July 2018
W I N G S O F F R E E D O M
Oil on cotton canvas, 16.5" x 18.5"
Wings of Freedom - my first retirement painting - is based on a photo I shot at Chicago’s Palwaukee Airport.
The small but well attended airshow featured several WWII bombers. My favorite was this battle-scarred, but still airworthy, B-25 J. The plane's moniker, Tondelayo, was inspired by Hedy Lamarr's leading role in the classic 1942 movie, White Cargo.
This painting's title, its strength, brightness, upbeat hues and optimism reflect my disposition as I embrace the milestone of retirement.
March 2020
T H E D A N C E B E Y O N D
Oil on Panel, 13.5" x 15"
In Loving Memory
As morning light touched our grandchildren’s tricycle, I thought of my wife, Debbie. Free now from illness and shadow of times past.
6-months after her passing, I painted this panel and entitled it THE DANCE BEYOND... inspired by the final verse of a poem she wrote early-on in her 30-year struggle with lupus: “Please dance beyond and be free.”
December 2021
S I R W I N S T O N
Oil on Panel, 17" x 17"
When I snapped reference photos of Winston this past summer, the 6- month old Lab puppy weighed 50-pounds. By the time I finished this painting, he weighed over 70. He's anticipated to weigh-in at 100+ when full grown.
What a handsome, energetic and muscular creature!
March 2021
H O P S C O T C H
Oil on Canvas, 11" x 14"
Depicted here is my sister, Denna, leaning into her next leap during a game of hopscotch. This was my first painting following a month-long, on-line oil painting class taught by one of my favorite figurative painters, Marjorie Hicks.
From her home studio, Marjorie taught her method of spontaneously and expressively portraying the human figure. Attendees were scattered halfway around the world - from Hawaii to Paris - with Marjorie in Nashville, TN and me in Alexandria, VA.
July 2020
T H E M I S C H I E F
Norwich, England
Oil on Canvas, 16” x 20”
Late afternoon sun showcased the Norwich cityscape as we watched two passersby turn and walk inside this austere but elegant old pub. A visual bard of solitude seemed to blanket the scene.
I said to Debbie, "Edward himself couldn't have art-directed this more Hopper-like." She agreed.
5 years later -and with apologies to Mr. Hopper- I tried capturing this poignant moment on canvas.
April 2019
M A N N E E D S A R T N E E D S M A N ™
Oil on Canvas / Adobe Illustrator
Giclee on paper, 20" x 20"
When great ideas and great images merge, they're stamped with honest imprints of their authors. They take-on worthwhile parts of human itinerary and synergies form.
Symbioses form too. The familiar becomes wonderful, the wonderful familiar and art becomes essential. Man needs art; art needs man.
My favorite artist/painter, Wayne Thiebaud, put it this way, "Paintings," he said, "are inert, still, quiet; but painters found a way to bring it [them] to life. A new visual species is another kind of world..."
I cannot say it better than that.
August 2018
D E B B I E
Oil on cotton canvas, 16.5" x 18.5"
Debbie and I attended what must have been our fourth or fifth Sargent exhibition in mid 2018. Included - among other period painters - was renowned Swedish artist, Anders Zorn.
I left the exhibit inspired to paint a portrait with a Zorn-style limited pallet (consisting of only titanium white, ivory black, cadmium red light and yellow ochre). I took to the palette and was pleasantly surprised by its range of hues. In all my years of painting, I'd never owned a tube of black.
This is my second portrait of Debbie. I painted the first in 1969, our senior year in high school. Seems like yesterday now.
June 2021
D A N D E L L I O N W A L K
Oil on Canvas 8" x 16“
She loves to walk with Grandma and pick dandelions.