Baskets

The background of this piece is completely comprised of Native American baskets. On top is assorted art from around the world.

The Wave

I found myself with a large amount of purple paint back when I was getting in the ocean more often. The logical result was a wave. I went online to look up how to draw a boat in thirty seconds, and used a small plastic jar to create the circles.

Faces

When looking through my material, I came to see a lot of similarity between faces. The faces of people more or less removed from their African origins are eerily similar depending upon how long ago their ancestors left Africa. Additionally, we tend to frame the existence of non-human animals in a human-centric viewpoint that devalues their right to life. The most enlightened face in this piece is not human.

Flight

This piece one of my most recent and is meant to show flight and our constant aspirations to flight.

Brazilian Happiness

I made this piece in 2009 while we were in Brazil. It's meant to be a light piece of chaotic happiness.

Intimate is public's eyes

This collage has a border of eyes (you can only see them at the bottom. It is meant to show intimacy amongst a large range of people, while showing that the eyes are always on them, as more and more our intimate moments are public.

Outer Space Chaos

I bought the background painting (Saturn and purple semi-circle at right) at a garage sale and made the oil pastel "blue hole" and collaged the rest on top.

Micky saves me

This is a mix of oil pastel and collage. The figure at the top left is meant to represent Micky, while the figure in red is me being saved by her.

Frida Recycled

Micky did this piece after visiting a local Frida Kahlo exhibit. It's made of up-cycled material.

La Boca

Micky did this piece inspired by the art and vibe of La Boca, Buenos Aires. It's a mix of water paints and up-cycled material.

The world trash

This was mostly done by Micky, with some minor contributions by me. On the left is the sunny sky, separated by a road, then civilization and modern technology and garbage, then the natural forest, ocean and sky.

Bedroom Side Table

I bought this table and lamp several years ago at a swap meet. One day I had a yearning to collage something and a book of erotic art. The only place I was willing to collage with this art was in the bedroom, as anywhere else seemed inappropriate.

Oil Pastel Christmas Party

This is me and one of my best friends our senior year in college. I tried to get a copy of the original, but was unable to obtain it. Instead I created a oil pastel blow-up.

Fish Bowl Ben

This oil pastel was inspired by a "fish bowl" we had with palm, sand and dirt in it. The fish is sitting on my favorite seat, as it could have been either of us that people chose to put in a bowl.

Dia De Los Muertos

I bought a frame at an estate sale that left me feeling a bit dark. Inside of that frame I then collaged an ode to the afterlife.

Love Dance Laughter Mat

I bought this mat at Ace Hardware and painted it with the Chinese symbols for Love, Dance and Laughter. It's now hanging on my bedroom wall so I can remember what's important.

Basket Weaver Oil Pastel Carving

This is an old panel that I used oil pastel to create a cosmos-like background and then a sharp edge to carve out a basket weaving Native American I saw in a magazine.

USA v. World Samples

This is a carpet sample with fake marble samples signifying the United States at the top right and the world at the bottom left. The top left corner of the world is looking inward for something that is already outside of their circle. The arrows going from the world to the US represent natural resources and below the US is a tear that the US is crying on top of the rest of the world, with an exterior of complaining about problems.

Palm Frond Mask

This palm frond was in front of our old apartment and was begging to be painted into a mask so I obliged.

Bedroom Dresser

Our bedroom is Asian-themed, with a goal of having a simpler, quieter and more relaxing space. Our living room is very vibrant and colorful, intended to inspire light energy and creativity. The top of this dresser was collaged to fit in with the more subdued bedroom.

Louvre Table and Armadillo

We bought this table at a garage sale and painted it and collaged it with art from the Louvre. On top of it is an armadillo that was previously a CD holder that now functions as decoration/jewelry stand after being painted and weaved.

Phoenix

This is one of Micky's old mannequins that she and I painted together. The wings come down if there's really good music playing.

The throne

I can't remember if this was an alley or a garage sale pickup. It was not yet painted. I decked it out for Micky with paint and old cards.

Brazilian Oaxacan-style walking stick

This stick was done by the same Brazilian artist as did the totem. I received it with no paint on it and basically went Oaxacan on it. It was also made from one piece of wood and is very solid (made it home in oversized carry-on).

Dining Table and Totem

Micky and I found this table in an alley behind her mom's house. The top was completely warped from the weather, but the frame was good, so we grabbed it. After a bit of cleaning up, I began investigating the costs of a glass top for it. Upon realizing that it would be about the same price as a new table, we decided to have Home Depot cut us a piece of wood to fit the opening. We then painted it with plates and "silverware" for both of us, plus two special guests. The plates are representations of the people's personalities at each of the six settings.

The totem was carved in Brazil from one piece of wood. Inside of the totem is a slightly rounded rectangle with a ball inside of it. Each piece is contained within the next (totem has rectangle has ball). I painted the ball, rectangle and totem different colors/designs by separating them with saran wrap. I can't imagine ever trying to carve this from one piece. I bought it in Brazil in 2009 without paint.

Antique Side Table

I bought this table at a garage sale. It was from a boat sold at auction. The top panel is a cave painting scene, the drawer is Indian art and the inside is fantasy inspired.

Sewing Table

Micky found this sewing table in an alley near our old apartment. The top panel is Southeast Asian inspired, the sides are mostly European art and the inside is mainly photographs, with the underside being all old black and whites.