Torso Tapestry, 9x12 inches, crayon on cotton paper, by Kenney Mencher
FREE SHIPPING
Shipping takes 3–4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago. I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
I spend most of my days working on oil paintings in my studio, but in the evenings—while watching TV or listening to audiobooks—I draw. This piece, Torso Tapestry, is part of that daily rhythm.
I drew it using a lightfast black crayon instead of pencil or charcoal. I’ve learned over the years that crayon smudges less and holds up better, especially when shipping. The paper is Rives BFK, a super-heavy cotton fiber paper usually used for printmaking. It’s thick, strong, and feels amazing to draw on—it even reminds me of the kind of paper money is printed on.
This particular drawing focuses on a cropped view of a male torso. It’s stylized but grounded in naturalistic observation. I intentionally distorted some of the proportions—like the oversized pectorals and sharply angled hips—to emphasize the musculature and push the shapes into something more geometric and rhythmic. There are no clothes, props, or background details—just the bare figure.
I was playing with the rule of thirds in the layout by shifting the torso slightly off-center and letting the limbs kiss the edges of the paper. The composition is asymmetrical but balanced through contrast and shape repetition. The heavy linear shading adds movement and texture while also flattening the form in places—so it walks the line between realism and abstraction.
Drawing male figures like this has always felt a little rebellious—even now. It’s not just about beauty or anatomy. It’s also a way of affirming identity in a world where queer bodies and queer art are still under attack. Collecting and displaying artwork like this is more than just decorating your space—it’s about showing solidarity, resisting censorship, and being part of a culture that says we’re still here.
Details
Title: Torso Tapestry
Medium: Lightfast black crayon on Rives BFK cotton paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Year: 2025
Unframed
Signed and dated lower right
Ships flat, protected by archival materials
Original work—not a print
FREE SHIPPING
Shipping takes 3–4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago. I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
I spend most of my days working on oil paintings in my studio, but in the evenings—while watching TV or listening to audiobooks—I draw. This piece, Torso Tapestry, is part of that daily rhythm.
I drew it using a lightfast black crayon instead of pencil or charcoal. I’ve learned over the years that crayon smudges less and holds up better, especially when shipping. The paper is Rives BFK, a super-heavy cotton fiber paper usually used for printmaking. It’s thick, strong, and feels amazing to draw on—it even reminds me of the kind of paper money is printed on.
This particular drawing focuses on a cropped view of a male torso. It’s stylized but grounded in naturalistic observation. I intentionally distorted some of the proportions—like the oversized pectorals and sharply angled hips—to emphasize the musculature and push the shapes into something more geometric and rhythmic. There are no clothes, props, or background details—just the bare figure.
I was playing with the rule of thirds in the layout by shifting the torso slightly off-center and letting the limbs kiss the edges of the paper. The composition is asymmetrical but balanced through contrast and shape repetition. The heavy linear shading adds movement and texture while also flattening the form in places—so it walks the line between realism and abstraction.
Drawing male figures like this has always felt a little rebellious—even now. It’s not just about beauty or anatomy. It’s also a way of affirming identity in a world where queer bodies and queer art are still under attack. Collecting and displaying artwork like this is more than just decorating your space—it’s about showing solidarity, resisting censorship, and being part of a culture that says we’re still here.
Details
Title: Torso Tapestry
Medium: Lightfast black crayon on Rives BFK cotton paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Year: 2025
Unframed
Signed and dated lower right
Ships flat, protected by archival materials
Original work—not a print
FREE SHIPPING
Shipping takes 3–4 Weeks
This ships from Round Lake Beach, Illinois. A suburb outside of Chicago. I use UPS and sometimes US Post.
I spend most of my days working on oil paintings in my studio, but in the evenings—while watching TV or listening to audiobooks—I draw. This piece, Torso Tapestry, is part of that daily rhythm.
I drew it using a lightfast black crayon instead of pencil or charcoal. I’ve learned over the years that crayon smudges less and holds up better, especially when shipping. The paper is Rives BFK, a super-heavy cotton fiber paper usually used for printmaking. It’s thick, strong, and feels amazing to draw on—it even reminds me of the kind of paper money is printed on.
This particular drawing focuses on a cropped view of a male torso. It’s stylized but grounded in naturalistic observation. I intentionally distorted some of the proportions—like the oversized pectorals and sharply angled hips—to emphasize the musculature and push the shapes into something more geometric and rhythmic. There are no clothes, props, or background details—just the bare figure.
I was playing with the rule of thirds in the layout by shifting the torso slightly off-center and letting the limbs kiss the edges of the paper. The composition is asymmetrical but balanced through contrast and shape repetition. The heavy linear shading adds movement and texture while also flattening the form in places—so it walks the line between realism and abstraction.
Drawing male figures like this has always felt a little rebellious—even now. It’s not just about beauty or anatomy. It’s also a way of affirming identity in a world where queer bodies and queer art are still under attack. Collecting and displaying artwork like this is more than just decorating your space—it’s about showing solidarity, resisting censorship, and being part of a culture that says we’re still here.
Details
Title: Torso Tapestry
Medium: Lightfast black crayon on Rives BFK cotton paper
Size: 9 x 12 inches
Year: 2025
Unframed
Signed and dated lower right
Ships flat, protected by archival materials
Original work—not a print
