Teefury

First, a HUGE thank you to the Teefury team & all fellow Teefurians for their love and support! This design came about after a conversation with my friend Matt. He was going to Coachella one year and wanted me to design a Robot t-shirt for him to wear. We are both into Buddhist philosophy, so It hit me instantly that a meditating robot would be perfect. Minutes later at lunch, I sketched a rough idea on the back of a Chinese restaurant place-mat. The image took on a life of its own, and has become one of my favorite paintings. Sadly, Matt never got his shirt. The idea needed time to percolate. During my artistic wanderings I came across Teefury, and here we are. Matt will be going to Coachella this year with Mr. Ohmz on his chest. 

What a roller coaster ride! The Mrs. and I did an artist table at the 2011 Albuquerque Comic Convention. It was the first comic con in Albuquerque since 1997. It was PACKED! The whole two days was a blur. We could hardly get away from our booth because we were so over-run with customers. The Mrs. and I did get a chance to take pictures with a Malcolm Reynolds, look-a-like of Firefly fame. Woot Browncoats! It was our first experience with the whole comic con scene, and we had a blast. We sold out on most of our prints and shirts. The best part was several super nice Teefurians stopped by our table and said hello! They recognized my designs, and chatted with us for a bit. That was the real icing on the cake, meeting cool new friends with the secret Teefury handshake. So we will definitely do it again. Word around the campfire has it there is an Albuquerque Comic Expo slated for June 24th - 26th. So I hope to see some more Teefurians represent! http://abqcomicexpo.com/

Yes. Yes, they do. On a philosophical note, robot technology is progressing in leaps and bounds. Due to Chinese mass production they will be cheap, accessible, and plentiful. I look forward to a future where our creations, robots specifically, have Buddha nature: an uncompounded expanse of luminosity; immaculate, profound, primordial peace; a spontaneously present nirvana.

Zombie apocalypse. Fortunately for us, our robot overlords will have us properly equipped to handle it. But hopefully our robot overlords will be friendly. I'm crossing my fingers they find inner peace before they turn us into batteries. :D

For the Teefury version, I re-visited the artwork to freshin' it up a bit. I added more organic elements and made a point to reach for more balance in the design. I am pleased because this version is the closest to the one in my head.

Michael Caine. The dude never blinks. Don't believe me? Google "Michael Caine doesn't blink". He says it's a trick to look serious for the camera. No Sir. I don't buy it.

You can never paint better than you can draw. So, draw like the wind! Every day. Then, read "The Art Spirit" by Robert Henri. That book is, hands down, the best book I have ever read on what it is to be an artist and strive to live creatively. It is a large dose of practical advice. You can drop in on any page and read a few paragraphs and get inspired in seconds. 

I painted a commission for a friend of a large diptych of Buddha's Eyes. They are based on the great Kamakura Buddha statue in Japan. That kick started the Buddha line of imagery in my art. 

To Matt for his patience with this design. :D