Mutual Admiration Dinner

What do ya get when three artists meet up for dinner? Non-stop mutual admiration and a wonderful time. My friend, Carol Marine, was in Atlanta for a workshop - I hollered to my good friend, Neil Hollingsworth to join us - including my guy Brett, who's the genius behind the Paint On Tabletop Easels I've been telling you about. We just had the best time - great food and great conversation.

Carol's recent painting 'Classic Dog'

Neil's recent painting 'Seven Spoons'

Two of my favorite artists, my favorite guy - how lucky am I.

"100 Faces, No. 101"

4 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

Time for me to prepare for my upcoming workshop in New York City - so I'm finding I have shorter periods of time in the day to paint - but a girl's gotta keep painting. I picked up a little 4" square panel and found myself wanting to paint more mugshots - continuing on with the series BUST-ED, 100 Faces painted from mugshots. Only this time, the progress will be spread out over the rest of the year, in between workshops and larger work and they'll be put on auctions, starting with #101.

"Lean To"

7-1/2 x 14"
oil on masonite
sold

Oh my...... this was a tough one, unexpectedly so. To paint a Picasso should be fairly easy, but not 'Les Demoiselles d'Avignon'. It's a complex, colorful, geometric masterpiece. Very fun, hard, but very fun.

Please click here for a larger view.

"A Wink and a Nod"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

I felt like painting a bird today - one that flirted with me at the beach last week.

"Curly Girls"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

A new painting - a young lady eying the shoes on 'Helen Sears', painted by John Singer Sargent, which hangs in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

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"Dog Day Afternoon"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I painted this guy once before on a smaller scale - just love him and the summer colors surrounding his little plot in the sun. Painting the scene a bit larger allowed more details, more of an impact I think. One of my all-time favorites.

detail

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"Blanket Coverage"

20 x 5"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm back home - had a wonderful time last Thursday night at the opening of my show. Everyone at the Morris & Whiteside Galleries made the evening a warm, inviting event and I thank them for that - I always meet the nicest people who've taken the time to come by. They all made me very proud.

I thought I'd continue posting several more that are included in the grouping, those that had sold early on - including one of my favorites - a rare, quiet moment when my friend Judy's pups, Emma and Abbey were crashed out on the couch. Judy's a dog-lover and when our Petey died a few months back, she sent lots of pictures of the pups. Made me feel good, brought some needed cheer.

detail

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"Horsemen"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

A gentleman standing before the enormous painting 'Agrarian Leader Zapata' by Diego Rivera, one of my favorite works of art, in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

detail

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"Young Looking"

5 x 14"
oil on masonite
sold 

Included in my upcoming show opening Thursday night - a mom introducing her young one to the beach and sea.

detail

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"Four Women and a Baby"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite

A tender moment taken from the Art Institute of Chicago when a mother and her girls gathered in front of Picasso's 'Mother and Child'.

detail

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"Off to the Races"

10 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

A woman I spotted as I was heading to the Spring Steeplechase in Aiken, South Carolina - one of the hundreds of people who tote all their stuff in for the day-long event.

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"Sunny Side Up"

7 x 5"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in my upcoming show Just Plain People - opening next Thursday night at the Morris & Whiteside Galleries in Hilton Head - a painting to hang next to your deck as a reminder of just where you ought to be, basking in the sunshine with a good book.

detail

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"The Follow Up"

20 x 5"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in my upcoming show Just Plain People and a few of their Special Companions - a member of the family taking part in an evening walk on the pet-friendly beach on Hilton Head Island.

detail

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"Couple's Therapy"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite

It's my observation that many people who look at Willem de Kooning's work in a museum feel like they have to analyze it out loud - often I eavesdrop, maybe I'll learn something. Sometimes I paint artists' works in my own paintings hoping to understand them a little more in-depth or just because it's a fun experience. With de Kooning, it's a little bit of both.

detail

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"Sweet Spot"

8 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in my upcoming show Just Plain People - an enviable sweet spot on Hilton Head Island.

detail

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"Long Putt"

5 x 7-3/4"
oil on masonite
sold

I often preach that we should paint what we desire, what inspires us as artists - to not be lead by what we think will sell. Now I honestly am crossing my fingers that these recent golfers will find a happy home and I can paint more. I love this subject.

Included in my upcoming show, a young man at the edge of the green with several yards to go.

detail

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"Short Putt"

5 x 7-3/4"
oil on masonite
sold

As I'm sitting here watching the Masters, I'm obsessing on Fred Couples, who I've had a crush on for 20 years and.... the human form. Not just his, but all shapes and sizes - how they stand, where the weight goes, the twists of the back - something I feel has to be just right when painting this subject. You can see when a golfer wiggles into a final position, planting themselves firmly before taking the shot. Very cool to watch.

detail

Included in my show - a young man with not too far to go. Please click here for a larger view.

Show Book

I now have a new book available featuring 24 paintings in my upcoming solo show Just Plain People and a few of their special companions. The book is 8 x 10", excellent quality and available thru Blurb.

"Teen Driver"

5 x 7-3/4"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in my upcoming show are several golfers - a subject I hadn't embraced until now - perhaps I was traumatized from 30 years of framing rather gaudy prints and paintings of golf. My ah-ha moment was last spring, watching the Masters - which, by the way, just started this morning at Augusta National on a most beautiful day.

This subject includes everything I love to paint - the human figure, spectators, vivid colors, abstract backgrounds and fabulous shadows. On my recent trip to the horse races, I spotted a driving range and sat quietly, watching a few young golfers and found some new inspiration.

detail

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"Lamp Post"

6 x 12"
oil on masonite

A gentleman I spotted in a hotel lobby in Charleston. And despite a lot of bustle going on all around him, he find a nice, lit spot to ignore it all and quietly read his newspaper.

detail

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"Daddy's Little Girl"

8 x 8"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in my upcoming show Just Plain People and a few of their special companions - a seemingly perfect match enjoying an afternoon at Bryant Park in New York City.

I love the hands, so daunting to do.

detail

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"Wanted Posters"

8 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

Today I am able to start showing you the new paintings that will be included in my upcoming show titled Just Plain People and a Few of Their Special Companions. The opening reception will be April 21st at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery on Hilton Head Island. Please join me if you can.

I can honestly say painting for this show was a bit of a struggle, timing-wise, with closing up a business in January then agonizing the sickness and death of our dog Petey - just a big transition time. Hard to feel the creativity, hard to concentrate a lot of the time. The trick was to make each day as distraction-free as possible, and oddly enough, I started streaming in the TV show '24', starting with the first year. I painted with my photo to the left of my easel and '24' to the right - and I finally got in a groove. Whatever works.

I focused on 'just plain people' doing the things they do, wherever they found themselves - and added 'a few special companions' - which seemed to bring me great joy as I got to paint one of my favorite subjects. I'm in the stage of envying anyone with a dog, looking forward to the day we adopt again.

With each post, I'll include a detail that I particularly like about the painting - hope you all enjoy the new pieces.

Starting with the above painting, a gentleman window-browsing on a fall evening on King Street in Charleston, South Carolina.

detail

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More Tabletop Easels Available

The newest easels have SOLD OUT - more coming very soon.

The artist, Jelaine Faunce, said this about her new easel - "quite possibly, the best and most ingenious table easel ever invented. Ergonomic, versatile, a total spine-saver. Worth every penny."