Preparation  |  10 x 10  |  Oil on canvas 

While things are still a little chaotic I thought I'd do something small. I used to do a lot of these "place settings" back when and got the itch to do another. It really scratched that itch. Currently I'm working on a composition that originated a long time ago. Each time I came across it I would tell myself, "I really like that I should save it for later". Later has finally come. Hope I can do it justice. 

 

The Real Thing

The Real Thing  |  18 x 24  |  Oil on panel

 

2026 has started off kind of complicated. Lots of distractions and unexpected events, so time for painting had to be squeezed in between all of that. I'm not going to say that now all is calm, I don't want to jinx myself, but at this precise moment there has been a return to the mundane. The way I like it. I finally finished my current painting. One of my favorite subjects. I just love the black, white and red thing. Not sure what'll be next. 

Pool Bowl No. 47

Pool Bowl No. 47  |  10 x 10  |  Oil on panel

 

In 2006 I painted my first "Pool Bowl" for auction on eBay (see below). Now here it is 2026 and I'm posting number 47. They're really fun to paint and have helped pay the bills for a long time. Hope I've got a few more left in me.

Pool Bowl  |  8 x 8  |  Oil on masonite

Two Scoops

Two Scoops  |  10 x 10  |  Oil on panel

 

I've had these two ice cream scoops for a while. I always thought they looked really cool but wasn't sure what to do with them. This is what I decided to do with them. 

Caffeinated

Caffeinated  |  11 x 14  |  Oil on panel

 

I could be wrong, but I think this was a wedding gift to my parents. All I can say for sure is it's been around about as long as I can remember. It has a good shape and is very reflectivey. I painted it a couple of times back in my eBay days, but always knew I would one day try it again. 

Soymilk & Cookies

Soymilk & Cookies  |  9 x 12  | oil on panel

Revisiting the days of when I was doing lots of glass paintings. I've had this classic milk bottle for a while now and figured it was finely time to use it. Karen and I've been vegans for nearly 15 years, hence the soymilk. 

Boxcars

Boxcars  |  16 x 16  |  oil on panel

It's been quite some time since I put up a painting. I've completed another small one but I'm not sure what I think of it so I'm keeping it in the "maybe" box for now. I've also been doing a bunch of domestic chores as well. Rebuilding our deck, clearing out a ton of overgrowth in the backyard, emptying out our public storage container and blah, blah, blah more stuff. Boxcars also took a lot of time to paint. Tons of teeny tiny detail, which, for me, takes a long time. Karen photographed this image in Asheville while visiting friends there. I asked her if I could have it. She said yes. 

 

Part of a page in AAC magazine

Karen came up behind me at my easel yesterday holding out the February 2025 issue of American Art Collector magazine. I hadn't seen that particular issue and she was waiting for a reaction to what I was seeing. It took me a second, but there was "Manhattan Transport" at the bottom of the page. The article was about the 22nd Annual Palm Beach Art Show. I know Howard Rehs,, from Rehs Gallery in New York, had been there with some of my work. How it got picked as one of the pieces to represent the Palm Beach show I don't know, but yeah! Not one to pass up an opportunity to toot my own horn I didn't want to waist any time getting the article up on my social media accounts. Thank you to AAC, Howard Rehs and Karen.

Eveready

Eveready  |  12 x 16  |  Oil on panel

I've been hanging on to this image for a long time but kept it in the bank, basically, because I thought it would kill me. It tried. I made it out scarred but survived. The result is not as a good as I hoped but I think, with this composition, I had reached the limit of my skill. I am glad I mustered up the courage to finally attempt it though. It deserved its shot. 

Sky Bucket No. 3

Sky Bucket No. 3  |  18 x 36  |  oil on canvas

Karen, my brother Doug and I went to the North Georgia State Fair in the fall of 2014. I brought my camera hoping there may be some future paintings at the event. At one point, as the sun was beginning to go down, we got in line to ride the sky bucket above the fair. While we were waiting I looked up and saw the people that had completed their ride coming back down to earth. I really liked my vantage point and started taking as many pictures as I could before it was our turn to get onboard. In total I took about 100 photos that evening, but when I got home and checked those images there was nothing in there that really excited me with the exception of five of sky bucket images. I felt three of those were very paint worthy. This is the third. When I do a painting that is out of the ordinary, but the gallery owner is still willing to give it a chance, I don't do that subject again unless the painting sells. This is the third, so obviously the first two did sell. I hope this piece will have the same fate.

Pool Bowl No. 46

Pool Bowl No. 46  |  12 x 12  |  Oil on linen 

It's been a while since I painted a bowl of Pool balls and it's also been a while since I've painted on anything other than a panel. Karen and I were at Blick the other day and as we were walking through the canvas's, we came across the linen section. Neither one of us had ever worked on linen before. I always thought it was too good for "me". Plus it was expensive, but that day we both decided to take the leap and we each bought one. It's really nice. I'd forgotten how fun it was to drybrush across a textured surface. I still love the panels, but think I'll incorporate a linen canvas into the mix from time to time.

Happy New Year!

 

2024 was a challenging year for both Karen and myself, but it closed out with both of us actually doing really good. I've got my new eyes and hope to break the five paintings a year trend in 2025. As always, thanks to all of you who follow my work. I really appreciate your "likes" and comments. Happy New Year to you all.

Blocks

Many years ago I did a corporate commission for a company that produced nutritional products for children. I had four subjects to represent and one of them was "learning". I did a version of some of these blocks for that painting. I had such fun doing them that I did a few more for the gallery's. I've been going through a sort of nostalgic period lately so I decided to return to the blocks one more time. 

Bricks & Bones

 

Bricks & Bones  |  16 x 16  |  Oil on panel

I'm not sure what it says, but names can never hurt me.