The Expressionist-Beatnik Connection

My latest drawing is of a sculpture by the Austrian Expressionist artist, Oscar Kokoschka titled, "Self-Portrait as a Warrior". It currently resides in the Boston Museum of Fine Art. I chose to draw this piece for several reasons.

First, I love the shape and power and emotion of this sculpture. Even though it's suppose to be a "Warrior", rather than looking fierce, I think he looks frightened. The second photo is of the original work (Courtesy of a blog called "Tall Tales From the Traveling Thornberries"). The second reason I picked it was it reminded me of the  underground comix artist Mark Marek who did a book called Hercules amongst the North Americans. The third and finally motivation was I think there is more then a passing resemblance to Jack Kerouac's running mate, Neil Cassidy; hence the "Beatnik Connection".

The coincidence is a bit uncanny as Kokoschka's sculpture was done decades before Cassidy was even born. Beat writing certainly have an expressionist feel.

This drawing finally completes a sketchbook that I've been working in for way too long. Here's the full shot of the drawing.

OK HW

Fare Thee Well Jack, You Are Missed

Forty years ago today we lost Jack Kerouac. If you have never read "On the Road" or "Dharma Bums" or any of Jack's other works, do yourself a favor a give him a try. I stumbled on him in my late teens as so many young searchers do and his words threw gasoline on the fire of my soul to live, to travel, to make art, to love. As I grew older and read more of Jack's works and biographies on him, I was torn between the largeness of his words and the chaos of his life. I longed for the adventure of the open road and kicks with friends, but cringed at reading of his desperate calls to his Mother for bus fare home. It was his life to live and live it he did and we're all still dazzled by what he left behind. I did this little sketch of Jack to try and get closer to him. To honor the kinship that I feel to him. To keep him alive. I strive to be that "angel-headed hipster" laying out kind and generous acts onto a world that increasingly works against the silly and the weird. The open road is medicine to my spirit and I seek it out as often as I can. In fact, will be embarking on a new adventure tomorrow morning, packing of to the mountains of Virginia for a well-deserved stomp, then onto Cleveland, Ohio to take in a competition between the Browns and the Packers. Never been to Cleveland, but I'm sure I know people there. People who have read Jack and know time. Yes, yes.

Sleep well Ti'jean...

OK HW

New Kerouac Documentary