Graphite (a.k.a. Pencil)
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"Seaside Village"
Graphite
1989 - 24" x 18"
Barbara Hughes collection
Judicious planning and placement of value and detail, together with an accurate rendition of the water, made this drawing an intriguing challenge and a delight to draw.		 "Matthew"
 Graphite
 1989 - 23" x 24"
personal collection
Even though I've drawn many portraits, there is always, for me, a great deal of anxiety and fear attached to them - which is exactly why I do them. This drawing is of my son Matthew with soap in his eyes. My newly acquired 35mm camera helped me capture the fleeting moment. It is an image that every parent knows well.
"The Old Chair"
 Graphite
 1991 - 14" x 18"
personal collection
Subject matter, composition, and texture were the motivating challenges of this drawing of Matthew asleep in our old chair with our cat So Forth. There is a kind of classical feel to this drawing.		 "Arab Woman and Child"
 Graphite
 1992 - 14" x 17"
personal collection
The challenge here was to accurately depict the sheen of the black burqa and its white flower embroidery. The image is from a National Geographic article about Muslim women .
"An Armful"
 Graphite
 1992 - 14" x 18"
Lydia & Brandon Gray collection
 		 "Karen Allen"
Graphite
 1993 - 19" x 24"
personal collection
This drawing became an important milestone in my development as an artist. It presented challenges that would press upon all of the graphite skills I had acquired. The result of my solutions far exceeded my expectation. This, and the positive responses from viewers, has been a great source of inspiration and excitement. This drawing was rendered from a photograph of the actress.
"Castles and Moonlight"
 Graphite
1994 - 14" x 17"
 Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Mitchell collection
I love conceiving imaginary landscapes that yield opportunities for developing a strong design that pulls the viewer into its environment. This drawing and "Watchtower and Moonlight" (at right) were drawn as a set. Two other examples of imaginary landscapes, "Arrogance" and "Outland Garrison", can be found elsewhere in my portfolios.		 "Watchtower and Moonlight"
 Graphite
 1994 - 17" x 14"
 Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Mitchell collection
 
"Monorail Robot"
Graphite
1994 - 18" x 24"
personal collection
While experimenting with a Spirograph set, I developed a set of mechanical irises for a robot's eyes. Then it was just a matter of using my drafting board experience to add a body. 		"Benji"
 Graphite
 1994 - 14" x 17"
Lydia & Brandon Gray collection
As you will see throughout my portfolios, my children, Benjamin, Lydia, and Matthew, and their mother, Barbara, became important resources for developing my skills in graphite and pastel.
"Barbara"
 Graphite
 1994 - 17" x 14"
Lydia & Brandon Gray collection
 		 "Dorothy"
Graphite
 1995 - 17" x 14"
Jack & Lisa Grisbrook collection
To accurately depict hair, you essentially must draw the shadow of the hair and to draw blonde hair presses this technique to its limit. The rich black and mid-grays of the lips and eyes contrast nicely with the blonde hair. This drawing also led to a commission for two portraits, one of which is shown below ("Commission II").
"Lydia"
Graphite
1997 - 14" x 17"
Lydia & Brandon Gray collection
The lost edges, the eyes, and the flowers in her hair contribute to the tenderness of this drawing of Lydia.		 "Sour-Faced Lydia"
 Graphite
 1998 - 14" x 17"
Lydia & Brandon Gray collection
Ah, the scowl of a thirteen year old! Now I know what a pain I must have been to my parents.
"Commission I"
Graphite
1998 - 19" x 21"
private  collection
 		 "Commission II"
 Graphite
 1998 - 19" x 24"
 Jack & Lisa Grisbrook collection

 
"Commission III"
Graphite
1998 - 17" x 14"
Gary & Christy Land collection
 		 "Commission IV"
Graphite
1998 - 23" x 18"
Lee Thurman collection
 

From 1999 to 2006 I began exploring colored pencil, pastel, airbrush, and some watercolor and did very few graphite drawings. Those graphite drawings that I did do were either not photographed or were lost.
"Self Portrait II"
Graphite
2006 - 24" x 18"
After a long hiatus, I decided to do something easy and obvious in the technical sense. I also wanted to cultivate a boldness in using deep black since I always worry about using too much of it. I employ other similar strategies in the planning stages of every drawing.		 "Mike"
Graphite
2006 - 19" x 25"
The drawing was done in memory of my brother, Mike, who passed away in 2000. He was one of my best friends.
"The First Buds of Spring"
Graphite
2007 - 25" x 19"
Early spring, when the trees begin to put forth buds, the squirrels begin to feed on the tender growth. But it was the challenge of the tangled mass of tree branches that attracted me to this subject. The fact that the two squirrels were "buddies" gives the title a dual meaning.		 "My Name is Scar"
Graphite
2007 - 37" x 27"
This is a portrait of a most endearing cat. Her name was "Scar" because, as a young cat, she was in a fight that gave her a scar under her left eye and she lost much of her left ear. Her stature seems to say "I take crap from no one - feline or otherwise!" For me the challenge was to contrast her furry texture against the rough texture of the wooden door, the peeling paint on the wall, and the gravel ground. This is also the largest drawing I've done.
"Arrogance"
Graphite
2007 - 21" x 27"
A fortress at the top of the world, where you can hear the angel's voices on the wind and where the kings of the world stand in defiance to the gods.		    
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