hesitated because I thought it would be an enormous amount of work but it wasn't bad at all. I completed it in one evening. They were a lot of fun and I'll have to do more of them in the future. This manipulation was inspired by Sebastian Kruger's caricature works of the Stones. He became quite attached to the group and did numerous caricatures and paintings of them especially Keith Richards. His works range from super realism to extreme caricatures and usually on a huge scale. I can't do justice to them like Kruger. His paintings of The Stones are amazing. Check out the quick video at the end of this post. It will give a pretty good overview of the work he did with the Stones. By the way, he hasn't stopped.

This is the source pic I used: Photographer Mark Seliger

These guys were really fun to do and a great learning experience. Practice, practice, practice. I'm determined to get good at this. I read an interesting quote today that kind of sums it up, getting good at something I mean. I don't know who it's by but I thought it was really cool and answeres the question that a lot of people have about whether or not they can achieve a certain goal. "The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far as is needed?" That says a lot because I believe anyone can achive thier particular goal if they have enough passion for it and are willing to go as far as it takes to reach it. Well, time to call it a day. I hope you enjoyed.

Check this video out:

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and be inspired!

Caricature Study of Lil' Wayne

I decided to do a caricature study tonight of Lil' Wayne. I used him in one other manipulation before and did a subtle caricature on his face, but I wanted to do a more complete caricature. He's a great subject with those big droopy eyes, plump lips and diamond grill. This one was strictly for practice but tomorrow; it's back to contest manipulations. I hope you enjoyed. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

The Incredible Works of Richard Macdonald

I'm a lover of all sorts of art and I thought I would feature my all time favorite Sculptor and Artist Richard Macdonald. This amazing world-renowned artist is the greatest living Sculptor, if not of all time in my opinion. I'm posting his bio as well as a two videos, one of which is of his gallery at the Bellagio in Los Vegas comprising the largest collection of his work in the world. If you are ever in the area, you must see his work. Seeing it in person is absolutely incredible. I am fortunate enough to have seen some of his works at another gallery. You will also want to visit his web site, which I will list below. Enjoy, and be inspired!

Richard MacDonald is world-renowned for artistry that reveals a profound understanding of the human experience and which celebrates the ascendancy of the human spirit. His fascination of the human form and with mankind's broad emotional range has inspired him to create dynamic, sensitive works; each infused with a quality that withstands the passage of time, of taste, of trend. Born and raised in California during an unkind era for figurative art, MacDonald was tossed into artistic waters by his uncle, then a leading graphic designer. Primed by his childhood and formally trained in Professional Arts at the Art Center, College of Design, Richard MacDonald forged an alchemy of experience to become an artist whose drawings, paintings and sculpture portray the passion inherent in the triumph of the human condition.

The inspiration behind MacDonald's 1996 tour de force, "The Flair," a 26-foot gymnast caught in the execution of the maneuver, actually emerged from a painting he created for the 1984 Olympics. And although he based his design on the studies he did of Kurt Thomas for the painting, The Flair's essence lies more in the struggle, determination and hours of training, all brought to that instant when performance is everything. Therein lies the metaphor for his own artistic achievements. Richard MacDonald went on to create, among other masterworks, "Momentum", a 15-foot, 15-ton sculpture created in celebration of the 100th playing of the U.S. Open golf championship at Pebble Beach.

When not creating art, he travels on behalf of it, extensively and internationally, forging relationships with other countries, other creators. His work is collected by such people as former U.S. President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton, Linda and Stewart Resnick, William Payne, Dean Koontz, Richard Marx, Leanne Rimes, and opera legend Luciano Pavarotti. The absence of opportunity and training in figurative sculpture has created a void not only in the preservation of fine art, but in the persistence of life, which MacDonald, a natural teacher and devoted mentor, works relentlessly to fill. He works tirelessly to increase the appreciation and understanding of figurative art throughout the world. Richard MacDonald also graciously gives of his art and his time to hundreds of charitable organizations; among those Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Make a Wish Foundation, and New York's "Free Arts for Abused Children," which was a charity event sponsored by Cirque du Soleil and Lincoln Automotive. His commitment to fostering the future of post-modern, neo-figurative art is realized not only in creating monuments to human triumph, but by imparting his knowledge and technique, his experience and his lessons to emerging international and national professional artists through intensive master classes on location at his own 25,000 square foot studio complex.

As he passes the torch, he ensures his legacy. The artist's international reach has now captivated Shanghai, China, which recently recognized his accomplishments with a prestigious award and invited him to install his life-sized sculpture "Three Graces" in Central Green Park, a 1,500-acre expanse that softens Shanghai's new cosmopolitan financial center of Pudong. "China is important to the world in that they are a force and on the move," MacDonald said. "Exposing them to figurative art opens up a potential for artistic expression far greater than anyone would ever have dreamed possible until today. It is this very spirit of the struggle and determination to triumph that inspires creative expression. This is the message, I think, that will endure through my work."

Richard at the Bellagio

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the life of a living Master. Please take the time to visit his web site below, you'll be glad you did I promise. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Richard Macdonald's Web Site

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day and be inspired!