Chronogram

It was an honor to have my artwork featured on the cover of Chronogram, the premiere arts and cultural magazine of the Hudson Valley. This portrait depicts Eva Perón (also known as Evita), the iconic first lady of Argentina. I'm an avid reader this publication, as it lets me know what cool stuff is happening in this region. It was a thrill to be a contributor to its pages.

The magazine featured more of my portraits on the editors page, as well as in a write-up about my artwork (which you can read here).

Below is this drawing in full context. Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop!

Prince

I was searching for Paisley Park on an old map of Minnesota, and somehow ended up drawing this portrait. No doubt, if Minnesota had a Mount Rushmore for great artists, Prince would be right up there, next to Bob Dylan.

Signed prints of this portrait are available here, in my Etsy shop.

Cesar Chavez

Across America, labor strife is percolating at hotspots such as Starbucks, Amazon and Tesla. By confronting poor working conditions and pay, these activists bring to to mind this legendary organizer. His leadership helped strengthen the rights of farm workers everywhere.

Krista Weaver CD Design

I had the pleasure of designing and illustrating this CD packaging for a fantastic signer-songwriter, Krista Weaver. Here whimsical songs evoke a wonderful sense of place, hence, the integration of maps into the design.

This was my first endeavor into CD design, and I learned so much from the experience. Enormous thanks to Krista for including me in this project. 

Please check out and order Krista's amazing new album here, or you can order the CD here.

Thanks for visiting!

Polar Bear

Without a doubt, the mighty polar bear lives in the crosshairs of climate change. Because the environment they thrive in has been so dramatically altered by global warming, these magnificent creatures have been classified as a vulnerable species. 

Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop

(10% of proceeds from each print will be donated to Polar Bears International.)

Koala

No doubt, the Koala ranks as one of the most iconic animals on planet Earth. But due to land clearing, bushfires, drought, disease and other threats, these tiny marsupials have been added to Australia’s Endangered Species list.

Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop.

(10% of proceeds from each print will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund.)

Holiday Cards

It’s become a tradition for me to draw custom holiday cards for my loved ones. These are three of my favorites, as they depict our beloved four-legged family members. As you can tell, I’m way behind on updating this blog. I apologize for that, and will work diligently to catch up. Thanks for viewing!

Hawaiian Sea Turtle

In Hawaii, the Green Sea Turtle is known as a Honu, which means a sacred animal. They are symbols of good luck and wisdom.

Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop!

Taylor Swift

" But I, I was high in the sky, with Pennsylvania under me. "

These are lyrics from the song Seven, from Taylor Swifts classic album, folklore. This iconic singer-songwriter's persona seems to transcend all borders, but we all start out in a hometown. In her case, it was a farm in Reading, Pennsylvania. From there, she would go on to conquer the world with spectacular songwriting skills, and an enchanting voice.

Johnny Cash

Having grown up dirt-poor in Dyess, Arkansas, he would fill his songs with empathy for the downtrodden, the sick, and the disenfranchised. In fact, he wore black in recognition of all those who struggle in our society. This drawing was inspired by a great book, Citizen Cash (by Michael Stewart Foley), about the complicated politics of this country legend. 

Signed prints of this portrait are availale here, in my Etsy shop.

Anthony Fantano

His melon is so filled with colorful music commentary, it could fill the state of Connecticut. This is Anthony Fantano,  the internet’s busiest music nerd. I’ve discovered so much great new music by watching his youtube channel, The Needle Drop. Check it out!

Kurt Cobain

In serendipitous fashion, this city and musician helped to put each other on the map. The phenomenon of Kurt Cobain and his band, Nirvana, helped shine a spotlight on the vital Seattle music scene. This late-great singer/songwriter will always be associated with the beautiful city he called home. This is part of a series called World Tour - in which I use maps and pages from an old atlas as canvases - painting images relating to the place on each map.

Signed prints of this piece are available here, in my Etsy shop!

Tikal, Guatemala

In 1979, my parents visited the ancient Mayan site of Tikal in Guatemala. Recently, my father gave me the original map of the grounds, and I used it to channel this drawing.

Signed prints of this piece are available here (in my Etsy shop)!

scan of the original drawing

In 1979, my parents visited the ancient Mayan site of Tikal in Guatemala. Recently, my father gave me this map of the grounds, and I used it as a portal to this drawing of a Mayan face.

Me holding the original 22 in by 22 in map drawing

Maximilien Robespierre

On a recent visit to my local recycling center, I came across a mysterious book, Esoteric Astrology, which was published in 1913. It was filled with strange diagrams, as well as astrological charts of notable people. Here’s a portrait of a key proponent of the French revolution, Maximilien Robespierre, drawn on his birth chart. Happy Bastille Day! 

Sonia Sotomayor

The daughter of Puerto Rican-born parents, it’s Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor.

Nina Simone

With songs like Mississippi Goddam, she confronted the ugliness of Jim Crow racism directly. We’ve been missing Nina Simone for some time now, but her music is still the perfect soundtrack to the protests of this past year.

Signed prints of this portrait are available here (in my Etsy shop)!

10% of proceeds from each print will be donated to Black Lives Matter.

Ian Mackaye

This musician has always been front and center in the Washington, DC punk scene. The founder of legendary bands such as Minor Threat, Fugazi, and The Evens, it’s Ian Mackaye. His integrity and DIY spirit are truly inspiring. Oh yeah, and the music kicks ass.

Signed prints of this portrait are available here (in my Etsy shop)!

Norman Rockwell

Emerging out of the Berkshires, it’s an American master. From his studio in Stockbridge, MA, Norman Rockwell captured our country’s spirit  in iconic paintings. I am blessed to live within an hour’s drive of the museum named after him. As an illustrator, I could never find a better place to get inspired.

Jean-Michel Basquiat

The son of a Haitian-immigrant father, and a mother who's family hailed from Puerto Rico, this acclaimed American painter has deep roots in in the Caribbean. No doubt, that rich background boils up in his spectacular paintings.  

Signed print of this portrait are available here, in my Etsy shop! 

Josh Allen

This NFL quarterback (of the Buffalo Bills) perfectly embodies the spirit of my hometown. On the field, Josh Allen has the exceptional talent and leadership to bring home a Vince Lombardi trophy. Off the field, his charitable work (at places like Oishei Children's Hospital, where I was born) has made a huge difference in the community. No doubt, Josh Allen has all of Buffalo (and me) talking proud!

Signed prints of this portrait are available here (in my Etsy shop)!

$ 17 from each sale will be donated to Josh Allen’s charity, The Children’s Hospital Foundation of Buffalo.