Workshop in Hilton Head

Just a quick shout to announce I'm holding another workshop this fall in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Registration is now available, the details can be found on the right hand column, including the contact info to sign up. You can click here for a summary of the workshop.

Also want to mention there are 3 openings to attend my workshop in San Francisco in April. You can read more here.

Would love to have you join me ~

"Arrivederci"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Whenever I'm approaching New York City and see the skyline, I get butterflies in my stomach - it is so enormous, so fantastic, so dense, so busy. It's kinda scary. I feel like I'm leaving one country and stepping into another. Once I'm there, that all turns into excitement and energy - and I am in awe. We were a part of the heartbeat for eleven days and it was unforgettable. My workshop was, again, a fantastic experience - it is the greatest city to photograph and paint.

Leaving the island, I usually feel a slight relief - back on familiar territory. This was our last glimpse of the skyline, from across the Hudson River - and we were now on our way to reunite with friends in New Jersey, and where we left our car. This isn't the end of my series ATL to NYC & Back - but it's the last glimpse of that amazing part of our trip.

"Driving While Suspended"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Not to whine, but this was downright tough. There was nearly a wipe off three different times, I just vowed to plug on.

This new painting is included in my ongoing series ATL to NYC & Back - as we were packed up and ready to leave the island, we wanted to see the Brooklyn Bridge just one more time. It is so iconic, so magnificent.

"Starbuckin'"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

After a couple of days of tightening up - I needed loosening up. I love painting both ways really. Balancing it out is the key to sanity.

As my ongoing series ATL to NYC & Back is coming to an end, our final morning in New York City began with a stop at the nearest Starbucks, where I spotted this young woman enjoying the sunny window.

"Tea Time"

12 x 9"

oil on masonite
nfs

A painting I've been working on for several days - a gift for two very nice people I know.

The Hilton Head Gang Mugshots

I'm catching up with the rest of the Hilton Head Gang - warming up with these new additions. We've got a blog where you can see the gang's different versions - they're so cool.

Roxanne "The Streak"

Chris "The Moniker"

Jennifer "JLO"

Kelley "Macgrins"

My New Book 'San Francisco'

For my workshops, I create a book for my students that includes paintings I've done from the location we find ourselves in - hopefully it inspires when they're sent out with their cameras, seeing the surroundings through an artist's eyes.

With my workshop in April fast approaching, I've got a new book 'San Francisco' now available on Blurb - it is 7 x 7" and includes 41 color reproductions of paintings I've done from previous trips to the city. If you'd like a partial preview of this new book, click here.

To explain my pause in working on new pieces, we've decided this is a great opportunity for a once-in-a-lifetime road trip to the west coast - so I've been mapping it out, making solid plans and that has taken chunks of time but it should be incredible. Zac & Joey are coming too, they'll be blogging about it along the way and so will I.

For now, I'll get back to painting tomorrow. Thank ya'll.

"Stared Straight"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

After painting the cool, swirly water around "Minnie", it prompted me to add to my ongoing series ATL to NYC & Back - a woman enchanted with Monet's brush strokes on his "Water Lilies", which hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Minnie"

nfs

One of my four-legged friends, Minnie, my good friend's pom - she lived a long, adventurous, loved life and passed away today. I've painted Minnie before, floating on a raft with her mom. RIP Minnie.

"200 Faces, No. 108"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

A great face to paint.

"Mensch"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Mensch is Yiddish for a good guy. I loved this gentleman, I thought he looked like a good guy. Distinguished and wise in his years. I spotted him sitting outside of Central Park, looking onto 5th Avenue. Not far from where I held the workshop.

Normally, I would ignore the detail of the wall behind him - keep it simpler. But in this case, I thought it added something right. This new painting will be added to my ongoing series ATL to NYC & Back.

"Comfy"

12 x 9"
oil on masonite
sold

There are times when I can't seem to paint anything right - and I know it's because something is distracting my attention - laundry, errands, puppies and the like usually. So I just gave in for a few days and focused on my upcoming workshop in San Francisco. I made all my arrangements, worked on my hand-outs, did my laundry, ran my errands and played with the pups. Nothing like a clear head to get painting again.

This new painting feels so warm and comfy - a big chair, a hot cup of coffee and a good book. So nice.

Please click here for a larger view.