Tom Waits, "Dark"

Tom Waits, "Dark"

Portrait, 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in

Lead on Paper

So far the final installation in the Tom Waits series he is depicted here in the mid-90's while working on one of his plays, The Black Rider with writer William S. Burroughs of "Naked Lunch" notoriety.  It was this era in Tom's life that made me know he was going to knock his role as Satan in Doctor Parnassus out of the park.  Going well back to his Mystery Men days, this classic fedora and suit look just screams lounge lizard but there's so much more to Tom.  This was the very first picture that I did in the Conte Pierre Noire lead pencils that have become the basis of most of the work presented on this blog.  A fortuitous combination of subject and medium to say the least.

Tom Waits, "Laugh"

Tom Waits, "Laugh"

Portrait, 10 1/2 x 12 in

Lead on Paper

Yet another Tom Waits piece, spotlighting yet another of his many eccentric appearances and personalities.  This particular picture is from the Heart Attack and Vine era in the early 80's just before he got that crazy pin-stripe mustache going on for the next few years.  There is something about Tom when he laughs.  The sound is like gravel being dumped through a steel sieve and it seems to shake the ground beneath your feet, it's no accident he played the devil in Dr Parnasus.  His worn out suit drips off his shoulders as he shakes with laughter, summing up much of his life to me.  Looking back the lines are a little loose and the shirt is a little undefined, and I love it.  It all screams Tom to me and it should look really nice peering down from a mantle somewhere.

Django Reinhardt, "Classic"

Django Reinhardt, "Classic"

Portrait, 8 1/2 x 1 in

Lead on Paper

Modern music just wouldn't be the same with out Django Reinhardt.  He was badly burnt in a caravan fire when he was young costing Django several fingers, and while this would have stopped most people from playing the guitar but this inventive Gypsy decided, instead to use it to his advantage.  He developed an entirely new system of finger sweeps for the neck of the guitar that would become the basis for contemporary and modern guitar, most of his recognition would come after his lifetime.  Beyond his music though Django's persona was almost as cool as his music.  Sleek ties and hand tailored suits were a trademark for the man who came up from nowhere.  It seems like they designed Art Deco directly off of Django.  Tired of imitations and translations?  Bring the enigmatic gypsy wanderer back to your place, maybe you'll have better luck getting him to stay than we did!

Tom Waits, "Diner"

Tom Waits - Diner

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

Tom Waits is the man of a million faces.  He seamlessly changes from decade to decade, depending on how he feels and where he's at in his life.  Ranging from soft folk ballads and gentle jazz piano, to out and out rock and roll, even going to so far as to record an album with Keith Richards helming the guitar.  In that spirit I did three pieces ranging from different parts of his career.  This one goes all the way back to those smoke filled bars and coffee shops that he would have been haunting back in the early 70's.  Although he was still cementing himself as an indispensable piece of rock music he already had the look down - and you can have the look down if you want to.  Of course you could always hang it up on the wall and bask in the glory that is Tom like I do though.