A Children's Story

Since this is a blog about many of my creative endeavors, I thought it would be nice to give y’all a chance to sample one of the children’s stories I’ve written. This one is called The Joy Pot. I got the idea for it from a phrase that my mother would say, “Don’t let the devil steal your joy”. It has obvious religious connotations, yet I thought it had value in a much broader sense as well. So with some toil and struggle (about 3 years worth trying to get the dang thing down on paper), I came up with this story. I hope you’ll like it. No illustrations as of yet, but at some point.

The Joy Pot
By Thom Reaves

Long ago, atop a high mountain, there lived an old woman who was full of joy.
She had so much joy that she turned it into a savory soup. She simmered it in a big pot which she called the Joy Pot and she shared it with anyone who wanted some. The Joy Pot never went dry, and it was warmed by a fire that never went out. From all across the land people came to have a taste of the soup in the Joy Pot and they went away filled.

There was living in the land, a wicked troll called Trouble and one day, he traveled across the mountain to upset the woman and steal away her joy.
“I would like some soup please,” he said.
“ And who are you?” asked the woman.
“I am Trouble and I have come from across the mountain!”
“It is said that Trouble comes as a great storm,” the woman replied. “You do not look like a storm to me.”
To prove his power, Trouble changed himself into a terrible storm that flashed lightning and thunder. “Tremble and be afraid,” he shouted through the raindrops.
The woman however, wasn’t afraid. She looked at him and said, “Impressive, but it is said that Trouble sometimes comes like an earthquake. If you were really Trouble‘, she said, ‘you could change yourself into an earthquake.”
To prove his power, Trouble changed himself into a mighty earthquake so that the ground shook and rumbled and the rocks rolled and smashed on the ground. “Shake and shiver,” he shouted over the tremors.
But the woman stood her ground. “You put on a good show,‘ she said, ‘but how do I really know if you are Trouble?
“I surely am Trouble,’ he said, ‘and I can come in any form.”
“If you were really Trouble,’ said the woman, ‘you could change yourself into something as simple as a chicken.”
Wanting again to prove his power, and not wanting to appear weak, Trouble changed himself into a fat chicken, running around and pecking at the ground. “Cluck, cluck,” he said.
And the woman, whose eyesight wasn’t very good, said “Come up closer that I may see you and then I will believe you are really Trouble.”
Quickly flapping his wings, Trouble jumped into the air and came to rest upon the edge of the pot. When the woman saw that he was on the edge of the pot, she quickly pushed him in and shut the lid tight.
And the pot bubbled and boiled and the joy swallowed Trouble up and made for a good chicken soup too.
And that’s how the woman stopped Trouble from stealing her joy.

More Porkroll

In the future there just may be a class taught in universities across the world called “The Porkroll in Art” and there among those classical treasures will be the Thom Reaves porkroll collection. (I guess I have delusions of grandeur).

Here’s more of the art and opening photos I promised in my last post.

The Infamous Porkroll Baby

It is peculiar that I have not mentioned this previously, as it is one of my most fun ideas। It is something devised by my sometimes “off the wall” mind and something which surprisingly has had much success। It is the creation of the cute & loveable Porkroll Baby!

For those of you outside the Jersey area who don’t know what pork roll is: It is a type of sausage-like pork product made from coarsely ground pork shoulder, developed by John Taylor of Trenton, New Jersey late in the 19th century। It is called pork roll due to the "roll" or tube-like sack in which it is traditionally packaged। It is also called Taylor Ham. (Paraphrased definition from Wikipedia).

It is very delicious as many will tell you। So delicious that I thought that a character just had to be made from it। Although actual pork roll is pink, Porkroll Baby is colored dark red and wears a diaper. He is depicted in many ways: You may see him as a little angel, or a little devil, wearing an egg on his head as a hat, or even dressed up as Marilyn Monroe, visiting the circus or being tossed around with lottery balls.

I was very free with the character and there are limitless possibilities of which I am still discovering। I have had soft sculptures and hard sculptures made, coloring books, painted cutting boards and many small paintings. In 2005 I had a showing in Philadelphia called the Completely Porkroll Show at Zonk Arts Gallery. It was the most successful show I ever had in terms of pieces sold. It was a night of fun and laughter with pork roll appetizers and cheese. My friends even made me a pork roll princess to go with the baby! (It might be a bit crazy, but we have fun with it). There was some of my other art there too as you can see in the pic with me in it, but it was primarily the delectible breakfast meat.

I’ve since written Porkroll Baby’s back-story, created a supporting cast of characters and have the beginnings of another comic। I’m seeing how far I can take him।

I have posted pictures of Porkroll Baby in different versions: paintings, sculptures, drawings and photos of the pork roll vernisage. More coming soon. Hope you enjoy.

Everyday People

Well, since I’m merely “on the way” to producing some new completed work, I thought I’d post more work I’d done over the summer।

I found the watercolors to be quite freeing and looser than my regular medium of acrylic। The subject matter is a little different than my regular as well.

I find that when I create people in my artwork I tend toward the idealized representations. This time, I wanted to do some down-to-earth, regular, every-day people, so I painted two older people walking down the street. I find them to be quite charming if I do say so myself. (Hey, I gotta feel good about my own work, right?). I think I need to come down-to-earth some time and represent real people. I had fun doing these.

More Fashion Art

In the spirit of one of my New Year’s resolutions - to up my production of artwork, I’ve started sketching। This is the place where all the ideas come to life for the first time on paper. I love sketching ideas and I find that I have to be aware that I avoid doing actual art pieces because I get so involved in sketching. It’s my process, I guess.

Posted here are two paintings which I have posted before: Eblouissant and La Reine Abielle। My dealer, Martha Press, at the Farnsworth Gallery in Bordentown, NJ conversed with me about these two paintings. “It will be a certain type of person who will purchase these paintings”, she said. I agree with her - and they will have to have enough room on their walls as these paintings are not small. She has to find a space (most likely in a corner of the room) on her gallery walls to hang them. Because of their size and color, they would dominate any of her walls - especially because most of her featured works are small. I digress. To get to the point, we discussed a possible buyer for them. This potential client however ,would not even consider purchasing them because there is no representation of an African-American woman. I totally understand this frame of mind as I am a black man. Many of our culture want to see our own faces represented in the arts and not only the Anglo faces which have been so prevalently promoted in our American culture. (Not to get into it here, but its funny how race plays such an important and powerful role in our decisions, our actions and how we relate to others. Many want to think this is not an issue anymore in our American society. They are naïve). Back to the paintings - I came up with a third painting for this series and here is the sketch for it. I’m very happy with the idea. Haven’t decided when I’ll get to work on it but I will get to it. My issue is finishing it once I’ve started it.

Regardless of my personal work, I have more of a tight production schedule at my job at Wegmans। Here is one of my latest signs made for Chinese New Year (
Though for political correctness, we can’t say that because of our relationship with China at the present time. We have to say “ASIAN” new year. Political correctness in an instance such as this is the STUPIDEST thing I’ve ever heard! People who get offended at trivial stuff like this need to stay home. Its not Asia‘s New Year, its China‘s). Anyway, with the display, I think its one of my nicer signs. At least I’m being very productive in my work life.

Till next time.

Happy 2008!

Although its been awhile since my last post, I just wanted to take a moment to say Happy New Year to anyone taking the time to read my blog। And in the tradition of New Year’s Resolutions that many of us seem to make at this time of year, I’m resolving to up my production of art and creative venues this year.

At the present time I have set my sites on Miami; a center where, I’ve been told, my work may do very well. (Think Britto Central). Although at first planning on up and moving, I’ve come to my senses and decided that things like this need to be done in baby steps. My job right now is to get all my ducks in order before I send them out. And that’s my resolution on this aspect of my fabulous life. I thank God that he has brought me through to another year safely and I wish you all a safe, blessed and prosperous new year.

Bessie Smith

Well, hello everyone। I’m back! Alot’s gone on since I last blogged। I’m back to work and out of the hospital program. I've moved out of the studio space I've had for 7 years and am now working from home. Still not feeling the overwhelming desire to get out and paint the world, but I have managed to get a painting pumped out. It’s artwork promoting a play called The Devil’s Music: the life and blues of Bessie Smith produced by the Passage Theater Company. The photo was taken by my good friend, Andrew Wilkinson.

http://www.wilkinsonmedia.net/. This painting is for sale. If interested please e-mail me. That’s all for now.

Art Therapy

Art Therapy
Its been a rough couple of weeks - three, in fact। I shared in an earlier post about my Bi-polar illness. Well it seems that I am like everyone else with this illness in that it is cyclical. I have had a recurring ’episode’ for months now and it has been, honestly, debilitating. It has affected me at my job and personal life as well. I am currently in a hospital program that is in place to get me stable and able to teach me the skills to help me cope with the illness.

One of the great things about this program is Art Therapy। (Its funny, because I studied psychology and art therapy in college. Who knew I’d be on the receiving end of it.) I must say that its been a long while since I’ve felt so free to do whatever I wanted with my art. Realistically, I’ve always been able to do whatever I’ve wanted, but have felt stunted and held back for some time now, not able to produce anything at home or at my studio.

I’m posting some pics of a few of the pieces I’ve worked on during
art therapy sessions.


The first picture I worked on was a picture of a mother and child. I don’t think there’s any hidden psychology to it, I just didn’t know what to do that day।

The next picture is from a day when I was feeling kinda low। It’s a fish swimming against a giant whirlpool with a black hole।

It may sound kinda morbid, but the third picture is one I’ve always wanted to depict in some way। It’s the biblical story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah।



Now, speaking of the psychology of the pictures, it was pointed out to me that in at least the second and third pics, within the negativity of the scene, there is an aspect of hope. The fish is gold and shinning and is swimming away from the black hole. In the Sodom and Gomorrah scene, there is the escape of the characters of Lot and his family on the right side of the picture. Both of these as well as the mother and child picture are hopeful and they show that even in a state of depression, I and anyone else can have hope enough to move on and keep going forward.
I’ll post more pics soon, for they really show what I’m going through right now. That’s my life right now.

The Mistake

I’m posting today because I’ve recently had some creative success। I think this was my first time creating art out of my melancholy - which I’ve always had trouble doing। I’ve always thought it important to show happiness in my art, so that the viewer will be uplifted when they look at my work. Maybe I wasn’t completely right about that. Maybe uplifting art can come out of brokenness.

Its been really a rough time for me lately. The episodes of bi-polar illness that I have seem to be creeping up much more frequently. Bi-polar illness is a cyclical illness, where the depressions and manias come back over certain time periods. I’m currently in the midst of an episode which has affected me at my job, causing me to lose concentration and focus. Since I have some time on my hands presently, I decided I would go back to my roots in my Christianity. Looking at Christ on the cross represents something to me and I decided to start sketching a painting. The idea came to me to do separate paintings of Jesus’ feet, hands, torso, and head. The separateness being a metaphor for brokenness - which is basically how I’m feeling right now.

So I was inspired to create the first of this series; Christ‘s feet। It’s been a long time and so much emotion was put into this painting - as if the depths of my heart was being put into it। It made me happy. I finished it and two days passed. I was ready to sign it and then it all came crashing down. Can you see why?



How could I have missed that? What was I thinking? I painted two left feet!!! LOL! I have to laugh about it now, but I cried when I realized it. It’s a good painting, but I think this one will stay in hiding. How embarrassing. My mother suggested I show it anyway and call it The Mistake.

World Wide

I think I shared with you a few posts back the pen that I designed for Acme Studios of Hawaii (My first licensing deal).
I was just on their website and looking at their stores from other countries and noticed that they’re using my pen design and headshot in some of their in-store displays। I’m so excited!

The first two are from the Parkson Grand Alamanda in Malaysia. I’m on the middle shelf on the left.
The third photo is from Seibu in Hong Kong. My pic is down in the left corner. I’ve done a second design for Acme which should be coming out next year and I’m working on a third. Its fun.

Bubbles

I’m not posting as much as I’d like to. And I’ve said it before, but its because I’ve been in a creative slump for some time now. Seems the only time I get some oomph is when I have a commissioned piece to create. I guess that’s how it is with us artists - as least that’s how it is with me. Great thing is I have some commissions on the horizon. I’ll keep you ‘posted’. Till then, here’s a little painting I did at the end of 2005. it’s a little different in feeling from some of my other paintings, though I can’t really explain why. I like it and I was privileged to have very good friends purchase it. I hope they are enjoying it.

As promised

Well here it is - just as I promised, one of the two latest commissioned works. Its a beer product painting. I painted this for someone very dear to me - his name is Ken. (Betcha’ couldn’t guess right?)

Most likely I won’t get a photo of my other piece। :-( But it was nice.
Till next time, enjoy…

The 'F' Word

Maybe all artists go through this from time to time, but I seem to be going through it a lot as of late। I’m just not inspired to do anything. Many artists have told me that one must work every day on his or her art. It is hard enough for me to get in and do work even a few times a week when I’m not feeling it - sometimes even once a week.

I have been productive in the last few weeks for others however। I just finished up two commissions. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to take photos of them at the time. I will get to photograph at least one in the near future though.

In the meantime I have to post something as I haven’t posted for a couple of weeks. I’ve decided to delve into another area that I dabble in from time to time - comics. I used to work as a bouncer in a gay bar for 5 years. Talk about original material! I heard so much stuff - so many good lines that I said this could be a comic- so I made a comic out of it and I called it the Fahg Files. (Yep, a play on the 'F' word.) Its about a guy that comes to work for an over-the-top gay bar /resort called the Blackbird Inn and the antics of all its characters. You can check out some of the other strips here, but I’ve posted one just as a teaser. I worked on an Animatic with a good friend of mine and I still want to take the strip a lot further, but at the moment I‘m on other things.

My Studio

I thought today that I’d post some photos of my studio. This is where it all happens… well 99% of it anyway. Its a bit of a mess, but an artist's studio is supposed to be that way right?

These shots were taken by a professional photographer, Andrew Wilkinson, who wanted some shots for a website he’s working on, so I most definitely obliged. (Some of the work shown in studio, I’ve posted here already on the site. That’s because I still have it and its still up for sale, so if you see anything you like, just let me know. Hint.)

Its funny, I’ve had a rather up and down relationship with my studio. I’ve been there for almost seven years and always seem to be on the verge of moving out. It seems that I’m always on the cusp of not being able to afford it, but just before I make that decision to go, I just can’t seem to do it. I love it! Its my place, my creative space and I feel comfortable there - in all 306 sq. feet of it. I have felt at home there from the moment I first walked into the room.

My father and I actually finished the room. When we first saw it, it had no floor and no finished walls. My father actually did most of the work, as that is his specialty, I just stood by and helped when I could. I got to paint though. I stained the floor blue, painted the walls white and the ceiling a funky orange - which I thought was the coolest thing. I also saw a great hanging apparatus in a gallery and incorporated it into use in my space. I screwed hooks just away from the ceiling a few inches apart all around the room and hung small chains from them. Then using ‘S’ hooks, Hung the artwork from the chains. It worked out perfectly and its versatile too.

People have always said that they feel comfortable in my studio. When out building used to have First Friday events and the general public would walk through all the studios in the building, everyone used to end up in my room at the end of the night just sitting and talking. Its very conducive to conversation and merriment. Hope that was a good little tour. I just thought I’d give you a little peek into my world and show you where I do all of my magic. ;-)

High School Art Class

I never really liked to paint until 2000 when one of my gallery dealers suggested I add some color to my work. Up to that point I had been drawing, only working in pen & ink. When I started to paint, it was like working within the opposite end of my brain and a whole new world opened up to me - a world of color! There seemed to be so much more I could do than with just plain black and white. I bring this up because I have my very first painting sitting in my studio. I call it my first because it is actually the first painting I ever did in high school.

When I attended good old Trenton Central High, my art class, taught by Mr Tibbs was full of students with no real knowledge of art. I remember that there was one other guy in the class who had had some prior training in art classes, so while everyone else was learning about perspective, Mr Tibbs set the two of us to work on painting canvases. My model was named Sylvia and truthfully, she looked absolutely nothing like my portrait of her. I distinctly remember Mr Tibbs showing me how to use highlights in the background to bring out the figure in the foreground. Though I seemed to have some trouble with the placement of the model’s ear (lol), all in all it was a good start. It was also my first and only time using oils. Maybe I should think about trying them again. (Only problem with that is that oils take so long to dry and I’m known for doing paintings at the last minute - but you didn’t hear that from me…)

My Day Job

How many people can say that they love what they do for a living? Well, I love what I do…most all the time. The great thing about my job is that I am an artist as my full-time job. I work for Wegmans Food Markets and I am the Sign shop artist for the store. I’m in charge of creating the overall look of the store with signs and setting them up to sell product. Its really a lot of fun as well as creative and challenging. I’ve posted a few of the projects I’ve worked on. Unfortunately they’re not the greatest photos.

The Klimt Connection

I wanted to touch on one of my other influences, Gustav Klimt. He had such a way with color and pattern, that I find his work absolutely fascinating! I looked at his technique and his use of pattern and color and I tried to imitate it in a few of my works. I experienced a breakthrough in the process. I discovered the layers of translucence that I can get with glazes. Glazing is painting an area with thinned out color over and over so that the end result is, well… translucent. Its hard to describe, but you know it when you see it.




My first 3 paintings using this technique were ones of my Trento series: The first was Trentette Barrettes, second was Trentiplenties and the third, which I think was the best, was Trentotex Fabrics. The glazing was used with all three, but the usage of pattern came more with the latter two. I just found so much enjoyment from the interplay of the shapes and colors.
This glazing technique as well as the use of shapes similar to Klimt’s (in spirit at least), carried over into later work - which leads me to one of my paintings that I’m most proud of ; The Smit Family portrait. Klimt used figures in a dream-like state in a good number of his paintings. This ethereal, airy feeling was one I thought I’d use to portray the family. There was a lot to incorporate into the picture: representations of 3 countries - USA, England and Holland as well as 5 people. Needless to say, using Big Ben, tulips, windmills, and the NYC skyline with a floating family was a tall task. Now, I’m no Klimt by any means, but as artists, what we are always doing is taking new ideas and elements wherever we find them and adding them to our own - making a whole new thing. That’s art!

Usable Art

Today I’m posting some of the more utilitarian items I’ve designed.
The first is my church’s 200th anniversary plate, next is a writing pen called Happy, which I designed for Acme Studio of Hawaii, and next is the business card case which complements the Happy pen.
They all kinda’ connect to my earlier post about the Bi-polar pendulum and how I like to make “happy” art as the bright colors and designs are meant to evoke feelings of ease and joyfulness.

Regarding the church plate, I wanted to do something different than most other anniversary plates that are made. Most show a photo or illustration of a church building. I the building is only a structure. The true church is the people - they are the life of what is called the church. I’m so glad that I have the opportunity to say that I am a part of this congregation - this family. In this, I visualized the actions that represent what my church does; prayer, communion, singing, working together, visiting the sick - these are the important things. I hope I did it justice.

The Happy pen and card case are sold in boutiques and stores all over the world.
As a side note , you may notice that in many of my art pieces you will see different ethnicities. I feel its important to show a wide range of people; large people, small people, different colors. Can you believe though that someone actually had the nerve to be offended that I didn’t put any “colored” faces on my happy pen? Hello… the white is a design element, not an indicator of ethnicity. Some people can be real idiots - and I say that respectfully. You can’t please everybody.

The Pie Sketch

Just thought I'd show you another project I'm in the middle of. Its a children's book illustration for a story I've written called The Pie in the Sky. Not the greatest photo, I know. I'll be painting it probably in acrylics - maybe watercolor.

I seem to be showing works that are in progress. I will finish them. It seems that I just have to be working on a variety of different projects at one time to keep things exciting.

Oh, its so 80's!

Look what I found! Its a poster design that I did back in college - my second year, 1985. It was my first poster and its complete with shoulder pads, thin tie and 80's hairstyle. I actually remember the assignment.
Its funny that all these years later I still seem to be doing the same thing - posters for fashion.
That year I fell in love with the work of the artist A.M.Cassandre. I've posted the actual one that I fell in love with. Its called Pathe. When I saw his work, I said to myself that I want to create posters just like that, so now all these years later, I've made it my art.