Blue Rococo © Tré Inc. 2013
Having the blues, in such a room, is a thing of joy! I’ve been sequestered away — in my creative cave — working on my latest time travel series. This is one of the first images, I’ll not give away the storyline, as of yet. I can’t wait to officially release it later this year; if for nothing else, because we all need more pigeons with bow ties in our lives.
Wishing all of you a delightful end to this glorious summer.
Out of the Blue is my new art photograph now on display through the month of May at Touchstone Gallery in DC for the “A Dip In The Blue” members show. White fluffy clouds and a blue sky are two of my favorite things. It’s always good to start a new season on a positive note. I’m looking forward to the beautiful warm days yet to come. As of late, our teeter-tottering weather has me pondering, and this piece mirrors my curious nature.
spring clouds
dipped in blue—
my fluttering hat
Facebook catch ups are so refreshing. Afterward, a friend asked today: Aren’t you tired of being nice all the time? Because people must disappoint you a lot.
My answer: Disappointment follows agendas and expectations. My kindness is free of both.
For example, I believe people deserve kindness and respect. Since not everyone accepts or repays kindness—I respect that too.
Kindness, above all, is a gift I offer freely to those accepting. Those who reciprocate are a treasure, and the rest, they’re simply not compatible. There’s no need for disappointment.
I just want you to know that you’re not alone.
In short, just be you, and stay kind.
Obamaham © Tré Inc. 2012
This is a close-up of my graphite drawing now on display for POLITICS As UN-USUAL at the Touchstone Gallery in Washington D.C. You will also find it featured in the Arts section of today’s Washington Post.
Obamaham Featured In The Washington Post 01-13-13
A little background: So many firsts, this pencil and I. Before my childhood photography adventures, I first began drawing when I was almost 2. I was just old enough to walk and hold a pencil. My first exhibited art piece was a graphite drawing at age 8. My first art business—launched at age 10—was commissioned graphite portraits.
This piece was originally named Fruition, inspired by my respect for both Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President of The United States) and Barack Obama (the 44th President of The United States). Since there are not many good photographs or videos of Honest Abe, I peeked at M. Price’s portrait of him as a reference before drawing. It wasn’t until I began that I started to realize all the similarities of the two men. By comparison, both share not only a great command of the English language, but beyond that, they have similar features. Dark and kind eyes, deep-set mouth lines, high cheek bones, strong brows, and prominent ears. Before my paper, I stood with graphite in hand at the cross-road where The Age of Progress meets the Age of Technology, where turning a Right or Left both leads you to the White House. This is where I wondered:
What type of man would Lincoln be if he were alive today? How much of us is fashioned by the era we live in?
I’ll leave you with these words of wisdom concerning Abe: “President Lincoln knew that in these United States, no dream could ever be beyond our reach when we affirm that individual liberty is served, not negated, by seeking the common good.” —President Obama on the Emancipation Proclamation, which Lincoln issued over 150 years ago.
Regardless of the kind man he became, Lincoln was one of the great men who molded the USA into what it is today, a country with Barack Obama as President. That is what I call fruition.
Back To Nature By Tré © Tré Inc. 2013
Minden jót, ご多幸を祈る, beste ønsker, أطيب التمنيات, tusen hälsningar, 最良好的祝愿, i migliori auguri, האיחולים, hаилучшие пожелания, besten wünsche, mis mejores deseos, Τις καλύτερες ευχές μου, ด้วยความปรารถนาดี, meilleurs vœux, 행복을 빌어 요, najlepsze życzenia, muitas felicidades, všechno nejlepší, bedste ønsker, nakutakia heri!
Sitting beneath my Back To Nature series at Touchstone Gallery, in my bow tie, I contemplate the highlights of 2012. I’m very grateful for the ability to share my creations, and to experience the amazing art of my peers and friends. Dear artist friends and art lovers around the world, next year holds so many beautiful possibilities. Where ever you are, I’m sending out best wishes! May joy and inspiration keep and guide you on your continued journey. 2013 here we come!
Red Shade © Tré Inc. 2012
She opens the door and steps into the light. Finding herself beneath the warm red shade of a large tree, she pauses to breathe in the newness of her surroundings. Beyond the hill, a sun-drenched valley awaits. Adventure, mystery, and new possibilities abound. All she need do is follow the path leading towards the unfamiliar, and embrace her true destiny . . .
Shadow Record © Tré Inc. 2010
Music has now become a convenient pleasure. You can think of a song and download it within minutes. I recall a time when listening to it was a luxury that took a lot more effort. You’d wait with bated breath for your favorite band to release a new song on the radio, and wait till midnight to see a new music video premiering on MTV (a blank VHS in the player, and your trigger happy finger on the record button). As much as I love progress and technology, I still romantically hold on to my vinyl records. The dusty crackle and pop as the needle hits the record, that white noise pause before the music kicks in—it all takes me back to happy memories of running in place while listening to Del Shannon’s Runaway, bopping to Bobby Day’s Rockin’ Robin, and wistfully tossing spare change into the air as Bille Holiday sang Pennies From Heaven. Records are priceless tomes in my library, and this piece is a homage to my undying love for vinyl.
Meadows of Dan © Tré Inc. 2012
One of my fondest childhood memories is the Summer of my 4th year. I was barefoot, in a black-and-white-striped bathing suit, dashing in and out of my grandparent’s creek. There was a wide green meadow—dappled with Queen Anne’s Lace—the creek wound its way through and across a field where two horses roamed. They answered to the names Blackberry and Sunshine. I’d visit them with tiny fists of clover, and carefully, I’d climb the worn wooden fence to hop upon their backs. For hours, I’d take turns riding them, free as the wind. I’d lay along their backs and pet them as they grazed, braid flowers into their manes, and tell them stories from my imagination. They taught me how to love without expectation or agenda, and that speaking without words is how nature also communicates.
Notré Dame © Tré Inc. 2012
Autumn glides in like the perfect Lady. The chill kiss of October whispers on the breeze, a promise of changing leaves and pumpkin spice. I carry a remnant of Paris with me—the stained glass of Notre Dame, pinned to my necklace from Tokyo’s Harajuku district. The base of the pin is my painting of a pocket watch, an element of time’s frozen cogs. If I could freeze time now it would be while sipping hot apple cider laced with cinnamon and nutmeg, smiling, wishing all of you a magically wonderful Harvest Season. Autumn is here!
Breathe Deep © Tré Inc. 2012
It was Jim Morrison that said: “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on an individual level. It’s got to happen inside first.”
Whether it’s making your life happier or helping others, you are the revolution that you have waited for. Never forget how powerful you are.
Wire Girl & Cardboard Man © Tré Inc. 2012
“Wire Girl & Cardboard Man” is a Trémotion Pictures production. I had the great pleasure to create and direct this music video for Dickie Chapin’s music project, Colortone. I handmade the characters using recycled and green materials. There are featured scenes in the video that were shot in historic sites in London and around the Washington DC area. The video is now available on YouTube and Vimeo.