Darren Daz Cox

My Facebook Cover Image

2012-01-06T23:25:00.001-08:00

My Facebook Cover Image, a photo by Darren Daz Cox on Flickr.

More is more I always say when it comes to art!

Ghost of the Speakeasy Art Center

2011-08-30T18:08:00.001-07:00

Ghost of the Speakeasy Art Center, a photo by Darren Daz Cox on Flickr.

My latest oil painting at the Speakeasy Art Center in Pekin Illinois!

spring dancer huge trippy beautiful jpg

2010-12-14T04:40:00.001-08:00

spring dancer huge trippy beautiful jpg
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I love love love this picture, it celebrates that first warm, warm day of spring when you suddenly smell flowers and you want to dance! (and some of us actually do!)

I’m really proud of my Springtime Dancer pic, that feeling of that first warm spring day where it feels almost hot to your winter skin…yes!!! you can download the huge jpg file to print or look closely at the detail or even modify it in Photoshop if you wish, there are no strings, just do it!!!

There's plenty more groovy stuff on my art blog too 99daz.com

I love my art!

2010-11-02T19:06:00.001-07:00

I love my art!
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

my latest painting at the Speakeasy Art Center in Pekin Illinois.

portal to imagination

2010-10-27T04:10:00.001-07:00

portal to imagination
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

oil on canvas, evolving into a portal motif.

Speakeasy Art Center studio

2010-10-27T03:58:00.001-07:00

Speakeasy Art Center
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Here is the latest painting I'm working on at the Speakeasy Art Center in Pekin Illinois! It is oil on canvas 8ft by 4ft in two sections!

Trippy mosquito

2010-07-25T17:29:00.001-07:00

Trippy mosquito
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I was working on the mosquito motif on this huge painting at the Speakeasy Art Center in Pekin Illinois. I really need a wall twice as big now...

july 12 2010 Speakeasy oil mural

2010-07-14T20:09:00.001-07:00

july 12 2010 Speakeasy oil mural
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

the details are coming into focus but the sheer complexity of the motifs and scale will force the human eye to either focus on an area or run the risk of having the individual imagination fill in the gaps!!!

Oh no, you might have an individual experience forcing you to define it from your unique viewpoint!!! This work is not for sheep!

daz july 4 2010

2010-07-04T21:10:00.001-07:00

daz july 4 2010
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I got a whole lot filled in this weekend! (In case you havent seen the earlier versions, it is located at the Speakeasy Art Center and Gallery 353 Court Pekin Ilinois!

Speakeasy Art studio sunday 27 june 2010

2010-06-27T18:32:00.001-07:00

Speakeasy Art studio sunday 27 june 2010
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I subscribe to the 'more is more' theory!

Still lots more to go on this one which is the biggest most detailed painting I've ever done!

Speakeasy Art Center painting June192010

2010-06-19T15:06:00.001-07:00

Speakeasy Art Center painting June192010
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

here's the current state of my huge oil painting in my studio space at the Speakeasy Art Center and Gallery located at 353 Court Street in Pekin, Illinois!

Speakeasy Painting and the artist!

2010-06-02T18:23:00.001-07:00

Speakeasy Painting and the artist!
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Here's me with the latest phase of my oil paintings at the Speakeasy gallery in Pekin Illinois!

energy abstract painting

2010-06-02T07:16:00.001-07:00

energy abstract painting
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

You really need a good camera to photograph paintings like this where there is deep textures and a mixture of reflective and matt surfaces. The human eye interprets the painting differently than just a single snapshot but this is a pretty decent pic of the finished work!

11x14 mixed media on canvas.

Speakeasy studio in Pekin Illinois

2010-05-28T18:24:00.001-07:00

Speakeasy studio in Pekin Illinois
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Here's the current phase of the biggest oil painting I've ever done!! The room is huge, those are 10ft high ceilings!

Allegory of Imagination done, in color!

2010-05-21T06:57:00.001-07:00

Allegory of Imagination done, in color!
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Me and the vehicle that these 2 4ft by 4ft panels fit into. Oil on canvas. Oil glazes added the color so the picture is not only colorful it is durable and will last for hundreds if not thousands of years!!

Taken in Pekin Illinois.

sea maiden and monster

2010-03-24T08:55:00.001-07:00

sea maiden and monster
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I added a monster in this painting that is still being glazed, slowly to build up layers of colors!

frolic fairy painting

2010-03-21T05:21:00.001-07:00

frolic fairy painting
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

oil on canvas, I love the freedom of surrealism to create 'impossible' poses, as there is no such thing as impossible if you can paint it! If I had a huge space such as the Sistine Chapel to cover with figures I think I could do it pretty fast as it took me a few hours to draw the sketch (on my art blog 99daz.com ) and then a few more hours to do this painting (which has a lot more to go but the basic form is solid now!

Sea Maiden in progress

2010-03-17T20:13:00.001-07:00

Sea Maiden in progress
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

the figure is being built up with layers of oil glazes and the whole thing will be very colorful when it is done!

garage studio Pekin Illinois spring 2010

2010-03-17T15:30:00.001-07:00

garage studio Pekin Illinois spring 2010
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

It's nice to have enough room and natural light to work on big canvases!

new figure sketched over the old one

2010-03-17T15:29:00.001-07:00

new figure sketched over the old one
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I wasn't happy with the figure on there so I painted over that side and sketched a new one.

Allegory of 2010 in progress

2010-03-13T15:55:00.001-08:00

Allegory of 2010 in progress
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Inspired by this turbulent year, oil on canvas 8ft by 4ft in progress. The anatomy is not entirely accurate but the figures are totally drawn from my imagination. Once the black and white layer is done there will be colored glazes over the top.

Allegory of Imagination done!

2010-02-10T10:39:00.001-08:00

Allegory of Imagination done!
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I am done with this painting except to sign it and maybe a detail here and there but essentially done. I was wondering if you had seen anything like this before? I know I haven't and I've seen a lot of art. I am not necessarily making art just to be different but it just turned out that way!

I am currently working on more paintings in a similar style and hope to find an art gallery that would be willing to sell them so I could support myself with my art.

More is More in progress

2010-01-13T21:40:00.001-08:00

More is More in progress
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

lots of detail and lots more to go!
oil on canvas 9ft by 5ft

The Dream and Daz the artist

2010-01-08T12:55:00.001-08:00

The Dream and Daz the artist
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Here's my latest painting behind Me, used for scale and historical reference.
It's too happy to be Guernica or The Potato Eaters but to me it is a turning point in my art.
I finally feel like I'm able to work effortlessly and productively.
The working title is "The Dream" but I haven't even done the center part yet!
100% random completely from my imagination, not trying to paint something but allowing the motifs to happen organically while focusing my intent on what I want to the viewer to experience while looking at it.
Oil on canvas with charcoal and grease pencil. 4ft by 9 ft.

Feline Mind Meld

2010-01-03T05:36:00.001-08:00

Feline Mind Meld
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This was a random drawing that I made into an oil painting. I try to see the artistic side to things and create my own stories and i thought it would be cool to paint the 'telepathic' communication that we think we have with cats!

There is a much bigger and cleaner version on my deviantart site
daz13cox.deviantart.com/art/Feline-Mind-Meld-149040219

This photo of the painting was taken with a lamp next to it and adds a certain charm I think.

The Vortex Pose

2009-12-28T18:12:00.001-08:00

The Vortex Pose
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

oil on canvas, 100% randomness. I really love how happy and swirly this painting is!

AFP fan art

2009-12-26T05:21:00.001-08:00

AFP fan art
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Oil on canvas, two hours of joyful painting.
Years ago, probably 5 or 6 years now, someone I met at random on the internet declared that I was her favorite artist.
I have no pretentions that I am her only 'favorite artist' but just the fact that some one would say that means everything to me.
She also told me that the Dresden Dolls are a cool band, and they are, especially Amanda Palmer (AFP) who is not only a cool chick but talented and inspiring.
I've never done a 'fan art' pic before, but Amanda Palmer makes me realize how lucky I am to be an artist...

Zombie with his pets

2009-12-24T07:09:00.001-08:00

Zombie with his pets
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

canvas photo frame with oil paint and grease pencil. This makes me sooo happy. I love the idea that the zombie is not evil...(read into that whatever you want haha!)

World of Wonder

2009-12-24T06:37:00.001-08:00

World of Wonder
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I love how stuff just randomly appears on my canvas. I am very excited that I found a painting technique that celebrates brunette girls now. I love the floppy bean bag horse too, he looks so comfy, which is perfect when you are riding through a magical world!

spirit journey current phase

2009-12-10T07:19:00.001-08:00

spirit journey current phase
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

slowly building up layers of oil glazes on this one, it's really developing a spiritual narrative for me.

green love

2009-11-08T06:35:00.001-08:00

green love
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This was a random sketch made with two Mr. Sketch scented water color markers on a 8inx10in canvas board.

The dark green one has an apple smell and the yellow one has a lemon smell (of course).

There is synergy between these markers because they are so juicy that the dark green merges with the yellow to make a light green and the yellow dissolves the dark green when it's dry to make a light green. All in all there are countless shades of green to be made!

You should try this!

I added more about this on an art therapy tangent on my art blog http://99daz.com

Angel saves working

2009-10-14T19:12:00.001-07:00

Angel saves working
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Still on the pencil and charcoal stage, I am amused that my art is pretty much the same no matter what the scale! I wonder how big i could actually go? these figures are pretty close to life size (for angels haha). I bet I could do double or triple life size and still make it look like the same hand drew it...

angel of dreams

2009-08-17T19:05:00.001-07:00

angel of dreams
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Self portrait and an angel messing with my dreams I wrote a blog post on my weird dreams today here 99daz.com/doing-fine-art-in-your-dreams

angel and flying anti-gravity rats

2009-08-11T07:13:00.001-07:00

angel and flying anti-gravity rats
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This angel has pet rats who are so rebellious they disregard the law of gravity!
Rats are quite graceful when they don't have gravity to bother them! Pencil sketch drawn in Peoria Illinois by Darren Daz Cox.

The spiderhorse

2009-08-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

The spiderhorse
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

The spiderhorse is really springy to ride on but quite friendly. There are puff-ball cats here too! Pencil sketch soon to be an awesome painting!

Flying Youdle bears, angel and Buddy the bird

2009-08-10T06:13:00.001-07:00

Flying Youdle bears, angel and Buddy the bird
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil sketch soon to be an oil painting!
Models include Buddy the bird and Youdle the bear and my guardian angel.

magic snail

2009-07-27T07:34:00.001-07:00

magic snail
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

The Magic Snail, well, they are all magical in their way! This was drawn from scratch with the liquify filter smudge finger and other Photoshop art tools! Still in progress!

Salvador Dali as an angel

2009-07-19T09:04:00.001-07:00

Salvador Dali as an angel
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

A pencil sketch I did randomly. It reminded me of Salvador Dali, especially the elephant!

found thing

2009-07-16T10:10:00.001-07:00

found thing
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This creature just appeared while I was thinking about something else! he says hello.

found bird

2009-07-16T07:38:00.001-07:00

found bird
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Finding a lost bird is a wonderful thing!

Pencil sketch colored in Photoshop.

Twin Faeries Gobzine poster

2009-07-13T05:17:00.001-07:00

Twin Faeries Gobzine poster
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This is the latest Gobzine 11x17 inch poster that will be in the upcoming issue!

Pencil sketch and liquify filter!

angel washing her dog

2009-06-30T18:30:00.001-07:00

angel washing her dog
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

It's not that the dog needs a bath,well maybe, but it's fun and intimate and a bonding experience.
Pencil sketch colored in in Photoshop.

angel birds

2009-06-29T19:34:00.001-07:00

angel birds
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I figure that birds would sit on an angel's wing if they felt like it!

pencil sketch and then the liquify filter.

yea for the breeze on a hot day

2009-06-22T17:52:00.001-07:00

yea for the breeze on a hot day
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

It's hot in Peoria Illinois but the breeze feels awesome!
Pencil sketch and then Photoshop tweaking!
Visit my awesome fine art blog at 99daz.com
It's the best blog in the universe!

droppy painting

2009-06-21T20:01:00.001-07:00

droppy painting
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I put salt on some 'stormy spring' oil paintings I'm working on in the basement, over the blue oil paint layer that was the rainy sky, and today the salt crystals turned into drops of water from the humidity, the effect is so beautiful!

flying cat girl

2009-06-21T19:57:00.001-07:00

flying cat girl
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

pencil sketch then colored and tweaked in Photoshop! I use Photoshop as an art tool and find it a nice extension to my ways of expressing my creativity.

What does it mean you say?
It's random therefore it means a lot but I cannot presume to tell you what you see in it, you have to figure out your own interpretation instead of having a nice clean answer provided!

Or you can just look at it and get what want out of it!

angel taking off to fly sketch

2009-06-19T16:48:00.001-07:00

angel taking off to fly sketch
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I drew this today at my day job while chatting on the phone. I used the Michelangelo method of working from the torso outwards and it evolved into this picture!

horse bird

2009-06-17T17:22:00.001-07:00

horse bird
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I drew this horse at my day job chatting with people on the phone, not bad for a city boy from my imagination!

broccoli tree

2009-06-11T19:07:00.001-07:00

broccoli tree
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I enjoy re-interpreting the standard themes in art, in this case the ever popular landscape. I used oil paints on canvas with glue and glitter. It has quite a lot of texture that doesn't quite show here.

star mobile

2009-06-11T19:02:00.001-07:00

star mobile
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My latest sculpture! starfish painted gold and gold painted rods, easy to re-arrange and make new star systems!

blusilvag

2009-06-09T04:41:00.001-07:00

blusilvag
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Great abstract art requires faith and confidence. Colors, shapes and composition are worked until it just feels right to the artist, then it is ready to show.

You have the option to enjoy this and I hope you do!

Made with the liquify filter in Adobe Photoshop.

new GoBzine page

2009-06-07T19:06:00.001-07:00

new GoBzine page
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

on this page of the upcoming paper issue of Go B Zine I show some of the earlier versions of some of my artwork that you might have seen before!

I'm really enjoying the softness of the colors here hmmmm

after the storm

2009-06-03T21:33:00.001-07:00

after the storm
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

two of six canvas panels with sketches ready for oil paints and then some random photoshop work to make a nice little effect!

The other 4 panels are on my Facebook page if you want to friend me and see them!
Just search Facebook for Darren Daz Cox

fruit picker surreal

2009-06-02T19:46:00.001-07:00

fruit picker surreal
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

randomness, pencil sketch and liquify filter!

Girl and Bird

2009-05-19T18:18:00.001-07:00

Girl and Bird
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My art model Beff and her bird Buddy.

I tried to make the picture more fancy but sometimes the simpler the better....

rider girl

2009-05-18T21:23:00.001-07:00

rider girl
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

my random sketch for today!

frolic splash

2009-05-15T18:29:00.001-07:00

frolic splash
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This sketch is for me, things I love to see that are inspiring! Featuring a ring-tailed lemur, armadillo, tiny jungle cat, baby elephant, frolicking girl and balmy jungle!

they love to hear her read

2009-05-13T20:39:00.001-07:00

they love to hear her read
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My art model Beff as a little old lady reading to her grandkids and pets...

pencil on paper then the liquify filter...

Beff Brings the Sunshine

2009-05-12T17:36:00.001-07:00

Beff Brings the Sunshine
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Beff in her holocaust cloak (from The Princess Bride) stormed the castle of bad weather and brought us some sunbeams!

Race For The Cure 2009

2009-05-09T16:17:00.001-07:00

Race For The Cure 2009
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Riverfront Media of Illinois riverfrontmedia.com (myself and DJ Disaster), got up early to film the 2009 Race For The Cure at The Metro Center in Peoria Illinois today.

Music is by Homer Simplex. http://99daz.com/homer-simplex

Proceeds from the Komen Race for the Cure® Series help fund important breast cancer research as well as breast health initiatives on a local level. Seventy-five percent of the proceeds remain in your community, helping to support breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment programs for the medically underserved.
www.komenpeoria.org

Mail Contributions To:
Peoria Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
4700 N. University St., Suite 92
Peoria, IL 61614-5849

Magic bird box

2009-04-26T12:11:00.001-07:00

Magic bird box
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Found object art!
At a garage sale in West Peoria Illinois for one dollar! What a beautiful weird thing and how awesome this picture turned out!!!

for the love of seahorses

2009-04-24T20:00:00.001-07:00

for the love of seahorses
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My answer to Damien Hirst's For The Love of God, price, free!

Goldleafed seahorse and the liquify filter.

bridesmaid balloon

2009-04-22T19:42:00.001-07:00

bridesmaid balloon
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I drew the girl in pencil at my day job today, the background is one of my early acrylic texture experiments I scanned years ago and never used until now!

Technology Expo Flyer (working)

2009-04-19T22:10:00.001-07:00

Technology Expo Flyer (working)
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This the current version of the 11x17 flyer I'm making for the Tech This Out expo at the East Peoria Event Center. ***the Tech This Out Tech Expo has been postponed until Oct 2009***

riverfrontmedia.com has the info on the event!

We made a strange commercial radio commercial for the radio stations on this flyer and you can hear it here illinoisvideo.info/techthisout.mp3

Robo love

2009-04-18T21:17:00.001-07:00

Robo love
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My surrealist interpretation of our collective love of technology. Pencil sketch and the liquify filter!

double love

2009-04-12T14:34:00.001-07:00

double love
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I'm not sure symmetry appeals to me in a composition like this, but here it is.

I drew the girl in pencil and the rest was drawn with digital paint in Photoshop!

chocolate bunbun

2009-04-11T23:32:00.001-07:00

chocolate bunbun
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

random liquify filter love!
Happy Easter!

Two Sides of Your Mind (remix 2009)

2009-03-27T18:35:00.001-07:00

Two Sides of Your Mind (remix 2009)
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I finally found the .psd file for this one after years of intending to post a larger sized file.

(I have done probably a thousand pieces of art (not all as complex as this obviously) using the liquify filter within Photoshop to randomly draw things ever since the liquify filter was introduced to Photoshop, and before the liquify filter existed I used the smudge finger tool in a similar fashion).

I was surprised at how 'primitive' my liquifying technique (what I call randomly pushing the pixels around with the smudge finger tool) appeared to me on this one but how totally similar (and pleasing to me) my pencil sketch of the girl is to the pencil sketches I continue to do.

Oh, you want to know what it means? It's simply a pretty way to draw a brain. You can infer all the duality and dichotomy references you wish!

faerie dino fish

2009-03-26T19:53:00.001-07:00

faerie dino fish
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This is a secret message.
Pencil sketch and random liquify adventure! Nothing is random though, we just think it is..

Lead Babie 20 year retrospective CD

2009-03-25T22:31:00.001-07:00

Lead Babie 20 year retrospective CD
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

my first punk band *sigh*, we wrote anti-nuclear war songs and Reagan being a scat-muncher songs and a lot of uncensored radio commedy skits...

essentially it was me (Daz aka Darren Defect with the ideas and artwork and Russell 'Rusty rooster' Brown aka Biff on guitar and vocals)

Lead (prounced Led like in Zeppelin) Babie rules!!

There are plenty of Lead Babie songs on my art blog (what do you mean you don't want to hear them??) 99daz.com

spring love 2009

2009-03-22T09:46:00.001-07:00

spring love 2009
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

A springtime fertility goddess pencil sketch with random liquify filter goodness!

Not even the final version but the difference between an artist and a mature artist is knowing when to stop and move on. I could keep liquifying and making this picture infinitely bigger and more and more random.....

flying cat frolic girl

2009-03-22T09:39:00.001-07:00

flying cat frolic girl
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

A pencil sketch, randomly drawn at my day job. The girl is a representation of spring, a fertility goddess. I usually draw a springtime frolicking fertility goddess around this time of year!

I love flying animals so I drew my cat as an angel! There are other weird doodles on here just randomly drawn, I figured I'd leave them in here for purposes of historical accuracy!

Love is leaf like (interpolating The Minutemen)

2009-03-20T17:55:00.001-07:00

Love is leaf like (interpolating The Minutemen)
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

The title is from the brilliant Minutemen song "#1 hit song" in which the lyrics say (in their entirety).

"On a back of a winged horse, through the sky pearly gray, love is leaf like, you and me baby, twinkle twinkle, blah blah blah E T C"

It's a perfect punk rock song that (most likely) was a response to the cheesy love songs that top 40 radio churned out in the mid 1980's.

It's not that cheesy love songs aren't ok it's just that art done to inspire rather than to make money is generally better. (making money is cool too if it is a side effect of the inspiration!)

This is a sketch from a series of little pencil drawing I do at work and recently have been giving to my friend Marisa (she gives people her origami so I send the creativity back with my sketches).

It's more of an honor to have someone put my work on their desk than to have someone buy something (thanks to all of you at my job with my art on your desks btw, it makes it a pleasure to work with you all).

On a related note, I made my first ever art sale a few days ago haha, weirdly enough by a good friend, Geno, who used to work at my job, who noticed I had a print of my sunset animals www.flickr.com/photos/gobzine/2575324379/ for sale at Deviantart (I'm not even sure if I have my current address on that account, oh well!) Thanks Geno, it was an honor to have you knock me out of my ivory tower of unsellability....

Punk Cupid and Cat

2009-02-27T19:00:00.001-08:00

Punk Cupid and Cat
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I have a new cat! There's a lot of love going on so I drew this to celebrate!

The Gypsy

2009-02-18T17:28:00.001-08:00

The Gypsy
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

A random sketch at work, I spent all day on and off working on this. I really enjoy the light and shadow you can get with a simple #2 on a pretty good quality notebook.

I think that one day I'd like to sketch these figures really huge with charcoal and white chalk to see how far I can push the illusion.

Sleeping girl with cat

2009-02-18T17:26:00.001-08:00

Sleeping girl with cat
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

a random pencil sketch I did at work today, about an hour and a half completely from my imagination (I was talking on the phone with clients as I drew this).

I could draw more realistically from a model or from a photographic reference but then I would already know what the picture is supposed to be, this picture just evolved from a few lines - magic!

Love day 2009

2009-02-13T11:55:00.001-08:00

Love day 2009
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Random liquify filter art!

Love Birds

2009-02-13T11:52:00.001-08:00

Love Birds
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

an acrylic and oil painting from last year.

Foxes Love

2009-02-06T20:01:00.001-08:00

Foxes Love
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

a pencil sketch I played around with until it felt right!

The frolic girl

2009-01-31T21:51:00.001-08:00

The frolic girl
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

It's a pencil sketch and then Photoshop to color it in and add some liquify filter randomness!

Abstract Jan 2009 angle 1

2009-01-31T05:02:00.001-08:00

Abstract Jan 2009 angle 1
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This one has been dry a while and I've been contemplating what it means to me.

I love that it looks different with each angle and light intensity and source.

I love that I need not explain what it means as this is pure expression with positive intent.

I hope you find this interesting!

I recommend checking out The Tiger Balm Gardens when you're in Hong Kong

2009-01-28T06:53:00.001-08:00

The Inspirational Beam Jan 01 2009

2009-01-01T18:41:00.001-08:00

The Inspirational Beam Jan 01 2009
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I added a new layer of oil glazes to this canvas today. I use a drying compound (as oil paints will drive you insane like Vincent van Gogh if you wait for them to dry naturally) and dammar varnish and then a drop of some random fluid like linseed oil in my oil glazes! I will have a few more layers on this one but it should be really powerful when it’s done!

Darren Daz Cox starving artist painting

2009-01-01T15:48:00.001-08:00

Darren Daz Cox starving artist painting
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I had no car, no phone, no pc and at times no food, but I had my art...

This is a bedsheet pinned, over another finished painting, to the wall of my apt., primed and then attacked with paint and crayons, pure random artistic fury! I love the pig!

It represents the non thinking fantasy world created by "the media" (i.e. tv, movies etc.)
clashing with conscious imagination (i.e. from books)
and subconscious imagination (as in dreams).

People have asked me why I never "finished" or sold any of them. Well, at that point in my life art was all I had, I had no car, no phone, no art contacts. Also, I could barely afford paint and I had to use bed sheets for canvases, so no one would have bought them anyway!

I began my "Starving Artist" period as soon as I left S.I.U in Carbondale for Ft. Lauderdale, there I finally felt like a real artist and after a year I came back to Carbondale, dirt poor and lonely but with a sence of purpose.

I've studied alot about art and I know that I'm no genius like the old masters, but no one will ever convince me that my art is not as valid.

I sweated, bled and literally starved for my art.
(ask Travis Neighbors or Brian Sutton or Christian Eisenhauer)

DAZ THE (former) URBAN GAUGUIN

I was the legendary Urban Gauguin
the smog and the rust gave me my tan.
One room in the projects far from Tahiti
a warzone with anti-whiteman graphiti.
The sun bleached a tie-die I made for a curtain
as my friends all wished me much fame
and they'll never let me forget it I'm certain,
but now it just seems kinda lame!

my favorite painting is the one i can't see
somewhere on the walls of a hut in Tahiti
the last mortal act of a soul so completely
absorbed in itself that it reached majesty
those tangible dawbs that remain should inspire
us all to strive for our truth
i know what my favorite painting looks like
even though there was never proof.

"An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become.
A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl she used to be.
A GREAT artist can look at an old woman, portray her exactly as she is,
and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be, more than that,
he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo
see that this lovely young girl is still alive,
imprisoned inside her ruined body.
He can make you feel the quiet endless tragedy
that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart."
Robert A. Heinlein
(via his cool character Jubal Harshaw
in the classic Stranger In A Strange Land)

I'm not quite to the GREAT stage yet, but if anyone can, it will be me...DAZ

You can follow my current artistic journey on my fine art inspiration blog at 99daz.com

The Storm

2008-12-31T03:56:00.001-08:00

The Storm
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Totally random pixel pushing. I learn about myself as I do things like this. Hearts, fish, dinosaurs :)
the liquify filter (smudge finger) in Photoshop is a great art tool and can really bring to 'life' some of the icons and motifs that are most important to you as you move the pixels around! you should try this!

Magic Winter Tree (in progress)

2008-12-29T18:49:00.001-08:00

Magic Winter Tree (in progress)
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

This morning I started a magic painting, oh what is so magical about an abstract tree you might ask? Well, consider that time is the forth dimention here and I will enjoy watching the painting evolve from winter white to glorious gold!

I started with a gold spray painted canvas then added four types of clear acrylic medium (goes on white and dries clear), india ink, a dozen different iridescent and glitter paints, gold leaf and gum arabic with lashes of white glue on top!

This painting will look different as each layer dries and cracks and reveals the gold underneath! magical!

purple squirrel vibrant

2008-12-29T18:36:00.001-08:00

purple squirrel vibrant
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil, colored pencils and then some Pshop enhancement! Yea for the magical purple squirrel!!

visit him on my art blog too!
99daz.com/purple-squirrel/

purple squirrel 1000

2008-12-27T18:26:00.001-08:00

purple squirrel 1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Inspired by the magical purple squirrel!
pencil on paper then photoshop accents.

To those who discount the purple squirrel (yes there's a real life purple squirrel out there) as some unfortunate victim of mans wasteful nature and poo-poo miracles as something that only happens in fairy tales, or worse only happened in the Bible thousands of years ago I say take a look around and try to look for the good things rather than the grim.

Of course it's a miracle, even if the vehicle of the miracle was indeed some discarded toner or printers ink, the fact that the squirrel survives and inspires is the important thing.

Reality is not fixed, science was wrong, E equals MC squared is not the whole truth (and never was). The Newtonian version of reality as being fixed and logical is just not the case as much as we need to cling to something solid and unchanging, the real truth, or the truth closer to the real truth is that reality is malleable, and not just malleable by random forces, it's being changed by our consciousness. Take a good look at the purple squirrel as we invented him...

purple squirrel painters rule!!

2008-12-27T18:25:00.001-08:00

purple squirrel painters rule!!
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Inspired by the magical purple squirrel!
pencil on paper then photoshop accents.

Allegory of xmas1000

2008-12-25T08:02:00.001-08:00

Allegory of xmas1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil sketch with some added digital sketching!

magic reindeer 1000

2008-12-25T08:01:00.001-08:00

magic reindeer 1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil sketch with some added digital sketching!

Lady in the forest

2008-12-23T17:43:00.001-08:00

Lady in the forest
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pastels and paints on a tye-died sheet, 1 meter by 3/4 meter circa 1994, my starving artist years...

The Hug Under The Sea

2008-12-22T19:54:00.001-08:00

The Hug Under The Sea
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

I drew this in pencil a few years ago and put the figures over an abstract acryllic painting I had done even earlier, then it was finished in Photoshop!

tree love1000

2008-12-21T12:52:00.001-08:00

tree love1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Oil on canvas with gold leaf.

This was a random sketch directly onto the canvas (8x12 inch) with oil glazes and then a glob of gold leaf!

I'll add some more layers when this one dries!

Peace Angel 1000

2008-12-21T08:23:00.001-08:00

Peace Angel 1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil sketch enhanced in Pshop.
For my fine art blog at http://99daz.com

Star Angel 1000

2008-12-17T19:45:00.001-08:00

Star Angel 1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Peace on Earth, if you want it.

Art for my art blog at 99daz.com

moon angel 1000

2008-12-17T06:48:00.001-08:00

moon angel 1000
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

Pencil sketch enhanced in Pshop.

For my art blog at 99daz.com

Inspire, be inspired and appreciate, that's the meaning of life!!!

99daz.dotcom december 2008 blog banner

2008-12-16T07:23:00.001-08:00

99daz.dotcom december 2008 blog banner
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

My latest fine art blog banner! 99daz.com

Grave marker

2008-12-13T01:29:00.001-08:00

Grave marker
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

pencil sketch and photoshop, Maegan was the model. One of the first times I drew a cat with the liquify filter, I have done many many more since!

Flickr says this is my least interesting pic...

99daz art blog banner dec 2008

2008-12-11T20:14:00.001-08:00

99daz art blog banner dec 2008
Originally uploaded by Darren Daz Cox

A pencil sketch enhanced in pshop. Purely random sketching while I talking on the phone at work. For my art blog 99daz.com