"Color is the New Black"

9 x 12"

oil on panel

sold

When it comes to really feeling the joy of a painting, top of my list is dogs.  Second is featuring any painting by Wayne Thiebaud.  He is a giant in my world.

Wayne Thiebaud has painted ordinary objects - wedges of pie, lipstick, sunglasses, neck ties, cupcakes, buckets of paint, gumball machines, shoes to name a few - for decades.  What sets him apart as a painter is he takes that subject, that thing, and injects life into it - with color.  Take one shoe you see in his painting Shoe Rows.  There is, approximately, no less than 10 colors of paint in that one shoe.  The edges vibrate. The devotion to every object and shadow is admirable.

And that's why this painting was pure joy to paint.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Show Stopper"

10 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

This past July, in Charleston, the annual Palette to Palate Art Stroll was held. Meaning art and food in one place - can't beat that. I was inside the Sylvan Gallery on King Street that evening - where I spotted this striking figure against the gallery wall. Very fun to paint.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Yellow"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Winding up with the alphabet series, Y is for Yellow - a bright spot on the sidewalk of Seattle.

"Opening"

5 x 7"
oil on masonite
sold

I couldn't resist using Opening for the letter O, continuing on with my alphabet series. This was taken from the opening reception of my show, a couple of weeks ago, at the Howard/Mandville Gallery. There was a nice, casual feel that night - and this painting needed to reflect that. The man portrayed in the scene was so kind to mention he watched my YouTube videos - I remember when I got back to my hotel room that night, it dawned on me that I reach a lot of people with what I do. And occasionally I have the pleasure of meeting those people in person, way across the globe. It really does make me proud.

Upcoming February Show

Now would be the time to announce an upcoming show - at the Howard/Mandville Gallery in Kirkland, Washington - featuring myself and an Arizona artist named Fred Calleri, who's work you're sure to love. The opening reception will be Saturday, February 9th and the paintings will be showcased through the entire month.

Despite my usual habit of painting something and posting it the same day, the pieces for this show will not be revealed until the week of the show's opening, with an exception of a few that will be featured in the invitation and advertising. I'll be going nuts up until then, because your feedback is always so important to me. So...... if you see gaps in my postings, be assured I'm painting. And meanwhile, please think about coming to the opening night at the gallery. I will do my best to be there as well.

Small Works Show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery

I'm very proud to be included in a Small Works Show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery - and HUGELY proud to have one of my paintings featured in the ad for the show, which is running in both the American Art Collector's Magazine and Southwest Art. Gulp. Seeing my painting in a magazine is tripping me out folks.

For a preview of all the works available in the show please click here.

"Judgement Day"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

This is a painting I've wanted to do for a long time. I kept passing over it because.... well.....I didn't know if I could pull it off. The light is sweet, the walls have many tones, and the women is somewhat vague because she was a step back from the spotlights. It was a tough one. The result, I think, is a really nice warmth, especially with the gold tones of the walls and the reddish-brown of the floor. I love it.

This was a scene taken from my opening reception, at the 16 Patton Gallery in Asheville.

Have a great holiday weekend - I think I'll take a couple days off myself.

Please click here for a larger view.

Yesterday's Painting

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

I painted this piece yesterday - a gift to a friend. It is a moment taken from my July show in Asheville, at the 16 Patton Gallery.

"Showtime"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Okay - I did it. Someone looking at my artwork :).

"Catch 22"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

A new piece that I did today - I always relish a full day of painting. I was asked to do a piece for a small show titled "Paper or Plastic" and chose this candid moment, of a young woman reading Catch-22 (the paper) with her biker glasses (the plastic) perched on her hat. By the way, for those who may be familiar with the artist Jeff Cohen, this is his daughter Emily.

Click here if you'd like a larger view.