Step-Back Strokes

"Embraced"

2012-01-03T14:38:00.000-07:00

My first new painting of 2012! Had initially planned to call it "Abandoned", but in a burst of positivity, I renamed it "Embraced". All in how you look at it, I reckon. : )

"Essence"

2011-12-27T09:20:00.005-07:00

One of my first up-close portraits. Yes, she has white face paint on; and, yes, the source photo was taken at an angle that distorts the shape of her face. I was pleased that the young woman's grandfather emailed me and said it was an "excellent resemblance."

"Consumed by the Sea" (SOLD)

2011-12-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

I like this painting much more "in person". The thick blobs of paint don't come across in the photo.

"Escape" (SOLD)

2011-12-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

Is she stepping into - or out of - the shadows?

"The Visitor" (SOLD)

2011-12-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

A painting I completed a few months ago but had never posted.

"Horse's Eye" (SOLD)

2011-09-24T07:33:00.002-06:00

Don't you sometimes just want to paint a close-up of a horse's eye? Yeah, me too.

Thanks, Sharon in CA, for your purchase!

"Lose Yourself" (SOLD)

2011-07-24T09:55:00.001-06:00

Lose yourself... let yourself dissolve into, and fully experience, the moment. Good advice... rarely followed. Certainly not by me.

This reworked version of "Cold Beauty" is, in my opinion, much more of a "work of art".

"Pirouette" (SOLD)

2011-07-17T19:12:00.002-06:00

Really enjoyed painting this one and am happy with the result. For power, grace and really comfortable shoes, you just can't beat a ballerina. : )

From a beautiful original photo by Rick Elkins.

"Cool Encounter, Milan"

2011-06-27T17:10:00.000-06:00

Not sure what I think of this one. I loved the idea. Maybe because I love shade on a hot summer day!

"Cold Beauty"

2011-06-26T19:53:00.000-06:00

This one may end up getting some more work, but it's for sale on eBay so I thought I'd post it on my blog. If it doesn't sell, I may tweak it. But I was relatively happy with the way the figure came out.

"Anna Ascending" (SOLD)

2011-06-12T07:51:00.001-06:00

The sun is rising... the house is quiet... a beautiful start to the day.

"Rebel in the Rain" (NFS)

2011-05-14T08:28:00.000-06:00

Mom always told her not to go outside during a storm... and certainly not in a diaper! But she's a little rebel, and Daddy's golf umbrella will protect her just fine.

This painting will be presented soon to my favorite Italian matriarch. She's been through a few storms, and definitely has a bit of the rebel in her.

"The Red Ones, Venice Piazza" (SOLD)

2011-05-01T14:09:00.000-06:00

Thanks to a collector in Texas for using the "Buy it Now" option on eBay!

"Toward Venice"

2011-04-16T20:59:00.000-06:00

From a beautiful photo by Leonardo Uscotti.

"Blue Victorian" (NFS)

2011-04-03T12:43:00.000-06:00

OK... This one just doesn't photograph well, but I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. And that's rare. It's my version of a painting by my new favorite painter, Jeremy Mann. I won't be selling it on eBay since it's based on his work, but I do plan to produce some more pieces in his very loose, creative style (I've found some great photos of Venice at night, for example). Anyway, if you like Impressionism, check out his site.

"Sunny Day in Venice" (SOLD)

2011-03-27T20:30:00.000-06:00

This painting sold this weekend to a collector in Virginia who previously had purchased another of my gondola pieces. Thanks, Laura! And thanks, Humayunn, for the inspiration.

"Fiery Sky and Rice Paddy" (SOLD)

2011-02-10T16:41:00.001-07:00

Here's one that just sold on eBay - a woman surveying a vast expanse of rice paddies in Laos. Hard to see in the photo is the texture of her worn denim jacket and the red tie at the end of her ponytail. They are what I like most about the painting.

Thanks Ben V. for the inspiration!

"Boats on the Portuguese Coast" (SOLD)

2011-01-29T14:50:00.004-07:00

Not a lot going on in this painting, but I guess that's the point. Just a lazy day on the Portuguese coast. Fairly thick oil paint. Used a palette knife to do a little etching. Really enjoyed that (yeah, painters are easily amused!) and will be doing more in future paintings.

Many thanks to "Sunniest" for the inspiration!

"Into the Village" (SOLD)

2011-01-13T19:51:00.001-07:00

Steps lead from a shadowed alley into the bright sunlight of Sorrento, Italy.

"On the Cinque Terre" (SOLD)

2010-12-04T05:42:00.005-07:00

Colorful rowboats await passengers on an overcast morning in the Cinque Terre, a group of five villages on a rugged portion of Italian coast. Grab a cappuccino and a cornetto. The sun will be out soon!

"Late Afternoon Gondola Ride" (SOLD)

2010-11-16T16:30:00.005-07:00

Bundled against the cold that will come when the sun sets, a vacationing couple heads out on a gondola ride. Later, they'll feast on pasta and red wine in front of a glowing fire at one of Venice's many gourmet restaurants. Lucky bastards.

Many thanks to Alagappan for the photo!

"Mottled Monk (Lhasa)" (SOLD)

2010-11-07T09:33:00.006-07:00

Sun streams through the trees and "illuminates" a monk as he makes his way past a monastery in Lhasa, Tibet.

Many thanks to my Flickr friend Nick for the source photo!

"Long Day's End" (SOLD)

2010-10-10T20:14:00.003-06:00

Here's one inspired by Ursula O'Farrell, a painter I discovered not long ago. This painting doesn't reach the level of artistic abstractions that her beautiful figurative paintings do, but it was a step in that direction anyway. And working with the bright colors was fun.

Many thanks to Mary in South Carolina, who added this painting to her collection.

Coming soon, a couple commissioned pieces for a sailor and art enthusiast in Georgia.

Regrets and Red Bag (SOLD)

2010-07-18T18:08:00.005-06:00

Is she leaving or arriving? Her regrets or someone else's?

So this is a new take on figures for me. Loose impressionist... almost pointillist? I had fun painting it and kinda liked the way it came out. And it sold on eBay (thanks, Suzanne!), so I guess there are two of us anyway. : )

"Eternal" (SOLD)

2010-06-27T14:34:00.007-06:00

This very dignified elderly woman lives in rural southern Afghanistan. I was drawn to the photo (thanks, Gianluca!) by the dramatic contrast between the lights and darks... as well as the dramatic contrast between my very comfortable life here in the U.S. and what I presume to be her fairly challenging life in her country.

Source photo credit: Gianluca Di Santo - White Tara Productions (www.whitetara.org)

"Moroccan Drydock" (SOLD)

2010-06-13T17:00:00.004-06:00

The hot African sun beats down on the drydock, where fishing boats get repairs and a fresh coat of paint.

Thanks, Maurice, for the excellent original photo!

Rebel Returns (SOLD)

2010-06-06T13:41:00.007-06:00

Battered by icy winds and pelted by sleet, Rebel carves her way through growing swells to return to the shelter of her slip.

I'm particularly happy with this painting, not because of the quality of the finished product but because there IS a finished product. I was just seconds away from wiping (i.e. trashing) it, as it wasn't going well, but at the last second decided to keep it, albeit with a fairly major overhaul. And, ultimately, Rebel survives to sail on.

Many thanks to Rob for the beautiful original photo... to which this painting bears very little resemblance. : )

"Racing to Port" (SOLD)

2010-05-30T17:25:00.007-06:00

The winds howl as a racing crew hurries for home through the oncoming storm.

Thanks, Keith, for the inspiring photo!

"Lonely Boat" (SOLD)

2010-05-25T16:15:00.003-06:00

The scenes that intrigue me the most are those that have a "universal" appeal... an emotion that we can all relate to. This one really caught my eye.

Many thanks to Lars-Christian for the inspiring, moody, original photo!

"Maine Lady Comes Home" (SOLD)

2010-05-15T13:07:00.004-06:00

Her day's labors done, a hardworking fishing boat returns to the safety of the harbor, where her crew can have a few beers and share a few stories with their fellow sailors.

I was shooting for the style of a painter I admire, C.W. Mundy, and am reasonably happy with how it came out. : )

Thanks for the photo, Leon!

"Shrimper at Sunset"

2010-04-20T16:36:00.009-06:00

The sun sets on a shrimp boat as its crew waits for nightfall to head out into the Gulf and try its luck.

Many thanks to Scilit for the amazing original photo!

"Mexican Village Flowerpot" (SOLD)

2010-04-11T10:22:00.007-06:00

Real de Catorce is a village (some would say a "ghost town") of fewer than 1,000 residents that sits at 9,000 feet on the side of a mountain in the Sierra de Catorce range in Mexico. Once a thriving silver mining settlement, it was nearly abandoned in the early 1900s. Today tourism is reviving the town.

This is a painting I started a LONG time ago but returned to this week.

Many thanks to Alex M. for the photographic inspiration!

"Past Fields in Winter" (SOLD)

2010-03-29T07:08:00.002-06:00

A snowy path skirts frozen fields in Hampshire.

Many thanks to P.T. for the beautiful original photo.

"Venice Gondolas" (SOLD)

2010-03-09T17:49:00.006-07:00

The lapping of water against gondola hulls mingles with the soft rumble of distant thunder at sunset in Venice.

"To Reach the Beach" (SOLD)

2010-02-25T16:51:00.008-07:00

Tired of building sand castles, she toddles off in search of adventure. A little bit of a life metaphor, I suppose.

Gabriella D. is her father's photographic inspiration, and mine for this painting. He asked that I dedicate it to her. So, to Gabriella... Safe travels!

"Expectant"

2010-02-21T09:38:00.004-07:00

We interrupt this series of paintings of the South American "altiplano" to bring you this confident and composed ballerina. (I don't know why I ever announce anything as a "series"!)

"Across the Altiplano"

2010-02-15T17:26:00.010-07:00

While we share a name and a bunch of longitude lines with South America, it's funny how little we Americans seem to know about it. The Altiplano (Spanish for "high plain"), in west-central South America, is second only to a similar landscape in Tibet as the largest area of high plateau on the planet. The air is clean, the light is pure and, yes... the colors are very vivid! This is the first of what will be a series of paintings of The Altiplano.

Gracias, Lorena, for the colorful original shot!

"In the Shallows (Lake Titicaca, Bolivia)" (SOLD)

2010-01-30T13:55:00.004-07:00

A sailboat rocks gently in the shallows of Lake Titicaca, Bolivia, with the snow-covered Andes in the background.

Many thanks to Neil for the beautiful photo!

"California Coast (Sun and Shadow)" (SOLD)

2010-01-19T20:40:00.005-07:00

Cliffs glow golden in the late afternoon California sun.

Many thanks to Michael R. for the outstanding original shot!

"Ashore with Full Sails" (SOLD)

2010-01-10T09:40:00.006-07:00

No anchor required... Its skipper trusts that the gentle Sri Lankan breeze will keep this outrigger safely ashore.

Thanks to my friend Chris for the great photo!

"Anafonitria Monastery" (SOLD)

2009-12-28T14:15:00.004-07:00

The roof line of the monastery at Anafonitria, Greece frames the deep blue Mediterranean sky.

Many thanks, Dimitris!

"California Coast Overlook" (SOLD)

2009-12-24T09:12:00.003-07:00

Sea birds bob in the surf on the Central California coast at Cambria.

From a fantastic photo by my friend Ron.

"Halifax Fish Shack" (SOLD)

2009-12-10T16:11:00.006-07:00

Perched on its own tiny island, this fish shack has endured many years of unforgiving weather in the icy waters off Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Many thanks, Steve N.!

"Thai Fishing Boat, Ting Rai Bay" (SOLD)

2009-11-29T10:50:00.004-07:00

A painting that was essentially done over a month ago but just needed a few final touches.

A red-orange moon rises over Ting Rai Bay as one family calls it a day and lets the gentle rocking ease them into slumber.

Thanks Adam C. for the incredible original shot!

"Safely Ashore" (Private Collection)

2009-11-24T11:12:00.005-07:00

No matter how rough the seas or stormy the skies, eventually... one way or another... we all end up safely ashore. Even if that means six feet under.

This painting, with the contrasting lights and darks, was EXTREMELY hard to photograph. I try not to say this too often, because it sounds like making excuses for poor art, but even the pic I selected for this post doesn't do the painting justice. You'll just have to see it in person at the collector's home the next time you're in Brighton, Michigan. ; )

Thanks, Terry, for the amazing source image!

"Goodnight, Grand Canal" (SOLD)

2009-11-15T15:39:00.005-07:00

In the calm waters of the Venetian Lagoon, the gondolas have been lashed to their mooring posts for the night as the sun sinks low in the sky. The gondoliers have gone home for dinner and wine with their families or into Venice to begin a night on the town.

Thanks, Ron, for use of the beautiful original shot!

"Budapest in the Rain" (SOLD)

2009-11-07T16:56:00.005-07:00

In Budapest, Hungary, a heavy mist hangs over the city and the lone traveler on the historic Chain Bridge.

Thank you, Jochen, for the outstanding photo!

"Last Light" (SOLD)

2009-11-07T06:48:00.004-07:00

A brilliant sunset gives way to hazy purple-gray as dusk overtakes the harbor.

"Waiting" (SOLD)

2009-11-03T16:15:00.006-07:00

OK... This one may cost me my Man card. But I wanted to try the new looser approach on a figure.

Anyway... Thanks, Abby, for letting me work from your beautiful source photo.

"Back Alley Twilight, Philly" (SOLD)

2009-11-01T12:48:00.005-07:00

Midwinter dusk descends on Philly at the end of the workday. The first in what I think will be a series of much looser, truly impressionistic paintings.

Thanks much, Claudette, for the wonderfully moody source photo.

"California Coast Wildflowers" (SOLD)

2009-10-31T17:37:00.008-06:00

Wildflowers scattered among the native grasses on the misty California coast.

Thanks, Jim B., for the outstanding source pic!

"Harbor Dusk" (SOLD)

2009-10-29T15:54:00.004-06:00

Another of the paintings from my Taos trip. Yes, I went to the desert to paint the ocean... go figure.

A glass of wine at sunset on the deck of your sailboat before we go inside to cook a gourmet dinner? I'm in!

Many thanks to Tom L. for the fantastic source photo!

"Tuscan Poppies"

2009-10-24T06:46:00.005-06:00

This is a piece from 2008 that I didn't like initially. But after a rework of the clouds, I'm happy with it now. The poppies in Tuscany are red, but sometimes the light and the atmosphere leaves them looking more orange.

"Sunset Sail, Santorini Caldera" (SOLD)

2009-10-22T16:22:00.006-06:00

Just back from my yearly "art pilgrimage" to Taos, New Mexico. Three days of painting, gallery hopping and eating too much Mexican food. This is one of the pieces I completed on my trip. Santorini is a Greek archipelago... essentially all that is left of a volcano that exploded thousands of years ago. The central lagoon (i.e. the caldera) is surrounded by steep cliffs nearly a thousand feet high.

Thanks, Matt... a fellow Coloradan... for the inspiring photo!

"Southwest Solo" (SOLD)

2009-09-29T17:37:00.005-06:00

What's this big guy doing out here all alone? Where will he go if the weather turns nasty? What does he think of you, the viewer, being on his turf?

Thanks Derek for the great original photo!

"Pine Shadow" (SOLD)

2009-09-13T07:17:00.006-06:00

The coast is still in winter's grip, but soon spring will melt away the snow and the old rowboat will be back on the water.

Thanks Jetta Girl for the great image!

"Enchanting" (SOLD)

2009-09-05T15:46:00.011-06:00

From an award winning photo by a Flickr photographer. He saw her at the gate and hoped - surely in vain - that she'd be sitting next to him on the plane. Fate can be a funny thing. 7E, meet 7F.

"Bolivian Sunset" (SOLD)

2009-08-27T16:20:00.003-06:00

This person looks from the shore of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia to Isla del Sol - the island where the Incas believed the sun god was born - ironically, as the sun sets.

I think this may be my first ever completed figure painting (I've done some studies), and I really like how it turned out.

Thanks, Alessio, for capturing this beautiful scene!

"Village Church, Mexico" (SOLD)

2009-08-08T10:06:00.006-06:00

Storm clouds close in on a church in the mountain town of Real de Catorce.

Thanks John A. for the fantastic pic to paint from!

"Desert Dwelling" (SOLD)

2009-08-02T14:51:00.009-06:00

No longer are the faithful called to prayer from the top of the minaret. The residents of this desert town in Qatar have moved way, leaving only swirls of dust whipped up by the arid wind.

Thanks, Daniel, for the inspiring photo.

"Enduring Faith" (SOLD)

2009-07-14T16:25:00.008-06:00

A persistent wind blows clouds across the azure New Mexico sky and sends seeds to more fertile soil. But this humble church holds its ground, and faith endures.

Many thanks to Dave L. for the beautiful source photo.

"Prairie Skeleton"

2009-07-04T07:27:00.005-06:00

Its lower boards stolen by scavengers, this sagging, skeletal, abandoned barn continues to defy the elements, standing alone on a frosty, windswept prairie in Alberta, Canada.

Many thanks to Brad S.!

"Autumn Rain, Meadows Road Bridge" (SOLD)

2009-07-03T15:20:00.006-06:00

Light rain falls on a lone figure crossing Meadows Road Bridge in autumn. The gurgling of the creek and the tapping of raindrops on fallen leaves are the only sounds.

"Rust Bucket Bay" (SOLD)

2009-05-17T15:44:00.006-06:00

This rusty old rowboat is enjoying its golden years in paradise!

Many thanks to Hisham for the inspiration.

"Entwined" (Private Collection)

2009-05-16T20:07:00.004-06:00

Some good friends of mine got married in New Zealand recently. I did this painting of a scene in Abel Tasman National Park for them.

"Afternoon Shadows, Real de Catorce" (SOLD)

2009-05-10T09:53:00.006-06:00

Half of the alley gets relief from the scorching Mexican summer sun. Later, as the sun sets, the mountainside town will be blissfully cool.

Gracias, Oswaldo!

"Wintering Ashore" (SOLD)

2009-04-30T19:03:00.001-06:00

Winter is long and cold in the North Atlantic. These boats will wait it out on shore near Heswall,Wirral, UK.

This painting is based on a beautifully moody photo by Steve Moore.

"Tropical Timeout" (SOLD)

2009-04-07T17:36:00.006-06:00

Warm sand... crystal clear water... a salty breeze... the sound of waves lapping at the shore. Mmmmmm.

Many thanks to photographer leenmaldives for the amazing photo!

"Well-Earned Rest, Heswall" (SOLD)

2009-03-08T17:40:00.007-06:00

Not sure if this hardworking dinghy on the English coast was awaiting repairs or had been "put out to pasture," but either way it seemed very dignified, even in its decrepitness.

Thanks, Jim, for letting me paint from your inspiring photo!

"Another Spring" (SOLD)

2009-03-03T16:58:00.002-07:00

D.P. in Texas, who took the beautiful source photo that I painted from, also purchased the painting. Many thanks to a very talented photographer!

"Rocky Mountain Autumn" (SOLD)

2009-02-26T20:37:00.001-07:00

The photo is a little tilted, but you get the picture... so to speak. : ) Not sure if I'm going to sell this one or hang on to it. [OK... Now I've sold it, to a collector in Maryland. Thanks, Pat!]

"Fall Beyond the Fence Line (Taos)"

2009-02-21T17:07:00.001-07:00

From a photo I took on the way back from my annual "art pilgrimage" to Taos, New Mexico. Not sure what kind of trees they are, but they turn the most amazing shades of orange. They literally glow in the daylight.

"Sunrise, Gulf of Mexico" (SOLD)

2009-02-21T07:44:00.002-07:00

The rising sun coloring the sky over a Mexican beach and the Gulf of Mexico.

"Twilight Pier" (SOLD)

2009-02-19T19:22:00.003-07:00

A California pier as the sun sets.

Many thanks to Flickr photographer CannedSalad for the inspiration!

"Barn Shadow" (SOLD)

2009-02-19T19:14:00.002-07:00

This painting is of an old barn at one end of a long, broad valley near Churchtown, Ohio. Thanks, Tim for the great photo!

"Spring Morning, Steamboat" (SOLD)

2009-02-19T18:24:00.002-07:00

This painting is of a misty spring morning in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

Thanks, Erik for the inspiring photo!

"Day and Season Waning" (SOLD)

2008-11-28T09:34:00.001-07:00

Spectacular fall color surrounds a walking trail along Coal Creek in Boulder County, Colorado.

"Autumn Afternoon in the Rockies" (SOLD)

2008-11-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

This is a commissioned piece that I'm guessin' might end up as a Christmas gift from the purchaser to a friend. (If you're thinking, "Original art from an 'emerging artist'? What a fabulous gift idea!" I know a guy who can help you out.) : )

The orange-ish leaves are actually more yellow in real life, but my digital camera insisted on seeing them as orange!

"Vineyard Shadows, South Tyrol, Italy" (SOLD)

2008-11-09T20:04:00.000-07:00

Afternoon shadows creep across the path as a cool night descends on the Italian Alps.

Thanks, Manfred, for the outstanding photo!

"The Vineyard Surrenders"

2008-11-02T18:04:00.004-07:00

The fall air is cool and crisp. Only the sound of barren vines rattling gently in the breeze breaks the silence of the empty vineyard.

"Dusk in the Vineyard" (SOLD)

2008-10-21T19:58:00.001-06:00

Detail:

Darkness will be falling soon, and the red and gold and orange of the vineyard is painted against the peach-colored California sky.

Many thanks to Flickr photographer Larry Gerbrandt for the stunning original photo!

"Many Storms" (SOLD)

2008-10-20T19:27:00.000-06:00

Detail:

This painting is of a rusty, old 1939 Ford truck. The name of the painting - if it isn't obvious - is a comment not on the weather but rather on the hard life of the vehicle. The same title might be appropriate for my self-portrait, I suppose. : )

Many thanks to Flickr photographer Dave_7 for the outstanding source photo.

"Lonely Lookout" (SOLD)

2008-09-17T11:52:00.001-06:00

Detail:

Sitting on the hood of his car in 1944, Irv Hankins proposed to BettyLou Gert, who would ultimately become his wife of 63 years. Little did he know that after driving to this beautiful spot overlooking Crested Butte, Colorado, the car's transmission would die and the newly engaged couple would have to walk 7 miles back into town, leaving the lonely lookout to stand watch over the valley.

Nahhhh, that's not true... as far as I know. But I do wonder how the old jalopy got to this spot and why it remains there today!

"Industrial Angles" (SOLD)

2008-09-14T20:10:00.002-06:00

What attracted me to this scene was all the competing and complementing angles. I think there's a tough, utilitarian... beauty... in industrial settings. If that makes any sense!

"Prairie Sentinel, Alberta" (SOLD)

2008-09-06T16:39:00.002-06:00

This painting is of a grain elevator in Alberta, Canada. I was drawn to the image by the ominous clouds on the horizon and the train tracks leading directly into them. A bit of a life metaphor sometimes, eh? But surely just past the gloom it is bright and sunny. : )

"Crested Butte Meadow" (SOLD)

2008-09-05T20:40:00.000-06:00

Ya gotta love Spring time in the Rocky Mountains... especially if you're munching trailmix and gazing out at the amazing scenery around Crested Butte, Colorado. Spring in the high country was especially lush in 2008 after record winter snows.

"Autumn, Hocking Hills" (SOLD)

2008-08-31T15:30:00.000-06:00

These old farm buildings are against an amazing fall background in Hocking Hills, Ohio.

"Take Flight"

2008-07-04T12:44:00.000-06:00

OK, so I said I was doing a series on bridges. This isn't technically a bridge, but you get the connection.

This painting is from an awesome photo by Mel B. Many thanks to her for allowing me to paint from her pic!

"Because He Loves Her" (Collection of the Artist)

2008-02-02T21:49:00.001-07:00

Yes, the pail really does have that funky shape. It's a coal bucket that my wife's grandfather used in his work in Italy. The painting is called "Because He Loves Her".

I pictured this grizzled old Italian guy stopping on his way home from work to spend a few pennies buying remnants at a flower stand to fill the bucket for his wife.