tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30058129931610546052024-02-20T10:46:11.771-05:00G r a p h i t e The Art of Nick YoungNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.comBlogger1214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-27065727699690983672016-06-07T07:47:00.000-04:002016-06-07T07:47:01.158-04:00Mississippi SaxophoneMany of my early drawings featured blues players I admire, especially those who play harmonica -- harp, in blues parlance.
I am not alone in saying categorically that Little Walter Jacobs was the greatest of the blues harpmen, a player who moved from the South, made Chicago his home, amplified his instrument and revolutionized the genre.
Here's my portrait:
Blues With a FeelingGraphite on Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-11230924490779260732016-06-06T07:03:00.000-04:002016-06-06T07:03:24.323-04:00It's CriminalSince humans began making art, it's been connected to crime in one form or another. If you're keeping score, here's a very interesting and entertaining timeline.
Mug shot -- Vincenzo Peruggia
"(Rod) Serling would have loved this!" AD, Chicago
"An amazing tale...that you cannot put down!" ML, Georgia
"It maps the tortures of the human soul in a completely unexpected and Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-60027829709518218912016-06-01T06:15:00.000-04:002016-06-01T06:15:47.823-04:00Silver ScreenMy younger brother John is a movie buff with an encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood films down through the decades.
To satisfy his hunger for all things vintage celluloid, I've done several drawings for him. Here's a sampling, beginning with the great director Orson Welles, starring in his own masterpiece, A Touch of Evil:
HankGraphite on paper2009
Then there's everyone's epitome of the Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-70315208811107582192016-05-31T07:27:00.001-04:002016-05-31T07:27:16.083-04:00You've Got to be JokingHoliday over. Back to work. Bummer.
Maybe these will help take some of the sting out.
“No, you haven’t died—this is airport security.”
My brother's debut novel is winning readers with its blend of suspense, psychological drama and horror. Find out what the buzz is about -- but leave the lights on!
"An old-fashioned thriller!" Featured Kirkus Review
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-45907180725389085722016-05-30T07:04:00.003-04:002016-05-30T07:04:25.109-04:00Princess DianeA new exhibit opening in July at the Met Breuer in New York throws the spotlight on the remarkable work of Diane Arbus.
"From practically the moment that the commercial photographer Diane Arbus set out to become an artist at the ripe age of 33 . . . she seemed to know that the story of the outsider was her intellectual inheritance."
This is the thriller you've been waiting forNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-54312259219279320362016-05-28T08:09:00.001-04:002016-05-28T08:09:42.721-04:00Going NegativeOne of the most frequently commented on aspects of my work is the drama in many of the portrait drawings. The explanation is simple, one that I've discussed in earlier posts: negative space. Its use immediately focuses attention on the subject and its presentation. If I want to highlight something important I say on this page,
I single out those words and leave plenty Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-6814039769746584482016-05-27T08:00:00.000-04:002016-05-27T08:00:08.624-04:00At Sea
For those who admire the work of J.M.W. Turner, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York will be a must-visit through early September for a special exhibition of his whaling works.
When it comes to paintings of the sea and ships, there is no one quite like this English master, who may have played an inspirational role in the creation of one of the great classics of Western literature.
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-7363987337100116142016-05-26T08:34:00.000-04:002016-05-26T13:13:10.419-04:00RepurposedWhen I began creating tableaux and then photographing them with my iPhone a couple of years ago, I naturally sought out whatever props I thought would be of use. Early on, I settled on a piece of woodworking I'd done years ago. Its configuration and sharp angles put me in mind of a tortured tree, one of the sort I imagined was used by Judas Iscariot. The Christian Bible says he ended Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-68593127142257315252016-05-25T08:08:00.002-04:002016-05-25T08:08:29.246-04:00Into the Inky AbyssI was talking with another artist recently about his work as a cartoonist and illustrator of graphic novels. There is the strong element of science fiction and the fantastical in his work, so I asked if he'd been influenced by the late H. R. Giger.
"He's my godfather," came the almost-reverent response.
I thought this might be a good time to introduce you to this remarkable Swiss artist, Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-10521022169555514622016-05-24T06:34:00.002-04:002016-05-24T06:34:40.355-04:00Orient ExpressedI have long been attracted to and influenced by the Japanese aesthetic -- best expressed through Zen calligraphy, sumi-e, bonsai, ikebana and raku pottery. What appeals most is that the best of each of these art forms captures the essential spirit of its subject with neither ostentation nor self-consciousness.
I hope these three paintings, all focusing on pottery pieces, Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-64974268101097032932016-05-23T06:56:00.001-04:002016-05-23T06:56:55.343-04:00Through the LensAmong the finest documentarians working today is Errol Morris, who's built an impressive career with films such as The Thin Blue Line, Gates of Heaven and the Oscar-winning The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons From the Life of Robert S. McNamara.
He's delved into many interesting and controversial areas through the years. In this short piece, he focuses on a subject I'll be you Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-6318755661300078892016-05-22T08:52:00.000-04:002016-05-22T08:55:04.506-04:00Tangled Up in BluesMany of my drawings and paintings reflect a love of music, especially jazz and blues. I've mentioned this before in posting some pieces. Today, I thought it might be enjoyable to not only spotlight the artwork but the music, too. Thanks to YouTube, it's easy to do.
Let's begin with Billie Holiday:
BillieAcrylic on canvas2015
Nicknamed "Lady Day," she is considered by manyNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-91887921946964929442016-05-21T07:39:00.000-04:002016-05-21T07:39:02.218-04:00Drawing the LineHow about a little shot of humor with the morning coffee?
I'll let the New Yorker's superbly talented cartoonists do the heavy lifting.
It's the one readers are buzzing about . . .
"An old-fashioned thriller." Featured Kirkus Review
"I found myself not being able to put the book down...it just got better and better!" LS, Arizona
"This novel picks you up byNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-67607980793278761292016-05-20T09:13:00.001-04:002016-05-21T07:56:39.687-04:00Hold the PhoneA couple of years ago, I began fooling around with my iPhone, trying to come up with simply staged tableaux that I would photograph, process and creatively title.
One of my earliest efforts utilized a wood carving of an elongated African warrior, a la Giacometti:
Sunset, Serengeti PlainiPhone2014
It was accomplished on top of a dresser with light cast by a small, decorative lamp. I Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-10191104172648700542016-05-19T07:42:00.002-04:002016-05-19T07:42:15.287-04:00You Draw, Girl!Graphic novels and comic strips may be mostly male preserves, but that doesn't mean women haven't taken up the pen and made their own mark through the years.
This brief look should whet your appetite.
CamillaMarcia Snyder1954
"This novel picks you up by the scruff of your neck and doesn't let you go." VB, London
Read brother Jim's debut thriller . . . but leave the lights on!
"Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-44052321856853454332016-05-18T08:09:00.001-04:002016-05-18T08:09:07.327-04:00Men of LettersAmong the writers I admire are Albert Camus, Joseph Conrad and Nikos Kazantzakis. When I began drawing the artists who've influenced me, it was quite natural that I would select them as subjects.
First, Camus, an Algerian by birth. I count among his greatest works The Stranger, The Plague and The Myth of Sisyphus:
L'AlgerienGraphite on paper2009
Next came Conrad,Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-65180813198118008332016-05-17T08:19:00.001-04:002016-05-17T08:19:11.796-04:00He's No de MediciAs the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, it is worth reflecting on Donald Trump's involvement with and appreciation of the arts. It's not a picture that engenders hope.
Trump TowerAndy Warhol1981
"Trump’s name—not to mention his physical presence—is an unfamiliar sight in the city’s (New York's) major cultural institutions."
Five-star reviews for brother Jim's Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-64831344153707122262016-05-16T07:43:00.001-04:002016-05-16T07:43:39.320-04:00Oil and WaterI have admired the films of Werner Herzog for more than forty years. He is extremely bright and erudite -- a wonderful raconteur. And he's made movies unlike any other. When I began drawing seriously in 2009, focusing on artists I admired, it was natural that he was among my first choices:
Werner HerzogGraphite on paper2009
And there can be no mention of Herzog's greatest filmsNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-25171762105089641232016-05-15T08:39:00.000-04:002016-05-15T08:39:06.231-04:00San SalvadorPity the poor BBC reporter who must try to keep up with el maestro. A short, amusing video.
"I found myself not being able to put the book down...it just got better and better!" LS, Arizona
Readers love brother Jim's intense thriller.
"A solid, interesting read. Jim Yeazel knows how to build and sustain suspense." LM, NY
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-37448859047192521542016-05-14T08:01:00.001-04:002016-05-14T08:01:43.507-04:00The Blue NoteBlues has been a major influence, both as a part-time harp player and as an artist. My first "serious" drawing in 1995 was of a major blues musician:
John Lee HookerGraphite on paper1995(Apologies for the poor quality)
And through the years, I returned again and again to celebrate the artists who've been important to me, like Delta blues legend Charley Patton:
Rattlesnake Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-7290520800058660582016-05-13T07:39:00.000-04:002016-05-13T07:39:26.207-04:00Phoenix RisingWhat's happening in the great Southwest? The Phoenix Art Museum currently has an exhibition of the work of Fritz Scholder, "one of the first Native Americans to be recognized for his significant contributions as a contemporary artist."
Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-62057249713763275022016-05-11T07:06:00.001-04:002016-05-11T07:06:35.950-04:00Annals of the BizarreAlthough this exhibition has closed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, its subject is well worth getting acquainted with. And when you do, you will never forget his name .
Ten CommandmentsMatthias Buchinger1730
Love a good scare? Here's the novel for you!
"I read three chapters and was completely gripped!" VB, London
"An amazing tale...that you cannot Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-26875377037160905842016-05-10T06:59:00.002-04:002016-05-10T06:59:54.134-04:00Puncturing BalloonsMy relationship with the religion of my upbringing, Christianity, headed for the rocks decades ago. It foundered there for years until I made the final break. Now, I identify myself as a Zen Buddhist by spiritual inclination and an atheist by intellectual bent. And, yes, they are compatible positions.
As an artist, I've taken up my differences with Christianity in several Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-78690578796957136962016-05-09T08:21:00.000-04:002016-05-09T08:21:21.275-04:00Sleight of BrushWhat's old is new again. City planners are experimenting with a centuries-old artistic technique -- a trick, if you like -- that could have very pragmatic value today.
The AmbassadorsHans Holbein1533
"Holbein’s twisted skull is a version of the traditional artistic device of the momento mori (or 'remember you must die'), used by painters and sculptors to elevate Nickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3005812993161054605.post-56373742201638057862016-05-08T02:11:00.000-04:002016-05-08T02:11:05.025-04:00Art on the WingIn the search for a new way to make art, Duke Riley's gone to the birds in New York. Read on.
Five-star reviews on Amazon for brother Jim's new thriller:
"It maps the tortures of the human soul in a completely unexpected and shocking way. Read it!" CE, Illinois
"A thrill all the way to the end!" LS, Arizona
"Jim Yeazel knows how to build and sustainNickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17491414521029416268noreply@blogger.com0