The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., "Dream"

Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr - Dream

Portrait, 8.5 x 11 in.

Lead on Paper

The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most recognizable faces in American history.  One of the major founding and guiding forces behind the Civil Rights movement in this country, and the first in our series of portraits spotlighting these amazing individuals.  I toyed with doing a more complex piece where Dr King was addressing a crowd but the simplicity here is one of the greatest strengths in the end.  It more accurately and appropriately portrays the sense of majesty he presented - there might have been a million people around but when he was speaking it felt like there was only one voice in the world.
When this series is completed I plan on donating them to the Carbondale African American Museum, but you can get a print today and celebrate the legacy of this amazing American!

Marilyn Manson, "Dope"

Marilyn Manson - Dope

Portrait, 8 1/2 x 11 in
Lead on Paper

Somehow Manson has managed to stay ahead of the competition for lo these many years now.  His inventive use of shock tactics and gothic, angst ridden lyrics belies an extraordinary man.   The more you know about him as a human being, and especially the more you hear him talk the more you know how he's stayed ahead of the game for this long!  In the midst of all the Halloween hooplah this year with all the classic monsters I wanted to show my love for some of the monsters that have meant a lot to me personally.  Most of those are musicians so I decided to do Manson and Zombie - I was really pleased with the way that both of them turned out.  This is old school Manson, but not so old school that he isn't recognizable, if there is interest I might be intised into doing another piece from another era - hint hint...