2014 Wall Calendars

~ temporarily SOLD OUT ~

Holy Turkey - the calendars sold out again and I admit, I'm astounded.  I'll put in another order today for more.  Thank all of you and I'll post when more arrive.

~ Happy Thanksgiving to All

"200 Faces, No. 129"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

A new addition to my ongoing series BUST-ED, paintings inspired from mugshots.

I honestly did not think I could pull off the hair on this young man, which is why I considered this portrait a big challenge.  It took some patience and experimenting with old brushes and a palette knife.  I love the end result, which is more evident in the real painting than the image - it has some wonderful texture.

"The Matriarch"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

From the Art Institute of Chicago, a mother and her two daughters resting on a gallery bench.

"200 Faces, No. 128"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

Staying loose and keeping limber with a new addition to my ongoing series BUST-ED.  Painted on a turquoise ground color.

"The Little Black Dress"

8 x 10"

oil on panel
sold
 

This new painting will be included in the upcoming Small Works Show at the Anne Irwin Fine Art Gallery in Atlanta - opening November 22nd.  This young woman is connecting with John Singer Sargent's 'Lady with a Rose (Charlotte Louise Burckhardt)' which hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. 

I am very proud to be featured in the full-page ad in the Atlanta magazine Simply Buckhead, promoting the show.  Please come to the opening if you can, there's over 200 pieces showcased. 

Please click here for a larger view.

Break Time

Hi ya'll ~

I'm doing other stuff and will return to painting the last week of October.

Meanwhile ~  a friendly reminder I have 1 Tabletop Easel  left.

See you back here soon.

"Plaza Sunning"

8 x 8"

oil on panel
sold

I've talked about this before - how many artists will be very happy with a finished painting and the same reaction isn't felt by the audience.  It happens to me frequently.  

Such was the case with a recent painting I did of this woman.  On my first attempt, I played around with a thick, red ground and proceeded to pull off the lighter areas with thinner and darken where needed, with a touch of tinting.  And I liked it a lot.

(first stab)

But it seemed no one else did.   

So I've been staring at it all day and wondering what to do with it other than fling it across the yard.  And at a rather late hour in the afternoon, I started adding color and the more I did, the more I loved it.  That doesn't insure a shared opinion by others, but I'm happy.

A woman taking advantage of a sunny lunch hour in the plaza in front of the John Hancock Building in Chicago.

"200 Faces, No. 126"

4 x 4"

oil on panel
sold

A new addition to my ongoing series BUST-ED.

Again, I painted on a pink/orange ground.  Around the forehead I washed on tones and as I moved down the layers became a bit thicker with oils.  Just moving the paint around in different ways to feel out the results.

"Lincoln Highway/Red Maple, Pennsylvania"

5 x 7"

oil on panel
sold

A new addition to my ongoing series The Lincoln Highway.  I was driving on Highway 30 around Lancaster, Pennsylvania when I pulled off the road to sip on a cup of hot coffee, in front of this old building.  As I sat there sipping, I saw this painting in my head right away.  So simple, so colorful, so Zen.

"The Old Guard"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

What prompted this painting was the Hitchcock movie 'Vertigo', which we watched for the 107th time.  Jimmy Stewart follows Kim Novak thru the Presidio and down to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge where she jumps into the bay and he heroically rescues her.   Brett and I and the pups were at Crissy Field beach when I snapped the photo.  It used to be the National Guard headquarters years back.

"Borrowed Time"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

My good friend and neighbor enjoying the last few days of pool time.

"Feather Head"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

Painting came a little easier today.  I don't know why but I relish a day like this.   And yes, this quirky guy really was dressed for a day at the museum, I don't make up these things.

From the Art Institute of Chicago, a colorful guy in his feathered cap viewing Van Gogh's 'Portrait of Joseph Roulin'.

and..... wishing my good friends, Karen & Neil Hollingsworth, a successful opening tonight at Tree's Place Gallery in Orleans, Massachusetts.   Here's two of my favorites that are in the show.

'Night Owl'

by Karen Hollingsworth

'Sunbeam No. 2'

by Neil Hollingsworth

and.... Brett has 2 brand-new Tabletop Easels ready to purchase and 2 brand-new AlterEasels. If you're ready to get painting,  I think you'll love either one of these - it makes the experience a lot more pleasant.

Paint On Tabletop Easel

 Paint On AlterEasel

"200 Faces, No. 125"

4 x 4"

oil on panel
sold

A new addition to my ongoing series BUST-ED.

"200 Faces, No. 124"

4 x 4"

oil on panel
sold

I haven't painted in a few days, I've been building an ark.  If you live in the southeast, you'll understand.   And I needed some warming up, adding a new portrait to my ongoing series BUST-ED.

"Big Hair"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

I felt like painting a figure today - and she has great form and color.

From the lobby bench in the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Harbor Light"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

If you're ever in Chicago, take a boat ride out into Lake Michigan - it's so worth it.  As you're leaving Navy Pier, you'll cruise by the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse, built in 1893 for the World's Columbian Exposition and moved to this location in 1919.   

"Berettas"

9 x 9"

oil on panel
sold

This was totally intended to be a study of this figure and I got a bit carried away. 

From the Art Institute of Chicago, a young woman feels a connection with 'On The Terrace' by Auguste Renoir.

"All Of Me"

12 x 4"

oil on panel
sold
 

I had one more long panel, perfect for my sardine.  I've painted the head, the tail and the head and now I get to do the whole fish.

I signed it lightly, underneath the fin on the bottom right so it can be displayed horizontal or upright, which looks cool too.

a closer view of the left half

a closer view of the right half 

"Lincoln Highway/Grand Island Bungalow, Nebraska"

5 x 7"

oil on panel
sold

I fully intended to stay much looser on this and got carried away a bit.  I just love little houses - this one spotted as we drove through Grand Island, Nebraska on the Highway 30.

A new addition to my series The Lincoln Highway.

"Lincoln Highway/Cattle, Nebraska"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

There were hundreds of cattle on this rich, brown dirt - so striking from the highway.  I picked my favorite two for now.

A new addition to my series The Lincoln Highway - in Nebraska.

"Lincoln Highway, Colorado/Nebraska Border"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

This landscape is from the old 1913 route of the Lincoln Highway, close to where it meets up with the current route in Nebraska.  Just wonderful, flat, calm land with seldom glimpses of a homestead.  This will be added to my new series The Lincoln Highway.

"Lincoln Highway, Lincoln Park, San Francisco"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

Carrying on with my new series The Lincoln Highway - a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge from Lincoln Park in San Francisco - the westernmost point of the Lincoln Highway.

"Painted Lady"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

A visitor reading up on the exhibits in the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Busy Waiting"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold
 

On the first floor, in the New Modern Wing in the Art Institute, there are several of these benches lined up in front of a stark, white wall.  It's one of my favorite people-watching spots.  

Paint On Easels Testimonials

I've added several more testimonials to my webpage - artists who have recently bought Brett's custom-made easels and have raved about both the AlterEasel and the Tabletop Easel.

I adore Robert Abele's paintings and wanted to share his photo of three paintings on the Tabletop Easel and some meaningful words.  He told me his production has increased by at least three times by being able to work on more than one image at a time - so cool when we can boost our production time.

And I heard from Jill Trear who loves her Altereasel...

It's all about having the right tools. 

Please click here to purchase your brand-new Tabletop Easel and click here to purchase your new AlterEasel.