Cher Completion

I finished my piece for the RuPaul show. Here it is: “The Cher Within” depicts that magical moment when a drag performer prepares to cross the line between ambiguous guy in his underwear to full-on diva extraordinaire. I've always loved Cher, and it was fun to revel in her vampy fabulousness while working on this piece.

I'm offering giclee prints in my Etsy store here: www.paulypants.etsy.com. Check them out.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" opens this Thursday, 1/15, at the World of Wonder Gallery in LA.

The Circus Comes 'Round Again

I just found out that my painting "Elegant Imbalance" was accepted into the Spring Juried Exhibition of the Ohio Art League. The juror was David Pagel, an art critic for the LA Times. The exhibit will be held in the OSU Urban Arts Space from January 27 - March 27 with a Juror's Talk and Awards Preview on Thursday, January 29 and an opening reception from 5-7 pm on Friday, January 30. Click HERE for more info.

Last Night with Cher

Here’s a photo from late last night showing the progress of my painting for the show “RuPaul’s Drag Race” at the World of Wonder Gallery in LA.

The painting’s titled “The Cher Within,” and as you can see, it’s all about embracing our inner divas by vogeuing without pants. Still to come – Cher’s legs, a table full of make-up and drag accessories, and a few more disco balls for good measure. I’m going to be painting like crazy to finish this piece up today while listening to my Cher station on Pandora – which prompts a random but important question: why don’t more recording artists use the cheesy wind sound in their music any more? I think what pop radio is sorely lacking are over-the-top power ballads punctuated by the occasional synthesized “whooooosh.” Just my opinion... Ok, speaking of wind, I think I’ve caught my second one so I’m going to get back to the easel now. No more blogging on such little sleep! Check back soon, though, to see Cher in all her glory.

Dirty Show, RuPaul, and a Biblical Gay Voyage

2009 is kicking off with a boatload of exciting opportunities already!

One of my Cheesecake Boys will be showing off his goods in Detroit next month. My painting “Room with a View” was accepted into the “Dirty Show 10th Anniversary Exhibition” which opens in February. Judging from what I’ve seen online, this promises to be quite an extravagant event. Check out all the sordid details online: www.dirtyshow.org.

Meanwhile, I’ve been putting in some extra studio time to crank out a contribution to the upcoming exhibit “RuPaul’s Drag Show” which opens on January 15 (yikes!) at the World of Wonder Gallery in LA. My piece, titled “The Cher Within,” depicts a young man striking a dramatic pose in front of a full-length mirror, with the reflection of a certain diva gazing back at him. A table full of wigs, makeup, and other essential drag accoutrements hints at the transformation about to occur. The painting should be finished within a few days, so check back soon to see it in all it’s glittery glory. The exhibit will feature over 100 paintings and photographs selected by curator RuPaul, all celebrating the act of drag and gender ambiguity. The opening gala on January 15th begins at 8pm and will feature live performances by contestants on RuPaul’s new reality show. Find out more at www.worldofwonder.net.

And lastly, I am super-excited to be participating in an upcoming show at Gallery Arcane called “Sweet & Low: Optimism in a Pessimistic Age.” I’m not going to give away all the details of my painting just yet, but the title is “Noah’s Gay Wedding Cruise.” “Sweet & Low” opens on February 13 at Gallery Arcane in San Francisco. I’ll share more details soon...