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Quick mini-post! So, I have been watching the show Glee on dvd this past week, and I heard someone ask me if I was a “Gleek” Of course, I thought of the monkey first…so why hasn’t anybody else drawn this yet?!?
Hello everyone! So since I am done with commissions for the first time since November, I took a little time and designed this T-shirt. It’s up on Threadless, so everyone take a moment, and vote for it so it can get printed! 
Well, after far too long, I have finished two of my versions of “Las Meninas”, one a parody of the original by Velazquez, and the other a parody of one of Picasso’s versions (I believe he had an entire show in a gallery once, with over 50 versions of this painting) These were done as a commission and my patron wants them to be titled “Earth” and “Htrae”.
“Earth” depicts various Superman and Silver Age DC Comic Characters, and “Htrae” has Bizarro versions of all of those characters, with one exception, Batmite appears in “Earth” and Bizarro Junior in “Htrae” purely because neither had a Bizarro/Non-Bizarro counterparts. Can you see what Superman is painting in the reflection in the mirror? Perhaps he is trying to trick Mxyzptlk into saying something? I have one other “Las Meninas” to finish; based on Witkin’s version, with different colored Lanterns. Expect to see Killowog, Sinestro, Kryb, and maybe G’nort! Just have a few more details to work out, but you should see it soon.
In other news, Jesse Rubenfeld Illustrations has it’s own dedicated phone line now, feel free to use the link at the right, or call 734-985-0JES (0537) for any questions about commissions, or interviews. Life has calmed down a bit, so expect updates at a better pace now, ’cause I still have an ever growing list of commissions to work on, not to mention a project or two of my own.
With the convention sneaking up on us this weekend, I have been hard at work with a few commissions and projects. First off, I had to paint a pair of dogs on some wine glasses for a repeat client. Next up I started and completed a painting for Motor City Comic Con based on Picasso’s “The Old Guitarist” from his blue period. It was screaming to have one of those blue aliens from Avatar in it. I’m simply calling it “My Blue Period” Now I am currently working on 2 different parodies of Las Meninas by Velazquez. That painting has been parodied numerous times, once by Picasso and once by Joel Peter-Witkin just to name a few. Mine will feature a slew of DC comic characters from the silver age, and the second version will feature Bizarro versions of the same characters. Look for it on my site soon!
Also, I was given permission to post all of the pages from my latest magic book Square, from my magician collaborator. Enjoy it in its own gallery!
Hello! C2E2 was wonderful a few weeks ago. I have found that I am horrible at reporting such events, so I will leave it at this. I saw a lot of friends, made some new connections, sold a lot of things (paintings paintings paintings), lost some sleep, ate great food, and generally had a great time. Sales wise, it was probably my best convention yet.
Upcoming events, Motor City Comic Con is in a week. I have been working on getting my table mate Josh ready for his first show. His raw excitement is so cute, reminds me of simpler days when I was just starting out. Amber missed setting up at C2E2 with me, and now she is missing out again for Motor City. She has expressed interest in doing one show later in the summer, so we are attempting to get the time off work to do so. I will keep you informed on any added events. I am also thinking about venturing out further from the Midwest for shows, I have already figured out how to fit everything I sell into a carry on bag. Whether or not these conventions will happen this year or the next, at least know that it is in the plans.
There are 2 collaborative comic projects that I might be working on, too early to say what they are yet…but they are exciting. I will leave you with my latest painting. I have expanded my parodies to movie posters as well, this is the first, based on the movie The Graduate. Enjoy my cheesiness!
Okay, so over the weekend, I did crank out another painting for C2E2. Based on Salvador Dali’s “Persistence of Memory”. Instead of melting clocks, I decided to go with Plastic Man, due to his Non Newtonian Fluid state (Yeah, I know physics! And yes, I know force does not need to be applied to Plastic Man’s body in order to have him keep a solid shape, but how else would you describe him?) It was a fun idea, originally I was going to add a few more “stretchy guys” but upon laying out the piece, I knew that Plastic man would have to take center stage (he’s my favorite stretchy guy anyway) That’s it for paintings for the show, I have no more time. I’m heading out to the printer later today to get my prints made, then I will have to start organizing and packing for the show. I will be leaving Thursday evening after my “booth babe” father gets off work. We will drive as far as we can that night (I’m hoping to get just outside of Chicago) and wake up early on Friday to get into the city and get set up before the Professionals Only hours start (10 am) Expect some Twitter updates during the show, but don’t count on a blog post until I get back. I hope to see you all at the show!
So, C2E2 is next weekend! I had to get done a few commissions that were sitting on my desk (one of which is for a client that is attending the show) So I figured I would post them here as I always do, just to keep my fans informed on what I am up to. The first one is part of my Art about Art series, a portrait of Ben Grimm, which I have titled “When Yancy Street Ran Red” It’s based on a few Picasso paintings (mostly Woman Sitting in Armchair with hints of others) This is by far my most abstract work to date, but I have had quite a few people ask me to paint a Picasso, so hopefully this will keep them at bay. I will have some prints available of it at the show.
The other commission I recently completed is quite strange. It was for a Canadian writer who is working on a graphic novel, and he wanted me to depict the birth of his superhero….pretty literally. What I thought was cool about the idea was that the mother is completely human, but during the pregnancy she has the child’s powers. She loses them as soon as the umbilical cord is cut, so this scene is her last moments of flight.
I have another painting that I am going to attempt to get done before the convention. I don’t know if it will be done, but if not I will be working on it during the convention, between sketches for people.
No that’s not a question, that is the title of my latest painting “Whos Crossing the Delaware” based on Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze but features All 11 incarnations of Doctor Who helping George Washington. Whenever I go to a comic convention in Chicago, I tend to make some new image of Doctor Who, since Chicago has a large Who Fanbase.
Convention time is fast approaching, and I am starting to feel a bit of the rush and excitement of getting ready for the shows. C2E2 keeps getting bigger and bigger by the minute, adding stars and events that I am sure will make it one of the great shows for years to come. I am very happy to get to be a part of the first year.
I am dragging my friend Josh with me to Motor City in May. He has a lot of talent, and its time the world sees it! He is working on getting his website up right now, currently not much of anything to look at, but I bet it will be up in a few days, so keep checking this link and look at his stuff when he manages to get it finished.
In sad news, my long time close friend Ian Krieg has passed away quite suddenly. I don’t have many details about how he passed. Only that last week he felt like he had the stomach flu, and according to a one line message from his father, his “stomach flu” was fatal. Ian was a wonderful human being who always supported me and cared for me in everything that I did. We spent many a long hour talking about deep things, weird things, and fun things, and even though a few years ago he moved to Seattle, we still managed to call each other every month or two to keep up to date. He was one of my close friends that I turned into a character in my old webcomic Cross Street Blues. We saw him after Christmas when he was visiting family, and I had spoken to him quite recently over email. Last summer he even flew into Michigan, just to come to my wedding. He loved his gadgets and always had just what he needed in his Fannypack. He always walked to the beat of his own drum, sometimes backwards, or sideways. One day soon, some of his friends and I will get together and play a few games of Settlers of Catan (one of his favorites) in honor of him, and I know he will be looking down from where ever he has gone and he will smiling. I know that for sure, more or less. Considerably less or more, than more or less.
Latest painting for the same client as the last 3, this may be the strangest combination yet. Not sure how many people will understand the pairing of Van Der Goes’ “Fall of Man” with the Wondertwins from Super Friends; not sure I understand it myself, but it still makes for a nice image. Hid Swampthing in the tree as my client requested too. I have a few more paintings to finish for C2E2, which is coming up fast! I realized the other day that I have had a steady stream of commissions on my table since early November. It’s great that it’s becoming more consistant. I have a few more possible commissions lined up for the next few months, we shall see how it goes. By the way have you been checking in on my Galleries? I have been doing some interesting Sketchbook work lately, and I have been trying to keep the gallery up to date. Check it out!
So here is yet another painting! Based on American Gothic by Grant Wood, but with Aquaman and his queen Mera….bonus points to whoever can name the names of the two creatures in the background. This was yet another commission piece for the client who asked for the other animals playing poker paintings. I still have 2 of those paintings to do, but when I sent him the last painting, I told him I was gearing up to paint quite a few things for the convention season, and had been tossing this idea around (thinks to a little help from my friend Cory) Turns out, the client liked the idea so much he told me to do this one next and bought the painting outright! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I had a fan….don’t want to jinx things. This is my first parody of a painting that is more of a portrait than a scene. I have been tossing around the idea of doing a few more “famous portraits” of Justice Leaguers…any thoughts (I know Wonder Woman as the Mona Lisa has been done)?
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