the Reaper in this killing frenzy. You might ask yourself why share all this painstaking detail? Because if I were to sum up Blake in one word it would be “de- tail”. Detail in planning, detail in thought and detail in execution. There is no “how to” formula here, it is a passion for studying and creating detail that leads to his exceptional works of art. “People create but they don’t see things”. One of my most important lessons learned from Blake was the utilization of good reference material and not just looking at it in a superficial fashion but the microdissection and re- verse engineering of the reference before you. The study of each shadow, each highlight, its intensity, its hue and finally the careful mapping of that nuance to the work at hand. The concept of good reference material is a recurring theme that Blake emphasizes in his teaching and instructional DVDs and is practiced daily in his shop. Technically I recognize I will have to build my airbrushing skills slowly over time but the theory behind critically analyzing reference material is not something that the aspiring artist innately or serendipitously acquires. As part of my immersion into this creative environment Blake shared his various works through time. I was able to view his sketch books from his early days in training which enabled me to see his evolution as an artist. We discussed the people that have influenced him such as his college illustration instructor Marshall Arisman, and well know artists such as Caravaggio, Mucha, Dali, John Singer Sargent and Raymond Swanland. At times there were emotional recollections of artists/friends such as Robert Benedict (Black Dog Custom Paint and Air- brush) no longer alive but whom inspire Blake to this day. As I reviewed Blake’s early works it became apparent there is a passion for story telling which had its foundations early in his career as seen in multi-piece paintings that at times would tell a horrific story and show metamorphosis of its subjects. It is easy to see how these beginnings lead to the dark and tex- tured color palate repeated in his current works as well as the passion for story telling seen in his motorcycle art today. He has a love for political satire and the politically incorrect. There are at times hidden messages and images in his work that range from whimsical to ones that some would consider distasteful and at times even blasphemous. In my opinion this is where Blake’s true genius lies in his ability to strike an emo- tional cord and pull one into to the awe inspiring complexity within his works. To be in the studio with an artist at the top of his game and to have an open dialog over an extended period of time with Blake was an amazing experience. His personality leads to uncen- sored, blunt, and at times passionate conversation on numer- ous topics ranging from art history to politics and ultimately leading to an unencumbered exchange of ideas. In a short pe- riod time Blake became my teacher, my mentor, and a friend and I thank him for unselfishly sharing his time and creativity which no doubt will inspire myself and others to push ourselves artistically further. I would like to close by borrowing a quote from American au-


thor William Arthur Ward which I feel so embodies Blake:


“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires”


Thank you Blake for inspiring so many of us.


About the Author:


Kraig is a board certified anatomic/clinical pathologist prac- ticing surgical pathology at Memorial Hospital in York, Pa. He has numerous hobbies including woodworking, stunt/traction kiting, and of course, airbrushing.


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