Paintings and Drawings

The House Finch (Print with Remarque)

2009-01-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

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This is a print of an older oil painting I did a few years ago. It's framed with a 'Remarque' drawn on the mat. A remarque is a small drawing or painting on a print. In this case I decided to place it on the mat.

The LORD of the RINGS Landscapes

2008-12-17T12:45:00.001-08:00

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Please click on the image above to enlargen.
My interests in art are quite varied. I know that common thought is to 'brand' oneself with one style, or one subject matter or one 'mode' of working but I just can't do it. Since graduating from art school many years ago I've maintained an interest in Science Fiction/Fantasy literature and movies. I also have a strong interest in nature, hence my bird paintings, as well as the traditional artistic subjects of landscape and still life. Therefore, at least for the moment, I'll be incorporating all of my visual work into this initial Blog until I decide to separate my various subjects into different blogs. Why do we really need to Brand ourselves anyways? I doubt even cattle like that. These are very small oil paintings on gessoed, heavy weight printmaking paper. They measure 2 1/2 x 7 inches. I've also produced many paintings for 'Small-Works' and Miniature exhibits for galleries. These paintings incoporate many of my interests in one.

Orange Frosted Doughnut

2008-12-11T19:42:00.000-08:00

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This painting measures 5 x 7 inches, oil on canvas panel. Sometimes the most common, every-day objects make wonderfully colorful subjects for a simple still life...

Figs and Shadows

2008-12-02T20:09:00.000-08:00

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I enjoy the abstract shapes that shadows create from a strong light source. This plate of Figs was in direct sunlght, it also created some warm reflections.

"High Flyer"

2008-11-25T20:14:00.000-08:00

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Earlier this Autumn I was in the mountains of New England looking for interesting subjects to paint when a large, colorful hot air balloon came up over the hills and almost landed in the field I was standing in. This was one of the more dramatic images from the experience.

Early Morning Espresso

2008-11-22T20:28:00.001-08:00

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Oil on canvas panel. 7 x 5 inches. This old Espresso maker was my grandmother's. I set it up in a specific spot in my house just to catch the early morning sunlight along with an accompanying shadow.

Little Red Teapot

2008-11-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

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This Red Teapot was sitting in a brightly lit room on top of a yellow stove. It measure 7 x 5 inches. Oil on canvasboard.

Shadows on the Wall...

2008-11-19T09:38:00.000-08:00

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Usually late afternoon and early morning gives us the best time to find objects in dramatic shadow. I greatly enjoy what light does and wanted to capture the long shadows being cast against the wallfrom this red flower. This was from the late afternoon. It is 7 x 5 inches on canvas panel and available for auction.

"With a Grin"

2008-11-16T18:25:00.000-08:00

I'm back at my Blog after a long hiatus. The first painting that I've decided to return with is a small still life that's available for auction by clicking Here. The morning sunlight drapes behind this M & M Cookie Jar in my kitchen creating an almost surreal cartoonish dimension. It's oil on canvas panel. If you're visiting my Blog please feel free to leave a comment.

Painting in Greenwich Workshop Small Works Exhibit

2008-11-16T17:50:00.000-08:00

I'm very happy to annouce that my painting listed below, entitled "Iron Man" was accepted into the Greenwich Workshop Gallery "Small Works" 2008 exhibit. To view it please click here. There are some excellent works in this exhibit.

Two Paintings in Greenwich Workshop

2007-10-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

I'm very happy to annouce that both of my paintings I entered into the Greenwich Workshop Gallery "Small Works" exhibit were accepted into their show. To view them please click here. They are at the bottom of the page. There are some excellent works in this exhibit.

"Rockhopper Penguins"

2007-09-22T04:41:00.000-07:00

Pencil with White Highlight on gray toned BFK Rives printmaking paper
23" x 25"
This new, large drawing will be on exhibit in the 4th "Birds of America" exhibit at Francesca Anderson Fine Art in Lexington, Massachusetts from September 20-November 4th 2007. For gallery info - www.fafineart.com

"The Black Capped Chickadee"

2007-09-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Oil on Gessoed paper
7 x 15 inches.

Over the years I've created a large number of paintings and drawings of birds. I created illustrations for and exhibited with organizations like the Massachusetts Audubon Society and the Manomet Bird Observatory on Cape Cod. But one of my favorite birds is the very small Black Capped Chickadee. As well as having a beautiful, memorable song it also has some amazing abilities. I'll try and describe these as best a layman can. I'm sure ornithologists and wildlife biologists could do a better, more detailed job but here it is...

During early Autumn all birds including the Black Capped Chickadee are preparing for Winter by storing seeds for the coming cold weather. However the Chickadee has a very special talent for remembering where it has stored caches of seeds. Most birds can remember hundreds of hiding places, the Chickadee can remember around 1000 places. It does this by growing new brain cells in a cavity in its brain. When the weather starts to get cold it starts growing new cells in an area of it's brain to help remember where all those seed are hidden. Naturally this helps it survive in Winter when food is scarce. In late Winter/early Spring the cells start to dissipate since food will become more plentiful again. This in turn also makes the bird a little bit lighter, allowing it to escape from predators with a bit more ease.

This little powder-puff can also withstand sub zero weather. I once read an account by a birder who was visiting friends in the Great Lakes region during Winter. The temperature had dropped to 40 below and this man wanted to take a walk outside to simply see what it was like outside in temperature that cold. The only other living things he saw on that walk were a small flock of Black Capped Chickadees. They are able to puff up their feathers and create an area of warmth between themselves and cold air. They do this by shivering, they flex their chest muscles repeatedly to generate heat. The warm air is trapped in their feathers. Their feathers rise to create an inch thick barrier between themselves and the deadly cold. Try standing outside in 40 below weather with only an inch thick jacket! Ugh! The Black Capped Chickadee has evolved in an amazing way.

Living in Boston I see Chickadees often. On a few occasions when I've gone birding in forests in New England they are one of the few species of birds that will come relatively close to me on those jaunts. Usually it's a small flock of about 6 to 8 birds that will fly within about 6 feet of me. They seem to have a strong curiosity as to what that large animal below is making noise and staring up at them. They hop around on large branches and even stand upside down on smaller branches to get a better look. As well as having evolved in an amazing way they are extremely entertaining.

If you've read this far thank you, and thank you for visiting my blog.

Iron Man

2007-09-05T18:53:00.000-07:00

Oil on Masonite
5 x 7 inches
Last year I went to the Higgins Armory museum in Worcester, Mass and was greatly impressed by the craftsmanship and detail applied to the suits of armor. This one was the most ornate of the suits I painted.

Cool Suit

2007-09-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Oil on masonite, 5 x 7 inches.
This painting of the white tuxedo is my second entry into the Greenwich Workshop Gallery's Small Works exhibit. The tuxedo was displayed in the window of a local tux rental shop. It was early morning as I passed by. The sun was shining very brightly and the white tuxedo just absorbed the strong light and positively glowed in the darkened window.

Commercial Street Provincetown

2007-09-05T07:29:00.000-07:00

The image accompanying this post is the first small painting I submitted to the Greenwich Workshop Gallery's Small Works Show. It's a small 5 x 7 inch oil on masonite. Commercial street in Provincetown, (in Cape Cod, Massachusetts) is the main street through that old, busy seaside town. I've been there many times over the years but I had forgotten about all the flags and banners flying above the street. Between that, the variety of buildings, and the hustle and bustle of people walking back and forth it made a very colorful subject.