Honda Metropolitan: Complete

Honda Metropolitan   |   12 x 16   |   Oil on panel

It's been ten days since I finished the underpainting, but with some time off to spend with my brother here from New York, I'm calling it done. When it's dry and varnished it'll be heading out to San Francisco to C. K. Contemporary Gallery with two more 12 x 16's. 

Now it's back to work for Rehs Galleries in NYC. I've got a "soda" commission lined up first. A collector agreed to purchase both the Coke and Pepsi paintings at Rehs if I agreed to paint a Dr. Pepper to go with them. Didn't have to twist my arm to agree to that. When it's done I'm on to something else. What, I'm not sure. I'll be doing more photography in the coming days and I'm hoping to mine a composition from that. I'll post "in progress" shots of the Dr. Pepper commission, the first of which should appear in the next few days.

Study for Honda Metropolitan: In Progress - Completed Underpainting

Study for Honda Metropolitan  |  12 x 16  |  Oil on panel

Day ten and the underpainting is done. Now it's back to the top to begin the second pass. 

Study for Honda Metropolitan: In Progress - Day 6

Study for Honda Metropolitan  |  12 x 16  |  Oil on panel

Here's the Honda study with a few more days in. I took Sunday off to attend the Barber Vintage Festival in Birmingham Alabama. Three days of vintage motorcycles and racing. I took about 500 photos for potential painting reference, and had an all around great time. I'll post about that event in a day or two after I've had a chance to go through all those images.

Study for Honda Metropolitan: In Progress - Day 3

Study for Honda Metropolitan  |  12 x 16  |  oil on panel

Road Atlanta holds an event each year called, "the Mitty". It's a racing weekend exclusive to vintage racing cars. I attended this years race and took about 500 photos as reference material for future paintings. I was scrolling though those images the other day looking for something small to paint when I came across this photo of a little Honda scooter one of the driving teams had used to get around the grounds. This was what I was searching for. I'm calling it a "study" because I may want to do it again later in a larger format. On to day 4.

Poets&Artists Magazine: Realism Issue

Back in 2008 I was fortunate enough to have my work shown in the first issue of Poets & Artists magazine, which at that time was called Oranges and Sardines. In 2010 editor Didi Menendez extended me a second invitation and now, sixty six issues later, Didi was kind enough to put my name in the hat for a curated realism issue. Frank Bernarducci, owner of the Bernaducci Meisel Gallery in New York is the guest editor. Frank selected 19 artists from a group of potential candidates from around the world and I was lucky enough to make the cut. It’s an impressive collection of painters, which includes two of my online buddies, Alvin Richard and Lorena Kloosterboer.

If you’re interested in purchasing this issue you can pick up a printed copy produced Blurb or download a pdf. Both methods are accessible from the PA website.

http://www.poetsandartists.com

http://www.blurb.com/b/6467583-pa-67-realism-issue

Chicadee

Chicadee  |  10 x 12  |  Oil on hardboard panel

I'm getting ready to do some new photography, so I haven't wanted to start anything big. My urge to paint on the other hand is really strong right now and I couldn't bear the idea of giving up my brushes for an extended period of time. Fortunately, the answer to my problem was solved when I was in Karens office helping her decide on a composition.  As she was scrolling through possible images I noticed the Chicadee and said she should do that. Karen said she wasn't going to use that image because, "I can't paint grapes", so I asked if I could have it. There was a time when about all I painted was birds so I was pretty happy when she said, "yes". It was really fun to paint something with eyes again.