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Here is more new(ish) artwork that I finished back in March, 2021 but haven't shared until today.
The myth of Heracles, a.k.a. Hercules, is one of the first stories I actually remember reading as a little kid. My grandma knew I was really interested in Greek mythology and sent me a few illustrated children's books, and I'd pour over the line drawing and accompanying story often. Hercules (that's how I learned of him, by his Roman name) was perhaps my favorite. His twelve labors: Atlas and the Golden Apples, Prometheus, the Hydra, and all the rest. Good stuff! I've also always been a huge fan of classical Greek artwork too, with it's focus on myth and the human form. Lovely!
I made a drawing of Heracles a few years ago, I'm not sure why. Sometimes my drawings seem to make themselves, one shape leads to another, leads to another, creates something that looks like a lion's head, leads to "hey that looks like Hercules", leads to the finished drawing.
I'm a big fan of Astrotheology: that is, the idea that many of our mythical and religious stories have their origin in the path the stars and constellations take as they move across the sky. A very simple explanation for a complex system... But yeah, I think Heracles' story (and Samson's, and so many others) had its origin in the night sky.
I also like astronomy, and try to keep track of what constellations are overhead. I started thinking about coloring this drawing last summer, 2020, because I knew that the constellation of Hercules was kneeling with his club raised overhead, while at the same time people here in the USA were kneeling to each other with their fists in the air. I have no idea what that all means... maybe we should ask Mr. Natural? Anyway... it took me a while to get to it, but here my Heracles artwork is, finally finished!
