My Original Painting A Day

August 1986
ink & marker on bristol board
7'' x 7"

I've been laid up for the last eight days with a terrible cold, and as such haven't been able to put in any time on my Cherry Can painting. This has really put me behind on the work I need to do for the show at Twinhouse in February, but what can you do.

Rather than let my blog languish un-updated I thought I'd post something fun from my past. I recently received an email from someone who used to frequent our type/design shop Pace Typography in the late 80's. In his letter he mentioned how much he had enjoyed my calenders. I hadn't thought about them in a long time, so I got them out, and looked them over for old time sake.

Each month for one year I created a calendar shell, and in each square I'd draw a little picture representing the most significant event of the previous day. Then, I'd color them with markers. Each square was about 3/4 of an inch in size. A lot of these days had no event more significant than working, and maybe watching television that night.

March 1987
ink on bristol board
7'' x 7"

March of 1987 was the last month I did this, and as you can see I never found the time to color that month in. The images are rather cryptic, and I've forgotten what a lot of them are supposed to mean. We did go to a lot of movies in those days. A lot of movies. I was also spending a great deal of time building scale aircraft models. Both of which are heavily represented above.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to post my first "painting a day" effort. I have a lot of fond memories of Pace Typography. It was a wonderful experience working everyday with my best friend Michel Valin. He and I worked really hard, never made any money, but for nearly eight years I looked forward to going in to work each day. Many of our clients would come to pick up their jobs, and then would just stay and hang out. People didn't want to leave, even occasionally joining us for lunch. A number of those clients have become very close friends.

I'm back at work now on the cherries, so I should have a new progressive image up soon.

Happy New Year - you all!

Seasons Greetings

St. Angus
oil on canvas
18'' x 36"

For the last few years my annual Christmas card has been derived from modifying one of my old "cow" paintings in Photoshop. Basically transforming a pastoral scene into a winter landscape. I thought this year, in addition to creating hard copies to be sent via snail mail to family and friends, I'd also post it here on my blog, as a sort of "e" card to everyone who has taken the time to visit and comment in 2007. Thanks again everybody. I hope you all have a happy holiday season. Oh and, Merry Christmooooooooos!

Cherry Can in Progress

Cherry Can
oil on canvas
24'' x 36"

The prediction in my last post, as to the subject of my next painting, was that it would probably be a percolator. This has turned out not to be the case. I've had this particular composition on my mind for some months now, and decided that it was time to give it a try. Cherries have been a re-occuring theme in my work for years, but this is the first time I've painted a cherry the size of a grapefruit.

This piece could take some time, so I've decided to post a series of "in progress" images. The image above is the end of day one. To do this is a bit like exposing your soft underbelly to the wolves, but I find it interesting when I see these transitional shots on other artists blogs, so I'm trying to suppress my fears, and present my process.

I'm a little fearful of the can, with its extensive series of parallel ridges. It will be a challenge to get "right". If it works I think it will be very cool, if not . . . . ? Hopefully the next post will include an image of the satisfactory completion of the underpainting of that can.

Free At Last! the Mixer is Complete

Hamilton Beach Mixer
oil on canvas
18'' x 24"

Every once in a while I get into a painting that just doesn't want to cooperate. Fortunately it doesn't happen too often, but this has been one of those paintings. I've been working on it so long now that I don't even "see" it anymore. I can't tell if it works or not. Karen says it's really good. I did the overnight test, where I tell myself to wait until the next morning to make a value judgement. When I saw it in the light of a new day, I was "less" negative about it. I still don't know if I got it with this one. Jeff Stricoff at Stricoff Fine Art, Ltd. was excited to have it, so there's a second positive opinion. I believe I'll just have to get away from it for a while, then after a few days see if it starts to grow on me.

I'm still working out the details with Plus One Gallery in London, but I think I can safely say that I'm in! They have three of my small pieces now, which they tell me they love, but "would really like some larger work". Until we figure out the logistics of our relationship I am going to hold out on sending any new paintings, but I'm confident enough to begin work on a larger painting that will be slated for their gallery. The director and I spoke over the phone last week, and I don't think what we have to deal with could break our new association. They haven't put my name on their website as yet, but I have added them to mine. Couldn't wait to do that.

These next few paintings will probably be larger pieces requiring significantly more time to complete than my earlier work. Because of this I may post more "in progress" images to keep the blog current. I haven't decided on the subject of my next painting as yet, but at this point it looks like it will be a "big" percolator.

Addendum: I've been Tagged!

I got tagged last night by an amazing watercolor artist Pablo Villicana Lara. It's my understanding that I am now required to list 5 little known facts about myself, then "tag" five other artists to do the same. Here are my five:

1. I've begun the learning process of playing, then dropping the following musical instruments in the course of my life: 1. The Accordion 2. The Coronet 3. The Piano 4. The Guitar 5. The Banjo 6. The Clarinet

2. I once produced a short lived movie magazine called Cinemondo. It was the brainchild of our friends Burk Sauls and Kathy Bakken. The production team also included my best friend at the time Michel Valin (now my brother in law), and my wife Karen.

3. I've seen Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey over 60 times.

4. Once a year I allow myself one entire family size bag of Cheetos all for me by myself. (These are always eaten when Karen is not at home, and at a single sitting.

5. This may seem blasphemous to admit on an art blog, but I enjoy woodworking more (much, much more) than painting. Now that I paint full-time I do not have time for it, but retain wonderful memories of building furniture. You can see a few of those pieces here.

Those to be tagged? It's very hard to pick just five. Hopefully these have not yet been tagged:

Christopher Stott

Dianne Gall

Bob Martin

Leslie Sealey

Carol Marine

My Next Painting in Progress

I got kind of sidetracked this last week with the holidays and all, but I have begun a new (somewhat) large painting. It's a great looking vintage mixer - also made by Hamilton Beach - I picked up on ebay. The dimensions are 18 x 24, which for me is pretty big. It's proving to be a bit of a bear to paint, so I'm not committing it to any particular gallery until it's finished. There's always a chance it will wind up under a new coat of gesso. I've only got three days into it so far, so I'm not going to start freaking out right away. I'll give it a few more days before I decide to finish it, or trash it, and start on something else.

My friend Robert Deyber has created something new. I know a lot of artists are video taping their painting sessions, then publishing them to YouTube. Bob has taken this a step further, and installed, what I refer to as the DeyberCam. It's a continous live remote view of him at work in his studio. A "fly on the wall" look at the artist in action. It's a little voyeristic, but a good way to kill a few minutes during the day. He's given me permission to post the URL here for anyone interested in having a peak. You can visit by clicking here.

The "Big" Picture

Hamilton Beach
oil on canvas
24'' x 36"

The big painting is finally finished. I picked it up this morning from Gallery Street along with the CD containing the jpeg. Apparently the painting garnered a lot of positive attention while it was hanging around their studio. This was nice to hear, since I was afraid that no one would recognize what it was.

I couldn't wait to get home, open up the CD and check out the image. They really do a great job, it looked spot on. The first thing I did was to send an email to PlusOne, with the image attached. I'm still waiting for a definitive answer as to whether I'm in or not. Hopefully this will persuade them to give me a chance.

We got a call from Wynne/Falconer last night. Ken and Ally had just returned from the 11th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show. They sold two paintings during the show, and one of them was Karen's. My two percolators got a lot of attention they said, but no buyers. Another cool bit of news was that Joshua Rose, an editor at American Art Collector Magazine gave a slide presentation commenting on work displayed at the show, and one of the images he used was one of Karen's paintings.

I've started another "large-ish" painting. It's a gamble, but I had such a good time with this one, I had to do it again.

A Blurb & Some Other Stuff Too

I tell you what, when you spend all your time working on a single painting, it takes a long time to come up with something new to post on your blog. I know that image of the milkshake mixer was getting pretty stale. Fortunately the December issue of Art Calendar Magazine has just come out, and there's a short blurb about me on page three, giving me something to post.

Kim Hall, the managing editor, contacted me a few weeks ago for a follow-up interview to the October 2006 Issue containing an article about the Painting A Day movement. Why they chose me for the follow-up, I can't say. None the less it's fun to see your name in print. It's especially nice when they also include an image of one of your paintings. If you'd like to read the article you can find it by clicking here.

I have finished my "big" painting, and will post the completed image after I get it back from Gallery Street. I'm having this one professionally photographed. They do a great job of photographing artwork, and I really want a high-quality image of this one. I have to say, I think it turned out pretty good, and it has left me with the desire to go large on another one.

My friend Karin Jurick recently purchased a digital video camera, and has begun to tape her painting sessions. Her first movie showed only her hands as she prepared her palatte. As simple as that sounds it's a fun to watch. The audio of her describing which colors she uses, and why is a joy to listen to.

Actor
oil on masonite
6'' x 6"

Her second video shows the entire process of painting the picture above. There is no speaking in this one, but the soundtrack is great. You can access this video on You Tube by clicking here, and you can watch the "color palette" video from her blog. It takes a few minutes to load, but it's worth the wait. If you are not aware of Karin's work you should check out her website and blog.


Sweet Summer
oil on canvas
48'' x 48"

My wife Karen has been accepted to the Addison Gallery in Boco Raton, Florida. She's particularly excited about Addison, because they will be selling not only her originals, but her giclees as well. Karen's been selling prints from her website for a few weeks now with a good degree of success, but welcomes the additional print sales from such a prestigious, and well established gallery. It will be interesting to see where this leads.

Karen and I both had paintings at the 11th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show this year, and are anxious to hear how our work was received. Kenny and Ally Wynne from Wynne/Falconer Gallery took our work there. Hope something sold.

Hamilton Beach Mixer No. 30

oil on canvas
24'' x 36"

It's taken a week, but I've finally completed the first pass on my "big" painting. Before I go any further I suppose I should identify what it is, so those of you who don't recognize it right away won't wrack your brains trying to figure it out. It's a vintage Hamilton Beach Milkshake Mixer Number 30. This is an unusual crop, but I wanted to concentrate on the mechanical portion of the machine. I love the big chrome head with its' vents, and on/off switch. Plus at this size you get a good view of the room reflected in the motor housing.

I have no idea how popular this subject may or may not be, but I have to say I've really enjoyed working on it so far. I recently purchased a bunch of vintage kitchen appliances on ebay to paint, and this is the item I wanted to begin with. It's just so cool looking. This is the first painting I've done in a while where I have allowed myself to work methodically, without pushing to finish quickly. It's a luxury I know, but I want to push the envelope with this piece.

PlusOne in London hasn't made an offical decision as yet, but I did receive an email yesterday stating that the paintings had arrived safely, and, "they are lovely". I think that's a good sign. They've also asked about larger paintings. If this one turns out the way I hope it will, I'll offer it to them, and cross my fingers once again.

Miro Sinovcic

October in Atlanta
oil on canvas
42'' x 28"

I've recently begun a correspondence with another artist blogger, Miro Sinovcic. He is a Croatian artist who imigrated to the United States in 1985. Miro worked as an illustrator creating cover art for, primarily, western novels. He was extremely successful in this area, but "once the kids were out of college", he moved into the realm of fine art.


Late Summer in the Village
oil on canvas
30'' x 40"

He is having a show at the Anne Irwin Gallery in Atlanta, and asked if Karen and I could possibly attend. The opening was friday night, and there was a great turn-out at the gallery. It was a real pleasure meeting Miro. For an artist with his history, list of awards and reputation, he was a very down to earth fellow. We talked art and galleries for quite a while. We also touched upon technique, style and why our paintings do well in some locations, and not so well in others. Miro has also just been taken on by Wynne/Falconer on Cape Cod, so now we are "family" too. It was a very pleasant meeting. We had to cut our visit short though, since we also wanted to head back into Buckhead to attend a show of the works of Jim Dine at Trinity Gallery. We were with Robert Deyber and Robert Graham. They along with Karen are big fans of his work.



To be honest I wasn't familiar with Jim Dine, but became a fan as I walked through the gallery. The lions share of the work was based upon the theme of Pinocchio. I can't say exactly why I enjoyed his work so much, but I guess you can say, "it spoke to me" on some level. I love that degree of free expression. Wish I had more of it myself. A lot more.

I still haven't heard from PlusOne. Nail biting time. I have begun my "large" painting. It's a little overwhelming. Two days, and I've barely made a dent. I've painted big before, but the subject was still under scale. Here I'm taking a small object, and blowing it up. Way up! I'm beginning to realize that this is going to take a bit of time. I may have to post this one to the blog in stages. Hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew.

Two Percolators

oil on canvas
12'' x 16"

I've been working on this piece for a number of days now. Spent more time on it than I should have, but I liked were it was going, so I stuck with it. The idea of creating more heavily shadowed compositions has been enticing me for a while now, and my current batch of "potential" still lifes reflect that new direction. Although many of my paintings are monochromatic, they are usually starkly illuminated. The concept of actually losing portions of the subject in shadow is new to me, and I'm pretty excited about it.

I'm also seriously considering taking the leap, and working larger. Get outside of my comfort zone, and paint like the big boys. Financially this is probably a mistake. It's more profitable to do more small paintings than one large. I think it was seeing Jeff Hayes paint the large mason jar with the lemon that got me pumped to go big.

The painting above will be going to Wynne/Falconer. They were asking for something "shiny" to send to the up-coming 11th Annual Boston International Fine Art Show in November. I was hoping to get them at least one more for Boston, but I've only got a couple of months to get ready for the winter show at Twinhouse, and need to get started on those.

Tybee Island

Karen and I don't get out of town very often, but this weekend we were made an offer we couldn't refuse. Our friends Jill and Jon Dible had the use of a wonderful little beach house on Tybee Island Georgia, and invited us to share it with them. We had been talking for a while about taking a trip back to Savannah to do some photography, and Tybee Island is just across the bridge.



Karen was looking for some "big sky" images, and one thing the Georgia coast offers is a lot of big sky. The salt marshes are breathtaking, and the weather provided a beautiful combination of blue sky and dramatic clouds. She came back with around 300 shots. Now comes the task of culling out the best images, cropping and color correcting.



I was looking mostly for architectural images. Savannah provides a wealth of "historical" doorways. I've painted a number of these in the past, and have been "Jonesing" to do some more. A nice break from still life. Walking around the moss draped oak lined streets of Savannah early in the morning is a pleasant experience to say the least. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it.



I couldn't resist taking some standard "boat on the water" pix. It's hard to resist when your there on the docks. The Tybee Island Marina provided no shortage of those too. It was a fun trip. Lots of walks on the beach. Delicious food, all prepared by Jon, who is an amazng cook. A good time, with close friends. It doesn't get any better than that.

Now it's time to get back to work. I've been collecting some new items for up-coming still lifes. Really looking forward to painting these! Anxiously waiting to hear back from the London gallery. Apparently there is a postal strike going on at the moment, so there's no telling when my package will actually arrive.

I will have a new painting ready to post in a couple of days. I think it's a good one. I like it so far anyway.

8 Ball

oil on hardboard panel
6'' x 6"

Gallery work has been keeping me busy these past few months, and I haven't had the time to offer anything for auction on ebay. The galleries are now stocked, although I just heard from Twinhouse that four paintings have just sold, and two more have gone out on approval (whew!). The galleries were stocked I should have said, and that being the case, I mentally reverted into auction mode. I have two pieces this week, starting today with, what else, a pool ball. Tonight I'll have one of my coffee related paintings going up.

It was nice to paint small, and on a hard surface. I enjoy having an active auction going again too. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep it up though. Twinhouse is planning the date for a winter show, and I'll have to start working for that soon. I also shipped out the paintings to PlusOne this morning for their approval. If they take me on I'll have to get busy, and provide them some additional paintings too. All that aside, for the time being, it's fun to be back on ebay. If you'd like to place a bid on this piece you can do so by clicking here.

Pool Balls No. 4

oil on gallery wrap canvas
10'' x 10"

This piece completes the group of three paintings I'll be shipping to PlusOne Gallery in London on monday. Those of you who frequent this blog are probably getting bored with the pool balls, but people really seem to like them. Plus, they may be my current favorite subject to paint.

I make an effort, with each subsequent version, to enhance the level of "realism". It's something I'm consumed with these days. My goal (I guess) is to reach a point where I feel I've "got it". Then pull back somewhat, and attempt to infuse that painterly quality, I admire so much, in the work of many of the artists I follow. This may be a futile quest. I don't know if my personality, which is of the anal retentive variety, will allow me to go there.


Contrasts
oil on panel
8'' x 10"

Karen, and I will be heading into town tonight. Tracy Helgeson's work will be presented along with that of five other artists in a group show at Twinhouse Gallery in Buckhead. I've been a fan of her paintings for a long time now, and played a small part in her acceptance into the gallery. It was an easy sell. Her colorful landscapes are beautiful. Tracy will be coming down from New York for the reception, and we are looking forward to meeting her.

As I mentioned, in the previous two posts, if/when these paintings are accepted by PlusOne, I will amend the posts to include a link to the gallery. This will provide contact information for those who may be interested in the purchase of one of these paintings.

Kettle No. 2

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 16"

This is the second, of three, paintings heading to PlusOne Gallery in London. I've emailed images of all three paintings to the director, and she's asked me to ship the entire group. One step closer to the brass ring.

Hopefully they'll like what they see when these arrive, and choose to keep them. If they take me on, and if these sell, and if I one day see my name in their roster of artists, maybe then I'll be able to relax a little. I'm pretty cranked about this.

These should be ready to ship on monday. I'm not sure how long it will take them to arrive. If they offer them for sale, I'll amend these postings with contact information on the gallery for anyone interested in the purchase of one of these paintings.

Bowl of Bulbs No. 2

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 12"

A few weeks ago I was approached by PlusOne Gallery, in London, about possible representation. Needless to say I was very excited about this possibility. When I visited the gallery website, and saw their roster of artists, I was floored. Some of the most noted artists in the "realist" world are shown there. Richard Estes, John Salt and Ralph Goings just to name a few. "This is way out of my league", I thought, and in my mind the phrase, "I'm not worthy", kept repeating.

My insecurity aside, they've asked to see a few paintings in order to make their decision. I've been working on three, and will post them here as each is completed. I've decided to stay within my comfort zone here, and stick to popular themes. Post number one, Light Bulbs. I hope they like it. This piece will be followed by something reflective, with a pool ball to complete the trio. These paintings will be shipped together when all three are finished. If they say, "yes" then I will amend these posts with contact information to the gallery, for those who may be interested in the purchase of one of these paintings.

Ice Water No.2

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 16"

This is the last of four new paintings recently shipped to Stricoff Fine Art. It's a variation of the Ice Water composition I sent to Wynne/Falconer for our fall show. When I rotated the jug, the colors shifted from blue to this wonderful muted ochre. So, I had to do it again. If you're interested in the purchase of this painting, contact information for the gallery can be found by clicking here.

Pool Balls No. 3

oil on gallery wrap canvas
10'' x 10"

This is the third of four new paintings recently shipped to Stricoff Fine Art. I get a lot of requests for them, I love painting them, so for the time being I'll be doing more of them. Them being Pool Balls. Whenever I need a break from my somewhat monochromatic palette, I return to these colorful spheres. I feel that with each I learn a little more about how to paint a sphere. One of these days I'm going to go all in, and paint one of these very large, and really explore the subtleties their colors and reflections. If you're considering the purchase of this painting, you can find contact information for the gallery by clicking here.

Our Trip to Cape Cod

Coast Guard station at first light

We returned from our trip to Cape Cod yesterday morning. I don't think the visit could have gone more perfectly. With all of the press about how bad air travel had been this summer, we were planning for the worst. Our experience was quite the opposite. The flight up thursday morning left precisely on time, and arrived twenty minutes earlier than predicted. Smooth clear air all the way. A very pleasant flight.

We picked up our rental car at the airport, and headed out to the cape. The weather was cool, dry with a wonderful breeze. I haven't been to Massachusettes since I was ten, but it had a very familiar "feel". Like coming home. It would be a toss up between Pennsylvania, and New England in a race for my favorite previous residence location. In other words, it was good to be back. We arrived in Chatham around mid-morning, and checked into our room. A very nice place called the Bradford Inn near the center of town. We dumped our luggage, and walked up main street to the Wynne/Falconer Gallery.


Kenny Wynne hanging the show

Karen and I introduced ourselves to Kenny and Ally Wynne, then toured the gallery. Kenny (above speaking with a client in the midst of hanging the show), and Ally are great people, who made us feel very much at home. Their gallery is in an ideal spot, located in the heart of the shopping district. The flow of traffic into the gallery literally never stopped. Following a long visit, we headed across the street to the Chatham Squire for a bowl of New England clam chowder. Karen and I were both starving, and it really hit the spot. The remainder of that first day was spent exploring the town.


Cape Cod National Seashore

Friday morning we were on the move, driving through one quaint town after the other, and hitting a couple of the beaches on the way up to Provincetown. I wanted to go all the way to the tip of the cape, and the drive through the dunes out to Race Point was beautiful. The National Park Service has a great visitor center there, which includes a high look-out providing a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. Gorgeous! I could have spent the whole day there walking the trails, but our time was limited, so we headed into P-town.


Provincetown Public Library

Provincetown was a crazy place. People, people and more people. Lots of shops, lots of historic sites, and lots of art galleries. Karen and I visited a bunch of those galleries, and spoke with a number of artists that day. We went to the Packard Gallery, which features the work of Anne Packard (a local legend), and her daughter Cynthia. It is a beautiful space, built in an old church. Another gallery we visited was the Gallery Voyeur. It features the work of two artists, Johniene Papandreas, and her partner, who paints commissioned dog portraits under the title "Lucky Dogs!". We hit it off immediately with Johniene. She too was from Atlanta, and we had a great time talking with her.


Tree's Place Gallery in Orleans

The bulk of the day was spent in Provincetown, but on the way back to Chatham we made a side trip into Orleans. We wanted to see Tree's Place Gallery. They were featured as the gallery of the month in the same issue of American Art Collector as we were. It was a gorgeous space, easily the most elegant of all the galleries we visited. The paintings on display were great, but we were both especially blown away by the work of Michael Whelan. He is primarily a sci-fi cover illustrator, but his oil paintings were amazing.

While we were there I casually mentioned to Alison Collins, the director, that Karen and I were in the magazine. She was very sweet, and spoke favorably of our work. We talked for a few minutes, then thanked her, and left. As we were getting into our car, she came out and asked us to come back in. Alison said that Donna Steele, the owner, wanted to meet us. Karen and I came back in, and Donna greeted us very enthusiastically. She told us that the entire staff, including herself, had seen our work in the magazine, and felt that it was possibly the best in that issue. By this point the remaing staff members had gathered around, and were adding their own positive comments. That moment was the emotional highlight of our trip. Everyone there was so nice it was hard to leave, but we returned to Chatham feeling pretty good about our work.

Saturday morning we drove into Dennis to see the Cape Cod Museum of Art, after that it was back to the beaches. We returned to Chatham late afternoon to get ready for the show that evening. I had my camera with me at the reception, but didn't take a single photograph. We weren't sure how many, if any, people would show up, but the doors opened at six, and the traffic didn't stop until long after nine o'clock. Everyone was very nice, and complimentary of our work. Karen actually sold a painting during the show. It was really fun. When the show was over, and the sales were tallied up, Karen had sold seven out of nine pieces, and I had sold seven out of thirteen. I think I can say it was a pretty successful event. We said our good-byes to Kenny and Ally that night, and thanked them for all they had done for us, because we were heading back to Boston before sun-up the next morning.


Me outside the MFA waiting for Jeff Hayes

Karen and I had a nice drive back into Boston very early sunday morning. We had been told by those in the know that driving in town was a problem, so we un-loaded the rental back at the airport, and took a cab to our hotel. I have to say that I went a little crazy on our accomodations in town. For one night in my life, I wanted to see, how the other half lives, so I booked us into the Nine Zero on Tremont street. We arrived way too early to check in, but they were very nice, stored our luggage, and said we would have a room with a great view when we returned later in the day. They were right. The view over the Boston Common was fantastic! Especially at night. The "other half" gets to live pretty good.

We had breakfast in a popular spot called the Paramount on Charles street, then took a leisurely walk through the common to the train station to catch the "T" down to the Museum of Fine Art. We had three hours at the museum (not nearly enough time), before we were to meet Jeff Hayes. Jeff is an artist I've been corresponding with for sometime now, who has spent quite a few years in Boston. He offered to be our guide for the afternoon. Jeff picked us up at the MFA, and drove us all over the city. The galleries on Newbury Street were a must see for us. Martin Lawrence who shows our friend Bob Deyber is among them, so we definitely made a stop there.

We had an early dinner at a wonderful Indian restaurant in Cambridge, after which Jeff took us out to see his studio space. It's a great spot located in a building populated by artists. He had to split at six to meet someone, but by this time Karen and I were pooped anyway, and were looking forward to spending a little time in the, way too expensive, hotel we had waiting for us. Five a.m. came early, and it was time to head back to the airport for our flight home.

It was truly a "perfect" trip. The flights, the weather, the people, everything was great. Kenny and Ally are already planning our show for next year, so maybe we'll be able to go back, and do some of the things we didn't have time for on this visit.

Bulb Vase No.2

oil on gallery wrap canvas
16'' x 16"

Here is the second of four new paintings created for Stricoff Fine Art. I submitted images to them a few days ago, and happily, they have agreed to take them all. This is the second Bulb Vase I've painted. The first was a bit smaller at 10 x 10. With this piece I wanted to go larger, and push the technique a little further. I never really planned to become a "photo-realist", but lately I find myself working more intensely in that direction. It would be nice to be more "painterly", and maybe in time I'll back off a bit, and find a way to blend the two methods. To be honest I don't really know where I'm going. I'm leaving off the gallery contact information until the paintings are delivered. I hope to send them off on monday, and they should be in New York by wednesday. I'll revise these posts then with the gallery links.

Jeff wrote me this morning to say that the paintings are all there and up, so if you are interested in purchasing this piece you can find contact information for the gallery by clicking here.

Office Chair

oil on gallery wrap canvas
16'' x 20"

This is the first of four new paintings "intended" for Stricoff Fine Art. At this point it's still in its' submission phase, so until it's accepted I'll leave off any contact information for the gallery. I've been in the mood lately for something a bit more earthy. With the next three paintings I will return to the "shiny/glassy" subject matter, but with this one I got to paint some wood. I love this old office chair, and have painted it a number of times in the past. It was standing over against the wall the other day, and I saw it in the sunlight, and thought, "wow, that looks really cool". I'll update this post with conatact information when the disposition of the painting is finalized.

Jeff wrote me this morning to say that the paintings are all there and up, so if you are interested in purchasing this piece you can find contact information for the gallery by clicking here.

Revisited & Updated

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 12"

I'll be posting new work intended for Stricoff in a few days, but in the mean time I thought I'd revisit some older pieces that have now found a new home. These paintings will all be included in the Wynne/Falconer show in September. The Nautilus above is one of my current favorites. It was one of those paintings that just flowed. No cursing or frustration of any kind. It would be nice if all my work evolved so painlessly. Pre-show purchase information can be found by clicking here.


oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 36"

Many of those who frequent this blog will remember the post where I lamented the lack of interest in this particular painting. As fortune would have it, Kenny Wynne agreed to accept it for the up-coming show along with "Chevrolet" (below). Well, one day after the current issue of American Art Collector hit the newsstands (see previous post) he received a call from a collector in Americas' southwest, and it sold. I don't know for a fact that it was seen in the magazine, but it would appear that this is the case. The power of advertising.


oil on gallery wrap canvas
16'' x 20"

I'm presently working on four new paintings for New York, and as I said above they will be posted (hopefully) in the next few days. This being the case I thought it would be an opportune moment to bring some attention to the remaining pieces in the Wynne/Falconer show. Four of the nine paintings have already sold in pre-show purchases, which is pretty cool. Plus it's always nice to have a few red dots to start off a show. Anyone interested in a pre-show purchase of "Chevrolet" (above) can find gallery information by clicking here.

American Art Collector - We're In!

Issue No. 23
September 2007

Well, the September issue of American Art Collector magazine has (finally) arrived. The publisher was kind enough to send Karen, and I two complimentary copies. Needless to say, we devoured them the moment we got them in the door. This was followed by much back slapping and high-fiving. It was a fun afternoon. I have to say that when I read the article I realized that I use the word "really" way too often. I'll have to work on that in the future.

As we perused the magazine we were surprised to see a feature article on a friend of ours. His name is Caesar Santander. We've had a long-distance phone relationship with him for a quite a while now. Four or five times a year one or the other will call, and we'll discuss our careers, and art in general. We also spent a day with him in New York back in '05. Karen and I were cold calling galleries, and he (a resident of NYC) acted as our guide. With the exception of being rejected by twelve galleries, it was a good day. Had the best bowl of gazpacho I've ever eaten at a wonderful spanish restaruant. Pretty much the high-light of that day.

I think Karen, and I will be riding the high of this article for sometime. I've placed it on my website, and I think the text is large enough to actually read. You can access it by clicking here.

PB&J No.5

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 24"

I'm getting away from the Wynne/Falconer pieces for a little while, and have decided to put up some of the work I've been doing for Stricoff in New York. I've been fortunate in that all of the paintings I've delivered to them so far have sold quickly. Realtively speaking. PB&J No. 5 was just shipped, and should arrive - hopefully - by saturday. This is one of six paintings I have in the works. The other five are in various stages completion. If I can keep myself motivated, I should be able to deliver these by the end of the month. If you have an interest in purchasing this piece you'll find contact information for the gallery by clicking here. I'll be posting images of the remaing paintings as they are completed.

Bob's Kettle

oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 12"

This is the sixth of the completed paintings for the show at Wynne/Falconer gallery. I think this falls into the "muted" palette category I wrote of in an earlier post. It was fun to do a larger reflective piece again, and really get the whole room into the image. This kettle was on loan from Bob Deyber's collection of highly reflective items. He's got some really nice objects, and has generously offered me the loan of these for subjects of future paintings. If you are interested in purchasing this painting you can find gallery contact information by clicking here. The gallery has asked me to state to potential buyers, that any painting purchased prior to the show must remain in the gallery for the duration of the show.

First Anniversary: My Blog at One Year

PB&J No. 4
oil on gallery wrap canvas
12'' x 24"

Well it's been one year since my first post. Hoorah! I wasn't sure at first if this endeavor would amount to anything, or just take up a lot of my time. I have to say, it's been a blast. The postive aspects of it have been numerous. First off, I think it has improved my painting in general. I thought, if I'm going to place images of my paintings up for everyone to see, I had better be creating work that I'm proud of. With that in mind I tend to work a little harder than I might other wise.

The feedback from visitors is really important. In addition to the up-lifiting effect of positive comments, it helps me judge what is working, and what is not. A valuable tool. So, I'd like to thank all of those who took the time to remark on my paintings during the previous twelve months. Thanks.

Another perk from having a blog is being a part of the blogging community. I've discovered so many new artists by following the multitude of links each site provides. The only problem with this is the addictive nature of visiting those links. It's really hard to stop.

I'd like to add one more thank you to Belinda DelPesco who encouraged me to create a blog in the first place. She was very enthusiastic about her own blog, and easily convinced me to start one of my own. Belinda took the time to walk me through the particulars of creating a blog. Sparing me the time I would have had to spend figuring it out. I'd also like to send a word of thanks to Jeff Hayes who gave me the benefit of his extensive knowledge of the blogging world. These two artists were essential in the formation of my blog. So, Jeff and Belinda - Thank You!

Above is the fifth of the finished paintings planned for the show at Wynne/Falconer on September 8th. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are quickly becoming one of my most popular subjects. They're fun to paint, and I've got many more in the works, so I hope they continue to sell. If you are interested in a pre-show purchase of this paintings you will find contact information by clicking here. The gallery has asked to inform potential buyers that the painting must remain in the gallery throughout the duration of the show.

Resting Pear

oil on gallery wrap canvas
10'' x 12"

Here is number four of the completed paintings for the show at Wynne/Falconer gallery in September. I've been tying to go for a slightly moodier look in some of my new paintings. Greying down the colors a bit, and producing a more somber piece. This is new for me, but it's kind of exciting. Here there is no direct sunlight, with its' stark shadows and brilliant highlights. Just a single pear on a soapstone table top lit by the diffuse light of an overcast day. I think I'll throw one of these in from time to time, and explore the potential of a more muted palette.

Karen Hollingsworth

STILLNESS
Oil on gallery wrap canvas
36'' x 36"

It's shameful how I've had this blog for nearly a year now, and as yet haven't devoted any space to the paintings of my wife Karen. Her work has an emotional quality that is hard to describe. Speaking for myself, and I've related this to her many times, I feel as though I can almost smell the salt air blowing in through the open window. I'm transported to these locations, which are very calming, with an occasional hint of melancholy. Her compositions are meticulously planned, and in my opinion her ability to portray light in oil, rivals any artist working today.

Karen knew at an early age that she wanted to be an artist, and twenty years ago she began to realize that dream. I don't know anyone whose enthusiasm for art is greater than hers. She told me when we first met that my paintings had inspired her. I can honestly say, that I probably wouldn't be painting for a living now, had it not been for her encouragement, and infectious drive to paint.

The painting above is one of the pieces she will have at the Wynne/Falconer show in September. We will be sharing the spotlight in a two-man show during that week on Cape Cod. Karen's been working hard preparing for this show, and will be presenting some of her best work to date. A number of these pieces will also be presented in the September issue of American Art Collector magazine.

She has also started to branch out into the high-end print market. Karen has developed a relationship with Gallery Street an art reproduction company here in town, to create MasterpieceTM giclees of specific paintings. The people at Gallery Street have worked very hard to match the subtle colors of Karen's paintings, and I have to say that the quality of these prints is quite amazing. Karen and I color proofed the reproductions along side the originals, and they are a spot-on match. Karen will be offering the prints from her website in these initial stages, with plans to offer them to select galleries around the country in the future.

If you're not familiar with Karen's work, you should take some time and visit her website. I think you'll find it time well spent.

Cherry Goblet

oil on gallery wrap canvas
9'' x 12"

This is number three of the completed paintings for the show at Wynne/Falconer gallery in September. Cherries are a popular theme for me, as is the reflective, so I thought I'd combine the two, and see what happens. I came across four of these little silver goblets at a flea market/antique store not long ago, and fell in love with their shape. I think they will be showing up regularly in future paintings. If you'd like to purchase this piece in a pre-show sale you can contact the gallery by clicking here. The gallery has asked me to state in these postings that any painting purchased prior to the show must remain in the gallery throughout the duration of the show.

Ice Water

oil on gallery wrap canvas
16'' x 20"

Here's another of the finished paintings for the show at Wynne/Falconer gallery in September. I hadn't painted glass in a while, and this water jug is a great subject. I especially like the way it fogs up when it's filled with ice water. This particular piece incorporates a number of favorite themes. One is the use of ice cubes. These are more like ice hemispheres, since they came from the ice maker in the frige, but I still enjoy trying to create that "ice" look.

Another object I've recently added to my repertoire is the aluminum drinking glass. I purchased a set of these colorful metal glasses sometime ago on ebay, placed them in the cabinet, and promptly forgot about them. They were recently re-discovered, and this is my second painting utilizing them. I hope they prove to be popular, because they're fun to paint. If you're interested in a pre-show purchase of this painting you can contact the gallery by clicking here. Wynne/Falconer has asked me to make it clear that any painting purchased prior to the show must remain in the gallery for the duration of the show.

I have some good news about the article in American Art Collector magazine. Karen and I were contacted yesterday by the editor for our interview. I have to say that talking about myself is not something that comes easily, but the editor was very nice, and said that he felt it went well. He stated that they were hoping to use seven images of our paintings in the article, and that it will be in the September issue. That means it should be in the newsstands in late August. Karen and I are, understandably very excited.

The day it comes out we will be buying multiple copies, and there will definitey be a post on this blog.

Balsamic

oil on gallery wrap canvas
10'' x 12"

I've been under a bit of a crunch these last few weeks. Hence the lack of posts showing new work. Karen and I are scheduled to have a show at Wynne/Falconer gallery on Cape Cod in early September. Normally that would have given us around ten weeks to get paintings ready, but Kenny the owner altered the scenario a bit when he informed us that he had arranged to have an article about us in American Art Collector Magazine. When we were contacted by the magazine they let us know that they needed images of art, relating to the show, by the 23rd of July at the latest. Yikes!

So, we've been busy getting some pieces done for the show/article. I emailed my images this morning, and am hoping the files arrive at their office on time, and uncorrupted. I'm posting these images earlier than I would prefer, but it's been a long time since I've shown anything new, and decided, "what the hell".

The magazine is supposed to be contacting us for an interview soon. At this point, it still feels a bit, "iffy", but we're optomistic that it will actually happen. Hopefully, by the next post, we will have heard from them again, and know more about whether the article will be published, and in which issue. We're keeping our fingers crossed.

If you're interested in a pre-show purchase of this painting you can contact the gallery by clicking here. Wynne/Falconer has asked me to make it clear that any painting purchased prior to the show must remain in the gallery for the duration of the show.

Karin Jurick

My friend Karin Jurick is having a show at her gallery 16 Patton in Asheville North Carolina this weekend. It's going to be an impressive collection of paintings. She's been working hard these last couple of months, and the body of work reflects that effort. I think this collection includes some of her best paintings to date.

I am so humbled by her talent. I am hoping that she will one day receive the national attention her paintings deserve. Her brush work, color sense, and compositions are unparalleled. As beautiful as these images are on screen, you have to see them in the flesh to appreciate them fully. They are like little jewels. There is no hesitation in her work. Each brush stroke, position of every element, and choice of each color is deliberate, and perfect. Karin knows exactly what she's doing. She's an awesome talent.



My wife Karen, and I bought a small painting of hers through an ebay auction a couple of years ago, and since we lived in the same town Karin delivered the painting to us at our home. We've been close friends since that day.

This show is predominantly figurative pieces, but includes a group of small paintings of dogs that are wonderful. Seventeen of her paintings have already been sold, illustrating how popular her work is, and righly so. It would not be surprising if the show is a sell-out. I'm proud to call her my friend. If you'd like to see more of her work you can visit her website and her painting blog by clicking here.