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Brown Wolf, 1989, oil on canvas, 54" x 64". After a big corporation purchased a canvas of mine for a high-tech training center it built in Dallas, the director of the center asked if I would accept a commission for a painting of a "brown wolf." (It was an inside reference that I won't explain here.) He stipulated only that it be "a magnificent animal, and I don't want it with its tail between its legs or howling at the moon." The money was good, and while I had done many photorealistic portraits I had never done a "nature painting" per se, so I took it as a personal challenge. As a source I used a black and white image from a Dover book of copyright-free photos, gridded and enlarged it in pencil (old school) and then added the colors (such as they were) from my imagination. The Dover image was of a rather unmagnificent animal obviously in a zoo pen so I had my work cut out for me to make him appear strong and free. Last I saw it was hanging proudly in the lobby of the office building. I have no idea where it is now but due to corporate turnover (and changing tastes) it could very well be in a storeroom or landfill. The piece led to a series of ambiguous, grisaille paintings of copyright-free North American mammals (some of which I've posted and will continue to post here). The photo of the painting is by Harrison Evans.
Looking back at the invoice for this painting reminded me that the director also bought some drawings of mine--one of which was done on the Macintosh with MacPaint. Just to bring this post back to my usual subject matter.
Large Bat, 1990, oil on canvas. The person who owned the gallery where I showed this was grossed out by it, but the gallery director liked it, so we hung it in her office during my show. I used to do a lot of photoreal-style paintings, many based on a book of copyright-free images called North American Mammals. (photo by Harrison Evans)
Wolf, 1990, and Goya, 1981, oil on canvas
(installation view--photo by Harrison Evans)
Roller Boogie 1 & 2, 1994, acrylic paint on laser paper, linen tape (installation view)
Remedies, 1993, ink and acrylic on classroom notes, 84" X 80" (destroyed)
Abandoned Vehicles, Charlottesville, 1978, oil on canvas, 18" X 24"
The Boy Who Liked Chicken, 1990, acrylic on canvas, 9" X 12"
Wired Self Portrait, 1978, oil on canvas and hardware
Steve Walker, detail of painting below, oil, 1979-80
Kevin, Les, Steve, Kerry, oil on canvas, 1979-80 (installation view 1984)