Postcard from Minnesota

Maple Leaves & Black Birds

2012-01-29T19:35:00.000-08:00

$325

My studio group is hosting a group show with the theme of Black & White next weekend. This is a new piece that I did for the show.
15" x 30," oil on canvas

Martin Everitt

2012-01-22T21:28:00.000-08:00

A baby name Commemorate the Date painting. Martin Everitt was born to parents who love gardening, the farmer's market, and cooking.

Waiting on the Stairs

2012-01-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

I don't really do portraits—people or pets. Except, apparently I do pet portraits now... I really like these two cats though, so maybe they are just an exception.

Lady Slippers

2012-01-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

This commission came from an artist I met in Chicago last December. Although it doesn't have a name or date, I am filing it under my Commemorate the Date portfolio since it follows the rest of the standards. This is an 8" x 8" oil painting on wood panel. I plan to make prints for the 2012 art fair season.

September 18, watercolor

2012-01-10T13:03:00.000-08:00

A new watercolor Commemorate the Date. Cala lilies with... does anyone recognize and know the name of these purple flowers?

Nathan Choi

2011-12-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

Here's another birthday present for another nephew. Nathan is from South Korea, so I used the national flower of Korea—Rose of Sharon, or hibiscus. Nathan is 7 this year, so I used a more manly color palette.

October 17

2011-12-26T20:39:00.000-08:00

This Commemorate the Date order was a Christmas present for a couple in New York state.

Hill Joseph

2011-12-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

This is a belated first birthday present for my youngest nephew. His mom, my sister, gave me the idea about the snail—she pointed out that kids and snails both leave behind a trail of slime. :) I added the yellow leaves because he has an autumn birthday.

July 14, 2012

2011-12-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

My last post reminded me that there is another invitation project I am working on. The commissioners of my Prairie Smoke and Birch painting from last spring are getting married next summer, and are featuring their artwork in their Save the Dates and invites.

June 16, 2012

2011-12-11T20:40:00.000-08:00

A new Commemorate the Date. You may have noticed the date is six months from now. The bride who commissioned this piece is also using a Commemorate the Date design for her Save the Date cards, and plans to have us make her invitations as well. We are honored!

The Bosphorus

2011-11-22T02:30:00.001-08:00

Three weeks went by incredibly fast. In between site seeing, meeting friends and family of Samantha and Omer, and eating amazing food, I managed to fit in just enough painting time to complete the canvases today—my last day here.
Left panel: Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge (also know in Istanbul as The Second Bridge)
Right panel: Bosphorus Path

Istanbul Paintings

2011-11-04T13:20:00.000-07:00

Here is day one of Samantha and Omer's paintings—compositions roughed in, using approximate colors. I could say that I am traveling for work. More accurately, I am doing some work while traveling. I am staying with my friends in Istanbul and doing a two part painting for them inspired by their city. They live along the Bosphorus, featured in both compositions. The Bosphorus is a straight that forms part of the boundary between Europe and Asia. Istanbul overlaps this boundary.
These paintings are 38" x 47" and 31" x 47" (96 cm x 118 cm and 78 cm x 118 cm)

10 Years

2011-10-29T06:39:00.000-07:00

NFS

One more October Commemorate the Date painting. A nice combination of autumn colors.

10.6.89 Cats

2011-10-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

NFS

Here is a new Commemorate the Date!

Believe

2011-10-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

I did this painting years ago—I think in 2004—and had almost forgotten about it. But I recently remembered it and dug it out of my pile of portfolios. It's surprising to me how much it relates to my more recent work, especially Commemorate the Date. It is strange not to notice the progression of my own work until it is in retrospect.
I'm thinking of using this for a holiday card this year.

Acrylic, 9" x 9" framed to 12" x 12," $250

10.9.11 Snow drops on pink

2011-10-10T11:07:00.001-07:00

$50

Gouache, 6" x 8"

10.5.11 Frida

2011-10-05T19:56:00.001-07:00

$65

I was in the studio working on a large painting today. Having resolved to do a postcard painting since it has already been a week since my last post, I looked around for inspiration. I spied Frida on a bag that I had used to carry in some supplies. Then I used my fancy smart phone to look up some reference images. I used details from two sources—a photo of Kahlo and one of her self portraits.
This illustration also looks a bit like my sister Shannon, but that was not intentional.
Gouache, 6" x 8"

9.22.11 Last Day of Summer

2011-09-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

$50

I was feeling a little bit sad about the last day of summer, and decided to paint something symbolic.
So, same as last year, I have a plan to keep posting postcard paintings once or twice a week even though my daily painting project is over. Last year that didn't go so well, but I have more confidence for this year—so I hope you will remember to come back and check out what is new from time to time.
Gouache, 6" x 4"

9.21.11 Wandering Jew

2011-09-27T12:45:00.000-07:00

sold

So, here we are at the penultimate daily painting for summer 2011. I went on a jog in Huntsville, and noticed lots of wandering jew growing in the yards.
Gouache, 4" x 6"

9.20.11 Japanese Maple Leaves

2011-09-26T12:44:00.000-07:00

$50

Gouache, 6" x 4"

9.19.11 Short stemmed peony

2011-09-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

$50

Acrylic, 4" x 6"

9.18.11 Crepe Myrtle

2011-09-24T07:04:00.000-07:00

$50

Crepe myrtle does well in the south—there are lots around my parents neighborhood.
Gouache, 4" x 6"

9.17.11 Monte Sano Lookout

2011-09-23T06:59:00.000-07:00

$60

The Huntsville art fair is up on the mountain in a state park. This outlook was on the opposite side of the fair from where I was set up. I have lots of childhood memories from picnics and hikes in this park.
It was fun showing in my home town—I saw lots of old family friends and acquaintances. The weather was perfect, and the sales were good. And my parents are very good volunteer art fair assistants.
Gouache, 5" x 7"

9.16.11 Dried Leaves

2011-09-22T06:58:00.000-07:00

$50

Today, Sept. 22, is officially the last day of summer. Since I have a lag between when I paint and when I post, there are still about a week's worth of daily paintings to come.
Gouache, 5" x 7"

9.15.11 My parents' new couch

2011-09-21T06:24:00.000-07:00

$60

Gouache, 5" x 6.5"