Thank You Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs created what I call my 'power tools' - the Mac, the iPhone, the iPad, iWeb, iPhoto - all of these genius instruments and programs have profoundly changed my life. Thank you Steve. I am so grateful.

- photo by Art Streiber for Time

"Ledger"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Put anyone near a window, with good light, and I'll want to paint them. From inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art - and adding to my series ATL to NYC & Back.

"Daisy Chain"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Adding on to my series ATL to NYC & Back - a chain of school girls being led through the sculpture gallery in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I love this painting :)

"Misfortune" & a New Book

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

I got a little carried away with the details on this painting - the woman is viewing 'The Fortune Teller', by Georges de La Tour, one of my favorite works of art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It amuses me - the gentleman in the center is unknowingly being pick-pocketed from behind as the crone is offering him his fortune. This piece will be included in my series ATL to NYC & Back.

I also have a new book titled 'a shore thing' - it is 7 x 7" and includes 48 color reproductions of paintings inspired from my visits to the beach. It might be a good thing to have around when winter is too much to bear. Please click here to purchase your own copy.

"Smooth Sailing"

8 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

I was watching Curb Your Enthusiasm last night - Larry David was arguing with a couple of women, behind him, this (almost exact) view of the 'boat pond', blue skies, little, model sailboats and all. How cool is that.




This painting will be included in the upcoming group show at 16 Patton Gallery - my collection features New York Life.

Please click here for a larger view.

New York Life Book

I created a show book for my New York Life paintings - there are 14 included in an upcoming group show, the book includes an additional 13 images of pieces currently hanging in the 16 Patton Gallery. The size of the book is 8 x 10", full-color, available in soft-cover and hard-cover on Blurb. I'll have 12 signed copies available at the opening on October 22nd - I would love for you to come by.

My good friend, Karen Hollingsworth, has six, large paintings in the same group show - below is one of my all-time favorites of hers, titled 'Wisdom'.

36 x 36"
oil on canvas

~ Happy Autumn

"In The Pink"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Adding to my series ATL to NYC & Back - a small study of two girls, seemingly sisters, both dressed alike in their pink. They were transfixed on Johannes Vermeer's 'Study of a Young Woman', in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"Cheers"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

The morning after I finished this painting, I opened up the New York Times and saw an advertisement for 'Frans Hals in the Metropolitan Museum', featuring his painting 'Yonker Ramp and His Sweetheart' - the same as in my painting. That was cool - I love Frans Hals's work, it's dark and somewhat creepy.

This piece will be included in the upcoming group show at 16 Patton in Asheville, my collection is New York Life.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Listen Up"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite
sold

While I'm getting all these new paintings ready for the show in October, I'm keeping busy with the brush, loosening up with more of my series ATL to NYC & Back. Picking up where I left off..... one of my stops, after the workshop wrapped up early afternoon on Tuesday, was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I have this love/hate for the museum - it's almost too big to take in but filled with the most inspiring works of art. I'm mostly drawn to American Art, but the stuffy portraits of the European privileged amuse me, especially this little painting in my painting - by Diego Velazquez - a portrait of 'The Infanta Maria Theresa, daughter of Philip IV of Spain'. The detail is remarkable, her hair adorned with butterflies and cocoons - an fascinating portrait of a young girl who led an interesting, complicated life.

"Beacon"

4 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

During our stay in New York, Brett and I took a sunset cruise, giving us a mellow, colorful view of the city skyline and the Statue of Liberty at dusk, then up the East River as darkness set in - it was breathtaking the entire time. This painting is included in my grouping New York Life, part of an upcoming group show at the 16 Patton Gallery, opening October 22nd.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Away From His Desk"

9 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

Included in the upcoming group show in October, at the 16 Patton Gallery in Asheville, is this new painting - a gentleman sitting in the warm sunshine with a National Geographic.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Going Straight to Hell's Kitchen"

4 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

Last night I finished my last painting for the upcoming group show at the 16 Patton Gallery - all of my pieces are New York scenes, people, and a few dogs I met along the way. Included in the grouping is this new painting - a front seat view from a cab, going south on West End, heading straight to Hell's Kitchen to find a flea market.

Please click here for a larger view.

All of the new paintings can now be viewed on my website, please click here to the show pieces.

"Wine:30"

10 x 10"

oil on masonite
sold

The scene was from an open-air restaurant on Mulberry Street, in Little Italy, New York City.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Four Ways to Brooklyn"

16 x 4"
oil on masonite
sold

On this somber day, the 10th anniversary of 9/11, I wanted to give all of you a peaceful, colorful, serene image of New York City, and give all due respect to the beauty that surrounds us today.

This is one of the most awe-inspiring views I know - from lower Manhattan looking at the East River where you can see the three bridges - in the far distance, the Williamsburg Bridge, in the center, the Manhattan Bridge, and in the front, the iconic and stunning Brooklyn Bridge.

I've been working hard on paintings for an upcoming show - featuring three women artists, Karen Hollingsworth, Suzy Shultz and myself, titled 'Woman's Work'. My collection is titled 'New York Life' - streetscenes, people, dogs, landmarks all inspired from my trip back in May.
This new painting will be included in the collection.

The show will be held at the 16 Patton Gallery in Asheville - the opening reception is October 22nd from 5-8. I hope you can stop by the gallery and see the work in person.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Fully Booked"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Part of my series ATL to NYC & Back - it was Monday morning, my first day teaching a workshop. Brett helped me set up and went on his way with his camera while I did my thing. This gentleman was spotted reading a good book on a stoop of a brownstone, somewhere in the Upper East Side of the city.

Help for our Good Friends

A shout-out to the artists community - Carol and David Marine and their son lost their home in the Bastrop, Texas wildfires on Sunday. Their entire subdivision was wiped out, up to 300 homes. I hear they are all safe, that's great news.

A close family friend, Jennifer, has organized a fund to immediately assist Carol & David - please click here for the details and give what you can to help this family get back on their feet.

~ Thank you all

"Flour Arrangement"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm happy to report my Mac is back home, I missed it more than ever. Moving on with my series ATL to NYC & Back - a glimpse of a bakery worker inside Eataly, surrounded by stacks of flour. One of those moments when I suddenly saw a painting in my head.

"The Red Queen's Tarts"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

I'm not quite back in the driver's seat, my beloved Mac should come home tomorrow. It's been an agonizing 10 days without it, I liken it to having all the ingredients for a cake and no oven to bake it in. My Mac contains programs that I don't have anywhere else, including Photoshop, which enables me to get the most accurate image of my paintings. That's a big thing - the presentation matters. You can paint 100's of pieces and it doesn't mean squat if you can't present it well.

I do have a laptop.... but the Photoshop Express version I had wasn't cutting it. I took a gamble and upgraded to version 9, and for those out there who need a good photo editing program and can't afford the full version of Photoshop CS, this does the trick. Now I'm able to post an image that I know is right.

About the latest, I continue on with my series ATL to NYC & Back - after we left Madison Square Park, where we petted lots of happy dogs (which will be a series included in my upcoming October show) we went into Eataly, a mega-gourmet foods market. It was dazzling to the senses, I loved that place. These artful, sweet desserts were on display in the bakery. Brett suggested the title, he had just watched Alice in Wonderland, and I thought it was perfect.

Forced Break

My Mac is in the hospital, the one I use from sunup to sundown, the one I use to paint from. Yikes. At first, it forced me to clean the house, clean the studio, take care of things I avoid. Now I'm just frustrated and waiting.

Still waiting........ no Photoshop to show you my latest. This all is driving me nuts. I'm painting from my iPad and laptop - not as blissful as working from my big screen, but it'll do for now.

"Head of Parks & Recreation"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Today I loosened up with a fun piece - and continuing on with my series ATL to NYC & Back, we left the High Line, made our way through the chaos of a parade and headed to Madison Square Park for some peace. I love that park. It's filled with happy dogs and a great people-watching stop. I had read about this new installation, commissioned for Madison Square Park, by the Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa titled 'Echo' - in person, it's just delightful.

"Girl Watching"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

The High Line is so very cool, an oasis of sorts, a moment of Zen in the big city of New York. I loved the street and sidewalk views from above - this was, I think, looking down onto Little West 12th Street.

I totally intended to get a quick, loose painting done this morning and tackle a larger piece for an upcoming show - didn't happen. I got caught up in the straight lines and cool shadows and shot the whole day working on this. My favorite part is the color combination of the green/blues and warm greys. I'm happy. And I'm adding this new painting to my series ATL to NYC & Back.

"Calorie Counter"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

There's dozens of paintings I've done in the past particularly because I didn't think I could pull it off. This is one of them. After we left the flea market in Hell's Kitchen, we hit the Chelsea Market, wanting to end up on the High Line while the sun was shining. There's an easy entrance on the back end of the market, for those who don't know.

I liked the Chelsea Market, the building's interior was nicely preserved - photography was nearly impossible because it was quite dark inside - these young women caught my eye, working the counter at L'Arte del Gelato, nice ambiance. And the gelato was great. This new painting is included in my series ATL to NYC & Back.

"Shopping for Fleas"

5 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

I've spent the last five days working on paintings for an upcoming show in October - one took me two days, the other three. Yikes. So unlike me. Time to take a break and loosen up - and continuing on with my series ATL to NYC & Back - a woman I spotted at our first stop on that bright, sunny, Saturday morning - at a flea market in Hell's Kitchen.

New Tabletop Easels Available

Brett has 3 brand-new Tabletop Easels available - click here to purchase one for yourself. For more photos and info, click here. If you'd like to hear what other artists say about their Tabletop Easels, click here.

~ Thank you

"Hightailing It"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

Onward with my series ATL to NYC & Back - it was Saturday morning when we awoke to sunshine and quickly got up and at it. As we stepped out into the real world, it was if all of New York City was coming out of hibernation - their first real, sunny, warm day had finally arrived. The dogs looked happier, the bicycle wheels were rolling and we followed the parade to Riverside Park for a morning walk.