Abu Ghraib

Fallujah

It has been over three weeks since I have posted any new work so I am happy to be able to show everyone what I have been doing during that time. The second image was started at the end of the school year and I finally had a chance to finish the drawing, prime the paper, and add some color. The first drawing was started in late August and I finished it about a week and a half ago. Like the other drawings in the series, they are about contemporary war crimes.
However, drawing is not my only excuse for not keeping this blog up to date. I have been traveling quite a bit.

I took a 10 day tour of Lake Michigan to see friends, family, and some favorite bands. I started in Iron Mountain, MI then headed south to Milwaukee, WI where I visited my extremely well-balanced brother, Sean. Fellow artist and friend, Renée Hartig, took the ferry over from Muskegon, MI and we all went to see David Bazan at the local concert venue Shank Hall.

After Milwaukee, Renée and I went to Chicago, IL and saw Animal Collective at the Vic Theatre and stayed with a childhood friend/neighbor, Matt Vicenzi. Eventually, we made it back to Muskegon where we picked up Renée's Jeep then traveled back downstate to Grand Rapids to meet up with the talented art educator and friend, Brian Cook. I spent the night at the Araujo's where I enjoyed the company of my friend Arturo and his wonderful family. After all of the wonderful company on my tour, I had a lonely eight hour drive back to Iron Mountain. Luckily, everyone was available for a quick talks to keep me awake.

The was my last big U.S. trip, although I did make it down to the state capital, Lansing, about a week ago. I ended up buying most of my supplies for the "toughest job I will ever love" in the East Lansing area.

Last Saturday, I flew into Philadelphia, PA for an early arrival to Peace Corps Mozambique 2007-2009 orientation. I was very lucky to meet about 15 very amazing individuals before the other 50, or so, amazing individuals showed up the following day. Training Sunday and Monday was pretty entertaining, as well an informative. Naturally, everyone in the group seems to be very generous, interesting, wonderful, and everything else you would expect out of someone who is making a two year commitment to volunteering in a foreign country. I think we will all have a really good time.