Bound by Feathers

This is the first time I did a full scale painting by myself in oil paints. This was a painting I had in my heart for a long time that needed to come out. I am actually not sure that it is done, but the essence of it is on the canvas. I have it up on the easel and stare at it daily wondering what else it needs... what else would it make it complete? Maybe a little yellow? Maybe blending out some of the harsh black lines? I don't know yet... but it will come to me.

Getting Back In the Swing

When I am feeling uninspired, I find it helpful to take time to sketch. People and portraits are the most appealing, but often an interesting cross-hatch landscape sets my mind in the right frame to look wider... at the bigger picture. Here are a handful of sketches over the last few months.

Commemorating a Life...

...How do you take one person's entire life and pay tribute to it in one painting? Who of us can say we can be encapsulated in such a small space? Our stories are too large... our opinions too detailed ...the relationships engaged ...loves lost ...laughter had and love given - where do you start?

Well, when someone you think the world of, asks this of you, what else do you say but "yes, of course, I will do this for you." I am not sure I did my friend's father justice, but I gave it my all and this is what came out.


Luckily, the face of my friend when he saw it meant all the world and worth for the exercise.

A Birthday Commission

I created the above painting for a friend of mine. It was a gift for his wife for her birthday of their incredibly beautiful kids... who I adore by the way.

I had to complete it in a rush and was not entirely confident in the way it turned out. Do you know when you get to that point where you have put so much work in, you are tired, and you still fear that something is missing? ...but if you keep working you may go too far and you won't be able to take it back. So I stood, staring, trying to make it all make sense for my creative brain. Finally, I stepped away and let it go. I figured it would look different in the morning and sure enough, it did. Then, at breakfast, when I gave it to him and I saw his smile, I knew that it came out just the way it should have.

For My Artistic Mentor... so to speak

My good friend Jenn has always pushed me to continue painting and keep my passion for art alive. I created this for her as a Thank You for always being there to inspire me. She in fact is one of the people who made me realize how important it is to stay creative... to keep painting... always painting... I suppose I did not realize I had let a part of myself go when I stopped painting a year or so ago. Since I started again, it is like I cannot keep up with my mind. My heart keeps dreaming up series after series before I can even paint them.

However, I like where this technique is going and the series... the softness of it. I have decided to call it "Photographic Memory." I plan to include a set of city photos from around the world as part of this series. Next up is Paris... then probably Amsterdam.

PS - I back-dated this post to reflect when I actually painted them not when I posted them.

A Gift for New Jersey

For Erica's birthday I wanted to use a photo she had of her and her brother when they were young. I love this photo - I was compelled to create with it somehow. Here is what came out.

Californian Influence

So my everything but related sister came to visit this weekend. She was having a personal emergency and I am glad she came to hang out. Anyway, her last night, we took two canvases and painted them side by side. Here is the one that I kept.