Art and Conversation

I have been trying something different to try and break up the routine of being stuck at home EVERY single day. (No, not by choice). I have been walking down to a small park that is about 2 miles away from the house that I am living in. The park has a walking trail around a lake. It also has benches and tables where you can sit and just pass the time. I decided to start going there every day and just enjoy and good walk and the fresh air.

Yesterday, while sitting at "my" table a homeless man approached me and I was instantly annoyed. I was so sure that he was going to ask me for money or just sit and talk until my ears bled. I was wrong about both.

He introduced himself as Keith and offered his hand. When I shook his hand I noticed two things. First, that his hand was as cold as ice. Second, that he had the warmest smile I have seen in a while. He said that he noticed that I was drawing and just wanted to come over and sit with me a while because he was an artist too. I explained to him my "I'm not an artist, I just like to draw" theory to which he quickly replied, "Bullshit! If you draw then it is art and you are an artist!". I didn't argue anymore.

He began to tell me how he used to just keep a piece of paper and a pencil with him all the time just in case he had the urge to create a masterpiece. I offered him some paper and a pencil and we sat there and talked and sketched our pictures. I was working on this one at the time. Kieth drew out some landscaping from the scenery of the park, and I have to admit, it was really good. He would draw a little piece of a tree or a duck from the lake and then quickly stop to shade it with his finger. I offered him a little shading tool that I had made from just a torn piece of paper and he informed me that he didn't really need "fancy tools". I told him about this blog and asked if he would let me have the picture so I could post it here for people to see, (...that's if anyone actually reads this thing...) and he explained to me that he has art in museums all over and Florida and all around the world. Mostly he keeps them at his mother's house, but the really good ones go to a museum somewhere.
Our visit was cut short because they were giving away free canned food around the corner and Keith had to go. Whether or not he has drawings hanging in a museum is not for me to decide. I've never been in a museum, so how would I know. I only know that I enjoyed our conversation and I hope to have a chance to visit with Keith again.

The Incredible Hulk

I have always loved comic books for the colors and the details. The story line was just an added bonus. I would sit in the floor of my room with a whole stack of them and take in the beautiful art that filled the pages from cover to cover. And hey, who didn't want a pair of x-ray glasses or be able to beat up the sand kicking bully? In fact, I just passed down two milk crates full of comics to my oldest son, who seems to love them just as much as I do. (COOL!!) I have always been more partial to Marvel comics than DC, although Batman is one of the coolest heroes ever.

The picture I have today is of the Incredible Hulk. "The STRONGEST There Is!!!", and, one of my most favorite characters. I drew it a long time ago and I believe I seen it in a magazine as a 'Got Milk' add.

What makes the Hulk so cool is that he never asked to be here. It wasn't his idea that Bruce Banner play around while a gamma bomb exploded (Yes, I know about Rick Jones). And now that he is here all he wants to do is smash someone and then be left alone. N0w I ask you, what harm can come from that? Another reason is that the Hulk has no limit to his strength. The madder Hulk gets, the stronger Hulk gets.

Now, if you ask Bruce Banner he will tell you that having the Hulk around is a nuisance, but I disagree. How many times have we wished that we could just let our 'inner monster' loose? No regard, no remorse, just let it out and see what happens. Just reach through that little hole in the glass and slap the shit out of someone because they were, purposely, being as annoying as humanly possible.

We seem to live in a society that absolutely has a panic attack whenever someone gets the least bit upset. We've seen it in a restaurant, or while shopping. Someone gets mad and shouts at someone else and, instantly, people are afraid. They have their phones out and have them on stand by, ready to dial 911 (or the Marines, whichever they feel may be needed at the time). I'm not sure why. How do we know the person that just got yelled at didn't have it coming.

I'm not saying that we should just stand by idly and watch as some one gets the dog snot beat out of them because the just happened to wear the 'wrong' color T-shirt through the 'wrong' part of town, or as some crazy person goes tearing through a crowded place shooting at anything that moves. I'm only saying that anger is just another emotion, same as happiness, sadness, fear or even guilt. But we are taught from an early age that getting mad is just wrong. "Stay calm, Don't get upset" Why? I WANT to be upset! I DESERVE to be upset!

There are so many people that go out of their way to see just how mad they can make someone. Maybe its about time we took the Hulk's advice and just start "SMASHING PUNY HUMANS!!!!"

Skull and a Snake

I have two versions of the same drawing here. After finishing the first one I took a look at it and decided that something just didn't fit. I discussed this with my oldest son and my girl friend and we all decided that the eye had to go.

After that, I was informed that I needed to add a glob of maggots or another snake, a ball of fire, or a cloud of poot gas coming out of the eye socket. After removing the actual eye I decided that was all the picture needed.

It took me about 3 days to finish this one because I took the time to shade in around each scale individually, something my scanner didn't find as important as I did. (I gotta get a new scanner)
Here is the second and final version of the drawing. I think it turned out very well.

I like dropping myself into a picture like this. While working on this nothing else was in my head. No matter what is going on in my life. All of it goes away when I am drawing. All that is left is me and the idea in my head. It is most definitely a way for me to get away for a while. At least until my 4 beautiful wonder bugs come back to see me. Then I get to watch them make their own little master pieces.

1st Time

Hello There. I thought it was time that I actually did some typing on my own. After all, this is called 'Gary's Greetings'. I've never really tried anything like this before so I would ask that you be a little patient with me until I figure out how this stuff actually works. I am sure there is going to be more that a few typos, misprints and misspellings before this is all over.

I have always loved to draw. It is a way for me to just get away. Just sit down with my pencils and paper and the radio on and make something take shape. I do not consider myself the be the world's greatest artist. I don't really consider myself an "artist" at all. I just love to draw.

The picture here was actually one of the most popular designs I drew while I was a resident of the Harvey Hilton. I am not really sure why. This is just another version of the 'Laugh Now, Cry Later' masks, but this little drawing paid for more than a few canteen orders.

Dead Pool: by Guest Artist Wolverine

Gary's oldest son created this drawing of Dead Pool, a character from Hulk vs. Wolverine. His art was created with colored pencil on lined paper.

Conan in the Snow

Another drawing from the archives: Gary drew Conan in the snow using pencil on white paper....when he was 14 years old! Due to the size of the drawing, some of it was cut off during scanning. The paper has also been folded, resulting in the lines in the center of the drawing.

Robot Drawing

This drawing is from the archives! During the 1990's, Gary drew this robot using pencil on plain white paper.