It started with an old photo taken by my father - a 95 year old Korean War Veteran, of me as a child sporting peace at the bow of a boat belonging to my grandfather, a legendary Norfolk policeman, known for his fearlessness and honesty, when corruption and poverty were widespread. While dad’s photo was already promoting peace as the cover photo of my “Peace begets Peace” FB Group started during the pandemic, this campaign continues a family legacy (both parents served in the military) of service. Thank you for your support and service.
Letter to Bruce Springsteen Published /
#ClarenceClemons and I are from the same area - #Norfolk. The art I did in my hometown promoting #BornintheUSA as a display artist in which I painted a 6” x 6” reproduction of that hung on a #recordstore for thousands to see, earned me 2 platinumalbums, uncommon for a display artist to receive in #1984. One‘s a key piece in my #1980s Exhibit at ART’S UP Gallery , which starts with a memorial drawing I did in #1980 for Lennon from the #Beatles who inspired #Springsteen to pursue music. Norfolk is a very #patriotic region, boasting the largest #navy base in the world. Both parents served - dad is a #KoreanWarVet in his #90s. In my letter I requested that Bruce bring hisvguitar and strum a tune to bring the exhibit to life. Being Born in the USA, I dream big. #nfk #theboss #BruceSpringsteen #usa #military #NOB #supportthetroops #usnavy #usarmy #usairforce #seals #coastguard #oceana #cityofvirginiabeach #mayor #bobbydyer #tidewater #hamptonroads #patriotism #dreambig #americanflag #instagoid #yelp #norfolkva #eighties #artwork #fm99
My "Art's Up! Gallery" gets a boost from Front Page News, days before debut /
Just got the key to the space 10 days ago and rushed to get enough art up to welcome the press to a preview and interview with photographer on Wednesday 21. Story breaks online on the 24. And on 25th the Sunday newspapers sport the story as front page news. Very impressed with the way the press is able to create under crazy deadlines a work of art while telling a story.
Me and the latest incarnation of Beheaded Betty, the centerpiece of my debut exhibit at Art’s Up! Gallery at Pembroke Mall.
Beheaded Betty Boop’s 15th Anniversary Headless /
Fifteen year's after a life-sized statue of Betty Boop was Beheaded on Virginia Beach’s infamous Shore Drive, numbered relics of her body are being made available. When the story made national headlines, King Features and the President of Fleischer Studios, Mark Fleischer, and grandson of Betty Boop’s creator (Max Fleischer), offered a reward for the return of the head. But the whereabouts of the head remains a mystery. The relic is attached to a laminated cardstock surface measuring approx. 10” h x 7 3/4” w, with info on back and front. Limited Edition collectible is signed by the owner of the Beheaded Betty, and the one who wrote the original press release that became a national headline. Customer will receive a random numbered relic. Price may change without notice. Link to store: https://bit.ly/3iuZmXw
Virus Fighter channels the Inner Warrior /
Vintage drawing from the ‘90’s came to life to join the fight against Covid-19. “Take that Covid” recalls the propaganda posters that rallied against other historical pests. Pick your size and color at this link: https://bit.ly/2QN2zGR
Mysterious Vanished Portrait of "Witch of Pungo" Displayed at Norfolk Pretlow Library /
When the Original portrait of the “Witch of Pungo” vanished from a Witchduck printshop in 2017, it was a shock not only to me; the printshop’s staff, manager, and company headquarters were also shocked. They don’t lose originals and they affirmed that they “don’t throw originals away, even if a kid drawing.” I, myself had been using their attentive services for years, without any problems. Things got errier when, for my loss, I was awarded a check - it was dated the same day that the “Witch of Pungo” received her award (apparently, her only award in over a dozen cases). Come pose with the painting of the original vanished portrait, that is positioned in the front of the Norfolk Pretlow Library in Ocean View where I grew up blocks away and live again. I spent teenage years living on the river where Grace Sherwood was ducked in 1706. The story behind the portrait took on a life of its own when as I was working on the 4’ x 4’ painting - touching up the eye, my wife shouted out the back door to the garage, that my mother-in-law (her mother) just died. I quickly altered the vertical line from the left eye into a teardrop in memorial. Continuing a long string of connections, the funeral was up in Stafford, CT, just some 30-40 mules from where some of the first witch trials in colonial America occurred in Springfield, CT. My book sporting the portrait, “Curse of Witchduck,” published this year, has so many connections to real life events. The description written for the book, has all along been prophetic: “What began as an author’s light taker on his neighborhood’s famously dark past, unearthed eerie links to the present, climaxing with a tragedy way too close to home.” More connections are in the book. The curious portrait is a poignant expression of how art and writing merge with an artist’s/author’s real life.
“Curse of Witchduck” Book Surfaces at Pretlow Library /
It all started as a postage stamp sized portrait of local “Witch of Pungo” as she appeared in my comic strip featuring her old “ducking” grounds at Witch Duck Point. I figured if I couldn’t sell them, I’d give them away at Cool and Eclectic as a weekly give-a-way where winners were drawn from dropped off entry forms. It went okay, until a portrait of the “Witch of Pungo” was featured in the strip. Then some mischievous magic happened - the original portrait vanished from the Witchduck printshop. Apparently the first and only time an original went missing there. Then something eerie happened - the compensation check for his loss was dated - get this - the same day that the “Witch of Pungo” received a rare award in court, apparently, her only win in over a dozen cases. I featured the “Vanished Portrait” of the “Witch of Pungo” on the cover of my book, “ Curse of Witchduck” which was picked up by the Slover Library and the Pretlow Library where I was invited to give a book talk soon. I then submitted a large hand-painted version of the portrait to sit at the entrance of the library facing theChesapeake Bay. I’m now organizing a trip from the ducking spot to the library on a boat.
Vanished Portrait of "Witch of Pungo" released with Book to Benefit the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund /
Portait of "the Virginia Beach “Witch of Pungo” went mysteriously missing from the Witchduck Printer. In honor of the 313th Anniversary of her ducking at Witch Duck Point (where I grew up as a teen) I have released the image as a signed numbered edition of the poster (313 copies). Proceeds from 150 posters benefits the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund. Proceeds from 125 books featuring the portrait on the cover also goes to the same fund. Customers pick up their EXCLUSIVE special edition posters and books at Cool and Eclectic at Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach. This Special Edition features matching bookmarks featuring rosemary picked directly from Grace Sherwood’s herb garden by her church’s vestry and handed to the author Customers wanting to donate will make payment directly to the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund: 115 signed, numbered books and 150 prints will benefit the VBTF. Thank you for supporting a good cause and a local author/artist.
Special Edition of 313 “Witch of Pungo” Book and Poster @ Pembroke Mall
Shoe the 757 can call their own /
A shoe design for the 757 to build our brand. Highlighting our region’s rich nautical history, I created a logo framing our 757 with a porthole, added dock rope trim, used a sand colored bottom sole, water blue midsole, and the 4 sides of a boat as the 4 sides of the shoe, emphasizing the STAR of the right side, STARboard, to emphasize that we are the stars of the 757 - this shoe doesn’t represent a single celebrity to add to their vast fortune, but it represents the region and its constituents. The friendly mammal - the dolphin at the front of the shoe serves to represent our welcoming nature, sort of an extended hand. Putting our best foot forward, I want these shoes to be manufactured locally to build “Made in the 757” brand.
"Build a Dream" Homes as "Door Prizes" from the Door Plant for opening of homeless center won't happen...But another door opens... /
For 19 months, Artchilles has worked on getting some of his "Build a Dream" drawings of homes, created on the factory floor, at Kempsville Building Materials, back to the location they were created, the Housing Resource Center, that opens there Aug. 23. What makes more sense than placing in the facility, works that were created there, by a struggling artist, who salvaged a dream there. He was down on his luck just like the people the center is to help. He is an artist that has come up in the School of Hard Knocks of the Door Plant, to develope an award-winning drawing style. He drew on old invoices, bearing the KBM logo, and building developments of the bustling late 1980's and early 1990's, adding history to the works. The invoioces were ripped to adapt to the small drawing board. In between assembling doors on the line, he drew his heart out. To improve efficiency, he took up karate. He was the most efficient worker on his machine, and when there was a contest for cost saving ideas, he won the Grand Prize.
Housing Resource Center was a place of Dreams Before it was a Homeless Center /
While building doors in the Door Plant, Artchilles was building an art dream. Starting with scrap wood, is passion poured out, as passing train horns, rose above the chop saws, and the call above that.
