super saturated kitten power

I was asked to paint something for a cat theme show and at first I thought I was going to take some photos of friends or neighbors cats but it didn't pan out, I'm not the best photographer, so I went to the internet for inspiration instead. I started searching for kittens, cute, painting, etc and picked my favorite image to emulate and do my own version of. I went for the most intense colors I could manage, it's two layers of thick opaque painterly acrylic establishing the overall composition and then a rich oil glaze layer to boost the color saturation to the max. I had an old frame that I'd never used and was taking up space in my garage so I cut it down to fit this canvas, I think it's a perfect super-saturated addition to a cute-juice concentrate painting... mixed media on canvas, 22 by 28

live painting at the mezz

Last night I was at the Mezz inside the Alexandria Hotel in downtown Los Angeles painting 20 minute portraits for an event called Clusterfunk. I found four folks willing to put up with my nonsense, had a nice crowd of people watching and lots of fans. I used acrylic on these which is it's own challenge but the upside is they were dry by the end of the night. actually the difference between acrylic and oil, when painting alla prima and very impasto, is very slight... it's the same bicycle! acrylic on panel, 12 by 9

jumbo's clown room

I was at Jumbo's for a birthday party and brought my sketchbook so of course I had to doodle. You can't have cameras in there so this is a composite of drawings with digitally painted lighting. I drew the interior of the bar on one page, and then filled another page with gestures of the girls dancing knowing I could add the best one in photoshop later. It was challenging to get a sketch that made any sense of the girls in motion. Hey, they said Delacroix could draw someone falling from a third story building before they hit the ground, so anything is possible! It's a nice moody piece, I like how it came out!

random

I've been doing a lot of random things lately, and some drawing, I thought I'd post a few things for the internet to see... I'm trying to get my drawing a little more in my painting... chocolate in my peanut butter! I want to do a series of paintings of burning buildings for some reason, so here's a start to that. Also I'm in a cat theme show so that explains the kitties!

"Red Hook -IV"

...................................................sold
"Red Hook -IV" 8x10 Oil on hardboard.
This is a second painting with Red Hook - Brooklyn NY and the photo I took and used as a reference for this painting.

Red Hook, Brooklyn - New York City. August 2010

"Red Hook-III"

.............................................sold
"Red Hook-III"
8"x10" Oil on hardboard

Mini Installation For Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos

     When ready, it will be. Or not. If this seems cryptic, so be it. It is a memento mori, and not the first.

10/10/10 Day of Climate Change Awareness Action: This movie (a first!) and this photo, are my action.

"Red Hook No.2"

..........................................Sold
"Red Hook No.2" - 12x18 - Oil on linen.
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I painted and sold this painting a few years ago, but I would like to introduce this unique place before posting next group of my paintings with Red Hook Brooklyn NY. Located in the southwestern corner of the New York City borough of Brooklyn , Red Hook has been an industrial area for over 200 years, full of warehouses, old factories, terminals and landmarks. Lately, there's so much growth and change going on in here - IKEA, the upscale Fairway Market, art gallery, waterfront landmarks, cruise terminal attract many people during the day. When I come here, I like to sit with a cup of coffee at Fairway’s waterfront cafe breathing in the salt-water air enjoying the beautiful views of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty (the only frontal view in NYC) and Manhattan skyline, and watching all the boat traffic with occasional cruise ships go past. Then I walk the cobblestone streets taking pictures of the Civil War-era warehouses. The place has a character and uniqueness and a big source of inspiration for a new painting.

Spirits in Sanford!

Hey everyone!
Jared and I are down in Sanford, FL for the Spirits in Sanford show, and it's lookin' pretty spooky!

I was completely blown away when I walked into Jeannine Taylor Folk Art Gallery, the work here is so varied and inspiring! Check out the front of the building...It has so many cool things embedded into the concrete.







We will be doing a private champagne showing tonight. And tomorrow the show is open to the public. Here's a peek at my table. There is SO much to see. This place is PACKED with amazing art everywhere you look.







The show starts TOMORROW Sat. 9th at 10am-4 at the Jeanine Taylor Folk Art Gallery in downtown Sanford, Fl. http://www.spiritsinsanford.com/ See you there!! XO


And don't forget to mention you saw this on my blog and receive 10% your total purchase from me. ;)

the napoleon house

this rainy weather has got me getting caught up with painting to do in the studio... here's how the painting of the Napoleon House in New Orleans turned out. It's been cropped down a few inches from the original canvas I brought to the bar and started on, but I think the composition is improved because of it! it has a nice cool key that is markedly different from the Columns or Antoine's. oil on canvas, 16 by 28

the columns

I've been painting away on the piece from the Columns Hotel in New Orleans, adding a density of paint, some figures, I'm really pleased how it's come out! It's a very low-key painting, I've never used so much burnt umber and burnt sienna before but it's in a rembrandt-y key so it works. It makes it a bit tough to photograph but it the color comes across ok... I like the warm, quiet mood. oil on canvas, 24 by 20

3D street painting for OSU

So, as you can probably tell, I've been doing more and more 3D street paintings lately. And though apprehensive in the beginning, I'm really beginning to enjoy them. Not only am I having the opportunity to work in some great cities but my index of images is growing in size and styles. This painting, for instance, was for the Ohio State University Activities Board. They wanted something representative of the University for Freshman Welcome Week. The style of this image is really different from my traditional street paintings but I really enjoyed painting something iconic for the event. Brutus Buckeye even came out to enjoy it.

The finished piece will have a permanent home in the Ohio Union Hall above the grand fireplace.