Dr. Lakra at the Museum of Oaxacan Painters

Serena and I recently made a couple visits to the Oaxacan Museum of Painters (MUPO) to check out the new show the hottest artist on the local scene, Dr. Lakra. The museum is kitty korner from the Plaza Alameda where the Cathedral shares it's south side with the Zocalo. Right there where Garcia Vigil meets Independencia.

You can't go wrong with Capt. Caveman!

Dr. Lakra is the son of local international painting star/philantropist Francisco Toledo, but he's got a fistful of punk rock, Mad Magazine and classic Mexican film at his able fingertips.

Note the combination of painting and drawing. Some of the stuff was executed right on the museum walls. There's also a whole room full of giant cryptic designs, a combo of huge print outs pasted to the wall, and illustration in B&W on the spot.

This show really inspired me, it was huge wild fun, a blast of practical and psychedelic imagination and virtuoso bravado!

 I know, this one is sideways. So turn your damn computer on up!

Two Giant Graphic Novels by Steve Lafler

I just put up a blog piece here at this link about my two giant "legacy" graphic novels, Menage a Bughouse and Doggie Style: The Complete Dog Boy from publisher CO2.

They'd make a great holiday gift for any fan of the graphic novel!

Here's a new piece I just finished, 9" x 12" acrylic on canvas. Dog Boy photobombs Keith Richards!

$195.00 U.S.

Steve Lafler
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New Dog Boy Paintings by Steve Lafler

Here are two new acrylic paintings of my Dog Boy character. These were commissions generated by my Kickstarter campaign to fund my new book Doggie Style: The Complete Dog Boy. Both pieces are 8" x 10" on stretched canvas.

 Drop me an email if you'd like to commission a piece!   --Steve

Let's Draw Cactus

Drove out to visit the art center in San Agustin Etla yesterday and saw a great show. It featured works by Posada and other Mexican artists rendering homage to him.

However, the real highlight of the day was sitting outside the art center and drawing this distinctive nopal cactus.

Steve Lafler Art Auctions

 Acrylic on canvas, 8" x 10", 2002. "Drinking Dennis". Bids start at $125.00

This is the character Dennis (the piano player) from my Bughouse series of graphic novels. He's enjoying a drink, flanked by Liz and Nadine, a couple of cute bug girls on the be-bop jazz scene.

Blue pencil, brush & ink on bristol board, 11" x 17", Dog Boy #7, page 5, 1987.

"Knife Fight with Saxophone"

Bids start at $250.00 

This original Dog Boy page is a classic example of my brush & ink technique. It took me years to master the flowing, variant brush strokes as pioneered by masters such as Will Eisner.

I just listed the above items for auction on Ebay. Click on the links below each piece to go to it's auction page.

Steve Lafler
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Draw Oaxaca: Art Tourism in Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico is a southern Mexico city that is the seat of an intact indigenous culture. Renowned for it's cuisine, arts, ruins, markets and natural beauty, it's also the home of Mezcal, the mysterious smokey/smooth distilled agave beverage that is the soul of Oaxaca. It's the perfect place for the artist, offering ample opportunities to visit museums, galleries, cultural events and ruins. Cafe life beckons, offering opportunities to sketch as well as mingle with like minded travelers and locals. Village markets and craft collectives dazzle with a spectacular, indeed surreal array of goods. As a Oaxaca resident since 2007, I'm your insider guide to art adventure here.

Local flora

Easily reached via a direct flight on United from Houston, Oaxaca offers a wide range of elegant, reasonably priced hotels. Aero Mexico also flies to Oaxaca via Mexico City.

The city of Oaxaca sits at the confluence of three mountain valleys and boasts a near ideal climate at an altitude of 5000 feet. The city center features a charming array of sixteenth century baroque architecture, dotted with convivial cafes and restaurants featuring the world renowned Oaxacan cuisine.

Urban Oaxaca ruin

I've been teaching drawing and painting classes in Oaxaca for the past two years, concentrating on on-site life studies. There is plenty to draw -- the flora & fauna, buildings and landscapes. We've even tackled the human figure in market settings. No easy task, as people move freely about as we try to capture them in pencil, it gives your hand and eye a real workout.

You are invited to join me in Oaxaca for on-site drawing and painting sessions. I generally charge 200 pesos per session, with a price break for group sessions depending on the number of students. Day trips can be scheduled for groups at 1000 pesos per day plus a stipend for gas. 

In addition to art lessons, I host visits to ruins, arts and craft villages, museums, mezcal stills, markets and other Oaxaca attractions. I also recommend local guides and tours in addition to leading them myself.

I'm happy to field questions on all things Oaxaca -- from travel and hotels to what to pack and what to leave home. Drop me a line!

Steve Lafler

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503-213-3671