This is a challenge I've set myself to paint a series of imaginary portraits, each in under 30 minutes. This is the first one.
Monday, June 30, 2025
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Coit Tower at Dusk
This is another in a series of urban scenes I've been painting lately, done mostly with a palette knife.
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Floodlights
Another palette knife study of a somewhat abstracted cityscape in the rain. Just playing with abstract elements within a cityscape.
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Sacto
A painting of downtown Sacramento. I did it primarily for the warm color palette.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Thursday, May 29, 2025
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Emily
One of my favorite shows to watch is the BBC's Portrait Artist of the Year. I decided to paint one of the sitters as an exercise. The competition for each portrait is what can be accomplished in four hours. I spent 3.5 hours on this one. It could be good practice to do more of these, since many of the sitters are unfamiliar to me. Emily is an award-winning singer/songwriter based in the U.K. I thought she had a regal bearing and I liked the three-quarter angle. Updated 5/29/2025: I changed the background a wee bit with an overlay of lavender.
Monday, May 19, 2025
Facade
This is the finished painting of an abstract that I started way back when, then consigned it to the time-out room forever. Patience.
Thursday, May 15, 2025
Fierce
A portrait of a young Choctaw Indian woman. I found her stare compelling.
Thursday, May 8, 2025
A Heart of Gold
This painting has been in the making for a while. It was a slow process as I sat with it and pondered how I wanted to paint it and what I wanted to say through it. I'm happy with the result.
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Monday, April 28, 2025
Yellow Frock
This was an exercise in relinquishing control. Sometimes you just need a reminder . . .
Sunday, April 27, 2025
Sunday, April 20, 2025
The Unfolding Flower
A painting of a rose in closeup as it unfolds its petals. I've done this before but thought I'd try it again because of its abstract quality. Plus, I was jonesing to paint in reds, a color I find challenging to get right.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Hip Hop Hooray!
Monday, April 7, 2025
Flippers
This painting presented an interesting conundrum. I originally painted it in landscape format, which would have rotated this image 90 degrees counterclockwise. However, I found it a bit disconcerting to paint it in that format, so I flipped it to portrait format, which is the way you are seeing it. I had painted another pair of swimmers in 2023, called "Floaters," and this one is the next incarnation visiting this theme. I find these narrative two paintings quite amusing. Updated 4/9/2025: I decided I like it better in landscape format, which is how I originally meant it to be. Works just fine this way.
Monday, March 31, 2025
Polina
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Fun 'n Games
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Inner City Blues
This urban night scene might be done; I'm not sure yet. I tried to keep it simple and focus on the depth of field in it. These urban scenes are fun to do, so I'll be doing more of them.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Monday, March 17, 2025
Little House on the Prairie
An abstracted landscape that ended up more abstract than landscape. Fine with me.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
Saturday, March 1, 2025
Prodi
This is a portrait of my friend Ron's beloved border collie, who passed away in December not long after my own Lola died. Prodi was Ron's first border collie, to be followed by many more. He loves the breed. Prodi was special, though. He had a fondness for fish and befriended a yellow one in Ron's koi pond named Smokey. I've painted Smokey before and suggested him here but this painting is all about Ron's beautiful boy.
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Poisson Ange
Another little fish painting to add to my series of little fish paintings. What can I say, they're fun!
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Here's Lookin' at You
Here's another painting of my little angel Lola, who passed away in early December last year. I'm building up a series on her. What an amazing little being she was.
Monday, February 10, 2025
Emerald City
With all I've got going on right now, it's a miracle I've done any painting at all. I might spend more time on this one later, but for now, I'm finished with it. This is a scene I pass frequently on my way into San Francisco. It's a view from the freeway looking east after passing through the bridge toll. I love those curved streetlights. Updated 5/21/2025: I felt the need to warm up the green in the mid-distance. I also added some pink highlights to the copse at the right end.
Friday, January 31, 2025
Cornish Cows
This painting was a distraction that served a purpose. That's all I have to say about it.
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Cerisehead with Black Bird
I thought I was done with these bird girl portraits, but I guess not. Here's another one that wanted to come through, so I went with it. This will be included in the upcoming show, if it dries in time.