My work centers desire. Desire, shared with the viewer, for masculine forms with admixtures of the soft, vulnerable, spiritual, and occasionally humorous.
Hello, darlings, how are you? Looking fabulous, as always! We begin with a warning: today's diatribe is both lengthy and political. We've got full-frontal socialism on display again. You've been warned. For the capitalists, please consult: Is AI Profitable? before being on your merry way. Now, on with the show... For me it started feeling like it was everywhere, and I mean everywhere, by late '23.…
Spoiler warning: I give away some plots points from Marvel Studios' Thunderbolts* (2025). Hello, darlings. How are you? Looking fabulous as always. On a whim, I recently revived my canceled Disney+ subscription to catch up on some streaming. Superhero streaming to be precise. Though not making the headlines like they were in the before-times, the Marvel offerings remain surprisingly…
Hello, darlings. Looking fabulous as always. I'm often asked about inspiration. "Where do you get your ideas?" or "How did you come up with that?" The answer, unsatisfying to many, may well be: the ideas find me. Offering 4: Air, change is in the wind 20 in x 16 in, oil on canvas There's a strain of thought among artists that we are conduits more than originators of our art. That the essence of…
Hello, darlings, how are you? Looking fabulous, as always. After a very trying year, I've finally found and taken a full-time job. It's brutal out there, darlings. No shock, there, right? This one's a bit different in that it's 5 days a week. Up to now, most of the jobs I've had to support myself have been less than that--mostly 4 days a week. I've found the four-day job to be the ideal balance.…
Hello, darlings. Happy New Year! Despite the rocky start, may 2026 bring you every relief you desire from the dumpster fire of 2025. Good riddance! It's at moments like these that I turn to the uplifting work of Aaron Reynolds, aka Effin' Birds. The turning of the year always leads me into a contemplation of the passage of time. And by passage of time I’m really talking about aging. I’m reminded…
In my quest to become more philosophical—given the times we find ourselves in—I was recently introduced to the term “posthumanism”. My first thought was of the bullshit tech bros get up to in trying to “hack” the body and reverse aging, live forever, store their brains in computers, etc. That apparently goes by the name of “transhumanism”. Hahahaha, good luck with that, gents. So far all they’ve…
If you’ve been hanging around these parts for any length of you, you’ll have noticed that I love (and create) weird sci-fi. So, no surprise that I’m equally drawn to weird science—even without the fiction. It’s actually extra thrilling to stop and think “this shit is real?!” It’s a fun prompt to stop and look around at the world a little differently, a little more deeply. My current venture into…
Hello, darlings, looking fabulous as always. Protest is in the air these days. People are in motion everywhere. And the energy of this moment is very “counter”, very much about stopping, denying, ending. Stays, injunctions, blockades, occupations and more. Change is never easy, and often begins with fighting and resistance. But once the fighting is done, the enemy defeated, what next? The energy…
Not too long ago I got the chance to see the musical Cabaret on Broadway starring the delightful Orville Peck as the Emcee. I got to thinking about male beauty for…reasons. But also the word beautiful itself, which becomes quite loaded in that show. What starts as a bit of clever banter in the opening (“Even the orchestra is beautiful”) becomes a not-so-veiled threat by the end (“You didn’t find…
Over the past few weeks I’ve been watching the second season of the Star Wars series Andor . I am absolutely loving it and glad to see the Star Wars franchise still has some magic in it. And not just magic, but some spine, too! What we’re seeing now is the result of years of work, but still its appearance at this moment is remarkable. It’s giving us a very unvarnished look at fascism and the…
You may remember a few months ago I wrote about the eery and thought-provoking Three-Body Problem series of books. In particular, the second book, The Dark Forest really stuck with me. Not long after that, I came across the writings of a group calling itself the Dark Forest Collective . “Wait,” I thought, “could that be a reference to the book I just read?” Well, darlings, it is! But it’s not…
I'm thrilled to have two paintings included in the latest volume of the International Human Rights Arts Movement journal. Here's what they have to say about it. The Evolving Gaze: Society's Voice for Masculinity In The Evolving Gaze , the featured authors and artists share raw first-hand experiences and bring a broad spectrum of perspectives to the forefront, challenging traditional notions of…
Amidst the banter of an online discussion group for artists, one mod threw out an interesting little prompt (as she’s wont to do from time to time): Have you ever noticed how the materials we choose shape not only our work but also the way we think and the meaning of what is presented to the world? What do your material choices say about you? I found myself without immediate answers. So here I go,…
As I put the finishing touches on the next installments in both of my ongoing comic sagas ( Pleasure Moons and Taking Flight ), I’ve been thinking about coexistence and cooperation. Also, given the state of the world right now, the thinking in question is largely concerns about the distressing lack of both. I’m happy to say both stories are built on these two ideas and hopefully show, in their own…
Darlings, I thought we’d start the new year with a recommended read. File this one under truth is stranger than fiction: The Light Eaters , by Zoe Schlanger. With all that’s going on—and about to come—it can be easy to give into the human-centered doom and gloom. But, I think some time with other, possibly smarter, forms of life might be restorative. Think of it as bloomscrolling. While it is a…
You’ve no doubt noticed the proliferation of the letters “A” and “I” in all sorts of contexts—warranted and otherwise. These two little letters have become de rigueur for techbro edgelords, flailing politicians, and corporate types. And this goon squad is taking us all along for the ride, willing or not. Confession time: if you hadn’t already guessed, I’m a bit unimpressed with the current wave of…
A change in season and change in scenery often produces thoughts of a philosophical nature. And when they emerge amidst a spacious atmosphere and can breathe a bit, I find them becoming a tad mystical and big-picture. So, surrounded as I am with changing fall foliage and gentle wooded hills, my thoughts turn to contemplating about where does art come from. Am I the origin of it, or a conduit for…
A sporadic, but always welcome, addition to my inbox are the missives from the delightful Adam Rowe about his quixotic and singular passion: retro sci-fi art. In addition to the newsletter, he’s also published a gorgeous book for you to really sink your teeth into. Looking at art on screens is lovely and all, but a big fat book is a great way to savor some art. Illustrations for covers are most,…
Alright, darlings, let's get busy with some feisty political talk—and, true to form, a big fat complicated book to read! The book is not immediately about art, it comes from the world of violence prevention work. But, it’s about art, too, even if they authors don’t mention it specifically. Hopefully you’ll stick with me on this little journey. We begin at the unlikely starting point of…
In the spare moments of repose between day job shenanigans and artistic exploits, I’ve nearly finished a recent biography of John Singer Sargent called The Grand Affair . I came across this lengthy tome while browsing at a Barnes & Noble. Yes, an accidental discovery of a real book in a real book store—I know, so retro! Somewhere in the back of my mind was a recollection that Sargent had a thing…
Hello, darlings, how are you? Looking fabulous, as always. I recently finished a lovely book mentioned by an artist on a podcast . It was an offhand mention and the conversation quickly moved on, but its title really caught my attention. Chromophobia by David Batchelor. “Wait,” I thought, “is that even a thing? How can you be afraid of color?” So, I had to find the book. Read it, loved it. I think…
Nestled at the bottom of a recent morning’s round up of news from the New York Times was a fun little article (gift link) about the still on-going excavation of Pompeii. I mean, for how many centuries now have people been picking away at those lava-covered ruins? While finds like cool frescoes in a dining room garner coverage in major outlets, rarely does anyone discuss the amazing number of…
One of the most wonderful spring rituals of the NYC area is the New York Botanical Garden’s Orchid Show . A fabulously steamy display of the sexiest flowers nature has to offer. You’ve got more sexual organs on display than even the wildest backroom. Over the last couple of years, flowers have been showing up more and more in my paintings. So, on the occasion of my visit to this year’s…
Twisted wood branches in the foreground with an arc of stars in the sky above a dark distant mountain. A sea of purple aster flowers, with round yellow centers and thick manes of straight thin lavender petals, like purple daisies. Lovely little poems, these, you might be saying. But, they're not poems, exactly. They're very interesting examples of alt text (taken from this amazing book ). On…
Today, I’d like to celebrate that magical, mysterious, sometimes painful, moment of “knowing” a painting is done. I mean, seriously, you can keep working on the damn thing forever. “Finished” isn’t so much a distinct state or point in time as it is a decision and declaration. Put the brush down and call it done. Sometimes joyful, sometimes frustrated. Sometimes just plain exhausted. All this to…
Let's talk about men. A subject near and dear to my heart—the subject of most of my art and a great deal of my attention. And on this thrilling and messy topic, may I present for your delectation, The Male Gazed by Manuel Betancourt. Both personal and insightful, Betancourt gives us a single individual’s experience (his own) as a lens through which to see larger trends around male beauty and the…
If your ideas of Buddhism derive primarily from the monastic traditions or the blissed-out and commodified western misinterpretations, then the description “engaged” might surprise you a bit. Perhaps not entirely unlike my combining of Buddhist and erotic might surprise you. There are some paths dedicated to silence and retreat, entirely to inner cultivation and cessation of all emotion and…
Buddhism and the erotic is not a combination you come across everyday. But trust me, two great tastes that taste great together. I have identified as Buddhist for a while now. It creeps into my work here and there. It might be subtle thematic ideas like this series of paintings . Or, it’ll show up in the comics in the form of characters and events inspired by the absolutely astounding array of…
I have from time to time waxed eloquent (I hope) about my fixations with warrior imagery and hyper-gay hyper-masculinity. For today’s installment of the beefcake bouquet: Spartacus , queer hero. But not, as you might suspect, inspired by the clashing swords and blood-spattered TV show or the cheese-fest extraordinaire movie . Instead, I'm turning to historical inspirations. At least, what little…
I recently had the honor of participating in a group show dedicated to smut. Yes, you read that right. It was called Dirty Little Drawings , and that's exactly what it was. Hundreds of 5.5 inch square artworks on paper dedicated to pleasurably erotic depictions of the male form. Was this just a bunch of artists getting their rocks off, or was it something deeper—a form of pleasure activism ?…
A beefcake bonanza Today I'd like to take you, darling, on a journey through some gay erotic surrealism. Think of it as a beefcake bonanza. It all started with a twitter thread of appreciation for the particular skill with which Frank Frazetta presented a wide array of fantastical derrieres. This one, which I’ve written about before caught my eye, especially. Swords of Mars (1975) by Frank…
Blaise. Modesty Blaise. Bond, Bourne, and Hunt, listen up. Yeah, you’re easy on the eyes, but move the heck over. Let Modesty show you how it’s really done. She’s not a mindless weapons of state power. She’s not an emblem of toxic masculinity. She’s not a cop in a tux. She’s her own person, makes her own decisions. She helps those who truly need it, guided by her stern moral code rather than the…
Why the human figure? Of the many things an artist can paint or draw, I always come back to figure drawing. Not that I don't love a good, dreamy landscape or charming still-life. But time and energy are limited, and the flesh is weak, so I go where the urge, the need is strongest. It's all about desire, many kinds of desire. At the bottom of heap is your basic horny lust. Let's just get that out…
We can all agree that social media is a currently a mess. In its brief history, however, it has opened up amazing and unheard of possibilities for connection and collaboration. Opting out completely would be hard, and a huge loss. Walking away is not the answer to our current woes. There are alternatives. For several years now, a quiet revolution has been taking place. It’s only with the very…
A new series of small paintings As Shakyamuni Buddha sat under the bodhi tree on the night of his enlightenment, the demon Mara and his hordes attacked him with scores and scores of arrows. Gently touching the ground, the Buddha called upon the power of the earth and quietly transformed the arrows to flowers. An assault became a delicate shower of soft petals, glistening in the moonlight.…
If you haven't read the lovely book Never Say You Can’t Survive by Charlie Jane Anders, I suggest you do. In it she encourages us to tell our stories—even if just to ourselves—to fight the darkness always at the door. Storytelling is important to my work, and to my soul, so I’m always exploring the various nooks and crannies, drives and desires that propel new stories out of the darkness. Darling,…
The word “office” wears a lot of outfits. It can be a job, the place to do a job, some religious something or other or a big-ass bureaucratic smorgus-bord of stuffy egos and stuffed pockets. Peel off all the layers of clothing and there’s a nice surprise at the bottom (known a few bois like that): the latin opifex. It sounds cool, right outta Star Trek, but also means “maker, artisan, craftsman”…
Sitting in a circle at the end of a very intense 10-day workshop, our yoda-in-residence offered one final, very intriguing insight. Short–not Yoda short–big fluffy white Santa beard, and a gentle, non-threatening midwestern demeanor all conspired to hide his deep intellect and vast well of creative experience. In other words, he didn’t look the part of theatrical genius at all. Actually, thank…
Your physique is not a product, or even a goal, it's a process. One that never stops changing. Approaching physique as process has changed my relationship with my body and shifted my approach from one of desperately trying to achieve a single, static and perfect appearance to an open-ended exploration of movement. What does this have to do with art, you ask? Paradoxically, understanding movement…
I have written, and said a few times, semi-earnestly "don't make characters straight unless you have to"—or words to that effect. Yes, there is irony at work. But there's something deeper to it. Buried in the snark is also a question: is it okay to focus my work entirely on the queer? The scales of representation still skew heavily to the straight, white, and cisgendered. People that don't check…
Some recent reading of Kickstarted goodies got me thinking about muscles. Like I ever stop. What was I reading? Well, since you ask: Comrade Himbo, an anthology by POMEgranate Magazine and Beef Bros by Aubrey Sitterson and Tyrell Cannon. Both books put some beefy physiques front and center (bring it on!) but more than that, we get big heart with our big biceps. The courage, generosity, and…
The cover, of course! I would never be offended to hear "I bought your book for the cover." I gained a new appreciation and love for the power of covers from reading the first two books in the Sex and Horror series by Mark Alfrey. While not my preferred flavor of cheesecake, I can't help but love, love, love the balls-to-the-wall ferocity of these covers. While the more uptight might quiver at the…
For all you process geeks out there, I'm opening the studio up for a little virtual tour. Today we're highlighting the making of comics. My process is a blend of physical and digital. Over the years, I've gleaned my ideas and skills from a variety of in-person and online learning. There's also a fair amount of trial and error, as you might imagine. I'm going to skip over the writing part, since…
You may have noticed, if you've wandered around this site before landing here, that I am given to an exaggeration of muscularity in my depiction of the male figure. It happens to coincide, and is surely informed by, current widely held ideals in Western society. I'm not bringing this up because it's problematic, necessarily, or something I want to change. I bring it up because it's worth examining…
In order to encourage inclusivity and a sense of belonging, the company I work for hosts an informal zoom call once a month where individuals give short presentations about passion projects outside of work. I was encouraged to take the plunge and do a quick demo of my comics. I was terrified since, as you may have noticed, my comics are very queer and very adult--quite literally NSFW. And yet,…
Life outside the studio may be on hold, but the art-making continues. I'm grateful for the manifold privileges of health, safety, and security that allow this. The last year held challenges for all of us, but it would be the height of ignorance and arrogance for me to complain without at least some acknowledgement of wide range of impacts the events of the year had. Curtailing outside activity…
A little book filled with big... Ambitions! Yeah, that's it, big ambitions. It is, in fact, a fabulous collection of art ambitiously exploring a wide variety of male beauty and sexuality. My own Beloved and God #1 is included, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the company it's keeping between these covers. Head on over to doableguys.com to purchase your copy. Proceeds benefit the LGBTQ+ charity…
We like to think that walls are solid, permanent, that they endure beyond us. Some do, and some don't. We feel much the same about our art. Same here: some does and some doesn't. When a work of art is deeply integrated into its space, when it is the space—a mural for example—then its fate is the same as that space. So, say a mural is created inside an office. It lives in that office, with the…
August 1-9, 2020Visit my gallery! The ‘Rona isn’t done with us yet. Not by a long shot. So, our friends at Doable Guys have moved the art show originally planned for this summer online. I’m thrilled and honored to be part of the show, selling no less than six original paintings. We live in a society that teaches us to compartmentalize the erotic. Pack that sh*t up, lock it away and only let it out…