“John Vassos Phobia” (2022)
by Carson Grubaugh (1981- )
8.5 x 11 in., ink on paper
Coppola Collection

At the Patreon site organized by Sean Michael Robinson and Carson Grubaugh, which accompanies their collaboration on “Living the Line,” they offer a premium based on Carson’s Google Grab-Bag schtick.

He offers an original straight-to-ink sketch. Here is how that works. You are asked to provide a word or phrase (and obviously you can game this a bit). Carson then searches this word or phrase using Google Images. The first photographic image listed by Google Images will be the source material for the straight-to-ink sketch.

Carson has got a great eye. In fact, it freaks me out. He can use a brush (or pen) on paper with NO underlying outline, lay down lines or brushstrokes all over the page, and in about 20-30 minutes he produces a sketch. And all without the training wheels! He records it live. There are videos of this on YouTube (and at the Patreon site).

The February 2022 Grab-Bag phrase came from me. In fact, all three phrases that were voted on came from me. I really like the art of John Vassos, so I offered up “John Vassos Phobia,” “John Vassos Wilde’s Salome,” and “John Vassos Ultimo.”

Phobia was the winner.