My Favorite Artists: Tim O’Brien
November 21, 2008
So, I’m gonna start a series on this blog that highlights my favorite visual artists.
First up! Tim O’Brien.
This is a portion of a painting that Tim did for the cover of TIME magazine.
Tim was one of my teachers at the University of the Arts.
And, even though I was a bit of a slacker, I really enjoyed his class and felt honored to have him teach me.
He’s dope. He’s an oil painter, a realist, a dad, a marathoner, an awesome guy.
I’m a Kanye West fan.
November 21, 2008
During the final song at the Glow in the Dark show, I cried.
Like, tears were streaming down my face. Clearly, I’m not ashamed to admit that (even though at the show, when the lights came on, I definitely hid my face from my accompanying friend)!
And I’m not a groupie type. I rarely get geeked over celebs.
My admiration for Kanye is different from all of that. I feel like I relate to him.
He spoke to the crowd during the show saying, “I know ya’ll understand me cuz ya’ll in the very spot I was.”
And it’s true. I feel like I’m painting for my life, man. It’s what I’m good at.
It’s what I desire, what I’m passionate about.
It’s something I have to make work for me because there’s nothing else for me.
I’m an artist.
Kanye worked and hustled his way to where he is now. Even through moments of doubt.
And that’s really what his music is all about. Yeah, he has songs about money and ass but, the majority of his catalog talks about his heart, his dreams, his struggle to make it.
And, that, I understand. I really do.
My Kanye portrait:
I’d be an Illustrator.
November 15, 2008
You know how they say – Whatever you would do if you were filthy rich and didn’t have to do anything, that’s what you’re meant to do.
Well, I think I’d be an illustrator.
Even if I didn’t get paid for it. Opening a magazine and seeing a painting that I worked on alone in my room at 3am – seeing it published is a great feeling.
This is an illustration of Lee Scratch Perry I did for two.one.five. magazine a few months ago.
I really like it. The color scheme worked out nicely, I think.
