This is a narrative painting that I actually started late last year and never quite finished. It's been languishing in the time-out room for months now. I did it for a laugh, especially for the guy in the mid-distance. He cracks me up. I was also going though a phase then, living vicariously through her, lol! I hope to finish it before too long.
At the risk of anthropomorphizing my dog, here's a painting of her I did from a photo that seemed to capture her almost human-like stare. Even though it came together very quickly, I may tweak this one with some details in the near future. I love her little mouth in this one and the stray hairs over her right eye.
A little Christmas composition. Sending out some lights within the darkness...
This study is a scene that became very familiar to me when I lived near Taos, New Mexico. I needed to find safe areas to walk my little dog Lola and maybe let her enjoy some off-leash time, something she loves. El Prado is a high-end neighborhood in the north section of Taos as you're heading toward Taos Ski Valley. It is dotted with well-kept modern adobe homes, the only drawback for me being that there are no paved roads in that area; in fact, much of Taos is unpaved, a bit of a nightmare in winter. That's why many of these nice homes are either unoccupied or rented out for the duration of what can sometimes be a brutal winter. I lived there for only one year in 2018, but it was a heavy snowfall that winter and I found it to be a deal breaker, coming as I did from the California coast, where snowfall is unheard of. Alas, even in El Prado, I found free-roaming dogs on occasion. I always had to be vigilant for my dog's safety everywhere I went, which was psychically exhausting. The views of Taos Mountain and the Ski Valley were always breathtaking, though, with the high desert carpeted in sagebrush.
This was an experiment that didn't go as planned, so I adapted the composition accordingly. The subject is an African moon moth, a fascinating flying creature with eerie eyespots giving a human-like appearance. For some reason, I found it very difficult to get a decent photograph of it. Ah, the elusive moon moth!
A simple study of two little piglets I've been wanting to do for a while in a warm composition.
Persian cats all seem to have attitude, and this one is no exception. They're fun to paint.
Continuing with the wolf theme here. This study wanted to be impasto, so I let it.
This is an experimental piece that I see as largely successful. I may do more to it, but I'm happy with the overall composition.
This abstract study has grown on me. I did a similar one back in 2017.
This is the finished second portrait of Dana in Jacob Dhein's portrait workshop. It was challenging in that the light sources were multiple. I worked from a photo taken indoors during the day and with ambient light sources coming in on three sides, plus an overhead light. I tried to evoke a sense of balance with it, but more importantly with this one, I wanted to capture her innate sweetness of nature, and in that regard, I'm happy with how it turned out. I also tried to incorporate a bit of abstraction but not confident enough with the technique yet to know how far to push it. That's why I'm taking his class. Remains to be seen what Jacob thinks. Update 12.5.2023: Just swapped in the finished portrait after applying a few refinements suggested by Jacob.
I'm taking a portrait painting workshop with Jacob Dhein, an amazing figure painter, and this is the first of what will probably be three portraits in all. It is a portrait of a wonderful ex-neighbor of mine, Dana, who still lives close by, so I may try her again in an interior space. The reference photo for this was taken outdoors on a sunny day. Jacob told us not to spend too much time on these, as they are skill-building exercises. This one took a couple hours and I've got a few more details to add, but it's essentially done. I'm pretty happy with it. Update 10/12/2023: I've completed the study, applying Jacob's suggestions from his critique. I still want to incorporate abstraction, but I think I'll leave it to the next one for that.
This is a rough portrait study of Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol's muse and star in a series of short films he produced and directed, one of which was titled, "Poor Little Rich Girl." Edie herself was born into a wealthy ranching family in Santa Barbara, California. Around the age of 20, she made her way back East and eventually to New York City, where she found work as a model and met Andy Warhol. Sadly, she suffered from mental health problems, and died at the age of 32 of a drug overdose.
This little painting of a damselfish kinda captures how I feel right now, but I'm really happy with the colors. Thought I'd jump in on the "ring" bandwagon while I'm at it. I may tweak it later.
This is the third and final incarnation of an abstract whose second incarnation was very different from this painting. I was frustrated when I first arrived in the studio but was determined to make the most of my precious painting day. I'm happy with how it turned out, although looking back, had I stepped away before barreling ahead and drastically changing the whole thing, I would have stopped there and called it good, and would later have seen its merits. This is why I take photos of my work at every stage. There's always something to learn.
This was just for a hoot. I tried to keep it kinda loose, but these two do look a bit to me like Barbie and a rather bloated Ken in the pool, ha ha! Makes me smile, anyway.
I'm already getting nostalgic for summer and it's not over yet. An end-of summer scene here of a girl in an undisclosed European coastal region. The bright yellow umbrella against that dark azure sky really appealed to me.
This study of my little dog Lola was done from a photo I took a few years ago. That sidelong glance of hers has always amused me and I wanted to capture the spirit of that skeptical look.
Finally getting around to this study of two little girls I spotted doing gymnastics on the beach at St. Ives in England. I've wanted to paint them for quite a while as an expression of the exuberance and carefree joie de vivre of childhood, before puberty arrives and changes everything.
This is just another study in a series I'm doing of flowers in a vase, and again, mostly done with a palette knofe, just to refamiliarize myself with subject of still life, the least attempted of all my work.
This is an abstract piece I did today after a late start in the studio due to an appointment. I like it.
This is just a quick little landscape study of a section of Highway 162, which is the road to Covelo in Mendocino County, where I was headed to spent some time with my friends at their ranch. I had thought that the reference photo I worked from was taken somewhere in Sonoma County, as many of the local roads have a similar look. But upon closer inspection, that is not Black Mountain in the distance but the mountains of Mendocino National Forest.
This is a self portrait during my New York days. I was at a party with my friend Armando and I was wearing a wig because I was auditioning everywhere I could for the part of Eponine in "Les Miserables." I was obsessed with it and trying to convince anyone to give me a chance. Eponine was a waif, a lonely character, and while I knew I could sing and act the part, I don't think I projected enough pathos . . . certainly not at this party!
For this version of a portrait of Sinead O'Connor, my second attempt, I used a grid. In this version, she looks less vulnerable to me, more confident. Not sure which one I prefer.
I found an interesting photo online of a horn player in Havana, Cuba, and just wanted to make a painting of it, so I did.
This little mess of a painting of a dying daisy, I'm afraid to say, is now officially dead. I destroyed it after an experiment that went kablooey. Oh, well. Just wanted to document it here for posterity, so its short life wasn't completely in vain.
This is what I'd call a simplified landscape painting, not quite in the abstracted landscape ballpark, done mostly with a palette knife. Nonetheless, I like the copper tones in this one. I think they offset the buildings in the background nicely. The scene is inspired by the smoke from the recent Canadian fires that drifted down into the U.S., especially along the East Coast.
Upon hearing of the death of Sinead O'Connor at the young age of 56, I was moved to paint her portrait, as she was such a uniquely powerful singer, songwriter and activist. I thought I would challenge myself by doing this portrait with a palette knife. It was challenging.
Another trip down memory lane with this painting of cottonwood trees by the roadside I found so enchanting on a drive from Taos to Ojo Caliente.
Here's another botanical study. Just playing around here, trying to push the abstract and botanical elements together.
Fooling around with a more sculptural look, at least in the background and the hair. I've long seen myself as a more sculptural painter, and yet I rarely seem to apply that method to my work. This is an attempt to break out of a mold and get more playful with the medium.
This study is a rural scene from the lower end of Taos, New Mexico, mostly done with palette knife.
Continuing with this little burst of still life exploration that I'm going through, I'm trying to push more abstraction into the mix with the palette knife here. I do like the warm textural effects of the background and the cool green foreground, but the mauve vase was what I was after.
I just stumbled on this Sharpie drawing I had done of Tina Turner way back at the beginning of this art thing, in 2005. She is really fun to try to capture.
This is a palette knife study in progress, about 95% done. I rarely do still life paintings, but I'm pushing myself to do them now in a way that is more expressive than representative. Still, it's all about color for me.
And speaking of lions, I've long thought of Tina Turner as a lioness. Her fierceness, tenacity, chutzpah, and general badass veneer, while being deeply rooted in her Buddhist faith of love for all beings forms an intoxicating cocktail of inspiration to women everywhere. Her message will live on for years to come. Tina Turner is Simply the Best!
Another bird study, this one of a white-bellied sea eagle. I was drawn to the intensity of the stare.
After hearing of Tina Turner's passing, I just had to paint her. This is before she became Tina Turner, when she was still known as Anna Mae Bullock and probably in her late teens. I've got one or two more of her in me yet to do. What an inspiration she was, is, and will remain well into the future.
Just a spontaneous "mood" painting to help me switch hats.
This thing turned out better than I expected. Bob Dylan is the real thing.
This painting is in tribute to my great friend Marilyn. She is a total horse lover, and Victor was her quarter horse sweetheart. Quite a handsome fella, and once upon a time, he was a race horse.
