This last spring my Handlettering class was invited to participate in an amazing opportunity. Inspired by Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States, the Kansas People's History Project was a call for artists across the state to create posters celebrating/making known obscure parts of Kansas History. All the entries can be seen here on the website. I was honored to have mine selected to make special edition screen prints and was asked to speak in Lawrence at the Watkins Museum of History.
Here are some inspiration photos, sketches, and my final piece about Buddy Heaton, Buffalo Trainer and Rodeo Clown Extraordinaire.
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For Untold Stories, I wanted to have a cohesive set of works that all fit together, applied to the theme of the show, AND would hold my interest for the months that it would take to complete it. Lots of stipulations there... I decided to center the show around local spots in Pittsburg, KS. The summer before last was my first spent here in the burg, working at a pool shop (I was a pool boy, for clarification) and I will tell you, I fell in love with this town. I hear people complain almost daily about being trapped here, with nothing to do... But I have no qualms. I am qualmless. This town is quiet, simple, and incredibly m-i-d-w-e-s-t-e-r-n. I straight up love this place. So I found it enormously fitting that my series show these quiet perfect little places that often get ignored, or are seen as commonplace or insignificant. UNTOLD STORIES IF YOU WILL... ;) My first set of pieces were to celebrate the donut shop down the block from my house in Pitt: Next I focused on my favorite bar, Mooreman's Southside as well as my park of choice, Lakeside Park: Among other pieces, I included my favorite thing about Pittsburg, The people. Here is one example: This town and everything in it has shaped who I am today and I was honored to share it's stories.
This September I was included in my first professional group show at Crowder College in Neosho, MO.
Jared Jennings is a friend of mine and was a recent graduate from Pitt State. He is from Neosho and the museum director there knows him well. As you have gathered, Jared asked us to be a part of the show with him! It was an eyeopening, ass kicking, get it in gear, be a professional dammit, quit whining, don’t be nervous, figure out what an artist statement is, maddening, exhilarating, experience that I was honored to be a part of. The director there asked to purchase a piece to keep in the Crowder College permanent collection. OF COURSE I agreed. I showed 15 watercolor and graphite pieces. 10 5×7’s and 5 9×12’s. I have been working for my college newspaper, The Collegio, for about two semesters now and have really started to explore my role there. In the spring of 2016, I won first prize in the editorial illustration category of all collegiate newspapers in the state of Kansas. When I first started, my illustrations strictly accompanied stories. Lending to whatever was being argued or discussed in each: The rise of student fees... The great debate in Pittsburg Kansas regarding the towns varied reaction to the removal of a large God Bless America sign posted on the Post Office... Or the Concealed Carry laws updated on campus. But lately, with a new editor, I have been encouraged to have a weekly cartoon of my own, standing alone of an article. So far, these have been mostly political: With my latest and favorite comic shown at the top of the page. This has been a BLAST. Making art that keeps me always thinking, working on my wit, and meeting deadlines feels rather professional. I am honored that the staff respects my opinion and gives me the artistic freedom to go for it every week. Not a lot of young artists get such an opportunity and I feel rather fortunate.
You can visit the Collegio Website if you’re looking for news about Pitt State! In my watercolor class here at Pittsburg State University (GOOOOrillas) my professor assigned us to do a larger piece, content of our choice, with an underpainting. Which is a new concept for me in watercolor… It always seemed like more of a do or die, fly by the seat of your pants sort of medium so I went in with a barrel of headstrong skepticism. My work is typically small and the watercolor is more of an accent to a drawing than the focus. Nonetheless this project was really fun and it’s exciting every once in a while to step out of the neat little box you’ve made for yourself and make something new. The high saturation and full coverage was nice to explore and will definitely influence my future works. Here are some good ol wip shots for different parts of the piece: Lastly, I figured out what the heck to do with her shirt and Voila! Eggplant Parm, watercolor and graphite, 2016.
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