Picasso was hip before we were born! He was a trailblazer; he constantly changed styles and was at the forefront of a number of modern art movements. He didn't just create art, he WAS art. If flowed through him like music flowed through Mozart.

The emblem on his beanie was taken from his drawing of a dachshund. I'm a doxie lover, so I had to include it! Enjoy, friends!

6"x6" Oil on Ampersand board, SOLD

A part of my Hipster Artist/Icon series, I had O'Keefe channel her inner Lisbeth for a modern look. She was fiercely independent, creative, and trailblazing... a true badass! If you like this series, stay tuned. I'm on a roll, and loving it!

5"x7" oil on Ampersand board. On hold.

These two iconic artists had completely different approaches to life, art, and success. Van Gogh was known in art circles, and was quite prolific, but besides a few trades and a single sale, his mental illness kept him from success. After a fight with Gauguin, he had a psychotic breakdown and severed his ear. He lived most of his life in poverty, and most of his money was spent on art supplies. He spiraled downward, and died at 37 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Amazing that his most prolific period was the last two years of his life. A decade after his death, his work was in demand, and he was recognized for his color theory and bold style. Born into the upper-middle class, he preferred to paint peasants and nature in the rural countryside.

Warhol, born to working class parents, was enamored with glamorous and beautiful people, and was a master at self-promotion. His earlier work (soup cans, brillo boxes, etc.) were comments on commercialism, and a natural extension of his illustrative work in advertising. He liked that these common products were used by the elite as well as regular people. He quickly became the darling of the '60s Pop Art world, and his Factory was the place to be seen. Celebs mingled with beautiful wanna be's and drag queens.

He is best known for his silkscreen portraits of pop culture icons (Marilyn, Elvis, Jackie), which is pretty much the opposite of Van Gogh's peasants and nature paintings. He professed to love the superficial, and declared that everyone would be famous for 15 minutes. Like Van Gogh, he was quite prolific, but with a number of assistants to help produce his work, this was controversial (no surprise his studio was called the Factory). He found success early, and his legacy to the art world is a mirror to our culture.

I painted both of these small portraits in a loose style. I updated Van Gogh's look as a gentle parody. Both of these have sold, and are no longer available.

Well, I couldn't paint Roy, and not his lady love too! She was so fierce, and her makeup & wardrobe were so 80's badass! I think I'm done with Bladerunner...for now. ;-)

5" x 7" oil on Ampersand board, available (through email or dailypaintworks.com) Buy both pieces, and the shipping is free.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears...in...rain. Time to die." – Roy Batty, Blade Runner

5x7 oil on Ampersand board, available

This is a collaborative effort with the brilliant photographer Shadi Dunkin. She took some amazing underwater shots, and agreed to let me use one as reference for this painting. A portrait of her son in a swimming pool, I think this captures summer fun— ironically, you can't see his incredibly beautiful eyes!

Please check out Shadi's work at aksphotgraphyaustin.com, and consider hiring her for family events. She has some amazing fine art photos as well.

14" x 11" oil on Ampersand board. Georgetown Art Center Oct. 1-31. Not available; in a private collection.

I am honored and thrilled that my chimpanzee painting won 2nd place in Where Art Lives Gallery and Magazine's "Animals and Wildlife" competition. Several of my works are featured in their online show. Click on the link above to view the group show of the 3 winners. (if the link doesn't work, here's the url: http://www.whereartlives.gallery/#!show-winners/cyep )

"Chimpanzee" is one of my favorite pieces, partly because I love chimps and admire Jane Goodall, and also because this guy spoke to me during the process, and practically painted itself. I live for those moments, when it becomes effortless.

Thanks for looking!

10"x10", oil on canvas (prints are available)

A small study of a beautiful, complicated artist who paved the way for creative women of our time (and beyond).

One of my favorite songs is "10,000 Hours" by Macklemore, and the lyrics are words I live by:
10,000 hours felt like 10,000 hands, they carry me...
The greats weren't great because at birth they could paint; the greats were great 'cause they paint alot...
A life lived for art is never a life wasted.

Frida embodied all of the above!

5"x7" oil on ampersand board; SOLD