New Year's Resolutions

12 x 9"

ink & gouache on paper
sold

One of my New Year's resolutions is to add more drawing time to my day. A warm-up to something more involved or sketching something out in the real world, I just want more drawing time. I miss it.

Which brings me to another resolution - to travel more. This year I spent more time painting and less getting out in the world, mostly because of work and my bum knee. I have resolved to dealing with it - maybe a Segway is the answer. I want more exposure to the world out there. I miss it.

One more resolution.... to teach a little. I will do more painting movies and I'm making plans with Carol Marine to hold a 3-day workshop, some time in the spring, which I'm really psyched about. I don't know if I can teach anyone anything ....... I've never tried, but it's something I would like to do more of.

Besides all of that, I'd like to keep on track with what I've been doing - painting small pieces for auctions and larger, more realized work for the three galleries. I really enjoy all of it.

Time to say Happy New Year and wish you all the best. Dream on and Paint on, my friends.

"Hopper House"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite
sold

This painting will be back on a 10-day auction. Thank you for your patience and I appreciate your bidding on the original auction as well. ~ Happy New Year to you and yours.

eBay Policy

The auction for my painting "Hopper House" was abruptly pulled by eBay, because I unintentionally violated a policy by using the word "inspired" in the title for the auction. I did not know ~ as an artist, I never thought of the word 'inspired' as being a bad thing. My fault, I haven't checked on listing policies in a long time. I've sold on eBay for over four years and never had an auction pulled ~ and I apologize to those who placed their bids.

~ I'll keep you all informed. Thank you.

"Irises"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite

sold

This new painting was inspired by reading an article in the NY Times, that Iris Blue is the new, hip color, and........... I got some for Christmas. Surely signs to lead me to paint this timely I is for Irises piece. I had a lot of fun with the Van Gogh-like brush strokes, laying it on thick.

My Painting Palette Movie

I initially had this movie on my website - but, by popular demand, I did some minor editing and posted it on YouTube - hoping the viewing experience is much more pleasant for more people. Please click here to watch "My Painting Palette" movie. Thank you.

"Hopper House"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

Back to work on my alphabet series - H for a Hopper(esque) House, inspired by a Christmas gift, a book of Edward Hopper's work. I enjoyed painting this piece so much that I'm thinking of doing a series for my upcoming show - which leads me to a request for some feedback, if you feel compelled to do so. I'm thinking of zooming in a little more on the house .... I'm not sure. Give me your thoughts?

Merry Christmas

A photo I took last night, in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Merry Christmas everyone!

-Karin

Good, Good Friends

6 x 6"

NFS

Some of my favorite paintings are a result of not quite being ready to quit for the day. Last night, I was halfway through cleaning my brushes and I started on this small, quick piece - as if it was meant to happen. No sketching, no plan - immediate brush strokes - the way I love to paint with oils.

This is Neil and Karen Hollingsworth, my good friends.

"Left Holding the Bag"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

Oh.... I do apologize for being somewhat absent from my post. Indeed, it is a busy time of the year - between managing my business and working hard at getting all the pieces done for my upcoming show in February - I'm about ready for a do-nothing-day in my pajamas.

This painting is one of the works included in the show - it is one of twelve, which are all finished and I am dying to show you all of them, but, alas, I promised not to. I'm now at the point when I can concentrate on a few sets of smaller pieces, which I love to do.

Please click here for a larger view.

I know you all are busy too - hope your holiday time is pleasant - don't forget to consider a bid on the "Glory Be" painting, currently on auction. It's for a great cause.

"Glory Be"

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

sold

In this new piece, G is for Glory Be - a woman quietly sitting in the company of El Greco's "The Assumption of the Virgin", which hangs high in Art Institute of Chicago.

This painting was done in the memory of my dad, John - 100% of the winning bid will be donated to the Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, who took great care of my father and allowed him to pass with dignity. For that, I am eternally grateful.

"Fish Head"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Continuing on with the alphabet, F is for Fish Head - admittedly something I never eat, but find it a beautiful subject to paint because it includes every color in the rainbow.

A Combined Effort in Talent

Tom Brown
Justin Clayton
Belinda del Pesco
Qiang Huang
Aaron Lifferth
Carol Marine
Darren Maurer
J Matt Miller
Michael Naples
Sarah Wimperis
Peter Yesis
and Myself

We are a talented and ambitious group of artists who are now showcased together on a brand-new website, which features constantly-updated galleries of work, bios and contact information, links to our auctions, sales and painting videos as well as future events and workshops. With both strength in talent and determination, we are all proud to be advertisers in the American Art Collectors magazine. Please help us spread the word and share the website with your fellow artists and friends. And thank you for your support.

Visit the new DailyPaintworks website.

"On The Map"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

I did this painting yesterday - a friend saw it on my easel and bought it. Not the most usual occurence in my life, but a welcome offer. Painting for shows means weeks of hard work and little income, hoping it'll all come around in the end.

Please click here for a larger view.

A note to art lovers - if you use Netflix, they have a great collection of artists' biographies. I find them so inspiring.

Happy Sunday and....... if anyone out there wants to send me some photos of the snowstorms, I'd absolutely love it as a subject to paint.

"Enormous"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Continuing on with the alphabet, E is for Enormous - specifically the ten-foot-long sculpture "Tiber", the river god accompanied by Romulus and Remus, the twin founders of Rome. This colossal piece is currently on view at Atlanta's High Museum of Art, borrowed from the Louvre.

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.

International Artist Magazine Competition

I really had to see it to believe it - and today, the new issue of International Artist arrived in my stack of mail. Wow. Gulp. I'm officially a "Finalist" in the competition for "People & Figures", my painting "Strictly Pedestrian" was chosen as one of the featured pieces in the Dec/Jan issue. How cool is that?

If you don't have a copy handy, you can see the winners on their website by clicking on 'art competitions' on the left column, find the link 'past winners in all categories' then choose 'challenge 42' in the scroll bar. If you'd like a larger view of my painting, click here to go to my website page.

"Daily News"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Continuing on with the alphabet, D is for Daily News - a young man taking a coffee/reading break in a local bookstore.

Thanksgivings

Where I am, on this Eve of Thanksgiving, the sky is a soft purple-grey, the gold and red leaves are saturated with awesome color and the air is cool, but not frigid. I wish you a warm and happy holiday, wherever you are.

"Chant"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Continuing on with the alphabet, C is for Chant - coming from a Buddhist I spotted in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in New York City.

"A Stretch"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

A woman taking one more look at the iconic painting by Grant Wood, "American Gothic", which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Backroad"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Continuing on with the alphabet, B is for Backroad - in the rural, blissful countryside of Georgia, with a touch of autumn.

"Angles & Curves"

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

sold

I was interested in painting a piece that had many tints of white - this was a great scene for that - the young woman wearing light, summer white cotton, surrounded by white walls barely tinted with warmth and a marble floor barely reflecting what color falls on it. I believe the painting she is viewing is by Piet Mondrian, which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Please click here for a larger view.

A New Painting Movie

Please take a 10 minute break and watch my new movie - a start-to-finish of the most recent painting "Actor". And turn up the volume - you'll be serenaded by Dean Martin as you enjoy the video. It's on YouTube, so hopefully everyone can view with ease. Click here to the YouTube movie. I hope you enjoy it.

"Actor"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

I am starting a new series of small paintings, following the alphabet from A to Z, not necessarily being the obvious, like "A for Apple". It's really a personal exercise for me to use my brain and get some daily direction. Sometimes it's just hard to know what to paint next. In this new piece, A is for Actor - in fact, the talented Dustin Hoffman, who casually walked by as I was people-watching on Park Avenue, in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

A couple of additional things to mention....... I've been happily obsessed with learning iMovie and using my new camcorder, but I'm back to painting today and hopefully I'll have a few movies for you to watch in the near future. Secondly, the bidders on my auctions will now be private - a change I don't like, but it'll prevent unwanted, bogus "second chance offers".

My First iMovie

I finally got a camcorder and I made my very first iMovie. It's completely raw, amateur and 19 minutes long. But.... it's about my palette and it may be of interest to you. I'll tell you this - I have DSL(light) and the downloading takes about 7-9 minutes - yours may be a faster speed. I'd suggest that you open the page, go grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and when you return, the frame should be there (instead of the Q) and you can play the movie. Forgive me for the length and the awkward editing - I'm brand new at this.

An update..... this little movie can now be viewed on YouTube. Please click here for that link.

"Sketch Artist" (revised)

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

sold

I did make some changes, if you refer back to my posting a few days ago. I took out the sliver of a figure to the left and warmed up the wall behind the young lady. I've enjoyed working on this piece. It satisfies the part of me that wants to be looser.

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.

"A Word In Edgewise"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

Happy Halloween everyone.

A memorable scene for me as a grandmother and her two attentive granddaughters discuss the painting before them, Georges Seurat's "A Sunday at La Grande Jatte", which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago. The two young girls seemed to really soak in a lot of the art in the museum. I enjoyed watching that.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Sketch Artist"

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

I truly enjoyed working on this piece - mostly because it gave me the opportunity to focus on the young girl and surround her with color and light. Just a nice, quiet scene where you can barely hear a pin drop, when museum visitors were invited to sit down and sketch.

Bogus Email Alert

Thanks to someone, who also sells on eBay, for alerting me to a low-life that's emailing some of you folks about my paintings. It's from either david2521atgmaildotcom OR wiunsedatgmaildotcom. This crook is asking if you'd like to accept a Second Chance Offer. Do not respond and please forward that email to spoof@ebay.com. There's dirtbags out there, my friends, just stay on top of them.

"Gnarly"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

Allow me to introduce you to our gnarly Jack O'Lantern - freshly carved and ready to scare off the bad spirits. This was great fun to paint - something I've never done before.

"Sugar Cones"

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

sold

I painted this piece in the summer of '05 - a scene I got from a flea market in rural Georgia. I remember it was a hot, hot, summer day and that ice cream looked especially good. I've held on to this painting for a good while, perhaps because it's one of my personal favorites. I remember those decisive, bold brush strokes (and a minimal amount of them) seemed to come so easily that day I painted this - a pleasant experience for any artist.

"The Perfect Place"

5 x 7"

oil on masonite

sold

We all have an idea of our dream home - I tend to have more than a dozen - but when I spotted this farmhouse, I immediately thought this is the perfect place. Tucked back off a small road that came off of several small roads, this slice of heaven sat quiet and cozy. It was surrounded by hardwoods and ponds and outbuildings that would make the ideal studio. Oh......I was dreaming alright.

"Carved in Stone"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

Both women dressed in flowing fabrics - this scene is from the Art Institute of Chicago. I would surely appreciate someone out there helping me to identify this marble sculpture.

Please click here for a larger view.

"The Golden Hour"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

I've been wandering, driving, looking around for the past few days. Despite it not feeling like fall, the light has changed, the shadows are longer - there's a glow in the evening hours, just before the sun sinks - a time I call The Golden Hour . This little bit of blissful life was one of my discoveries on the backroads of Georgia.

"Are The Stars Out Tonight"

20 x 8"

oil on masonite

sold

This new painting reveals something you don't see in the small piece done a few days ago - the old shed lit up in a great, citrus green hue, as well as the thick trees above the light. There is a hint of a clear, starry sky done in a purple/navy tone, slightly visible beyond the thickness of trees. This was great fun to paint.

Please click here for a larger view.

"So Many Choices"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

I don't usually offer larger paintings on eBay - this one was somewhat of an experiment in technique. My aim was to stay loose, magnify the colors and see how to get the point across with less brushwork. I started off too nitpicky right off the bat - so I flipped the board upside down, grabbed a wide brush and followed the shapes, rather than the details. It's a good exercise that can drive you insane, but you'd be surprised what your brain can do.

This late night scene is from a Bruster's in Tucker, Georgia.

"Asleep"

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

sold

I'm happy to have painted something completely different today. On the way home, late last night, I took a side street and saw this little, old house totally asleep except for the glow of the porch light. Just pure, still beauty.

"Happy"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

This cute, little guy is Chip, going for a happy walk with my neighbor.

"This Better Be Good"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

My painting time has been short lately - I'm working on getting a bad knee healthy again.

This new painting is taken from a restaurant in Asheville called the Tupelo Honey Cafe - a girl sitting patiently for what was promised to be a good breakfast.

"Seeing Red"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

I wanted to do a very special piece for an upcoming Small Works Show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery, so I chose an image with a beautiful, strong red. Hopefully to catch someone's eye amidst a large group of paintings. I like it very much. These were two, what I gathered, best girlfriends, enjoying time together in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Rehobeth Beach"

12 x 12" oil on masonite

(detail)

What goes along with experimenting is failure - which was yesterday's painting, 5 hours of work and wiped off in 30 seconds. Today was much better. It all clicked. And I'm looking at, what may be, my top 10 personal favorites. It's not the subject matter so much as it's simply how I want to paint.

This was a bright, summer day at Rehobeth Beach, Delaware - a few days before Labor Day weekend. Please click here if you'd like a larger view.

This painting has sold.

"College Street"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

This is a very painterly piece - an impressionistic view of what could be considered just an ordinary street on a bright, summer's day in Asheville.

Just to mention - between all of catching up on the mundane chores of life this past week, I've been trying out a couple of ideas and a bit too shy to show them yet. With a little breathing room with the galleries fully stocked up on paintings, I try to take the opportunity to step back and study .... experiment.

One thing that gave me a jolt was watching this BBC miniseries "The Impressionists". Rent it, it's good. There's reminders that we need to take the time and look and study the world around us. It reminds me to stick with what I think we really do see, at a glance - the blocks and shapes of colors, shadows and light - and to paint just that.

I also discovered an artist that reminded me of what I just mentioned. He's Doug Braithwaite, and you'll notice the thumbnails look somewhat ordinary until you opt for a larger view.

"Practicing Corot"

8 x 8"

oil on masonite

sold

Corot's painting "Interrupted Reading"

After spending days getting caught up on my neglected life - housework, yardwork, varnishing, framing, packaging, shipping... I collapsed on my chair and started to paint. I think I just needed to do something completely different, get some practice time in - I chose a painting that I've been enamored with for years - titled, "Interrupted Reading", by Jean Baptiste Camille Corot. Oddly, I felt the urge to flip the image, with all due respect to the artist, and I delve into the rich, autumn colors (something my brain misses). I really enjoyed painting this piece and it was a nice way to end the day.

"Direct Connect"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

As I was working on this new piece, I thought this was a good example of a key element to figure drawing/painting and I wanted to share it with you. I drew a red line connecting the center of the neckbone, to the tailbone and down to the heel of the foot to show that weight and balance, no matter what the size of a person is, always lines up this way. Naturally. In other words, when we stand up, the weight of our body either rests on one leg/foot or on both. Where the weight is put on should connect straight up to the center of the back of the neck. I learned that a million years ago and never forgot it.

This painting hopefully conveys the direct connection we feel when we have the pleasure of viewing a work of art in person.

Please click here for a larger view.

"The Bean V"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

On such a bright, beautiful day today, I chose to paint one of my favorite places in my favorite city, Chicago. Formally titled "Cloudgate", informally called "The Bean", here it reflects the wall of buildings along Michigan Avenue, with slight hints of visitors and the yellow umbrellas in the cafe in front of Millennium Park. It's a challenging subject to paint, relying on shapes and blocks of color that hopefully make sense in the end.

Special Offerings - Framed Gallery Pieces

"Capitol Domes" sold

"Performance Art" sold

"Bench Rest" sold

I do like to keep my gallery paintings fresh and from time to time I'll pull something out and replace it with a piece more recently done. These three are available for a direct purchase, thru eBay and Paypal, if you are interested.

Saturday update - the three paintings have sold. Thank you so much for your consideration.

"Coupling"

8 x 10"

oil on masonite

sold

I overheard this woman asking a guard to direct her and her husband to the American Art galleries in the museum, so I offered to lead the way. They were a really sweet couple - from Harrisburg, I think. I caught a glimpse of them in front of Grant Wood's "American Gothic", standing still and reserved, while listening to their headphones - and it just seemed so right.

Please click here for a larger view.

"12"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

What I love the most about painting people is capturing that kink of the hip or twist of the neck - whatever it is that makes it more candid or believable. You don't get that when someone knows you're looking or taking their picture. Just people being themselves is what I always want. This young lady was enjoying the paintings in the Art Institute of Chicago.

"Garden Variety"

9 x 12"

oil on masonite

sold

Very much a 'zen' painting for me. Quiet and still. I spend a lot of time avoiding greens, mostly the grassy greens - once in a while I get brave and try it. I don't like to paint pretty garden pieces - don't much care to paint florals either - but this setting, the young woman, the ease, is what I found pleasing.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Stand By"

7 x 5"

oil on masonite

This little painting was done for a fund-raising event called Postcards from the Ledge, held in Asheville, North Carolina. Sponsored by the city's Public Art Board, postcard-size artwork will sell for $25 each. If you're interested in donating a work of art or would like to attend this event, click here for details.

"Impressionable"

11 x 14"

oil on masonite

sold

Clearly, an irresistable painting subject - a pretty, little girl admiring Claude Monet's "Water Lily Pond". I watched her and her sister look and talk about the art, accompanied by a wise grandmother. Most kids fidget and become bored in an art museum - those two girls were soaking it all up, like a sponge.

Please click here for a larger view.