Aw Shucks!

16x16 oil on panel

Ask DK Gallery about this painting

This began - and sort of ended - as a sketch. I just thought that I had said enough once I got the initial block in done. Its painted over a toned panel which allowed me to just be vague about the non-essential bits.

Friday opens the Farm to Table show at DK Gallery on the Historic Marietta Square. The show features all their gallery artists sharing works celebrating the growing focus on farm fresh foods. I am happy to contribute with some of my favorite subjects featuring foods being prepared or enjoyed. To see a preview of the variety of works you can click here. 

I'm still really excited to be part of DK Gallery. They have monthly show openings coinciding with their local First Friday Artwalk. The shows give artists and patrons an opportunity to explore all kinds of ideas and themes. I wish I was nearer and could attend. I'm hoping for a visit during their Holiday small gems show.

This scene is from my New Orleans trip earlier this summer. We walked for a long way to find that Cafe du Monde serves nothing but beignets. That wouldn't do for my family. We then found The Original French Market Restaurant nearby serving some excellent Cajun food and got to watch this man shucking fresh oysters for those so inclined.

Aw, Shucks

Sometimes its just all about the paint! I was lost in just putting in stokes - color and value being my only focus. Then I step back and see those marks make a scene. I love it. V....Vaughan told me to stop at this point too. Good thing. I have made a few more marks but may just leave it in this state. 

16x16 oil on panel

A scene from French Market Restaurant in New Orleans

The panel this is painted on was coated with a pinkish grey oil paint scraped on over an old start using thr "mud" from clearing my palette. It makes a nice surface to work on - and allows me to leave some areas alone - that background color being a subtle neutral for the negative spaces.  

Sunny Cafe

10x12 oil on panel
Ask Gardner Colby Gallery about this painting.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT time!
I've been invited to join Gardner Colby Gallery in Naples, Florida. I am very excited to have my work represented by this excellent gallery in such a great market. 

There has been more than a little shifting around of my work this late summer and soon my gallery from Vermont will be relocated to Louisville, KY and renamed "Fine Art Firm." I will be sending them new work for their grand opening. More on these openings and events to come!

Riding the Glory Train

14x11 oil on linen

Now I don't know if the subway in NYC might be a train bound for glory, but this man who sat with his prayer rope while he rode certainly put me in mind of greater things. I wanted to paint some kind tribute to all those who carried on after the events of 9/11. The losses were dreadful, as are the material losses right now in my home state, but the way people respond and recover from such tragedies is remarkable. Its the spirit to move on, to help, to rebuild and resurrect that moves me.

My title references any number of familiar gospel/folk songs. Here are some of the lyrics from one Randy Newman did, "Glory Train" -

I see some hard times coming
Fire and wind and rain
Billions of people, all scared of each other
Hearts full of envy and anger and pain

There on the edge of darkness
People come together again
Standing on the platform
Waiting for the glory train
Get on the glory train
Get on the glory train
They'll be standing on the platform
Waiting for the glory train

Lift up your head and stand tall
Let faith be your only guide
With all that love inside you
Salvation cannot be denied
Just when the storm is breaking
Just when no hope remains
Rollin' into the station
Here comes the glory train

Train Riders

8x6 oil on panel

Available at Loretta Goodwin Gallery next week.

I've been hard at work since my weekend getaway. I'm totally refocused on painting now.
It was such a wonderfully relaxing break. No tv, no computers, no phones.... just nature, R&R, hiking and enjoying the company of my sig ots. Its always good to put things in perspective - it was much needed. So I am back and dedicated to painting and keeping myself relatively unplugged still. The computer can certainly eat up lots of time when one plays too much.

I'm pushing my palette a little more this week. Trying to capture dramatic light, trying different scenes, playing with color and lightening up. In other words, having a ball!

Everday People IV

10x8 oil on carton board
$150 + s/h

This might be the guy at the bus stop... different days though. He was walking across a crosswalk tuned into his headphones.

Carton board is something I found at Judson's Art Outfitters. Its a tan card stock similar to the cardboard some of the impressionist masters painted on - but its updated and archival. I like the effect the oils create - almost a pastel quality. And the background color is a nice neutral tone.

Everyday People I

8x10 oil on carton board
$150 + s/h

Sometimes I just don't feel like painting the background etc. when just the gesture or face says enough. So I am painting some "portraits" of everyday people. This man was sitting at a bus stop.

9 to 5

8x10 oil on linen

Just something I did last week on a piece of loose linen. Wanted to post one more before the weekend. I'm off to Houston for a live event painting. Yes, I am still doing them. though I am trying to stop. Cutting back at least. I'm focusing more on work specifically for galleries and shows now.

Had a great morning painting today thanks to something I read in "The Artist's Way" yesterday. It sparked me to try less hard... if that makes any sense. Read about it here.

Passenger

7x5 oil on panel
$100 + s/h - sold

I tried a couple of different things today and wiped them off. I think I was starting with something too ambitious after having been on hiatus. And while having limited time to work. My schedule couldn't be more full this week. I needed to pull back and just do something simple and allow myself to see and paint loosely. As a note, I often work from photos, but I squint quite a bit when looking at them and when looking at my painting. I'm going to be very wrinkly when I get old I think. There must be a better way!

Disregard my gloved thumb in the lower section of the painting. Its late and I'm too lazy to edit it out.

Admiring Monet

18x18 oil on linen

This will be available in Carmel at Edward Montgomery Fine Art in a week or so.

Somnambulism

11x14 oil on panel

This is a similar scene to one I did that just focused on the resting man. Once again, strange and somewhat eerie lighting and reflections make a neat study.
I was reminded this weekend of another fun thing that people might do while riding mass transit... painting. I have a friend, Kathleen McElwaine, who paints fun little watercolors while riding the bus into Austin everyday. Check out her video on YouTube! We visited with her this weekend and my daughter was most impressed, and came home to begin making her own little watercolors!

Check back for availability on this painting.

Chillin' - 30 Minute Study

oil on paper canvas

On Friday, I read Harley Brown's article in International Artist regarding working inconsistently, and it really struck home.

"Although I alluded to this before, I'm jotting down the subtleties that are really the underpinning of an artist with EVER DEVELOPING skills who draws and paints continuously. The confidence factor from working each day makes THE difference. I've talked with dancers and writers and musicians who say the same thing about how the previous day's work is important to each ensuing day. So goes the rhythm of confident strokes."

There pretty much is the philosophy behind the painting a day movement. And my "journal" here. I think that after one takes a break, there is this learning curve to starting again and a real loss of confidence. I've been so inconsistent this summer that when I do have time, I freeze up. So I decided I have to keep the paint brush wet, no matter how small or brief a work I do. It is my goal to post here daily, be it a pencil sketch on a napkin, a study, a small painting to sell or a gallery work. I hope you enjoy the journey along with me.

City Beat - II

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Another "bird's eye view" of a more casual male crossing the street.

Bus Stop - Studio Sale

22x14 oil on linen panel
sold


Making way for the new!

Downtown IV

7x5 oil on clayboard
$100 + $11 s/h via Paypal

I am really pleased with this little series. And in particular this guy resting in the doorway. I hadn't really intended to do a series, but the images keep presenting themselves to me and its been a lot of fun to paint urban people. I think the reason I am drawn to figures so much is that I like to pause life and let the viewer interpret the narrative. Is he resting? Is he homeless? Is he panhandling? Is he waiting for the store to open?