Wagons Ho!

  

Long time gone

Hey everybody, I've been away for a while (health crap) but am back now, for a while anyway. Still have to have some surgery but should be back on my feet shortly after. Just wanted to let everyone know that I'm still around and still cranking out some art works on a limited basis but still doin it!
Hope you enjoy the new stuff.
Come back soon
See ya, Neil

Illustration Friday: Farm

 

This is a watercolor I did a few months ago from a old black & white photograph my mother took back in 1956 of the barn on the first farm we lived on located in Gabbettville, Georgia. Gabbettville is a little farming community in SW Georgia on the Chattahoochee river about 70 miles SW of Atlanta. Population approximately 34 people, 2000 cows,500 hogs and a million chickens.This was a rental farm that we lived on for about a year while my dad looked for a farm to buy. He finally found our permenant farm in 1957. My memories of life on this farm are something I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. We were mainly chicken farmers with most of our income coming from the sale of broiler chickens but we also raised a couple 100 head of cattle, four to six hogs and anywhere from 6 to 8 horses. We also grew about 5 acres of corn for feed for the animals and had a kitchen garden that supplied all of our food. Most people say they wouldn't want to live their childhood again if given the chance but I'd do it in a heart beat. I loved every minute of it and would not hesitate to go back.
Neil

 

Illustration Friday: Match

 

Sometimes you're not as much of a match as you think you are. This is from my childhood. I was actually about 5 when this happened but I decided to make the character a little older, maybe 7 or 8. I was head over hills in love with my next door neighbor who happened to be about 22. Hey age didn't bother me none. Anyway, one day I decided to let her know that I thought we were a perfect match and that I loved her so I sat out in front of my house and waited for her to get off work as I did every day but, this day she never showed and I sat there for hours waiting while the flowers proceeded to die. Finally my mom made me come into the house for supper so I threw the flowers away and went in. The next day when my neighbor got home she told me she had been on a date with her new boyfriend and and had not gotten home til very late. She told me she was sorry but she couldn't stay and talk as she had a date this evening too. Oh well, first of many broken hearts during my life time and I'm sure I haven't seen the last one yet. Drawn in graphite on bristol and then scanned into photoshop and colored.
Neil

 

Illustration Friday: Play

 

The Lion, the Rabbet and the magic Frog, Act 1, Scene 1. In elementary school the school plays are exciting little theaters. I always loved going to them though I was never in one myself. I always enjoyed going to them and watching my friends perform. Prismacolor on bristol scanned into photoshop and enhanced a little.
Neil

 

Illustration Friday: Capture

 

Once the Green Heron has captured the prey with its incredible vision, it is only a matter of time before it is the herons next meal. With lighting speed the heron is able to swoop down and grab its prey and swallow it whole then it will return to its perch and wait for the next victim. I captured a picture of this heron on our pond and have been observing it now for two years. Last year it had two babies and stayed around for a few weeks before moving on. Graphite on paper.
Neil

 

Illustration Friday: Clean

 

I don't think there is anything in the world sweeter than a freshly bathed baby. I love the tenderness, the baby lotion, baby powder smell and how they always get a little sleepy afterwards and look so sweet and innocent. Nothing better!
Neil

 

Sweet Lilly

 

Grandpa's bragging rights. Prismacolor on Bristol. Done from a photograph I did of her last time I visited Atlanta. Miss her terribly.
Neil

 

Illustration Friday: Opposites

 

Ok, I admit it I was stumped by this weeks subject. I thought so hard my brain hurt. So.....I finally decided to go with the obvious literal interpretation of the word. This was taken from a self portrait I took when I was gonna shave my beard off. Just for kicks I only shaved the mustache first and dressed in Amish style clothes for the picture. Hey, if the art doesn't work out I can always move to Pa. and grow veggies.
Neil