I don't think you can blame your latest crabby mood solely on recent fluff & dagger politics if this in the kind of research you've been indulging in..

.... though the paintings and their captions do somehow appeal to a dark and needing to feel nauseaous part of me...(?)

Disturbing. I could not even finish reading them. Just not in the mood for such depression and evil.

Congrats. The drawings are very good. You should be proud.

Wow. good work. even with creepy subjects.

BTW if you like yearbooks, you should see if you can get someone to give up their Oceanside High School (CA) yearbook from 1969-70. They staff went off on a tangent. It was the best thing ever! My friend illustrated many parts of it. When I got my copy I couldn't believe they would allow the student body that kindof license. Come to find out they didn't, but it got printed anyway.

I work at a criminal defense firm, so the blurbs weren't new to me but I liked the presentation. Everyone has a story, even if it is an ugly one. The colors you chose were really evocative.

I really enjoyed that, but I have to say your arrows sorta baffled me for a bit. Couldn't tell which description matched which picture. Or maybe I'm just being silly :P

Your drawings are powerful. I also like what you wrote. It is easier to think that death row inmates are "evil geniuses" than to face up to the fact that they are human beings often twisted and hardened by devastating social conditions. This does not absolve them of their crimes. But they are symptoms of problems that will never be fixed by pouring money into prisons and not, say, schools.

Regardless, thank you for putting a human face on them, even if they are monstrous. The death penalty in the country is no less so.

Were there two sets of brothers your drawings? or were the similar names just coincidence?

That's just horribly bizzare. I am interested in the family psycological profiles of situations like that.

Amazing illustrations by the way, They really convey intense feelings.

Josh

Jesus Christ, that was gut wrenching.

The portraits and what you wrote are fantastic and so interesting. You are very talented!

Whitney Biennial here you come!

I like the variations in each portrait..and agree that the colours enhance the mood. You've got a good eye for expressions and gestures..works well.

Good subject to think about really..I'm with you on opposition of the death penalty, but the alternate solutions are not easy to agree upon.
It's really sad that so many crimes are commited when the criminals are on parole or recently released. The relvolving door thing needs to be looked at too!

I was amazed that so many of the violent crimes were committed against children.

How did you come up with this subject?

-Dan

What kind of pen did you use for those? It's so nice and black but stands up to watercolors!