Smiley Me

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 9"

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!

Smoky Sky

oil on canvas panel, 14" x 11"

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.

Central Park Tree Tunnel

acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"

This was done from a photo I took one day in Central Park last October.  I was mesmerized by the scene of these tall, graceful mauve trees set against all that green, with a pale yellow ball of light in the distance.

Apple of My Eye

acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"

This started out as something entirely different.  I wanted to produce a high key abstract painting, and was trying to come up with a composition using certain color pairings, such as viridian and magenta, or lemon yellow and a tropical blue.  I had spring on my mind, though, and one thing led to another, then out popped an apple.  I've also been wanting to do a New York skyline painting, and this has traces of that thread in it.  Ironic, the apple, innit?

The Lake in Central Park

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

Back to New York here, with a digital sketch from a day I spent in Central Park.  I loved the faint view of San Remo in the distance.

A Central Park Stroll

acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

This painting was done from a photo I took in Central Park on my recent trip to New York and Vermont.  I loved the lavender walkway, which I was happy to achieve without using blue.  My palette for this one was smalt, violet oxide, viridian, hooker's green, cad yellow medium, titanium white, and mars black.  I know it's a rather weird palette, but it seemed to be working well with this composition, so I stuck with it and I'm happy with the result.

Central Park Path

iPad painting, 14" x 10"

This is a little sketch I did the other day in New York's Central Park.  I was there for a week visiting friends, going to museums, walking the 'hoods.  I lived in New York for about 10 years but had not been there since before 911.  Central Park was a favorite of mine.  I love nature, what can I say?  There may be some NY paintings coming out of this trip.  What a great city!