Mosaic Mural • 10′x22′ • Welsh Valley Middle School

The Welsh Valley Middle School community recently teamed with one of Philadelphia’s most prolific and preeminent artistic visionaries, Isaiah Zagar, to create a monumental work of art. The project was spurred by a generous grant from the Lower Merion Education Foundation and further supported by LMSD administration, Welsh Valley Student Government and the Home & School Association.

Most every student worked to embellish Zagar’s original composition by creating, placing and polishing each individual tile. In addition to embodying communal harmony and the collaborative process, the work serves as a celebration of the life of a fallen student and friend, Sean King. Just like the installation dedicated in his name, Sean’s impact will continue to beautify and inspire for many years to come.

South Street, Philadelphia

My 4-year-old son and I encountered this man, with intellectual disabilities, on the street this evening. He was enthusiastically handing out treats to every passing kid. My son was thrilled and I was moved. He is, and will probably always be, my fondest Easter memory. If you make fun of him, I will kill you.

Happy Easter.

Poem by Maya Angelou • Paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat

Tempera & Oil Pastel on Paper • 24″x18″ • Student Work

In 1993, the powerful words of African American poet, author and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, were blended with the brave imagery of the late Multicultural American painter, Jean-Michel Basquiat, to create a stirring children’s book, titled Life Doesn’t Frighten Me. In 2012, a balding middle school art teacher blended that book with 8th grade art instruction to create a stirring blog post, titled Life Doesn’t Frighten Me.

After you tell a few stories at various StorySlams without wetting your pants, they invite you to be a guest storyteller. On April 9th, I’ll weave a tale of guerrilla art identity crisis to kick the night off. It’s rumored that everyone in attendance will receive a FREE painting. I started that rumor.

Monday, April 9th, 8:30 – 10:30 PM
World Cafe Live
3025 Walnut St. Philadelphia, PA

I’ve recently embarked upon a mural collaboration with my young pal, Ben Feldman. So far, we’ve co-doodled and co-color-selected. Soon, we’ll be co-ruining-their-basement-carpet.

To say that I’m terribly proud of my students is a terrible understatement. Consider helping me celebrate their artistic accomplishments over juice and Vienna Fingers.

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 21st, 1:00-4:00PM
Main Line Art Center
746 Panmure Rd. Haverford, PA

Sketchy Characters

Pal and colleague, Kevin Ginsberg, and I were recently art-mortalized by the fine folks of First Person Arts for our contributions to their bimonthly StorySlams. Our mugs, along with a dozen or so others, will grace the margins of Slam-related marketing materials.

Computer Embellished Painting

Formation Skateboards’ newest crop of cruisers is rolling of the assembly line, soon to be rolling down a street near you.

Formation Skateboards has an attractive new site featuring an unattractive old man (left). Lorenzo (right) has become a founder figure to me:

I was fourteen years old when I approached my middle school art teacher, Todd Marrone, with the idea of starting my own skateboard company. Six year later, we have evolved into a new kind of skateboard brand. Formation offers limited quantity products created by a network of artists from all over the world. Each and every Formation deck, is crafted in a small batch and will never be reproduced again.

Support your local skate shop.

Founder

Computer Embellished Drawing

My Big Phoot design has been resurrected as brand new Formation skateboard… just in time for the Phillies to get knocked out of the playoffs. Buy one before the Phanatic kills himself and the decks skyrocket in value.