CRYPTIC is the first of two miniature projects I’ve done this summer. It consists of FIVE hand-drawn, 6″ x 6″ panels on a smooth, heavy paper. The title and artist’s signature are on the back.
I decided on this format to keep this family of characters together. The first is in profile. The three interior figures turn, in succession, to meet the queen in the last panel. The queen’s curved horn references the beak of the first figure, making the piece a perpetual cycle.
The origin of CRYPTIC lies in the first panel, which was based on a sketchbook drawing. Once I’d seen him emerge, I knew I had to do a few companion pieces that drew on natural forms, particularly insects.
This artwork could be treated as an object to be taken out and enjoyed from time to time, or it could be set in a unique, horizontal frame. CRYPTIC is available for purchase through my webstore.
The second project is a series of 12 ink and watercolour miniatures titled THE UNMANAGEABLE. Each piece is 5″ x 5,” painted on hotpress watercolour paper. THE UNMANAGEABLE series was completed over the first couple weeks of July.
These pieces run the gamut from monstrous to humorous. I used colour and brushed ink lines to make these pieces bold and fun. They have the character of illustrations from a slightly demented children’s book. The figures in this series share some attributes of the above pieces with some added biomorphic robots.
THE UNMANAGEABLE are also available for individual purchase in my shop.
Richard A. Kirk | Visual Artist | Author 
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