Art

Threads of Light

Path to Now

Abandoned Bliss

I did a photo shoot of my friend Jack at an abandoned furnace building. He's not terribly fond of heights, yet I made him climb all over stuff including a ladder to a grate platform over 30 feet in the air. Cuz I'm just mean that way.
(p.s. there is nothing more work-scandalous than naked torsos in this set.)

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Crowd Control

Departure

Rust Buckets

Michael, Mike and I went on a photo location scouting expedition this past weekend. We found two amazing locations. One is an abandoned furnace building complete with rusty pipes, grated walkways suspended 30 feet off the ground, and lots of great dials, gauges, levers and handles. The other location is a junk yard with years of rusted metal, peeling paint, storage bins and all kinds of discarded treasures. One of my favorite parts of this junk yard were piles of rusted paint cans just waiting to be photographed.

Cage Sphere

Fire Hunger

Rubber Cigars

Here's a photo shoot I did of my friend Shawn. There is no nudity in this set (sorry to disappoint), but there are cigars, hats, rubber and scenery.

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Tattoos and Chains and Leather, Oh My

Below are the results of two recent photo shoots with my friend Jack. These are not safe for work or for eyes that don't want to see naked man parts.

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Legacy

Sanctuary

Appeal

–New Orleans, LA

Blue

–New Orleans, LA

Courtyard Affair

–New Orleans, LA

Release

–New Orleans, LA

Ganesh

–New Orleans, LA

Mardi Gras Castaway

–New Orleans, LA

Chained

–New Orleans, LA

Esplanade

–New Orleans, LA

Face the Dawn

–Palm Desert, CA

Vein

Latch

New Painting

Here's the new painting I got this weekend. I was deeply moved by the piece when I saw it and within a few minutes decided to fork out the money to get it. The artist describes the work as a meditation piece. I strongly connected with that vibe and decided to get the piece as an act of self-nurturing and healing. After I got it home I was surprised by the fact that one could easily find some pretty blatant symbolism that relates to my current life changes whiched helped me understand even more why it spoke to me so strongly.

– untitled by Andrea Speer Hibbard

Becoming

Palacio Nacional Archways

–Palacio Nacional, Mexico City

Vallarta Sunset

–Los Muertos Beach, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Variance

In Muir Woods, CA

Tie-Dyed Insanity

For Mike's 50th birthday bash (this coming Saturday) I dyed big lengths of muslin to be used as canopies and backdrops in the garden, where the party is taking place. Each length of canopy fabric is 30 feet long. Dyeing them took a several long days. Ironing them took several long hours. Hanging them took three of us climbing, contorting, straining, scraping, swearing, re-hanging, stretching, fighting and more swearing. In the end I love how they look. Now hopefully the wind won't carry them away before the party on Saturday...

Resonate

Lucid

Stone Cold

Sharp Spiral

Lifelines

Nudie Pics

In spite of all the male nude photography I've been doing in the last year, I've really worked hard to legitimize my work by almost avoiding anything that could be construed as sexual (I did say "almost"). I'd hate to be accused of making porn after all, yet the definition of what is and isn't "porn" seems to be very subjective. While I've gotten some good shots that tend toward excitation, I've immediately discounted them as not being 'real art' because of how they might be perceived by a more conservative audience.

In spite of this bold life I'm living - much of which is in stark contrast to how I was raised - I still seem to feel the need to prove to those from that former life that the essence of who I am hasn't changed, that I haven't been corrupted into those very heathens at whom we used to point fingers. In truth, I am living a life that even I used to judge as wrong so perhaps part of me is trying to prove to myself that what I'm doing is as healthy and acceptable as I know in my head that it is. A sort of reconciling my present with my past. So I push forward into these new territories then pull myself back a few steps in an effort to appease both past and present.

But enough of my personal psychotherapy because, according to its title, this post is supposed to be about nudie pics. So, bring on the nudie pics!

There is going to be a gallery show which is specifically looking for erotic art which excites and tantalizes. So it's caused me to look at my art in a different way and choose things that will bring the reaction "that's hot" as opposed to "gee that's a nice composition of the male anatomy which oddly looks completely and totally non-sexual and could never in my wildest dreams be construed as that nasty pornography so many gay boys go for these days."

Cave Man

Sun Soaked

Patina Frosting

Haunted

It Burns, It Burns!

I did a photoshoot recently with an artist friend of mine playing with extreme lighting contrasts. While I love those extremes, it's very difficult to keep the image focused and to make sure not to cross the line into overexposed areas that look like someone took whiteout to the final product. Ah, I still have so much to learn.

This shoot contains full nudity and is not safe for work:

The Mikes

The Mikes were gullible enough to let me take photos of them on the beach up in Sea Ranch. At least in this photo they were bundled up...

In the Shadows

Leather and Mirrors and Candles, Oh My!

Here's the latest photoshoot victim.

The photos were taken in my apartment-to-be in San Francisco and is the shoot for which I've done the most pre-planning and set-up. I'm pleased with the results of that extra effort. The model was very open to the range of things I was trying to accomplish which made this experimentation all the more successful.

Cuz of the naked bits, this gallery isn't safe for work.

Afterglow

Vigil

Survivor

On the Horizon

Edge of the World

Taken with my wide angle lens on the coast in Sonoma County.

Pec-a-Licious

Below are the photos from a shoot I did a few weeks ago. Oddly enough the lack of facial expression didn't affect these photos in the least. Hm. Not safe for work.

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Black Sands Beach Photoshoot

Here are a few of the photos from this past Sunday's photoshoot. Tastefully unsafe for work.

Salty

A couple weeks ago I took photo shoot at San Gregorio Beach, about an hour south of San Francisco. We found a great cave to shoot in and around. The model was great to work with, adding to the inspiration as we went along. The seaweed... entirely his idea (I'm not that much of a sadist). He also just had this peaceful aura to him which came across in a lot of the photos. Overall, I was really pleased with the shoot. Below are a few of my favorites. By the way, this is probably not safe for work unless showing a little ass is encouraged at your office (and if that's the case... when do I start?).

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We Can Rebuild It

Posturepedic

99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall...

No Paparazzi

My friend Lou during Bingo at Lazy Bear Weekend

Open

Drink Up the Sun

Patience

Restraint

Into the Unknown

Hold My Hand

Make It Go

The Mothership

These Prison Walls

Surfer Dreams

Summer Nights

Hidden Intent

Anime Expo

While I was surrounding myself with square dancing queens in Anaheim I was also surrounded by lots of interesting costumed characters who were there for an anime expo:

Leave Your Cares Behind

- Dog Beach, Huntington Beach, CA

Dog Beach

- Dog Beach - Hungtington Beach, CA

Serenity

-Balboa Park Botanical Building, San Diego

Carnivore & Nuclear Power Plant

-Balboa Park Botanical Building, San Diego

Acme Disaster

The Tales We Spin

Great Divide

Bejeweled

Chloe's Sanctuary

Now there's a beach bum who truely loves his dog.

Golden Gate

The view from Baker's Beach in San Francisco.

Who Are You?

Bright Lights, Big City

- MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas

Delivery

Time Machine

Thrust

Hydrate

Fallen Brethren

Fields of White

Hold Me

The Last Stand

Effloresce

Digital photo layering of 11 photos from my New Zealand/Australia trip.

Plunge

Washington D.C.

Home Decorating

Washington D.C.

Placid Intentions

Washington D.C.

Behind the Veil

Washington D.C.

Gilded Grandeur

Washington D.C.

Saturate

U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington D.C.

Imperfect Likeness

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

A Light Within These Walls

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C.

Legacy

JFK Memorial Grave, Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C.

Look Both Ways

Washington D.C.

Dependent on the Bottle

Hirshhorn Museum, Washington D.C.

Laudation

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

Photographers Dream

I finally have all my vacation photos online and ready for consumption.

Btw, you can view the photos without signing up with Kodak Gallery. Just click View Photos without signing in below the sign in fields.

What Fairy Magic Abides in These Woods?

Jamison Valley near Katoomba, Australia

King of the Mountain

Curt at Wenworth Falls, Blue Mountains, Australia.

Match Made in Heaven

Wentworth Falls (in the Blue Mountains), Australia

Walk the Plank

Fernside, New Zealand

Invitation

Mt. Victoria near Wellington, New Zealand.

Echo of Things to Come

It's been a great year of change, excitement and growth. Most wonderful of all was meeting Curt and beginning my life with him. The future is alive with possibility and I feel blessed in so many ways. Happy Holidays indeed.

Ghost of Christmas Present

Slice of Merriment

All That Glitters

Puddle Envy

Private Reflection

Triple Threat

On a sweet tooth run last night I decided to practice some night photography.

Through My Eyes

When Inspiration Strikes

One very early morning last week, when Curt was getting ready for work, I became fascinated with how the light from the bathroom spilled out around the edges of the door into the dark bedroom. Realizing this was likely some sleep induced delusion, I still chose to get up and have myself a mini photo shoot. For those keeping track that'd be a photo shoot at 6am. I so need to get a life...

This photo contains partial nudity. Of me. If you so don't want to go there, overt your gaze and wander on to more puritan pastures. For those of you a little more daring, no tallywackers or behinds were revealed in the making of this photo.

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Between Dumps

Homer, Alaska

Benecia City Cemetery

Benecia, CA

Plentiful Peaks

Homer, Alaska

Cluster of Goodness

I nearly forgot... in addition to yesterday's gifts of two music gigs and a likely design gig (which will end up be an ongoing thing), I also received an e-mail from an Alaska company that wants me to design their annual report and the first yellow pages book was released that includes a listing of my piano teaching business. All within one early day in November (sounds like a song from a bad musical). Apparently the old adage, "when it rains, it pours" applies to good stuff too. As much as I like to bitch about how long stuff is taking to happen, I do recognized how really blessed I am to have this great new life. No worries, though, I'll be back to ranting about the dry beans any minute now. heh

The Little Boat that Could

Homer, Alaska

Who's Your Daddy?

I was just offered a job as musical director of Kiss Me Kate next May and a job as a pianist for Ragtime next summer. I also landed a meeting with a realty company in town to potentially do some graphic design work for them. My career connections in this area is coming in fits and starts, but it's happening. I'm stoked. Anyone want to join me tonight for some celebration?

Leaving My Stain, er, Mark

My gallery show in Homer was taken down last Friday. I sold two pieces: one framed photo and one photo print, both black and white. Financially it's not a lot, but it's the first art I've sold so I'm pretty stoked. Once I get my art back I'll start trying to schelp it to the galleries in my area.

Curious Little Tweet

Homer, Alaska

Sink or Swim

Homer, Alaska

Twisted

Friday night I played the professional photographer and took photos of a production of Oliver! presented by Modesto Performing Arts. While the gig was a favor to the creepy old man with whom I live, I approached it like a paying gig. Damn that was a lot of work. It was the first time I had a camera which would let me make all the little adjustments necessary to get good photos in that type of setting. So after two days of memorizing the camera manual and several test photo shoots with my good friend the living room lamp... I was ready to go. I ran all over that theatre, standing on arm rests and crashing past toddlers when necessary to get just the right shots. 400 pictures when it was all said and done. I've narrowed them down to 80 great shots. Here are a few of my favorites.

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A Face to Make a Mother Proud

Below is a photo I took of Curt just last night. Isn't he dreamy?

Red Door Vignette

In Laguna Beach, CA

Ego: A Virtual Tour

I know you were kicking yourself for not making it to my gallery show so I decided to take you there via the magic of technology. Since both my teleporter and virtual reality machine are in the shop for repairs, you'll have to settle for some digital pictures:

My 15 Minutes

My gallery show opening reception went really well. A lot of people attended and I got some great compliments and questions. Many of my friends and family showed up which made me feel all supported and crap. I hung out with Jennifer and McKibben afterwards which involved the sort of laughter that induced neck spasms. All in all, it was a great night. Now I'm completely exhausted. Nighty night.

Roll Out the Red Carpet

This Friday is the opening reception for a gallery showing of my digital art. It will be a solo show (me, me and more me) and will be on display through the end of October. The show will be in Homer, Alaska at the Homer Council on the Arts. I'm flying up to my former homeland Wednesday and return the following Monday. This being my first solo show, I'm all a twitter. I haven't even seen my work in their frames yet (assembly happens on site on Thursday). It's going to be a rush of seeing my work in frames and seeing it in a gallery all within 48 hours. I can't wait. The show will have about 24 pieces including digital photography, photo layering (see first two images below) and other digital art. Many of the pieces are things I've posted here. Click "keep reading..." to see a few new pieces to this site. If you want to see the whole kit and kaboodle (I have no idea what a kaboodle is so just go with it), you'll have to pay a visit to the gallery sometime this month. My ego certainly wouldn't mind it if your visit happened to coincide with the opening on Friday (5-7pm).

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Oh the Choices!

Make up your mind

Parched

In Laguna Beach, CA

The Irony

Our honeymoon apartment in Laguna Beach, CA

Cartaholic

After a few too many carmel mocha frappacinos

Positively Glowing Reviews

In Laguna Beach, CA

Forgotten Opportunity

Sunfloweresque

A small flower in Golden Gate Park.

Blockage

At the BART station in Dublin/Pleasanton.

Prince William Sound Cruise

Last week, while in Anchorage, George and I took a six hour cruise through the Prince William Sound. The entire day was picture perfect: sunny, warm, calm seas, and clear skies. This was the last hoorah for George as he moved to Ohio this week and a near last hoorah for me as I leave this glorious state in a mere two weeks. There are tons of pictures to rub your noses in the fact that I got to experience such a gorgeous day on the water in an amazingly beautiful state.

Table for One

NEW DISCLAIMER: The following is an amusing short story I wrote which contains some pretty extreme sexual references. If you are not comfortable with such things, just move on to the next post. I'm posting this story because it's funny and I think it's really well written, but I realize that it isn't a topic that's comfortable for everyone. I apologize to anyone who might have read this yesterday when the disclaimer was much more vague. Party on.

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George

This is a set of four photos that will go in my gallery show in October. Collect them all! Limited time offer! Act now! Oh, sorry, I got all possessed with the evil spirit of retail for a moment. I'm better now. Btw, the fourth photo is not safe for work.

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Ease on down the road

In a list of best bets in the Homer News last week:

BEST SIGN 'EM UP, WINDHAM HILL: Forget Jewel. She's like so 1990s. The next big thing to come out of Homer? Sources close to the Betster say it might be Damon McLay. Ya never know. If you want to say you knew him when, check out his concert at...

So I'm the next Jewel huh? Was that intended as a compliment?

Puppy Power!

My concert was a nice success. I had about 30 people attend. That's pretty good for how busy this weekend was, though not so good considering the stellar press coverage the event got. Still, there was a very receptive audience and I felt really good about my playing.

At a few points during my "meditative improv" I got into a solid meditative state and was clueless that there was even an audience in the room. That was wonderful though I realized that I needed to actually pay attention to things like time so it didn't end up being midnight by the time I crawled out of my altered state. The concert was about an hour and fifteen minutes long. I don't know what the profit was on ticket sales, but I sold six cds and may have landed two new piano students.

The major bummer was that none of the friends I enjoy just hanging out with actually came to the concert (well one did, but sadly didn't stick around afterwards). I was totally hoping for a bit of party fun with friends after the concert for my much needed post-performance debriefing. Fortunately my trusty mom was reliable as ever. She sat with me at home while I ate my Subway sandwhich and rambled on about the concert. She's the best and if anyone tries to refute that fact I'll put hot sauce in their underwear.

Because my ego isn't big enough

Gee, I guess now I should actually start practicing...

Color Me Fabulous

I submitted a proposal to have a gallery show at the local arts council and was accepted! I'm going to have a solo showing of my digital art and photography for the month of October of this year. This is my first "all Damon, all live" show... oh, wait, that's something completely different. Um, nevermind. As I was saying, I'm excited to have my first solo show. I need to decide what pieces I'll put in the show (most of my work is small so it'll take a lot to nicely fill a gallery space). Then I need to get all that work framed which is going to take quite a bit of money and/or creative framing options. It'll be worth it, but it's something I'll need to plan out so I can afford it. Anyway, pat me on the back and then simply send me $100 each and I'm sure I'll feel well supported by my blogging family. Gosh, you all are just so swell!

Drum roll please

My second cd, Finding My Way is complete and ready for public consumption. To officially debut the thing I'm giving a concert on Saturday, May 21, 7pm. If you're so inclined to make it to Homer it'll be at the Faith Lutheran Church and I'd love to see ya. You can listen to excerpts from and purchase both cds on my new site even though it isn't fully designed yet. In this case substance wins out over style. Oh well.

Say a little prayer for you

I'm kinda enjoying doing more people shots. And I'm getting better at giving directions for the models. Andrew and Jennifer got "Um... ah... jump some more." Donnie got more specifics like "tilt your head, cuddle that uncomfortably cold rock..." You know, things like that. Now I just need to get a higher quality camera. That's next up on my spending list.

untitled

She giggled. The little girl crouching behind the lifeless black filing cabinet giggled. It wasn't the sort of playground laugh you'd expect from a 9 year old. There was almost a cold edge to the sound, something unnatural. The sun barging through the blinds overhead made the large desk in front of her radiate with energy, but encased the frail figure in silhouette. The extreme contrasts in lighting created odd shapes in the empty classroom. The girl's shadowed form became almost a part of the abstract art that was the room. She was completely still. No motion. No sign of joy or fear. Her head leaned against the textured sheetrock, hands folded neatly over bent knees, effortlessly balancing on tiny tennis shoes. She hovered in her black, featureless state and giggled softly.

It's all on a hush, hush, need-to-know basis

I'm sitting here at work and listening to my second cd. "Second cd?!" you say? "I didn't know there was a first cd! And why haven't I heard there is a second one??!!!"

Okay, okay! Calm down a trifle. Yes, I have a self-published first cd: new age piano improvisation. The public can't seem to get enough (fame is *such* a burden). And while I truly am sitting here critiquing the second cd, it's not officially finished yet. All the recording is done and the cover is designed. I still have to design the liner notes and the cd label. After that I just have to start production.

The debut of the cd will be heralded with a solo concert at which time I'll create a web page with some excerpts and information on how to order online (my PayPal link). I already have a local reporter (from the *other* paper) who has agreed to do an article on the whole thing.

Once all that is scheduled you'll be the first to know. Well, actually you'll probably be like the 12th or 13th to know, but you know what I mean.

Here's Johnny!

This Saturday the arts council is putting on a variety show of local talent. The show will be done with an old time radio theme. The emcee will serve as the radio show host complete with cheesey jokes and melodramatic introductions. I'll kind of be the Doc Severinsen of the show; the musical sidekick to the host. I'll play prelude music, list the sponsors, and introduce the host. I'll also be playing some interlude spots while some groups are being set-up and possibly do some hokey banter with the host now and then. This leaves me at the piano for the entire show.

I had my first rehearsal last night and by rehearsal I mean sitting around waiting for some semblance of a clue as to what I was to be specifically doing during the show. The complete disorganization of the directors left me sitting around stewing at the big fat waste of time. Here's hoping that tonight and tomorrow's rehearsals go much better.

Blue mountain majesty

Yesterday Charlie, his friend Dana and myself took the dogs for a walk in the swamp flats in south Anchorage. Here are some photos from that beautiful little trek.

It's all in the leap

Andrew and Jennifer are getting married this summer and asked me to help create their wedding invitations. In preparation for this we decided we needed some photos that reflected their personalities (scary as they may be). These are just a few of the photos I took at Bishop's Beach a couple weeks ago.

Hanging a little to the left

The opening for the gallery show I'm in, went very well. Lots of people came through. I had the opportunity to get to know some other artists and to explain how I did my work. Thanks to my newly found social skills I had a really good time.

The gallery was packed with work from 21 artists. Since my pieces were small they kinda got squished in with some other work. Ah well, can't always be the center of attention.

The huge polar bear in the center of the room definitely took the spotlight in this show.

Well hung

This Friday opens an Emerging Artist gallery show sponsored by my work. I have two digital art pieces that will be in the show. This will be the first time I've had my work in a gallery. The pieces I'm including are Broken and Competition.

A friend stopped by my office today to congratulate me on the show. She said, "So now you will be hung!" I started to laugh until I realized that her mind, unlike mine, was not a porn movie on a continuous loop. She really was referring to having my art in a gallery. I tried to get my mind to think along the same, non-sexual lines: a hung artist... an artist that is hung... an artist that has his goods hung... hung like a true artist... an artist recognized by being hung...

Plot Lines

After my truck was brought back from an early retirement in an Anchorage church parking lot, I headed on the road to Homer for another grand adventure. The plot in this sequel began with immediate action as relentless 90 mile-per-hour winds threatened to throw the truck into the rocky cliffs of Turnagain Arm. This was coupled with a rain which seemed to enjoy grabbing at my tires and blurring my vision. As I got into the mountains the wind died down... as did the last threads of daylight. The rain, on the other hand, only increased.

By the time I got to Sterling there were pools of water littering the road, each one trying to suck the truck into its grasp. On one four lane stretch of road I tried to move into the outer lane to pass a car. What looked like a small skim of water covering that lane was evidently a mini ocean because the truck was gracefully thrown into a sideways skid. This became a double pirouette across the yellow lines followed by a moon walk as I shot backwards toward the opposite side of the road. The whole routine ended with the truck perfectly parallel to the white line on the opposite curb just outside of the lane of traffic. Still facing toward home I started the truck again and drove off. This time I proceeded at a slower pace with no efforts at passing even the slowest of grandmothers.

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The day before Christmas in Homer

Peddling cheer

How can one take a cheap ass gift and turn it into something special? By creating a personalized message and wrapping it in ribbon, of course!

Aromatherapy votive: $2.00
Cheesy sentiment: priceless

Alaskan irony

Bishops Beach in winter splendor (prior to the major snow fall):