The Weird People
I have always loved the word weird. It describes who I am and the people I find the most interesting. Weird people celebrate what makes them unique. They are not afraid to be labeled as quirky or unconventional. They are confident in who they are ( most of the time) and yet don’t always know where they fit in. They have a raw authenticity that is usually ignored, dismissed, or completely unseen. These are the people that populate this collection.
The Weird People series features non-photorealistic portraits and figure studies filled with mood, story, and character. The characters first live in my sketchbook and are later brought to life with bright, bold colors on canvas, fabric, or paper. Many of the sketches are created using a single continuous line drawing method often used in creative warm-up exercises. This loose method of drawing gives the figures their unusual proportions and eccentric features while also enabling me to capture a distinct mood or aspect of their character. Sometimes the mood is completely the character’s own, while other times, the character mirrors my current feelings.
When I first started this study, I wanted to learn to draw people better. After several years working this way in my sketchbook, I realized it was the path to my own style but also something deeper. It has allowed me to examine how I have internalized societal expectations of physical appearance. I have come to realize that the single line drawing process allows me to strip away the rules and beauty standards so that I can see both myself and the subject more clearly. My mood dictates the color palette I use, and sometimes, it dictates the characters’ expressions. Each character stands on their own as an individual, and yet each character is a part of myself. We are a community of weird people.
Happy Feelings | Oil Pastel Portrait
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmOriginal Painting Available for PurchaseI used oil pastel on one of my single-line portrait sketches to create this piece in my sketchbook. I wanted to work on a figure who was feeling happy and positive....
Standing in the Wind
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseThe Process See the creation of this piece in this video:
A Serious Zombie Girl
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseThe Process You can see the making of this piece in this video.
Headaches
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseI made this on a day when I had a headache. You can see the exhaustion in the character's face and her frustration with the pain.You can watch the creation of this piece in this video...
Looking For Focus
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseLife isn't always what we expect it to be. Unexpected events can cause us to feel tired and lose our focus. This is exactly what this character is portraying here. I feel her...
Melancholy Girl, Version 2
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseThis is the second version of this work. The original was created with acrylic paint on fabric and canvas.
Melancholy Girl
Materials: acrylic paint on fabric from a reclaimed shirt on canvas. Size: 8 x 8 in/ 20 x 20 cmAvailable for PurchaseMany of my paintings reflect my moods. They allow me to leave emotions on the canvas rather than carry them within me. Like many of my paintings, this...
Sad Girl
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size: 8.9 x 8.3 In/ 225 x 210mmAvailable for PurchaseThe painting reflects the mood I was in when it was created. Sometimes with mental health issues, a person can become sad without there being an actual reason to feel sad. The girl's...
Two Worried Girls, Version 2
Materials: Oil Pastel on paper. Size 6 x 8.5 inches/ 15 x 21 cmAvailable for PurchaseThis is the second version of this drawing. The original was created with acrylic paint on paper.
Two Worried Girls
Materials: Acrylic Paint and oil pastel on paper, Size A4- 21 x 29.7 cm/ 8.3 x 11.7 in Available for PurchaseI am not sure why they are worried but you can see the concern on their faces. Something nearby has both of them on edge. The Process