Choklit Daddy's sketchbook

WHILST I WAS putting together Issue 149 of The Kaos Theory, I came across a story about Hollywood's Antebellum Gallery celebrating Black Pride with the work of artists like Tom of Finland, Belasco and JC Etheredge. In amongst those legends was a new name, whose vibrant work jumped off the screen at me: Choklit Daddy.

"I'm Black, gay, and in my 50s," Larry, the man behind Choklit Daddy, told me when I got in touch. "I'm married, legally in California since 2008, to the same man for 37 years. We live in Southern California with our Chartreux cat."

"I used to draw (pencil sketches, Beardsley-inspired pen-and-ink) as a boy - everything from Mickey Mouse to Diana Ross to (bodybuilder) Dave Draper."

Choklit Daddy's most recent works (which you can view on his excellent blog, Choklit Daddy's Sketchbook) were created entirely on his tablet computer. "I started drawing digital homoerotica in September 2011, after a friend mentioned that there were drawing apps for the iPad. For me, it was the right idea at the right time. I started out using the Inspire Pro app (briefly), then Sketchbook Pro, and currently ArtStudio."

"I love homoerotic art; from ancient Greek kouros sculptures to Michelangelo to Paul Cadmus to Tom of Finland. I have collected it for years (mostly snatched off the Internet, though I do own a couple of original pieces, by Michael Kirwan and The Hun). I met my idol, Patrick Fillion, at Bent-Con in Los Angeles, in December 2011. I had brought some of my drawings with me; he looked at them and said, 'These are good. Keep drawing'. That was when it occurred to me that I might actually get good at this. So, I kept drawing."

I wondered how the Antebellum SEXYBLACK show came about. "The SEXYBLACK show came about when I spotted a tall, beautiful, coffee-colored young man at a party at my friend John Burdick's house. The moment I laid eyes on this boy, I knew I wanted to draw him. So I introduced myself and as we were talking, he indicated the man he was there with; who turned out to be [Antebellum owner] Rick Castro. I handed Rick one of my business cards, which had one of my drawings on it, naturally. And he said, 'This is cute'. He also said he was considering putting on an exhibition of Black homoerotic art at his art gallery, Antebellum, in Hollywood; and he asked me if I might be interested. I did five new drawings especially for SEXYBLACK. One of them, Dancer - Ballet and Hip-Hop, is of Frederick, the boy I met at the party."

Enjoy a selection of Choklit Daddy's work after the jump - and don't forget to head over to his blog for more!