Happy New Year

I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year and thank you for taking the time to visit my blog and website.  I am grateful.

~ Cheers

"Leo"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

This guy looked like a Leo to me.  Maybe he reminded me of Uncle Leo on Seinfeld.  Maybe a combination of several characters on Seinfeld.  Still, the best show on TV.

"Krystle"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

That sweet little blond tuft on her head reminded me of Krystle Carrington from Dynasty.  Another cow to make the afternoon fun.

"Violet"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

Hello to all - I trust you've enjoyed your holiday.  My aching back is healing nicely, thank you for your kind wishes.  I wanted to paint, I really did.  I squirted out my pizza pan palette of paint several times and nothing.  I don't know why.  My brain's been fried I guess.  To tell you the truth, it's nice to just chill in December for a change.  I spent most of my adult life as a picture framer and December was hell.   Now it's beautifully calm and I've enjoyed every minute of it.

My friend Neil Hollingsworth offered some photos of his to paint (thank you Neil) and I've been playing with cows.  Such great, natural sculptures - I'm in awe of them.  I'm doing more and I felt compelled to name each one, whatever comes to mind as I'm spending time with them.

This kicks off the first of many little studies I hope to get on with.  The juices are flowing again.  Yay.

A Debt of Gratitude

9 x 12"

oil on panel
sold

One of the best remedies I know, to climb out of sadness, is to do some good in this world - give to those in need.  And in memory of my dad, Johnny, I will donate 100% of the final sale price of my painting 'Couple's Therapy' to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home, a cancer hospice here in Atlanta.
The hospice operates solely on private donations and the patients and families are not charged for their care.  The Sisters of Our Lady took great care of my dad and my family during a very difficult time back in 1991 and I'm forever grateful.

"Double Dutch"

8 x 10"

oil on panel
sold

This evening the Morris & Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head is hosting a Holiday Open House and my new paintings will be on exhibit along with Ken Auster's new work.  I'm unable to attend this time, week 2 of nursing a herniated disk, but I'd appreciate you visiting the gallery if you're in the area.  

Included in my grouping 'Met Life' - a woman seemingly engaging with 'Madame Joseph-Michel Ginous' by Vincent Van Gogh with his 'Sunflowers' to her left.

 detail

 Please click here for a larger view.

"Olitan of Art"

9 x 12"

oil on panel

When I'm considering a painting of a museum patron,  most of the time I'm either in love with the art itself or the people I observe.  Of course I love Rembrandt's masterpieces, but I adore this woman.  And her museum gift shop bag.  All of it really.

 detail

Included in my grouping 'Met Life' - a new collection now on view at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery.

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Visiting Annette"

12 x 12"

oil on panel
sold

I love Giacometti's work.   I grew up with his books around the house, torn pages from articles or magazines - my mom was a huge fan and played around with wood carvings and monoprints inspired by his work.  So I had to include a painting that honors Giacometti in my grouping 'Met Life'.

 detail

Please click here for a larger view.

"Green With Envy"

6 x 10"

oil on panel
sold

Included in my new show 'Met Life' - a woman viewing John White Alexander's 'Study in Black and Green' in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  

detail

Please click here for a larger view.

"Seafarer"

9 x 12"

oil on panel
sold

I remember this moment - I was looking at this painting in the Met, William Bradford's 'An Arctic Summer: Boring Thru the Pack in Melville Bay' when this guy walks right up to it and slings his jacket over his shoulder.  Never mind that you're blocking my view dude - you look like a young sailor standing on a pier.  Love that.

detail

This new painting will be included in my grouping 'Met Life', opening this Friday at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Art Lovers"

8 x 8"

oil on panel

sold

The last time I was at the Metropolitan Museum of Art I obsessed over the higher-floor view of the lobby, what they call the Great Hall.   Floods of humanity moving in and out as the wooden benches are almost always occupied with tired tourists.   Below is a screen shot of the Great Hall from Google Maps.  By the way, you can tour the entire museum with Street View.  

With this new painting, I zoomed in a bit more on a couple taking a break from touring the museum, I found their interlocking hands so sweet and the main inspiration for this painting.  This piece will be included in my grouping 'Met Life', opening this Friday at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery.

detail

Please click here for a larger view.

"Side Steps"

5 x 7"

oil on panel
sold

Included in my grouping 'Met Life' - a gentleman waiting out on the front steps of the Met, a favorite people-watching spot of mine.  The majority of my new paintings are tighter, this one started that way and veered towards a more textured play with an otherwise-boring wall and steps.  A cool, little painting.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Blue Birds"

10 x 8"

oil on panel

A new painting included in my grouping 'Met Life' - a group of school girls being led through the Sculpture Gallery in the Met.  I painted a small study of these girls months back and always wanted to go a little larger and play with the movement a bit more, as shown in the detail below.

detail

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Behind The News"

8 x 10"

oil on panel

A new painting included in my 'Met Life' grouping - a woman reading the New York Times in the Sculpture Gallery at the Met.  I've painted her several times, several ways including black and white and always excluded the dense ferns above the marble bench.  In this new piece, I think I finally got what I've been reaching for - with appreciation for the cool/warm marble and the greenery above her.  You can't see it clearly, but there's a touch of palette knife that gave me that yummy aqua and the warm light on the floor.  I like it.

Please click here for a larger view and purchase information.

Just a quick note - the Morris & Whiteside Gallery will be hosting a Holiday Open House, Friday the 7th, to welcome visitors and the new paintings will be up if you're able to stop by.

"The Brotherhood"

12 x 9"

oil on panel
sold

A gentleman who I thought looked very much like the figures in the icons he was viewing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

Please click here for a larger view.

Catching Up

Thanksgiving's a few days away and I'm psyched for the way the kitchen smells when the turkey's roasting and eating my weight in sweet potato casserole. 

I've spent the past weeks finishing up the new work for a dual show in December with Ken Auster - and I've put my paints away for a short while to simply enjoy the holiday week.  Before I get busy in the kitchen, I wanted to post the paintings I did at the recent workshop - a demo and sometimes two every day - which I try to include a variety of subjects.

Starting with Monday's demo, which I share the original reference photo and the students paint their versions the following day .....

10 x 8"

sold

Tuesday's demo...

 

 8 x 8"

sold

Wednesday morning's demo...

 

6 x 6"

sold

Wednesday afternoon's demo, starring our dog Joey...

7 x 5"

sold

Thursday's demo, from a police mugshot...

4 x 4"

sold

and Friday's demo.

8 x 8"

sold

My next workshop is in New York City, held at the National Academy on 5th Avenue - an amazing place to paint, a goldmine of imagery to capture.  The date is next May, the Tuesday after Memorial Day - and Sedona Arts Center is who you want to contact if you're interested in signing up.  The details are on the right-side column of this blog.

Another reminder that Brett has brand-new Tabletop Easels available as well as brand-new AlterEasels --- now there's a perfect gift for an artist if someone needs a hint.

And I'll be back to painting next weekend, meanwhile ~

 wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving

Live, Work & Play Time

My apologies for not posting during the past two weeks.  By the time we arrived in Hilton Head - after days of packing and go-go-go,  I just removed myself from the real world including my iPad, email, laptop, phone and took a long, deep breath and relaxed for a change.

 our little slice of heaven

 Our Beach Boys - Zac and Joey

A couple of days later our friends, Karen and Neil Hollingsworth, joined us for a much-needed break from the routine.

 Brett and Karen

 Brett, the dogs and Neil

After they left, the weather reports started coming in about Sandy, and for a while, we weren't sure if we were in the path of the storm - just glued to the ever-changing news and hoping for the best.  I was mainly concerned about my workshop students who were on their way - turned out everyone arrived safe and sound during the weekend which was a great relief.

 rougher seas

The workshop started last Monday, I was joined by my assistant, Kelli, from the Sedona Arts Center and twenty-one of the most warm, friendly, eager and talented women - five which came back for another round.  I knew after the first day how very lucky I was to have such a great group of broads and they made my week so enjoyable.  Thanks to all who spent the week with me, I am recharged and more motivated than ever.

 my gals hard at work

 an exercise painting mugshots

 immersed in our stuff, enjoying the paints

It needs to be said - being at the beach for two weeks, watching the sun rise right outside my window every morning and the moon rise every evening to wish us a good night's sleep - being in the company of strong, fabulous women who love to paint and talk about art - sharing my down-time with the guy and the pups I love so much - knowing the storm and that mighty sea we walked beside every day reeked havoc in many lives and destroyed those homes they've worked hard to build and nurture - it was humbling and a profound reminder of how grateful we are for being back home safe and sound and having each other.

Peace to All

Please donate to the Red Cross today and help all those affected by Sandy.

Charleston Art Auction

I'm still on my painting marathon, doing new works for an upcoming dual show with Ken Auster - opening night is December 7th at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery in Hilton Head.  I hope you'll come by.

And... I'm getting everything ready for my upcoming workshop in Hilton Head which I'm really looking forward to.

Meanwhile.... the Annual Charleston Art Auction will be held a week from Saturday, October 27th - two of my paintings will be included in the auction.

 

Triple Play

10 x 8"

sold

Biker Gang

16 x 6" 

sold

If you're interested in participating in the auction, even from afar, please contact Ben Whiteside at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery for details.   It's a fabulous event in a great city, so think about attending.

There are amazing works of art from my favorite painters - Kim English, Ken Auster, Dan McCaw, Dean Mitchell and Andrew Wyeth to name a few.  Check out the online catalog here.

Next post will be from my workshop - see you then.

Working...

I'm on a painting marathon these days, working on new pieces for a dual show in early December with the artist Ken Auster - taking place at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery on Hilton Head Island. I'm very excited about it.  Hope to do a few small pieces in between.  See you soon.

"Foot Rest"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

It is a happy painting day when I can balance the loose with the tight.   A woman resting her feet on a park bench around Charleston, South Carolina.

"Alongside Highway 30"

8 x 10"

oil on panel
sold

Occasionally, I finish a painting and don't quite like - so I rest it nearby my easel and obsess about it in between working on other pieces.   Then I continue to tinker with it from time to time.  This is one of those tinkered paintings.

The first time I 'completed' it, I was irritated with how tight it was - it looks too much like a photo and not really an oil painting.  I like more brushwork, I like moving oil paint around.  I must have tinkered over five different times during August and in the end, something you probably can't detect in the image above, is the texture - which I'm happy with.  A little palette knife action, dry-brushing on top of dry paint is what turned it into more of an oil painting and that's the ticket.

This scene was from middle America, alongside Hwy 30, the Lincoln Highway, in Brule, Nebraska.

Show in Asheville

I feel like on a daily basis, I utter the words 'it's always something'.  When something breaks and gets fixed, something else breaks.  That has been the case in my life since the summer began.  Last week, the day before I headed to Asheville for my opening at 16 Patton, my studio's Mac died.  I hurried it to the hospital, a life-saving place called Onyx, where I hoped they could revive my beloved computer (again), then drove up to Asheville the next morning, trying to forget my troubles. 

Asheville is a great little city, for those who haven't been.  I met up with my good friends, Neil and Karen Hollingsworth (who's paintings are also in the gallery) - I so appreciated that they took the time to join me.  We stayed at a brand-new hotel, the Aloft, smack dab in the downtown and right around the corner from 16 Patton - I highly recommend it for visitors.

I want to thank all those folks who took the time to come by Friday evening, I met a couple who came all the way from New Jersey and another couple from Raleigh and many more who really make me proud of what I do.  Thank you all, I greatly appreciated you coming by.

Also a note about the Edward Hopper House Small Works Show that I submitted my work to - they rejected my paintings but I'm proud to mention several artists I know, Nancy Colella, Kathleen Coy and Stephen Magsig, were accepted and I'm thrilled for them.

I'm happy to report my Mac is back where it belongs, a big grateful hug to Matt at Onyx for bringing it back to life - I'm paralyzed without it.  I'm onto preparing for my workshop in Hilton Head, just a month away and I've got a dual show in early December at the Morris & Whiteside Gallery which I have to start working on right away.  It's always something.   Sometimes in a good way.

"Bay Watch"

6 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

A splendid day for a bird looking towards the Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco.

"Met Fatigue"

16 x 4"

oil on panel
sold

A special offering from my own collection, visitors resting in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

"Hip"

12 x 6"

oil on panel
sold

A special offering from my collection, a woman standing firm in front of Mark Rothko's 'No. 7', which hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

"Outer Sunset"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

When I was in San Francisco this past spring, to teach a workshop, our home base was a rental in the Outer Sunset district - about 15 blocks from the Pacific Ocean.  I loved staying in that neighborhood.  This view was a drive down Judah Street, heading straight to the sea at dusk.  It is that squinty light that caused my photo to turn out somewhat monochromatic - which I loved, so I gave it a shot with paint, which I love.

I also wanted to remind folks that the opening reception for my show Here Comes The Sun is next Friday night, from 5-8 at the 16 Patton Gallery in Asheville.  I'll be there and would greatly appreciate you stopping by to say hello and look at my new work.  A fellow artist, Mark Henry, will have his new paintings showing the same night.

"Little Buddha"

5 x 5"

oil on panel
sold

Meet 'Little Buddha' - a pug we met on our visit to San Francisco.

"Cooling Her Heels"

4 x 12"

oil on masonite
sold

I'm noticeably having fun with the blues and turquoises of the ocean and painted this loose one today.  From the ocean at Hilton Head Island.