Ball point pen on the morning newsprint After Opec nations agreed to cut oil production by 1.5 million barrels a day, the price of oil is still falling. As world demand slips and the strength of the US dollar increases, the price of a barrel of oil fell below 60 dollars yesterday. Secretary General of OPEC, Abdallah Salem el-Badri has called for an emergency meeting before the scheduled December meeting of Opec nations. He can't be pleased,.. but Americans are thankful for the reprieve at the pumps. ...
Read MoreMonthly Archives: November 2008
Ball point pen on the morning newsprint My Father, Joseph R. Roibal Jr. or Jose to his friends, served in the US Navy during the Korean War. While serving a long tour at sea, a virulent strain of streptococcus running throughout the ship led sick bay to run out of antibiotics. An infection settled in Joseph's kidneys, leading to his medical discharge from the Navy, eventually to total renal failure, and after many years of dialysis, to his early passing at the age of 57. If the above seems like a small footnote, that's intentional. He never let that monumental event define who he was. A first generation American, he was a strong man in body and mind, a hard worker, tough as nails on the outside, but a loving caring guy to the core....I miss him. ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint While I patiently await more cabinet appointments to profile, I wanted to take a moment to consider how artists united behind a candidate. Barack Obama didn't just inspire people to come to the polls, he inspired both visual and recording artists from around the world to do what artists do best, hold up a mirror to society and reflect a moment in time. Solo artist and member of the Black Eyed Peas, Will.i.am was inspired to create some very memorable work in support and in celebration of this historic moment in time. ...
Read MoreWhen I started blogging 8 months ago, I pondered what to blog about. Being I spend most of my waking hours alone in my studio, I could hardly conceive of a more boring subject to write about than myself, so, I followed the old writers axiom, "write what you know". Being a news junkie, there was a little ritual that I've been doing for years; morning drawings of the news makers of the day. They're done over coffee or on the train, quick doodles, done without corrections and off they go into the recycling bin without fanfare. I never really considered it to be part of my career as an illustrator. Just an exercise. I was digging the context that the text added to my drawings, but being they were drawn on the newspaper, they couldn't be used for publication. Enter Bob Lindler, the imaginative Art Director for Walden Alumni Magazine. He saw my blog and said he's always looking to put a un ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint If I grew to be 6 foot 9 inches tall, I have no doubt that I would have played in the NBA instead of drawing and painting, (so mad are my skills with the rock)... But John Michael Crichton M.D. had an intellect and skill set far greater than mine and it seems there was little he couldn't accomplish. While still a medical student at Harvard University, he wrote and published Andromeda Strain. He went on to get his medical degree, write Congo, Sphere, Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Disclosure, Timeline, State of Fear and more. He wrote screen plays, produced and directed films. He was the creator of the television series ER. His stories often revolved around science gone wrong. He caused controversy when he disagreed with environmentalists in his book State of Fear, but his success as a writer was undeniable. He had a great knack for weaving his exha ...
Read MoreBall point pen on the morning newsprint Yes We Did! Unfortunately I can't stop to savor the moment because I have two early morning photo shoots in NY.... I wish I had time to do a better drawing or wax poetic, ... I did this 5 am doodle and I'm off to catch a train, but feel free to wax to your hearts content, I'd like to here your thoughts on this historic day. ...
Read More...To the prairies, to the oceans, white with foam... Lisa, of New Jersey, Sandy and Roz of Florida, and Lenny and Janice with their children Benjamin and Hannah of Colorado support Obama at their family gathering. ...Also, since the election is tomorrow, I wanted to thank everyone who took the time and effort to tile this drawing together, display it in your homes, schools and work places in support of Senator Obama. If you've been missing my daily portrait of news makers, I will resume posting my sketches after the election. If you found your way here looking for the Obama Poster, I hope you'll come back and visit me and my portrait of the day doodle. NOW GO VOTE! ...
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