Much as I love the meditative repetition of my word art, there are times when I get frustrated with the rigidity of the process. This month, I’ve been experimenting with a pictorial technique that I’ve jokingly referred to as Keith Haring-lite. The shift to this freer, more joyful style may indeed have something to do with visiting the Museum of Modern Art, where I very nearly broke down in tears in front of Haring’s “Untitled” piece.

My concern with this technique is that it feels too derivative. It’s somewhere between imitation and emulation, and my hope is that it will evolve into innovation as time passes. It’s also possible that I’ll lose interest and abandon this approach in a few months! There’s only one way to find out.

Long-winded introduction aside, “Under The Sea” is the first completed piece in this series. I started drawing a fish, and to paraphrase my 3 year-old niece, I decided that it needed some friends. Soon, it was surrounded by more fish, an octopus, a mermaid, a sea horse, a starfish, a crab, kelp, and a clumsily drawn dolphin that’s wearing a party hat. The friendship mission was a success.

This piece was done on the back of a recycled, misprinted 4 x 6 greeting card made of watercolor paper. I used an oval mat as a guide for the shape of the piece, making my best attempt to keep the edges rough and avoid the borders. I’m extremely pleased with the resulting piece.

Is this piece available?

“Under The Sea” is available as a limited edition print in my online shop.

The original is not for sale.