"Book Club"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

The surface you paint on can determine the outcome or effect.  Personally, I detest canvas.  I feel like I'm pushing the paint into the surface - it's like buttering a cold waffle.  So I prefer smooth, hard boards - like spreading warm butter on a warm pancake if you will.

I had this little panel I had painted black, but there was a bumpy texture, kinda sandpaper-like and I wanted that rougher texture for the steps and it worked out pretty well.

You certainly can't nit-pick with details and it kept me loose.  And I like that.

From Central Park in New York City on a summer day.

"Reading Up On"

7 x 8"

oil on panel
sold

I've been playing with this piece for a couple of days while watching multiple reruns of Cash Cab.  Obsessing really.  Sometimes I finish something and it's just too predictable, color-wise.  Bland.  So I mixed up some unexpected colors and played.  I like it now.  Time to start another one.

I spotted this young woman reading around Central Park, New York City.

 

"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.

"Smooth Sailing"

8 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I was watching Curb Your Enthusiasm last night - Larry David was arguing with a couple of women, behind him, this (almost exact) view of the 'boat pond', blue skies, little, model sailboats and all. How cool is that.




This painting will be included in the upcoming group show at 16 Patton Gallery - my collection features New York Life.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Sailor Man"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

The gentleman who wrote to me recently, about his boyhood hobby of sailing these cool pond boats in the Conservatory Water in Central Park (otherwise known as the Boat Pond), inspired me to paint this new piece - an addition to my series ATL to NYC & Back. Just goes to show, simple pleasures are the best.

"Treed Tops"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

If you're a painter and want to loosen up, I suggest tackling buildings - unless you want to include every single window, you find a way to get the point across but not get too nit-picky. It's a challenge. The same goes for trees. It's an impressionistic 'glimpse', I don't think the details really matter.

This view is from Central Park's Conservatory Water (is that right?), a moment of Zen as we walked around 5th Avenue on our first full day in the city. I particularly loved seeing the rooftop trees around New York. Nice, surprising sprouts of green. This painting is included in my series ATL to NYC & Back.

a little info......a nice man from New York wrote me to say, "what you painted is what we old New Yorker's call the 'boat pond'. Growing up... the Boat Pond was a very important part of this kid's life starting with E.B. White's 'Stuart Little'. " This gentleman is still building and repairing pond model boats - how cool is that? The morning we were there, more than a few kids were steering those little sailboats, just like old times. Thanks for the info Mike.

"Park Central"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite
sold

19 years ago, in the final weeks of his life, my father was taken care of by the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, a cancer hospice here in Atlanta. They operate solely on private donations - and I am forever grateful for the help and compassion they gave my dad and our family.

This new painting, a crisp October day in Central Park, New York City, where all kinds of people were enjoying the sun and the shade - will be on auction starting this evening, with 100% of the final sale donated to the Sisters of Our Lady.

"Central Parking"

16 x 8"

oil on masonite

sold

It's a good thing this was a holiday weekend because this painting took me all weekend. Admittedly between the swimming and eating and sleeping late. I'm an impatient painter if you don't know that about me - I want to start and finish in the same day or night. If I go to bed with a piece half done, I think about it and rework it in my head all night. Drives me nuts. But this weekend was the perfect time to attempt such a painting and I'm totally thrilled with the finished product. Hope you all had a good time off and I'll be back in a couple of days, after I catch up on some work.

This new painting will be included in my July show at 16 Patton, in Asheville. The scene is from New York City, a crowded bench in Central Park in October.

Please click here for a larger view.