Nude

Happy Holidays!

Oil, 20 x 16 inches

Elana

Oil, 11 x 14 inches

The NeverEnding Story

I began this illustration for fun as part of a challenge on CGHub.com. I got distracted from it by other projects during the challenge but I eventually got back to it and then took my time varnishing it and getting it digitized. So here it is, a cover illustration for The NeverEnding Story.

Oil, 18 x 23 inches

(click to zoom)

I would like to say, I got excited about painting an illustration for The NeverEnding Story not only because the movie is a cherished childhood memory of mine, but also because I think the story is particularly effective for teaching kids how to understand metaphor in storytelling. If you remember the movie (or not), the main character is a troubled little boy, named Bastian, who reads a book titled The NeverEnding Story who's main character is a boy just like him in a fantasy land on a mythical quest. Through the story, Bastian learns to confront his problems in real life. Quite over-obvious to adults and there are many stories that are also obvious in this regard, but great for kids to learn that this metaphor is present, at least to some degree in all stories, even the ones they are told are "True."

Sketching

at the coffee shop as usual...

Rachel with Process Photos!

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

(click to zoom)

I've gotten several requests to show my painting process on these portraits. Now, I don't have a great camera, but took a few shots during the model breaks of this portrait. It's a three hour session, during which this model took two breaks, so here is a picture of where I was at each break. The first is only a little more than a drawing in oil, the second has most of the planes of the face blocked in. Other painters tell me I tend to "pull it all together at the last moment", so in the final (above) you can see I've put in all the final details and highlights.

Nude

I got another chance at a 3 hour nude pose not too long ago, it's nice to paint a little more of the figure. This fall the portrait group is planning to do these once a month, so hopefully there will be more to come.

Oil, 20 x 16 inches

Coffee Shop Sketches

I haven't posted many of these for a while. Just some drawings from the local coffee shop...

Tangled Thoughts

I just keep playing around with this one. First it was a sketch (bottom right), just an experiment in design. I liked it, so I did a digital color version of the sketch (bottom left). Well, I was still curious what it would look like as an oil painting, so here it is. If I can come up with more designs like it I may do more.

Tangled Thoughts, Oil, 11 x 24 inches

Kevin

You may remember him from other paintings such as... this one.

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

OPA Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition

I've posted this one before, but I just received notice that it has been accepted by the Oil Painters of America to this years Eastern Regional Juried Exhibition! The exhibition will feature accepted artists from the eastern half of the United States and will take place from October 15th - November 13th, 2010 at the Walls Fine Art Gallery in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Nightcap Chickadee, Oil, 16 x 20 inches

India Point Park

For something a little different, I went and painted this little scene "en plein air" a little earlier this summer. It was a beautiful day, but a little windy right on the river. One of the extra things to keep in mind while painting outside is that everything must either be held on to or taped down.

Oil, 10 x 8 inches

Hedi

Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Aaron

Another small one...

Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Julie

A little one, I prepare my own boards for painting on, and this week I had run out of the 16 x 20 inch boards that I usually take to portrait painting. All I had ready to go was this 9 x 12, but it's always good to mix things up when they become too routine. I like the ratio of brush stroke detail to the outer dimensions, so I should do some more little ones.

Oil, 9 x 12 inches

Francisco

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

Coffee Shop Sketches

Saba

Oil, 20 x 16 inches

Interesting to compare to the first time I painted Saba very nearly one year prior. I got a much better likeness this time. She was wearing the same earrings, but I don't think she was actually wearing purple either time, yet something made me choose purple in both.

Osmary

I debated whether or not to fill in her arm in the bottom right corner. Now that I see it on screen, I think I probably should have.

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

Mark Taber

Busy month here, but while I've got a minute, here is another portrait from the weekly model session I attend. This is painist, Mark Taber, and he was a lot of fun to paint.
I found some videos of Mark playing with a few bands on youtube. I'm not sure what year this was filmed, but here is a video of Mark playing with the Ken Lyon & Tombstone Blues Band, Mark's solo begins at about the 1:35 minute mark. And here is a write up of Mark in the Providence Phoenix.

Oil, 20 x 16 inches

Back from the OPA Show

I'm back from the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition in Scottsdale Arizona and I had a great time. I met many wonderful painters and saw a lot of great paintings! Here are a few pictures from the event and some recent sketches.

Gerry Creates the Winds

I really didn't intend to deify Gerry as I seem to have ended up doing in this portrait. Suffice to say he visually fits the archetype of the wise old man as described by Carl Jung, so the wispy brush stokes seem to place him directly in the realm of cloud-sitters.

Gerry, Oil, 20 x 16 inches

Click here for an earlier portrait of Gerry, it's nice to see improvement over time.

Young Girl

Just a few more days to see the show in Bristol, so if you plan to get there you've got until the 18th!

Also, there is now a digital gallery posted of the Oil Painters of America upcoming 19th Annual Juried Exhibition of Traditional Oils at Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Names are alphabetical so my piece is most of the way down the page, check it out and see some beautiful paintings!

And here is another portrait from the usual Monday night painting group.

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

Still Life Week, Madame Mollusk

Thanks everyone for watching this week. The show opens tomorrow!

Madame Mollusk, Oil, 16 x 20 inches

*Sculptor unknown, anyone know who did this? I found it in an antique shop nearby.

Still Life Week, Tea Light

Show opens Friday!

Illumination, Oil, 12 x 9 inches

Still Life Week, Crater Lake

I know, I know, it's not a still life, but it is going to be in the show opening this Friday.

Oil, 9 x 12 inches

SLW, Seeing New Light

Show opens this Friday, with the light of reason.

Oil, 9 x 12 inches

Still Life Week, Jasmine Tea

SLW continues, and I've hit the 100 followers mark! (see sidebar)  Thanks to all who watch me putter around here and a special thanks right now to my email subscribers whose inboxes are being barraged this week. 

Oil, 12 x 9 inches

Incense

Show opens in one week!

Elegant Enigma, Oil, 14 x 18 inches

Still Life Week, Golden Ratio

I just saw a great animation called Nature by Numbers, by Cristobal Vila posted on the illustration blog Lines and Colors and I decided that I would post this painting next. The animation, and this painting are about the golden ratio, a mathematical relationship that is highly significant to nature and growth, and subsequently to human perception of beauty and harmony.

Golden Gecko, Oil, 13 x 8 inches

Still Life Week

The group show titled 'Four Painters & a Sculptor' is a little more than a week away now. To prepare for the show I'll be posting my paintings here between now and the opening (Friday April 2nd, 7-9pm).  The show will be in Bristol, Rhode Island, with the Bristol Art Museum at Linden Place (map) from April 3rd -18th. So until then, sit back, have a glass of wine and enjoy still life week...

Nightcap Chickadee, Oil, 16 x 20 inches

Here is the show postcard with information:

And take a look at the other artists in the show: Kathleen Weber, Anthony Tomaselli, Jeff Soderbergh, and Sandra DeSano Pezzullo.

Sketches

I've got a lot of paint and varnish drying around here right now, so until they are dry here are some sketches. The first one is from a photo, next two from life.

Jeanne

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

OPA National Juried Exhibition

I received some exciting news the other day when I was notified that my painting 'Grandfather's Brass Bowls' has been accepted to the Oil Painters of America 19th Annual National Juried Exhibition! It will take place at the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, from April 30th to may 31st, 2010. This means, of course, that the painting will not be able to take part in my upcoming group show in Bristol, Rhode Island, as originally planned, but don't worry I have plenty others for that show that you will be seeing here shortly.

Oil, 16 x 20 inches, Originally posted here
(click to enlarge)