The Story
These are the next two paintings in the devil series. That's right, this auction is for both of the paintings that you see here. There is no big back story on these two. Just that I was working away on the series and these two were sitting next to each other on the table drying and they looked like the belong together. So, you could say they were born this way. Anyway, here are The Devils Blue.
... Enjoy!
The next painting from the devil series. Simply titled, Portrait Of The Devil in Blue... Enjoy!
... Enjoy!
These are the next two paintings in the devil series. That's right, this auction is for both of the paintings that you see here. There is no big back story on these two. Just that I was working away on the series and these two were sitting next to each other on the table drying and they looked like the belong together. So, you could say they were born this way. Anyway, here are The Sisters Diablo.
... Enjoy!
The next painting from the devil series. Portrait Of The Devil With Head In Clouds. I'm not sure that there is much to say about this one. I suppose that sitting down to paint tonight after travelling the past 5 days and being on trains and busses and cars and ferrys and bikes and cars and taxis and going from the backwoods of a Northern Michigan island all the way to downtown Chicago and finally sitting back here at my desk I find that the only place my head really is, is in the clouds.
... Enjoy!
Portrait Of The Devil In The City
The next painting from the devil series. This particular painting has actually been hanging around the house for a while because, well to be honest, I wanted to look at it longer. It is one of the first from The Devil Series and is one of my favorites. Anyway, it is time to let this one go. Those of you who have followed my work for a long time, know that I don't like to keep my own artwork around the house for too long. (It makes it harder to move forward as a painter if you cling to what you have done in the past. Not to mention, I would much rather have my walls filled with other artists. That is for another story though). Well, I guess that it is it for this one, the rest of the story is up to you.
... Enjoy!
Portrait Of The Devil With Flowers And The Apostle
The next painting from the devil series. Normally, I tend to get decrative with the paints, especially in the face but with this 140 year old page from an old book called The Sabbath Home, it seemed like a good idea to leave the face alone and let the imagery show through. Maybe it was being brought up in a lower-middle class Catholic family in the midwest but it just seemed like the perfect imagery for the context. There is a story here and there is a portrait here but I can't help but think that depending on who you are and how much you care about such things both of those take on your own meaning with this and that is the point where everything comes together.
... Enjoy!
Portrait of the Devil With Clouds, Sun and Tree
Another from the devil series. I know it is contrary to popular belief but I am sure the devil loves the sun and clouds and plants just like all the rest of us. Of course, I am just guessing but I figure if he was to sit for me while painting his portrait, it would be like this and it would be summer and we would be drinking lemonade with big ice cubes... Enjoy!
Portrait of the Devil With Tree
Another devil. This time it is on a wood veneer wallcovering with a square pattern in it. I have to be honest. I love wood. Especially, acrylic paint on wood. I have to be honest about something else as well... I love the Devil linocut series. I know, I'm not supposed to say that about my own artwork but it's true. There is something fun about painting the devil like this with bright colors, blue lips and a solitary colorful tree and it reminds me that it a good place to be in life that you can do exactly what you feel like doing and it is OK and heck, maybe even someone smiles along the way. Can't beat it. So, with that, a portrait of the devil with blue lips, on wood veneer with a single, solitary tree that I would love to fall asleep under.
So, lets see... this page is 121 years old, I am 37 years old, the wine I am drinking is only 4 years old, this painting is about 2 hours old, this story is minutes old and this moment is right now. I suppose all time and history always come together at this point of now. By the time you read this, now will gone and I was going to say something like, "it's funny how things work" but that really isnt appropriate. It is just the way things work. Portrait of the Devil, 121 years and it's here now. With that... Enjoy!
Because The Devil Is A Devil Only If You Make It So
Click
A painting without a story is an invitation to make up your own or you don't even have to do that if you don't feel like it. Just look at, mull it over, like it, don't like it, whatever you do is up to you. With that ...Enjoy!
Two Original Keemo Paintings - Two Devils
Click
Well, it was time for a change. I am one of those people who genuinely believes that change is good. That isn't to say there isn't value in tradition or patterns but embracing change will lead to much more than the comfort that you get from the predictability of doing the same things over and over and over. From experience, I can guess exactly what a brush will do when I cover it in orange and move it across the paper. You do something enough and you just know. This is what lead me to the new linocuts series. I just needed something new. Carving the linolium blocks for these prints was something I had not done in years (15 maybe?) and it was nice to not really know what the outcome was going to be and it was just fine to be satisfied with whatever the outcome was because during the process it IS ALWAYS about the process and never about the product and the value in that process is never translated into the value of the finished piece and like usual I guess I am starting to write about more than just painting and the creative process but also about our days and nights and the time we have to move around this place and we all have the choice to stick with what we know or try a new path. Here is to trying the new path... Enjoy!
Where You Are And Where You Have Been Are Not Always Different Places #1
Click
This painting has been staring at me right in the face and I didn't even see it. (Lots of things are right in front our faces all the time and we don't see them, I suppose.) Anyway, I spend alot of time painting on stuff that I find or that is on its way the recycle bin or just has special meaning or any number of other reasons and it just made sense that my own postcards would eventually be given the same treatment. So, with that, here is the first of the series... Enjoy!
The Devil And The Ghost Postcard
Click
The first card in the series is finally here! This is the first card in the series of postcards produced by the German company, United Ambient Media. Over the next 6 months they will producing a "collectors" series of Keemo postcards that will be distributed through their 7,500 locations around Germany and in conjunction with the German postal service (The Deutsche Post). I just picked one up off my desk and they are done very professionally on great card stock and the printing is superb. They really did a good job on these. If you scroll down you will see what the back side looks like. These look great in a frame or flying through our postal system on thier way to your friends and family. So, grab 1 for you and and some others for your friends and family. Lastly, each card will come signed on the back. Well, I guess that is about all I have to say about these little fellas...Enjoy!
Two Devils. (Are Better Than Uno)
Click
Two Devils is the 3rd of a 4 painting series. Those of you who follow my work are familiar with the story but let's just go through it one more time. I was recently contacted by a German company about producing a "collectors" series of cards/postcards that will be distributed through their 7,500 locations around Germany and in conjunction with the German postal service. Attached to the initial email was some of my past work that they thought would be good examples of what to use for the series. I didn't want to just send off the hi-res scans of past work to be used for the cards. I wanted to create new pieces that could be used to represent where things are now. So, I thought it would be best to paint an updated version of the pieces they were requesting. So, with that in mind, here is the original painting for another of the upcoming cards. This particular painting is inspired by a painting from 2007. As one collector said to me, "Why get the print when you can get the original?" Good point. Anyway, thats it for this one...Enjoy!
