7 Deadly Sins — larger versions

Here are the Seven Deadly Sins (see previous posting) in greater detail:

1. Luxuria (Lust)

2. Gula (Gluttony)

3. Avaricia (Greed)

4. Acedia (Sloth)

5. Ira (Wrath)

6. Invidia (Envy)

7. Superbia (Pride)

All the drawings are ink on tracing paper, 12" x 9", and created in 2013.

The Seven Deadly Sins

This is a series I've been meaning to do for a while, the 7 deadly sins (Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy and Pride). These drawing are likely studies for paintings that I will do at some point.

The Seven Deadly Sins, 2013, ink on tracing paper, each image is 12" x 9".

The Consumer

A new drawing in a surrealistic/political/terrifying vein:

The Consumer, 2013, ink on tracing paper, 12" x 9".

3 versions of a head

Left to right:

1. original pencil drawing, 12" x 9"
2. digital compilation of 2 or more intermediate versions (pencil, ink, acrylic) with adjustments & filtering in Photoshop
3. final version, pencil, ink, acrylic on tracing paper

Final title: "The Boy Who Came Back from the Sea".

In some ways, I like the original version best, as it's fresher, less worked. However, I like them all in different ways. The original drawing no longer exists, as it's under the final piece.

The Woman in the Moon

Another simple ink drawing with the Pitt artist pen:

The Woman in the Moon, 2013, ink on tracing paper, 12" x 9".

They Did Not Listen

Drawn with an artist marker on tracing paper, as I have a pile of that stuff lying around.

They Did Not Listen, 2013, ink on tracing paper, 12" x 9".

Narcissus Regards Himself in His Reflecting Pool

New mythological drawing, one of many Narcissus images over the years:

Narcissus Regards Himself in His Reflecting Pool, 2013, acrylic & ink on paper, 11" x 8.3" approx.

Darkness Visible Tonight

A digital recombining of 2 or more versions of the same drawing...the digital rendering works much better than the piece itself. Sometimes accidents show us the way.

Below is the actual finished version of the drawing/painting:

The Boy Who Came Back from the Sea, 2013, ink & acrylic on tracing paper, 12" x 9".

The Straw Man Dances

Another ink/acrylic on cardboard...which came from the back of a Cheerios packet...

The Straw Man Dances, 2013, ink & acrylic on cardboard, 12.75" x 7.75" approx.

Saint Sebastian II

Another version of Saint Sebastian (see a few posts below for a color version), done as part of a collaborative project with another artist.

Saint Sebastian II, 2013, ink & acrylic on cardboard, 12" x 9".

Head of Bacchus

A small mythological drawing on a scrap of paper. Drawn with an ink marker over a rough sketch in blue-green pencil.

Head of Bacchus, 2013, 5.5" x 4.25" approx.

UDHR 5 on Silvia Scarpa Human Rights book

Special thanks to Silvia Scarpa in Rome, Italy, for sending me her book (& matching bookmark) with the painting of UDHR Article 5 prominently featured. The book looks very good with its matte varnish cover & I like the way the designer used the image with the title, etc.

An Introduction to International Human Rights Standards for Law Enforcement Authorities, by Silvia Scarpa, Universitalia 2012.

Silvia teaches various Human Rights courses at John Cabot University in Rome.

Alone in the Lifeboat

A new small painting on cardboard, done in a fairly primitive style:

Alone in the Lifeboat, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 11" x 7" approx.

The Dream

Another new small monochrome acrylic painting on cardboard:

The Dream, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 11" x 9" approx.

The Head of the Gorgon

I like to create a Medusa image once in a while...here is a new one...

The Head of the Gorgon, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 11" x 9" approx.

Conducting Research in the Ruins

This was a slightly strange painting...almost sci-fi in nature...

Conducting Research in the Ruins, 2013, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

Saints Jerome and Sebastian

These two small paintings are related to a collaborative project with another artist. More on that later.

Above: Saint Jerome, 2013, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

Above: Saint Sebastian, 2013, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

UDHR Article 5 on Human Rights book cover

I just received the final layout today from author Silvia Scarpa in Rome (thanks to Universitalia for the wonderful layout) for her new book, An Introduction to International Human Rights Standards for Law Enforcement Authorities, which features my 1991 painting of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) Article 5 on the cover. You can see my UDHR art series here.

The book can be purchased here.

Above: front cover & spine.

Above: front & back cover.

The Most Terrifying Angel of All

A reference to Rilke's Duino Elegy I. I might make a larger version of this...

The Most Terrifying Angel of All, 2013, acrylic on board, 12" x 9".

Sappho and Waiting for El Greco

These are 2 new small monochrome paintings on cardboard. It's been a while since I did some serious work, & it's a new year, so...

Sappho, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 13" x 11".

Waiting for El Greco, 2013, acrylic on cardboard, 13" x 11".

Heads of Birds

A small sketch by my 11-year-old son, whom I expect someday soon will surpass me in the drawing department...

Heads of Birds, by James Ayton 2012.

Shadow Bay in Chronogram

Here is a photo of Donald Rothschild & myself (halfway up on right w/ red & black scarf) surrounded by other local self-published authors from the latest issue of Chronogram, the Hudson Valley arts & culture magazine. We are the ones holding up our copies of Shadow Bay, our noir visual crime novel. For a full listing of the authors & the article ("Brave New Books"), please visit the Chronogram page.

Photo by Roy Gumpel / Chronogram magazine

Poster found on the web (Ascension)

I found this on a web page...seems to be from Russia/the Ukraine (?) but I have no idea. It does work rather well...the drawing is my "Ascension" piece from 1991...nice that people are finding uses for my work, though it would be nicer to be told...