Tempest

Another painting for my show in Santa Fe. Titled "Tempest", oil on canvas, 24"x 51 1/2". I struggled with the notion of putting the road in on the left. Up to this point, I haven't really put any evidence of humans in my paintings, but this was a good balance to the painting and gives it scale. I did a series of storms in pastel a number of years ago and my signature became a little road on the left. I always liked it and figured it might be appropriate here. It also gives anyone fleeing the storm a way out, or anyone chasing, a way in.

Early morning

Very busy getting ready for the Santa Fe show. I have completed quite a few more paintings. Here is one titled, "Wake". Its 48"x 54", on canvas. Its hard to see in this image, but there is a boat wake in the bottom right corner. It is also a painting of the early morning, waking, hours on the sea. Along with "Mediterraneo", I now have two seascapes for the show with a meditative quality that I search for a lot in my work. A simple beauty.

Water everywhere

This is a new painting and one of the largest I have done at 64"x 72. I have just finished it today. It will be part of a solo exhibit I will have at Evoke Contemporary, in Santa Fe, in May. The gallery is one block from the Plaza. What a great place Santa Fe is. I have been there a number of times in the past 5 years and its always such a pleasure.

New old painting

I just received a painting back from a couple with a large family who would like me to try and sell it for them. They are in a financial challenge right now and I would like to help them. This painting is about 10 years old. It was one of the first small, detailed paintings I did. It's strange to see something from so long ago. It is a bit looser than the current small pieces I do, but it is still a nice painting. It is of the beach on the east coast of Florida, somewhere between New Smyrna and Cocoa. If interested, please let me know. It is oil on wood, 6 3/4 x 6 3/4. I am asking $1500 or best offer. All money will go to the family.

Rachel and I went to see James Rosenquist speak tonight. I was never quite intrigued enough with his work to give it much time, but I am aware of his legacy and impact on American art. He was a good speaker and seemed humbled by his success, giving much credit to simple luck and timing. He answered a number of questions at the end, some of which seemed a bit trivial, but what has resonated with me is his response to a question about what advice he would give to an aspiring artist. He said work hard, pay attention to history, but don't try to emulate other artists. Do something no one else has done. Mostly, he said, just work hard. That I can identify with. It is in my family to work hard. The whole Cornell history is about working hard. Its go time.
The above painting I finished a few days ago. Distant Thunder, 5 1/2"x 7". Sending it to Quidley and Company in Boston. Nice people.
I have started my largest piece to date, 63"x 72". It is a painting of waves. It will be a real task to finish it and finish it well. It going to Santa Fe for a solo show in May. A lot to do
Work hard.

Last Light

A few summers ago I took at drive up to Estes Park in Colorado after a show. It was amazing. It was just an afternoon really and I managed to see so much. I took a number of photos, maybe 100 or so. I have done probably 10 paintings from that day. This piece was at the climax of the drive. The light was fading and I was above the treeline at the summit of the drive when I pulled over and hiked up a hill. Just at the crest looking mostly east was this view. I usually change photos I take to make paintings or crop images together, but this is just as it was. The scale is deceiving because the snow was quite large and the rocks were huge. The sky was unforgettable and the wind was howling. The earth can be so beautiful. I can imagine in winter I could get nowhere near here. The snow would be 10 feet deep and the temperature would be bitterly cold.

But that day, all that was left of the winter snows was this long lip.

Earlier in the day I stopped at a lookout over a valley and the clouds broke just a sliver to allow a stream of light to crease the valley floor. Stunning.

A few others stopped also and after a while we all just looked at each other and smiled. We couldn't believe what we were seeing. Almost no words were spoken and none were necessary. But then after only a few minutes, it was gone, cloudy again and obscured.

Just like life.

New painting

Just finished another painting today. Its called "Shooting Star". It's one I had done a smaller version of earlier this year. That small painting was purchased in St Louis by a couple that had encountered a falling star or meteorite while driving. It went crashing into the woods after buzzing right by their car. It was a perfect fit for a piece. I hope this one finds a good home. 7 1/2" x 9".