Unbeknownst to my students, the creation of this shoe served two purposes – to introduce a segment on three dimensional objects, and to capture the memory of one of my absolutely favorite running shoes that met its fate with the family dog. Using wire scraps I had acquired over time, this was an extremely economic activity.
These four complimentary wire sculptures were a commission for a friend who was looking to create an artistic impact on the wall of her industrial loft. Offset from the 14-foot tall wall surface by approximately three inches, the afternoon sun casts a mimicking shadow, adding to the presence of the installation.
Wheel spun and illustrating various glazing options.
A cartographer at heart, I created this replica of the Seoul, South Korea subway system for one of my colleagues, who is also a fellow map enthusiast.
This piece was created for one of my collegiate educational classes. We were tasked to create “something” that conveyed our own personal story. Using photographs, personal writings, and drawings, I developed this succinct brochure-type creation.
This collage of President Obama was created as an example for my students during a teaching segment on collage and portraits. I used the president as my subject matter to convey that the realm of creativity can have no limits, while the same easily identifiable icon can be still be recognized.
Although I do not condone the vandalism of property, I do support keeping an open mind as it relates the more atypical art forms – graffiti art included.
As an homage to talented graffiti artists of our time, my Hamtramck Middle School Students and I developed a segment on Stencils and Spray Paint Artwork. Using found objects as subject matter and my supplies, this piece illustrates how you can flatten the surfaces of an object into both the positive and negative spaces of a stencil.
My keenness for vintage street lights gave rise to this collaboration – the subtle glow of galvanized sheet metal foreshading incandescent street lights and an evening-goer glowing with fun times had.
Happy Father’s Day 2010. For the most part, the game sits as a piece of art and not as a functioning game.
The intent was to represent basic composition and design elements.
Henri Matisse once said, “creativity takes courage.” I believe live nude modeling takes more.
Homesick to me is missing the serenity, and sometimes the opposite, of the Great Lakes. This was painted on a night when I longed for my aquatic stomping grounds.
I would summarize this as an artistic medley of the primaries, secondaries, and all that jazz.
There is something about a child’s eyes that draws me into their youthfulness. Nathan was another student with the most magnetic eyes I have ever seen.
It is truly wonderful having friends with contagious smiles.
During a color theory lecture, we starting discussing the idea if objects in nature were different colors than we know. Following class, I felt inspired to go home and draw blue trees.
This was meant to be an abstract image of my friend playing his blue guitar in my blue-walled apartment. I suppose Van Gogh can’t be the only one with a Blue Period.
I felt compelled to capture the deep thoughts of this child. As his teacher, I could just tell he was thinking at another level than all of his peers. He will do great things one day.
Growing up in a community instrumental in the anti-Prohibition movement, I can’t help but be fascinated with it's great icons and the history it produced.
While on a field trip with my South Korean students, I tried everything to keep a fever-stricken child entertained – funny faces into the camera included. During an outtake, his unfortunate misery was quite apparent –I had to try to capture his strong emotion with my pen.
As an art student living in the birthplace of the Renaissance – Florence, Italy - I completely emerged myself in the art scene. With that said, sketching became my ultimate past time. The irony in this instance is that I am sketching in my pajamas in my cluttered apartment, literally, a stone’s throw from the Uffizi. I still find this comical.
This was created for the parents of one of my students. I wanted to show them how much I appreciated their support and that I enjoy having their child in my class.
This was a commission for a flower lover.
Full disclosure – I look at the side of my face under shadow not with gloomy connotations, but with excitement for all that is to come.
I was given the opportunity to create the brand identity for the City Bistro. Although, I was not the successful designer, I certainly had a lot of fun.
I am a huge advocate of teamwork and collaboration. This piece is the outcome of an impromptu partnership between a fellow artist and myself.
I challenged myself to portray photography in motion. I decided to rely on years of piano lessons, my tripod, and fearlessness in the dark room.
The educational system in South Korea, or at least at my school, has many beliefs not commonly held in the United States. Where we might oppose the posting of student life in the classroom on social media sites, predominately private and highly competitive Korean K-12 schools, and their tuition-paying parents, look to these outlets as marketing opportunities and barometers of the school’s quality – more posts equate to a more desirable school. As the technical teacher for the fine arts, I quickly inherited the role of school photographer. The most rewarding part of this role was when I could truly capture a child’s individual personality. In this image, Alyssa’s excitement says it all.
This image was taken during the Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul, Korea. One could say it represents how we seasonal allergy sufferers may feel during this time of year.
This photograph was taken coming out of the Seoul subway system on my way to venture about the Han River. Exaggerations to the aperture let the camera feel what my own eyes were feeling coming out into the daylight from the dark subway station.
In South Korea, a good portion of my days were spent on the subway. Every once in a while, the sun setting would provide the backdrop for a spectacular shot. The bluebird day contrasted with the oxidizing steel made this memory one to hold on to.
During Buda’s Birthday Festival, thousands of lanterns were hung all over the city. I manipulated this photo to accentuate the many colors that stood out in my mind.
This image mimics exactly how I felt when watching the celebration of Buda’s Birthday Parade in Seoul, South Korea. The stunningly bold colors of the Hanbok and incredible beauty of its people were muted by the brief moment in time where I reflected on the day’s historical significance and humbleness to be a part of tradition.
Taken in Florence, Italy at the Medici Palace, I was so inspired by the works of Michelangelo, I felt this this flower may just have been one of the fan brushes he used.
During one of my drawing classes in Italy, I was sketching a face and hung it up on a tack board to view my proportions. As I stepped back, I enjoyed to splattered paint in the background and photographed the unexpected image.
During a live drawing class, I had an eccentric model with electric red hair. She was so inspiring, I just had to take her across mediums.
Based on a photograph taken with a fisheye lens, I was able to turn my graphic designer colleague into his very own graphic.
The idea behind this image was based on the many train stations I have rolled in and out of throughout my travels of Asia, Europe, and the United States, and the songs that that were playing in my ears at those moments.
A medley of line and balance was the basis of this print.
