"100 Faces, No. 60"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

The only way to enjoy painting portraits, I'm convinced, is to not be commissioned to do them. Not that there's anything wrong with that - it's been a valid, desired and lucrative way to make a living for many an artist. But I learned a long time ago, people don't see themselves as others do. And that made for tweaking and beautifying to satisfy the client - and I'd rather not go there.

During my short stint as an art major student, some thirty years ago, I was thrilled when the life-drawing models were everything but beautiful. Give me the morbidly obese, the curmudgeons, the weathered faces. Warts and all. All those imperfections drive me.

When I was about halfway through this painting, I kept thinking her face is too small. But it wasn't me - it was the truth. She has a tiny head, with a whole lotta hair. Naturally I'm inclined to correct that, make it more proportionally correct - but it is what it is. And I love that about these studies. In this series, you'll see crooked eyes, oddly longer noses or dominating foreheads - all those things that make us unique, special and human.

"100 Faces, No. 59"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I think I decided to crop this in order to include the hairs sticking up - realizing, when it was finished, he seems closer to the viewer. Maybe a bit more diminutive as well. I really like it.

"100 Faces, No. 58"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Spent the morning warming up - literally and painting-wise. The best experience I have with this series is nothing is planned - no sketching, no colors intended from the start, no pressure. It's the best thing you can do, to limber up, no matter what the subject matter is.

"Under The Influence"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

This, you could say, is painted from my alter ego - enjoying less detail, seeing things in a more abstract sense. A blink, a glimpse. And to paint this way - a lot of squinting.

From Charleston, diners enjoying a mild, November evening under the glow of Pearlz Oyster Bar.

My Friend Susan

One of my best friends from high school
(the one with 'Sue' on her sweater)
in a funny commercial for Swanson. A longer version is here,
click on 'Stuffing Skirmish' on the bottom left.
It's a hoot.

Have a beautiful Thanksgiving.

"100 Faces, No. 57"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

An excellent subject to paint ..... and yes, I'm coming back to life. Anything I've attempted to paint this past week, other than the faces, has been a failure. When I don't feel good, I force it. End up with something too picky, too detailed. There's no fun in that.

"100 Faces, No. 56"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 55"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

More and more, I'm taking off the training wheels - using the photo for a portion of the painting then inventing the rest. I tend to pick up colors on the brush that are bolder choices - and I end up liking the painting so much more in the end.

"100 Faces, No. 54"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm thrilled with this one.

"100 Faces, No. 53"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 52"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

It's been so long since I've had a cold - I forgot just how unpleasant it was. I move at a slow speed, even with my paint brush. There are worse things.....

"100 Faces, No. 51"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

My Week Away

If I could have managed time for blogging last week, I surely would have. I thought I'd catch up when I returned to my hut - when I'd make more sense. Still a tad out of it, I think I caught me a cold. Not surprising given at one point, I'm teaching in shorts with sunshine and 82 degree days - then painting outside in 43 degrees by the weekend. Wacky.

I arrived in Hilton Head a few days ahead of schedule - my guy and Petey joining me. Petey got the best seat.



The workshop began Monday morning - the studio we painted in was excellent, spacious and plenty of elbow room for 17 artists, my assistant Vince Fazio (from the Sedona Arts Center and also an artist) and me. Fabulous space - I really enjoyed it.

8 x 10"
my demo on Monday
sold

Some of my talented painters at work.

4 x 4"
sold

My demo on Tuesday morning - very quick, very loose
and painterly, the way I love to paint.

Another talented participant.

A quick note about the desktop easel Kris and others are using - my guy custom-made these for my students who were interested - he made 10 and sold out at the workshop. They're a deluxe version of the one I've used for the past five years - very sturdy, you can set it to a dozen different angles and it folds flat for traveling in luggage. A new batch will be built soon and I'll offer them for sale in my eBay store - so I'll holler as soon as they're ready to purchase.

8 x 8"
sold

A demo I painted on Tuesday afternoon, from a student's
photo taken around Palmetto Bluff.

Tuesday evening, Ben Whiteside of the Morris & Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head, hosted a get-together for all of my students and guests at the gallery - thank you Ben. We really loved that experience.

A very talented participant who used her iPad as a tool to paint from.
Smart girl, I was so envious.

6 x 6"
sold

My demo for Wednesday, a happy dog I met on the beach.

Another talented artist painting from her own photo.

6 x 6"
sold

My demo for Thursday, a longer day in the studio,
so I spent a little more time with it.

Not only one of my talented participants, Jerry is also the writer of the award winning comic strip Zits, creator of Baby Blues and one-time cartoonist for Nancy - we were thrilled to have him paint with all of us.

A fabulous, unique painting done by one of my talented students.

5 x 7"
sold

My demo for Friday.

I'm not kidding when I say I lucked out with 17 talented, eager, friendly, optimistic artists.


I enjoyed every minute of the time we worked together. It totally inspired me to get back to my hut and start painting as soon as possible.

After the workshop wrapped up on Friday, I headed straight to Charleston, met up with my good friends, Neil and Karen Hollingsworth - both extraordinary painters.



Above Neil and Karen was the view from our terrace at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning - I'm off to paint in Washington Park, something completely new for me.

A Charleston artist, Rhett Thurman - painting in the park. Rhett and I shared a model that morning.



That's the tip of my head and several folks watching me paint in the park, including a Charleston artist, Tate Nation (second from the right). Great guy, great painter.

6 x 8"
sold

8 x 10"
sold

These are the two paintings I did in the park, which were included in the auction that night along with all the other artists who participated - proceeds going to the local public school's art departments - a great cause. On Charleston Today's website, there's a cool video of the Painting in the Park - take a look.

The auction was so exciting - a big Thank You to both the Morris & Whiteside Gallery and the Sylvan Gallery for representing my work in the event - makes me very proud.

For now, I'm happy to be back to my hut and have a lot of catching up to do. If there are future workshops scheduled, I'll post that info on the right hand column - also take some time to visit the blogs and websites of those artists who shared their time with me, both in New York and Hilton Head.

I'm grateful to those who joined me last week, as well as Vince Fazio for the help in not only arranging the workshops but assisting me and the artists during the week - couldn't have done it without you Vince.

Back to the paints ~

"100 Faces, No. 50"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Oh my God - I've done 50! And I'm loving this project, I really am.

Safe to say I won't chime in until I'm able - I'll be painting with 17 artists, I can't wait. I hope to post glimpses of the workshop and the students' work and my demos - you may have to wait until I return home - it's hard to set aside time during a week like that. Friday afternoon, I'm off to Charleston for the big art weekend - Saturday morning I'm joining other artists painting in Washington Park - a new experience for me. Those paintings done Saturday morning are auctioned at the Charleston Art Auction Saturday night - proceeds go to the art departments of the local public schools. Big week for me.

Stay tuned, I'll be back to the blogging asap.

Happy Halloween

"100 Faces, No. 49"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

A good bit of the adventure of these faces is painting on different color grounds, this one on a bright rosy tone which was painted on loosely and not sanded down smooth. That little bit of texture is cool to work with, leaving traces underneath and around the edges - which I love to do.

"100 Faces, No. 48"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm quieter than usual - I've got a lot to get done for an upcoming workshop next week.

Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the faces.

"100 Faces, No. 47"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 46"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

"100 Faces, No. 45"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

The thing about this one ..... I try not to dominate skin with pink tones, I think it can look chalky and cold. Usually, if I've reached this point, I add in some greens, golds - warm it up. In this case, I stopped - and truthfully, I stared at it for a good while. It touched me.

"100 Faces, No. 44"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

A dramatic subject to paint, strong features, intense - I painted him on a turquoise ground color, much like what surrounds the head. One of my favorites.

"The Red Line"

20 x 7"
oil on masonite
sold

One of my personal favorites - a double-decker ship embarking on a guided tour of the Charleston harbor.

detail

Please click here for a larger view.

"Hanging Out With the Fishies"

8 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

A big thumb's up to Hilton Head Island - their beaches are very dog-friendly. When I'm away from home, and missing my Petey, it thrills me to meet the numerous, happy dogs playing in the water and digging up crabs. After all, they deserve a vacation too.

This new painting will be included in Howard/Mandville's 20th Annual Small Works Show - opening November 13th.

Please click here for a larger view.

"100 Faces, No. 43"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Painted on an ochre ground, I leaned towards softening what was pretty harsh, with minimum color and brush strokes.

"Palm Monday"

12 x 11"
oil on masonite
sold

I've been playing with a palette knife in the recent months, mostly with the small portraits - and I wanted to give it a try with a larger painting. See if I could maintain some control, which is the tricky part to me - but I'm new at it. I went back to the photos I took of these two young men, thinking it would be a great subject to use the knife - the long leaves, the thick, stucco-like wall. Also realized I took the photographs on a Monday, hence the title. I labored over this painting - moving slow and deliberate - and I love the finished piece - mostly for it's strong color and additional texture. This painting will also be included in the upcoming Charleston Art Auction in November - a quintessential scene around the bustling market in the center of the city.

detail

Please click here for a larger view.

"METamorphist"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm happy to have the green-light to show more of the new paintings - this piece will be one of four included in the 2010 Charleston Art Auction taking place Saturday, November 6th - a moment captured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

detail

Please click here for a larger view.