Inspired by Dorian Iten

Charcoal on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. I didn't focus much on the details of the artwork, rather I focused on the play of light and on the gesture of the model. It's not as perfect as Dorian Iten's, but, I think, it came out a decent one.

Kung Pau Chicken

Charcoal on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. For the past few weeks our dinner tables has been "graced by Chinese gourmet of sports spectacles and grandeur" quenching our appetite for excitement and something uncommon in the name of the Olympics. I personally have a lot of respect for Chinese racial character, strenght, perseverance, mastery and ingenuity. The Chinese presentation and performance in the Beijing Olympics was exceptional, especially the opening and closing ceremony, and I don't think any country could top that!

With all these Chinese hooplas going on, I get inspired to create these studies of oriental faces. And, by the way, I love Kung Pau Chicken more than anything else.

A study of a face

Charcoal on 6x6" Bristol vellum. I thought of doing this artwork by straight out hatching and cross-hatching technique. This is one of those works when after I've done everything it still feels like something is not enough or something is not right. The big problem is, I don't quite know what it is. I guess, it is like reaching a point where my skills has been consumated and there is nowhere else for me to go. It didn't feel like I can let go off this work (or any of my works) because it's perfectly done, completed. Instead, it's dangling. Have you seen somebody staring at you and all you see on that face is a big question mark??? Believe me, right now, I am that somebody's face.

Gil Shaham

Chalk Pastel on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. One of the Classical violin virtuoso giants of this generation is Gil Shaham. Young, talented, and a very lucky one to have been discovered when other person's misfortune turned out to be his big chance of a lifetime. When the Great Itzahk Perlman was unable to perform for the night's concert because of an ear infection, they had Gil Shaham to replace him and do his concert, and (voila!) the celestial planets aligned to his coordinates and the North Star shone upon him, Mr. Shaham turned out an instant celebrity. Talk about being flat out ready when the BIG opportunity comes. Now he reaps fame, awards, concert tours, and recordings. He is on top of his game!
I have to listen to his recordings while doing this artwork to put me in the right mood, and I just love the ride.

Daniel Grayling Fogelberg

Chalk Pastel on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. Dan Fogelberg for short, is my all time favorite singer-songwriter. Born with an inborn talent in music and art where he got from his father, Dan's ambivalent character made him explore between different worlds-- music, art, and theater (not everybody knows he did took formal lessons on acting). Anyway, in music where he finds his heart, his lyrics are deep and poetic that it intrigued me to seek for its deeper meaning by reading them over and over; his melodic songs are mostly moody that fits perfectly together to his contemplative lyrics. With his angelic, yet husky, voice that sounds more like of a yearning and weeping cherub, his songs are very revealing of the mysterties of his soul and his life. "I was raised by a river, weaned upon the sky. And in the mirror of the waters I saw myself learn to cry."--from The River. But what struck me most is the line: "...his hands were meant for different work but his heart was known to none" --from the Leader of the Band. It sounded more like his words relate to me and my predicament of being so ambivalent of what I really want to do with life. Sadly the stage curtains has fallen that at 6 am of December 16,2007 Dan died peacefully of prostate cancer, with his wife beside him, in his home at Maine.

Inspired by Gil Elvgren

Chalk pastel on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. Gesture, simplicity and appeal; these are what I percieved in Gil's works. I hope I could learn something from copying his inspiring works. I'm getting more comfortable with the chalk pastel, and so far the bristol is the ideal paper that I have been using. I have been out of school for spring and summer, and it might be a while till I get back. I'm just trying to get as much practice as I can. I know I'll be back.

Jim Croce

Chalk Pastel on 11x14 Bristol Vellum. It was a big big lost for the world when Jim died from a plane crash during the late 70s. He's one of my favorite folk singer/songwriters because of his melodic style, poetic lyrics, amazing guitar playing . When Bo Bice sang his song, "Time in the Bottle" in American Idol, it got me hooked up to listening Jim's songs again. I never thought there were a lot of clips of Jim's concerts in YouTube until when I thought of checking it. Imagine what would it be like to listen to his new songs if he were still alive? When I was watcing Jim at YouTube I had to freezed it and draw him for a few minutes.

James Taylor

Chalk pastel on 9x12 Mi-Teintes paper. During the years of the "folk scare" in the 70s a lot of talented singers/songwriters emerged, famed, and were loved worldwide. Although I got to know them later on the mid-80s, I was motivated to learn how to play guitar and sing folk songs as most of my older friends were solo singers and band members doing gigs in clubs and parties. I was the youngest in that circle of freinds; just hanging out with them, listening and trying to jam whenever I could. We had this big big space in the house that I always invite them to bring their instruments, including their drums,and do their daily practice. Those were the years of my first exposure to music, and definitely one of the fondest memories! I always like the style of James Taylor and love all his songs. Every now and then I tried to search for some of his new and unfamiliar old songs; it feels fresh and less commercialized. The song "Hard Times Come Again No More" is one of my favorite new songs (actually a revival) of JT.

Claudia II

Chalk-pastel on 14x17 Bristol vellum.

Claudia

Chalk-pastel on 14x17 Bristol vellum.

Martha

Charcoal on 14x17 Bristol vellum

Charcoal on 14x17 Bristol Vellum.