Three Cherries (under painting)

I completed this small oil under painting of three cherries.

Toy Car

I bought a bunch of old antique toys on Ebay with the intention of doing some oil studies. I was looking for aged surfaces and worn patinas. I found this wonderfully paint-chipped, tin car for $3.95...I love Ebay.

Anyhoot, this is the first of the small oil studies of toys. This is the monochromatic under painting (what's that?)....The monochromatic under painting is the first stage of my painting process. It's where I use only one color, in this case, Burnt Umber to establish my values (lights and darks) and to get a feel for the overall composition before I add a full range of colors. I used this stage to also explore some varied brush work (note the soft lost edge on the top of the car as apposed to the harder line at the bottom of the car) It's a compartmentalized way of doing things that divides the process into thoughtful little steps. I didn't make it up, this process is more than 500 years old. I'm looking forward to slapping some color on this when it dries.

The New Day (under painting)

This is a monochromatic under painting of a boat I'm currently calling, "The New Day"...unless I change my mind and call it something else. I'm thinking of painting this almost entirely in earth warm colors like Andrew Wyeths pallet. It's almost there but if you look at Wyeths work, you'll notice there are plenty of cools and blues beneath the surface to give it a balance...whatever works really but I'm feeling a strong pull towards a minimal pallet statement here. The piece is sort of dictating that as it evolves, we'll see where it goes.

Key #6 (under painting in progress)

This is a commission of a Key painting, number 6 in the series...this time, I'm pushing that chipped paint look in the back ground. So far, I have transferred the drawing, did the monochromatic under painting and just started to lay down some blue in the back ground..that's it so far and it is already beginning to take shape. I like this stage but sometimes come to a screeching halt not knowing how it will evolve...this is a good time to put it away and start something new before I finish it.

The Young Trapper

This is one of the paintings I did for the Diamond Newman Gallery in Boston. It's an 11x14" oil on wood panel painting I'm calling "The Young Trapper". Another painting in a series of lobster men and fisherman in their small crafts.

Botnay Bay poster illustration

I finished this digital painting/design for a local computer company poster. It was great fun to temporarily switch gears from paint brush to digital paint brush.

Key #5

I just finished this small commissioned oil painting I'm calling "Key #5". It's (4x6") on gessoed board (My official favorite surface). I'm attracted to old wood with graphics or lettering on it as a background element in my paintings. I went on Ebay to find some old wood boxes with advertising on them and they are not cheap...I'm not the only one who likes them evidently. I may have to get lucky at flea markets or yard sales.

Makin' for the Bay

This is one of the pieces that I did for the show at the Diamond Newman Gallery in Boston. "Makin for the Bay" is an oil on canvas, 10x20". I like the odd size of this work. I also learned that I prefer working on wood panels rather than canvas. Actually, I know I should give some tighter weave canvases another try before I make this declaration.

The painting is a lobsterman rowing toward the bay. A theme I've painted before and will continue to do until the images stop haunting me. I came up with the title from rewording a line from the Steven Stills (Crosby, Stills, Nash) song, Southern Cross; "She was making for the trades on the outside and the downhill run to papeete"...I love the nautical imagery in that song and thought part of that line would be cool if I simply reworded it to fit the fella in my oil painting who was "Makin' for the Bay". The love is in that gritty slang "Makin". It's exactly how this lobsterman would phrase it.

Diamond-Newman Gallery Boston, Massachusetts.

I'm very excited to have begun a relationship with The Diamond_Newman Gallery
in Boston, Massachusetts. They were on my long term radar and coincidentally, they contacted me about a month or so ago and asked if I would put some work together for the "First Friday show" this June. I have been a fan of many of the artist in this gallery for a while and I am thrilled to hang my work on the same wall. Below is the notice for the show, which opens tomorrow evening in the SOWA art district in Boston at the 450 Harrison avenue studios. I will be there with Alison and then maybe have some dinner in the North End, I'm really looking forward to it. Come by if you can and say hello. There are so many talented artist in this building, it should be an inspiring evening.

Still

Study for "Still" (8x10") oil on wood panel
"Still" (16x20") oil on wood, framed

I was reading about an artist on Cape Cod who does a small and large version of each painting at the same time. She uses the smaller study to experiment and help to keep the larger one loose. it makes sense to me...I already have the paint mixed and the composition worked out, so why not?

This post represents my first attempt at this idea and I must say that I can definitely see the benefits. the top image is the smaller (8x10") version and the second painting (shown framed) is the larger (16x20"). They are both on wood panel. I did indeed approach the larger painting with a looser
temperament and more confidence than I think I normally would have. I think this confidence reveals itself in the brush work and overall feel of the piece. What a eureka moment.

Another bonus was I think I was looser on the smaller piece as well, a complete attitude switch has taken place. I want to recommend this approach to any artist reading this...give it a try on at least one painting and I'll bet you a two pound wedge of cheese that you'll notice an attitude difference that comes accross in the work..and that aint' the booze talkin.