My Van Halen tribute series

I've been a die-hard Van Halen fan since middle school. I'm a fan of the original lineup and the VH mach-2. My preference was and still is Sammy Hagar. He was the frontman when I got into the band.

I was heartbroken in 1996 when Eddie fired Sammy. The band was never the same, but Sammy flourished! I've held a grudge against Eddie ever since.

However, when he passed away in 2020 I was crestfallen. My love of the band came flooding back, because now there will never be a Van Halen. A few months after his death (I was already in a deep depression before Eddie Van Halen's death and stopped making art for about 9 months total), I started my tribute series of the band. For the most part, my drawings and paintings depict all 4 members: Eddie, Sammy, Alex Van Halen and Michael Anthony. I focus on the lineup I grew up with (and I don't like David Lee Roth. His contribution to the success of the band can't hinder my distaste for his personality). 

I wanted to show each tour, whether they are performing or posing. I still have a few more I want to do. 

 

New exhibit

 I've just been asked to display my "Heroes" series at The Gallery at Brewery Park in Detroit. It will be up the month of February 2025, and the opening reception is Saturday, February 8th at 4pm EST. 

This graphite drawing is one of the pieces in the exhibit, as well as more portraits of Jack Nicholson, and Sammy Hagar (The Red Rocker) , Van Halen, Sergio Aragonés , Popeye and more. 

More info as we get closer to the show.

Best of all worlds

 So, Sammy Hagar has embarked on a new tour to celebrate and honor the music of Van Halen, as well as his career, and the careers of his band members, which right now consists of Michael Anthony of Van Halen, Jason Bonham, and Joe Satriani of Chickenfoot with Sammy and Michael Anthony. This friday, August 2nd, the "Best of All Worlds" tour is going to be hitting Pine Knob music theater in Clarkston michigan, where I and my brother will be going and taking artwork to hopefully give to Sammy and the band. I have not done this and a long time, because I didn't want to put my brother through that again. Since 1997, I've been taking artwork to concerts to try to give to musicians that I admire, and feel as though my brother and my wife have had to suffer through me trying to finagle a way to get backstage over get to the front of the crowd or get to security to try to get the artwork to the bands. So for the last almost 10 years I've given up on bringing artwork to musicians, and that includes Sammy Hagar. But my brother just kind of hinted the other week that the reason he gets tickets so close is so I could try to get artwork to the band on stage, which means that he's always intended for me to do that without actually saying anything! So this concert I'm going to try it again, which works because Van Halen is one of the biggest reasons I got in to music and Middle School, particularly the Sammy Hagar era because that's when I got into music was around the For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge album, which is my favorite album of all time, and not just favorite Van Halen album. We were lucky enough to see Van Halen in 1993 and twice in 1995, that's the last time we saw Van Halen. The 2004 tour was too expensive for us to go to, but we've seen all but maybe three Sammy solo tours if you include the Chickenfoot shows. Here are some of the pictures that I created for the band members. Wish me luck on giving these to them face to face!

Only one way to rock

 I started a series of artwork of Sammy Hagar era Van Halen after Eddie Van Halen passed away. His death hit harder than I'd expect. I'm always doing Hagar portraits, so I've accumulated a small series of artwork of Sammy Hagar. I was hoping to share my work with fellow Redheads (fans of the Red Rocker Sammy Hagar), but I don't see it happening. So, here's my tribute to Sammy Hagar and Van Halen 

I had to make a couple Popeyes in the VOA outfits!!

The drawing below is a drawing I did in high school around 1994, 1995

Full Circle

 I've been working on a LOT of Van Halen artwork since the passing of Eddie Van Halen in 2020, but I've focused on the Sammy Hagar years, because that's my guy.

I've also done multiple drawings and paintings of Sammy Hagar. This is the current oil painting I'm working on, of Sammy's latest band, Sammy Hagar and the Circle featuring Vic Johnson (of the Waboritas and the Busboys), Jason Bonham (from BONHAM, Foreigner and countless other bands), and Michael Anthony (Van Halen and Chickenfoot).

I still have to add Michael Anthony to the painting, but this is what I have so far 

Finished What I Started!

It's done! I set out to paint a quick watercolor portrait of Van Halen, and 3 days later...

This is an 11x14 watercolor painting on watercolor paper (or bristol board. I don't remember).

It is available for purchase. Contact me via Facebook or email if interested.

 

Art for sale

 Although I am available for commission art, I also have a LOT of work just sitting around. Here are a few. Sizes and prices vary. Contact me if interested in anything.