RIP Roberta Flack

Lavender

colored pencil, calbayog city, 2025

Ok, its done. I added one more layer of lavender just because lavender is lovely.

Even Sean, my nine year old son, and harshest critic, likes it. So.. it's done.

Leila Pinneiro - Chega de Saudada

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The First Time

The first time ever I saw your face

Roberta Flack

Roberta Flack

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Streets of San Francisco

black sharpie on paper

San Francisco 2003

I was driving through the streets of San Francisco one day in 2003 when I saw a billboard with something like this design on it. I just had a passing glance at it but I though gee, that would be fun to draw.

When I got back to where I was staying I sat down and drew this.

Just like that.

It's kind of cool. Maybe I'll draw it again.

Message to Michael - Dionne Warwick

Just because I love this song.

We're going on a road trip today. Up to the north coast of the Island. We'll pack the van with my kids and ten or so cousins. And lots of food. And have fun 🤣

Let me tell you about blue...

The Pacific ocean is so beautiful.

Nothing else matters - Metallica

Pencil drawing

Calbayog City 2024

I know I used this song just two posts ago but seriously folks, this song talks to me.

About this drawing.

I tinkered with this drawing all day today and it's not finished, but I am, so here's where it ends.

Not unlike a couple of relationships I've had.

Angel from Montgomery

JOHN PRINE

I am an old woman

Named after my mother

My old man is another

Child who's grown old.

If dreams were lighting

And thunder were desire

This old house would have burnt down

A long time ago.

Make me an angel

To fly from Montgomery

Make me a poster

Of an old rodeo

Just give me one thing

That I can hold on to

To believe in this living

Is just a hard way to go.

-- John Prine

John Prine

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The Band - The Weight

ballpoint pen and alcohol

Calbayog City 2024

I was fortunate enough to see The Band's farewell concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1976. My friend's mother was a reporter for the LA Times and she had guest tickets but she couldn't go so she gave the tickets to us. It turned out the tickets were for the VIP section! What a great show. There we were, three crazy young hippies, high on peyote, sitting in front row center seats, along side a bevy of Hollywood dignitaries, digging The Band and all their guest artists.

Fond memory.

What a trip.

E ticket.

The Band

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black sharpie on bond paper

San Francisco 2003

I spent Christmas 2003 with some friends in San Francisco. They lived in this big two-hundred-year-old house that sat on the prison grounds of San Quentin penitentiary. It's a long story actually but what I remember most was the bed. The guest room of the house had this large old four posted wooden bed frame with the softest thickest most wonderful mattress I have ever slept on in my entire life. I will never forget the moment when I laid down and sank into the loving folds of that luxurious mattress. I felt embraced by softness, and I fell asleep as if floating on a cloud.

When I awoke the next morning I was amazed at the time. I had slept through the entire night without waking up once. I felt wonderfully refreshed.

After breakfast I sat down with my sharpie and drew both of these drawings in a single sitting.

black sharpie on bond paper

San Francisco 2003

Tropical diving

colored pencil, calbayog city, 2025

I added more to this one. I love playing with these colored pencil pigments.

I brought heavy duty art paper from America that can put up with some abuse. I draw with the pencils and then rub them with alcohol. The colors smear around and blend together. When the alcohol dries I draw more and then smear again. It's so satisfying.

Lately I'm inspired by the blue of the Philippine sea near my home. I went diving a few days ago. The colors of the tropical waters were just like this drawing. As I dove around in a pastel coral forest I actually met a tropical sea snake. It calmly swam about ten feet from me. The snake, the coral forest and the tropical blue ocean were breathtaking.

Hermanos Gutierez - Esperanza

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Early mornings

black sharpie and water color

Westwood 1986

Let me try to explain myself.

When I was a young man I loved illustration.

Perhaps the two illustrators who had the greatest influence on me were Aubrey Beardsley and Jean Giraud aka Moebius. Both artist drew with a fine line and I tried to emulate that.

Here's an old drawing of mine.

pencil drawing

Venice CA 1978

So back then I saw myself as an illustrator.

Then sometime around 1980 I was introduced to Abstract Expressionism and I had an epiphany...

Could I approach Abstract Expressionism with an illustrator's line?

A new world opened up to me and I started having fun with my drawing.

And then, for about 35 years I never drew an identifiable object.

No joke.

Still Life

black sharpie

Westwood 1985

Attitude Adjustment

pen, colored pencil and watercolor

Duarte CA 1996

Time never began

black sharpie on bond paper

San Francisco 2003

Dan's drawing

black sharpie

Rosemead 2011

i did a lot of these drawings. And I really enjoyed making them. For over thirty years I completely liberated myself from the rigors of drawing something that had to look like something. And I loved it. But then...

Sometime around 2015 I returned to illustration. Why? I'll be honest with you, I started to miss it.

Call it full circle but that's where I'm at now.

I still treasure my line though.

little boxes

black sharpie on paper

Los Angeles 2019

Thank you Aubrey and Jean.

Aubrey Beardsley

Jean Giraud aka Moebius