Visions of Seattle

I've been doing my homework today - for my visit to Seattle. I always attempt to map out where I should go - where the best visuals are - to photograph - to paint. I found this great website, vrseattle.com, an ongoing project of a nice man named Bradford Bohonus, where he features VR (virtual reality) movies of cityscapes and landscapes, mostly of Seattle and Washington State. I've been transfixed on his site for hours. I emailed Mr. Bohonus early on, asking if he would recommend where I could find old, urban neighborhoods and vast countryside somewhat near Seattle. He's been a HUGE help and he may even have the time to shoot a VR movie of my opening at Howard/Mandville Gallery. How cool is that? Grab a glass of wine and enjoy his website, you'll love it.
Bradford also turned me on to this amusing website - showing how famous artists used photography (and you probably wouldn't have guessed).

"Sun Catcher"

8 x 8"
oil on masonite

This scene is especially fun to work with oils, the trick to getting chalk to look like chalk, on top of concrete. Very, very fun.

For a larger view and purchase information, please click here.

"Old South"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

This is one of those that I have wanted to paint for a long time, not knowing if I could pull it off. I've done a few night scenes and I love them - mostly because the color and light emerges from the darkness. And again, it can mostly be appreciated in person because of those dark areas, which have subtle shapes that barely appear.

This scene is from a summer night, in the little city of Asheville, North Carolina - the old building, for years, was a watch repair shop and recently became a boutique. This painting will be arriving at the 16 Patton Gallery, in Asheville, in mid-February. If you'd like a larger view and, please click here.

a painting a day - volume 5

sold out
(more copies on the way)

"Elbow Room"

8 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

This new piece will be arriving at the 16 Patton Gallery, in Asheville, around mid-February. It includes a painting by one of my favorite artists, John White Alexander.

For a larger view, please click here.

"New York Times"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I did finally see the article in American Art Collector magazine - thanks for sending it to me. This painting is one of several featured - I wish you could see it in person. I had painted this woman before - this time changing the format, adding a bit more detail - I love this image.

I normally stay away from the blue/red/yellow dominating a scene, all I think of is primary colors. Yet, when those three are warmed up, toned down - tweaked - it pleases me.

This moment was taken from the lobby of a Manhattan hotel. For a larger view, please click here.

"Time Zone"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

This painting will be included in the February show at Howard/Mandville Gallery - I just framed it today and it looks so handsome. When I get to this stage, seeing all the paintings varnished and framed - I am honestly taken back. All the work seems worth it when you see the pieces grouped together. I'm proud.

When I look at this painting, I know the pleasure of setting aside that 'me-time', finding a place where no one knows me and escaping into books and magazines. It's what we all love to do.

This is also the painting featured in the current issue of American Art Collector - which I still haven't seen for myself. For a larger view, please click here.

"Light"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Van Gogh said "I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day", a quote that inspired this new painting in my alphabet series. After all, light is what gives us the drama and the color in painting. In this scene, there's several sources of light - the blueish, morning light streaming down the staircase and the wall - the lone porchlamp illuminating the front door - and the sliver of a warm, golden glow behind the curtains.

This scene is from a pre-dawn stroll in the little city of Savannah, Georgia.

"That's Amore"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite

Without a day to spare, I'm in 'catch-up' mode, with this new painting going to the Cohen-Rese Gallery, hopefully in time for someone's Valentine's Day. I didn't plan it that way, I had this image on my mind for months. I love to paint marble sculptures - they're often nude figures, with variations of warm and cool greys - standing out next to real humans with movement and color. The tough part is getting an image accurate enough to show those subtle shadings and tones in the white/grey areas, better appreciated in person.

This scene is from the Museum of Fine Arts, in Boston - a mother and daughter before the marble sculpture by Horatio Greenough, titled 'Love Prisoner to Wisdom".

For a larger view and purchase information, please click here.

"What Happens Next"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

You may recognize this man reading the paper - I had painted a small, daily piece of this scene. Going larger, I included more of the surroundings, which makes us wonder what happens next? Either it's turning the page or perhaps the two strike up a conversation.

This new painting will be included in the February show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery.

For a larger view, please click here.

"The Sari"

12 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

When I see a woman in a sari, I stare. It's wrong to stare, I know, but I'm in love with the fabrics and the drapery and I immediately see a painting in my head. This particular moment struck me, when this beautiful lady stood next to Mary Cassatt's "The Bath" - it was all about pattern and color, and of course, being a woman.

This new painting will be included in the February show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery. For a larger view, please click here.

"Dead Head"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

This new painting will be included in the February show at the Howard/Mandville Gallery. It's one of my favorites - mostly for the composition and the vivid color of the wall surrounding the painting and the figures. The painting behind the women is Guido Reni's "Salome With the Head of Saint John the Baptist", which hangs in the Art Institute of Chicago.

As with all of the work, it is so much more appreciated in person, so if you're able, please drop by the gallery next month. For a larger view of this piece, click here.

"Karin"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
NFS

Next up on the alphabet is K ...... and a friend of mine suggested a while back that I try a self-portrait. Yikes. There's a first time for everything. I have a larger view on my website if you're interested - not that you wanna see my face as big as your screen - but there's some cool brushwork involved. I tried so hard to stay loose on this.

"June"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Getting back to my alphabet series, I chose to paint this old, shotgun house that I spotted around Atlanta - with the hot, summer sun bathing it with color and light. I love this painting.



If you read the last post, I was struggling with one last piece for the February show. I ended up painting a scene that I honestly thought I'd never be able to pull off - and it turned out to be one of my all-time, personal favorites. I am beaming. I'll be able to show it to you in a couple of weeks, when I reveal all the work.

"Beyond Compare"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite

About mid-afternoon yesterday, I thought I was done with the show pieces. I started working on new paintings for the two other galleries, this being one of them, felt like I had an accomplished day and fell fast asleep only to wake up at 2 a.m. with anxiety over one of the show pieces. Why does our brain work this way? I need a good night's sleep please.

Back at it this morning, bound and determined. I suspect I won't stop until I'm consciously and subconsciously sure.

This painting is a scene from the Art Institute of Chicago - two girlfriends discussing and comparing. The hip action is just too great. Click here for a larger view and purchase information.

"Chocolate Covered Cheesecake"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

The last of the three artfully decorated cheesecake slices that I helped devour on New Year's Eve. The chocolate was that yummy hard-shell kind, like on Dairy Queen cones. The same was on the Chocolate-Cherry Glazed slice. Sooooo good.

My happy news is that I have officially finished all the paintings for my February show at Howard/Mandville Gallery, one month to the date. Seventeen pieces, which you'll be able to view in a couple of weeks. You'll see six of them in the February issue of American Art Collector Magazine - are you ready for this - they wrote a featured article on my work. Yikes.

"Cherry-Topped Cheesecake"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Ode to cheesecake - the second of three paintings resulting from my New Year's Eve splurge. Back on Weight Watchers, I can now count down the weeks until I treat myself again, on my birthday. Until then, I live vicariously through art.

"Chocolate & Cherry Glazed Cheesecake"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

This beautiful, sculptured work of sweetness was one of three slices of cheesecake that I helped devour on New Year's Eve. Before I went back to counting calories.

It gives me great pleasure to paint these ....... somewhat similar to one of my favorite artists, Wayne Thiebaud. Thick, rounded shapes with lots of color - giving honor to a gorgeous dessert.

Workshop with Carol Marine & Me

Carol Marine is one of my favorite painters and when she suggested I join in on one of her workshops, I jumped at the chance. It'll be the first workshop I've ever attended and the first I've taken part in. A trial by fire for me - I'm very excited.

The details that are available now:

March 14th, 15th & 16th
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
At the Art Center of Williamson County in Round Rock, Texas
(north of Austin)

More details and contact information available here.

Carol and I decided on a maximum of 16 participants - if you are interested, please reserve your spot early on - and come paint with us!

The workshop enrollment has sold out, as of Monday, the 7th - but please keep in mind you can put your name on a waiting list, in the event someone cancels. If this goes well, Carol and I teaching together, we will happily consider doing another workshop in the future.

New Year's Cheesecake

9 x 8"
oil on paper
sold

My splurge last night was my inspiration for the warm-up of today.

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.