After a lot of trial and error we’re finally up and running with the new website design. There are still some pieces to post, glitches to iron out and areas to tweak before I can claim victory, but I think overall things look pretty solid.

In addition to the new look, I’ve begun to include detail shots of many paintings. The idea is to try and show more than the typical online portfolio image does. I plan to add comments about various pieces, including things like the inspiration behind a painting or the technical aspects of method or materials, so please check back often and see how the site continues to evolve.

As always, comments are appreciated. Feel free to send me an email note using the Contact page form or via the link in the sidebar.

Thanks!

Late Summer Dune 8”X10” Acrylic on gessoed canvas panel

After finishing up the figure painting, Jack, I decided to change gears and do a small landscape piece. The setting here is the sand dunes along the Michigan shoreline. The leaves and grasses are beginning to turn to their warm fall colors which make for a great color contrast to the bright blue lake Michigan water. Jack was a larger, moody, detailed painting and took days to complete. Late Summer Dune is the exact opposite. A small gestural, brightly lit image completed in a couple of hours.

A pallet cleanser in more ways than one.

As a returning member of the DuPage Art League I’m looking forward to participating in my first DPAL sponsored show in many years. Most of the DPAL shows are thematic and this one is no exception taking a seasonal turn with artist interpretations of “All Hallows Eve”. This is my contribution, done in acrylic on hardboard.


Jack Acrylic on gessoed hardboard 15.5”X23”

A couple of detail shots.

Fall Creek 8x10” Acrylic on gessoed hardboard

Water’s reflective quality makes it a very interesting subject to paint. In this study, the cooler colors picked up in the creek’s reflection makes a great counterpoint to the warmth of the trees surrounding it. The painting is small and rendered loosely. Although it sounds counterintuitive, working in a smaller format can be very liberating.

A couple of idea sketches rendered in watercolor. These were done as explorations of a painting idea I’m working on. You can see how different the feeling can be when the color schemes are changed. These are done small, about 2”x3, and very quickly. I’m not concerned about anything other than basic shapes and color/tone relationships. Sketches like this are invaluable when it comes to solidifying your thoughts before starting the final work.