The Sun is Born (Winter Solstice)

My next small painting goes up for sale on Every Day Original today. This one is a celebration in observance of the Winter Solstice. This is the day that the sun reaches it's farthest point in the southern sky, signaling the beginning of winter. Some would say that the sun is metaphorically reborn as it begins to move back north to begin a new year. The Romans celebrated this celestial event on December 25th and Emperor Aurelian called it the birthday of the "Invincible Sun."
Merry Solstice everyone!

6x6 inches, Oil on Board

“Mythology may, in a real sense, be defined as other people's religion. And religion may, in a sense, be understood as popular misunderstanding of mythology.”
― Joseph Campbell

Holiday Miniatures Show

I have five small works showing at Abend Gallery in Denver for their 24th Annual Holiday Miniatures Show opening tonight, December 5th. These finished color studies are all 8 x 10 inches, but they may become larger paintings some time soon.

Reaching Europa Color Study, Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Setting Up Color Study, Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Admiring Forms Color Study, Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Embrace Color Study, Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Observation II Color Study, Oil, 8 x 10 inches

Every Day Original

I'm participating in a new website called Every Day Original. As the name indicates, a new original work of art is posted everyday for sale. The site just launched on December 2nd and my first contribution sold immediately. If you missed out on this piece, don't worry I will have more work on the site on the 21st of every month. So stay tuned for that later this month and another small works announcement tomorrow!

Shadowy Deep II, Oil 6x8 inches

The Edge of Realism

I'll be participating in a group show during the month of November at Abend Gallery in Denver, Colorado. The show is called "The Edge of Realism" and you can see many of the included works, as well as show information, on the gallery's event page. I'll have three paintings in the show including this new piece.

Observation, Oil, 20 x 24 inches

Below left, is an animated GIF detail image of Observation taken in raking light to show the texture of the paint surface. Click to zoom on the image and you should see the image flip between even light and raking light.

 I'm realizing now that I haven't posted here that my painting, Fallen Seeds (below right), received an Award of Excellence in last month's Oil Painters of America Eastern Regional Exhibiton! I'm very honored to receive the award in the company of so many great paintings.

Fallen Seeds, Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Observation, Detail in Raking Light

Illuxcon and and Darth Vader

Illuxcon was a wonderful and overwhelming display of imaginative realism last weekend as it always is! Below is a picture of my wall in the main show of the event. It was great to reconnect with people and meet many more.

While at the event I became aware that there are a few paintings I haven't posted here yet, such as the following illustration for the Star Wars Card Game titled Force Choke. It could have used a little more light at the top of my Illuxcon wall, but it found a new home none the less.

Force Choke, Oil, 12 x 16 inches - © 2013 Fantasy Flight Games

We Are Made of Stars

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”

This quote from Carl Sagan represents one of the most poetic truths of our scientific reality. That heavy elements weren't created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of earlier generations of stars that have since exploded and spread their material across the universe. We are literally made of stardust. This allows us a new and profound feeling of connection to the stars we see in the sky, to the universe, and to everyone in it. I created this new painting to remind us of this, an idea which Neil deGrasse Tyson calls "the most astounding fact" in the video below. I highly recommend watching it and others such as the Sagan Series.

Oil, 24 x 30 inches

Mermaid

Bored, lost in thought, this mermaid is having a restful moment, but she's going to have to snap out of it, and not only because she's coming with me to Illuxcon next week! Come see her at the Allentown Art Museum September 20-21st.

Oil, 18 x 24 inches

D&D Player's Handbook, Part 2

Also appearing in the new 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook are these three illustrations. The first depicts a dwarf coming to the aid of an injured comrade, casting a "Sacred Flame" spell on reptilian monster as the sun sets through the trees, signaling that darkness will soon fall upon the swamp.

Sacred Flame, Oil, 12 x16 inches

Oil, 11 x 14 inches

These next two are character class illustrations depicting a human witch (below left) and a forest gnome ranger (right.) And below to the right is a page from the book showing how these vignette images are printed.

Oil, 11 x 14 inches

D&D Player's Handbook

Now that the new edition of the Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook has been released I can begin to show the illustrations that I created for it. This tavern scene features a halfling bard (or for those who aren't familiar with the game, a hobbit-like minstrel) dancing and playing lute for a host of other mythical peoples. It was great fun to paint and I'm honored to be included in such an iconic publication that I hope will bring enchantment and wonder to many people, young and not so young.

If you happen to follow my work here, you may remember my announcement back in March of this year that I was lucky enough to have four paintings included in Spectrum 21: The Annual Best of Fantastic Art. At the time I was unable to display one of those four images because it was under a non-disclosure agreement until it was published. Well, I'm happy to say this is the fourth image that will be appearing in this year's edition of Spectrum!

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Prachie

Oil, 9 x 12 inches

Original available on Daily Paintworks

Some Small Works

I've made some small works available in my Daily Paintworks Gallery.

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 8 inches

Oil, 6 x 6 inches

Climbing the Milky Way

In appreciation of the natural world and our endeavors to understand it...

Oil, 20 x 24 inches

Also, I recently received news that Young Couple (left) will be included in the American Impressionist Society's 15th Annual National Juried Exhibition! The exhibition will take place at Abend Gallery in Denver, CO from October 2 to November 1st, 2014. I'm happy to be included in what looks like it's going to be a really wonderful show!

Scott

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Rich

Oil 9 x 12 inches

Original available on Daily Paintworks

Fallen Seeds, Oil, 12 x 16 inches

After getting back from a great trip to the Oil Painters of America's National Juried Exhibition (with my painting below) I recently found out that Fallen Seeds (right) has been accepted to the OPA Eastern Regional Exhibition at Eisele Gallery of Fine Art in Cincinnati Ohio, September 12 - October 9 2014!

Tish

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Original available on Daily Paintworks

Small Nude

From a live model.

Oil, 9 x 12 inches

Original available on Daily Paintworks. 

I'm also happy to say that two of my paintings (shown below) have been chosen as finalists in the Art Renewal Center's Annual Salon Show!

Portrait Society of America 6x9 Mystery Sale

I was honored once again to participate in the Portrait Society of America's 6x9 mystery sale which took place at the annual convention last weekend. Artist's works are displayed unsigned and unnamed so bidders can purchase paintings based on what they like, rather than on name recognition. Artists names are revealed after purchase and of course, some buy in hopes of snagging a high priced name at a low cost, but for others it's wonderful way to become acquainted with new artists. Now that the sale is over I can reveal my entry.

Oil, 6 x 9 inches

My entry to last year's 6x9 sale can be seen here.

Adrian on the Bass

Painted at my regular Monday night portrait group, Adrian's a professional bass player, and with a set-up like this I couldn't just paint his head. Original painting available on Daily Paintworks.

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Transit of the Moon

This new painting has been accepted to this year's Oil Painters of America National Exhibition! The exhibition will take place at The Bennington Center for the Arts in Bennington, Vermont, June 7 - July 27, 2014. Happily, this year's OPA National Exhibit will be close enough for me to attend without flying.

Flowers don't seem to carry the same weight of symbolism that they used to carry in paintings, but just for fun, I decided to use night-blooming "moonflowers" in this painting. As an added fun conceptual bonus, these flowers belong to "the classic 'witches' weeds', along with deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake. Most parts of the plants contain toxic hallucinogens, and datura [moonflower] has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches' brews." Thank you, Wikipedia.

Oil on Linen, 18 x 24 inches

Detail in raking light

Spectrum 21

I'm quite pleased to have four works included in Spectrum 21: The Annual Best of Fantastic Art! The accepted works include this archer, titled Nelebrin Skirmisher, which I have not posted online until now. It was painted for the online card game called HEX.

Oil, 16 x 20 inches

Also included are A Bargain Kept (below left) and Falling Fire (below right) as well as one more image that I can't show you yet due to a non-disclosure agreement. Congratulations to all the accepted artists. I'm honored to be in great company!

Oil, 18 x 24 inches

Oil, 18 x 24 inches

First Place

This new still life has received First Place in the Daily Paintworks February monthly contest! Thanks to judge, Michael Naples, for selecting my piece. Also, thanks to my friend David of David Harrington Pottery, who made the beautiful bud vase featured in this painting. The original painting is available on Daily Paintworks.

Fallen Seeds, Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Crown of Foxglove

Oil, 12 x 16 inches

Available at Daily Paintworks

Pegasus and Illustration West 52

A Pegasus painted for an online trading card game called HEX.

Spirecliff Pegasus, Oil, 11 x 14 inches  -  Inquire for purchase

I have received good news that A Bargain Kept, below left, and Falling Fire, below right, have been accepted to the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles 52nd Annual Competition! I'm very happy to be included for another year after receiving a Silver Award in the competition last year.

Small Figure

This may become a larger painting someday, for now it's just a little 5 x 7. Available framed at Daily Paintworks. Update: Sold

Oil, 5 x7 inches