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Winter 2004/05
Fall 2004 | Summer 2004 | Spring 2004 | Winter 2003/04
Fall 2003 | Summer 2003 | Spring 2003 | Winter 2002/03
Fall 2002 | Summer 2002 | Spring 2002 | Winter 2001/02
Fall 2001 | Summer 2001 | Spring 2001 | Winter 2000/01
Fall 2000 | Summer 2000 | Spring 2000 | Winter 1999/2000
Fall 1999 | Summer 1999 | Spring 1999 | Winter 1998/99
See the Gallery for some exciting detailed images of the artist's work.
Summer SolsticeAnd into the bright hot light of summer, your face hurts from squinting to see anything in the blinding glare. The waves of heat rising off the pavement makes everything look shimmering and fluid.
Time pauses.
Spring turns over into summer.
Read on...to Summer of 2005
Saturday, June 18, 2005I finished the painting of white tulips.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Thursday, June 16, 2005I worked on the painting again today, building up a surface, and answering hundreds of phone calls. My mother is still in the hospital, and we're driving back and forth to spend time with her. When the nurse said she could eat anything she wanted, I ran out and picked up some fresh sushi and miso soup. She didn't think she was hungry until she tasted the soup. I canceled our trip to Tampa to see my father for Father's Day. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the painting tomorrow. Maybe some day I'll get some sleep.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005I continued to work on the painting of white tulips against a light blue background. Suddenly my mother is very ill, and is being admitted to the hospital. And in the early hours of morning, my brother and his wife had a baby boy, Alexander.
I still haven't had enough sleep for the past two weeks, and I feel like my head is in a vise.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005We're back from Chicago, and I'm back to work mixing colors for one more painting of white tulips against a light blue background. In addition to a grueling show weekend, we did have fun in Chicago, arriving early enough on Friday to walk through Millennium Park and then up Michigan Avenue. On Friday night we met up with friends for the only meal of the weekend where we actually sat down to eat. I turned Richard Harrington on to the Old 97s Too Far to Care album, and on Monday morning he had already listened to it four times on his drive home. It's always nice to know that someone else has been hit by a train.
Thursday, June 9, 2005Everything spun out of control, and the artist's journal was the one thing that fell between the cracks when the Rittenhouse Square show suddenly came up. The show was fun and long and grueling as usual. For one whole day it poured constantly. Frank attended the show with us through the entire four days.
In the aftermath of the show, I managed to finish one small commission painting of three green apples against pale yellow.
Click on the image to see a larger version.Right now we're getting ready to leave for the long drive to Chicago, for the big Well Street Art Fair. This is where stamina must kick in.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005I finished this painting.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Saturday, May 28, 2005I finished the painting of three green apples against all those different colors of white.
Click on the image to see a larger version.I immediately started mixing colors for another painting of the same three green apples. I'm interested in exploring more of these hues of color within the different areas of white.
Friday, May 27, 2005I addressed a few more details on the painting of white tulips on light blue background, signed it, and called it finished.
Click on the image to see a larger version.I immediately started mixing colors on a large painting of three green apples, against an all white background. For some reason I started seeing some brilliant colors within the white of the foreground and the background, and things quickly took shape. I should be finished with this painting tomorrow.
Thursday, May 26, 2005The entire week was dark and dismal with rain and clouds everyday. When the sun finally came out this morning I was able to really hammer down some colors, and came very close to finishing this painting.
I'll have a final look in the morning and see how things sit with me, and then I'll yank it off the easel and hurl it into the darkness of the garage.
Monday, May 23, 2005I started throwing down paint on a new mid-sized study of another bouquet of white tulips. This should start to really take shape tomorrow.
Sunday, May 22, 2005I finished the new painting of white tulips on light blue.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Friday, May 20, 2005I worked on the painting some more, and now I'm grabbing Frank and heading out the door to New York City for the afternoon and evening with Heather.
Thursday, May 19, 2005Today I started throwing down paint, and things are quickly taking shape.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005We're back from the show in Bethesda, and several more paintings found good homes. I'm finally back to work, furiously mixing colors for a series of paintings of what might be the last white tulips of the season. Tomorrow I'll be slinging paint, and things should start to look like something.
Friday, May 13, 2005What have I been doing all week? Almost everything other than painting. I did finish the small painting of three gala apples.
Click on the image to see a larger version.Right now we're heading out the door to the Bethesda Fine Art Show. Hopefully I can manage to start painting again when we get home next week.
Sunday, May 8, 2005 Mother's DayThis morning we took my mother out for sushi, and upon our return I started slamming down color on a small painting of these same three gala apples. I should be sufficiently warmed up after this piece to start on a series of commissioned paintings.
Saturday, May 7, 2005I hammered down another smoking tryptic of gala apples.
Click on the image to see a larger version.
Friday, May 6, 2005One week later and I still haven't gotten any painting done. The show in Richmond was fun, we found homes for a few more paintings, and had a great time with our neighbors, Karen Eide and her husband David. The Sprinter van decided to die just as we were ready to pull out of the driveway on Friday night, so the weekend started with a nightmare marathon of desperate phone calls and hard decisions. With no other option, we unloaded the entire van, and jammed everything into the much smaller Dodge cargo van, and managed to do the show. The entire weekend was a trial in sleep deprivation, but we made it through, and back home safely. The van was towed, fixed, and I picked it up, and now it's waiting for the great cavernous cargo bay to be swept out and reloaded for the Bethesda show next weekend.
Two geese decided to commandeer my pier for a nest, almost directly on top of the access hatch to the drain pipe. I gingerly moved the nest full of giant eggs to unclog the drain a few weeks ago, and this afternoon all of the eggs hatched. The parents are happily swimming around the lake with their new family, and I was able to finally remove the nest from the pier, and clean the grate over the drain pipe again.
I tried to mix some colors yesterday, when a pulley on the easel snapped, and dropped the heavy oak tray onto the glass top of the taboret, shattering it and spraying glass everywhere. I managed to clean it all up and repair things, and today I started mixing colors again, for a small warmup painting of gala apples. Tomorrow should see things start to make more sense again.
Friday, April 29, 2005We got back from Canada on Tuesday night, and the past few days have been a blur. Right now we're throwing our bags into the truck and heading out the door for the show this weekend in Richmond.
We arrived in Montreal on Sunday evening, in time to have dinner and see the show. We walked around the city on Monday morning for a bit, before driving to Quebec City. We checked into a bed and breakfast, and in the pouring rain we walked all over the historic section of the city. In the evening we met with an old online friend of mine and her husband at a sushi restaurant right across from our bed and breakfast. Of course we had fun. On Tuesday morning we had breakfast, and I sat in almost the exact same place I was when I decided I should start painting again, eight years ago. Late in the morning we met with a wedding planner at the Chateau Frontenac, and got some ideas and prices for what could be the party of the century. We had a wonderful lunch in a small cafe before getting back on the road home.
Saturday, April 23, 2005Wow, so where have I been? Good question. I'm not sure if it was creative block, or just allowing everything else in my world to get in front of painting, but I've been spinning my wheels over the past week trying to settle everything and clear my head. I was barely recovered from the Texas weekend and the drive home before I was working on finishing my taxes. Last weekend was a blur of activity, spending time with Heather's parents and getting some yard work done. This week I mixed some colors, arranged some objects, and yesterday I got new glasses, so now my world is crisp and clear again. This morning we planted a few more trees around the property, and then this afternoon I started throwing paint, and hammered out a smoking little tryptic of gala apples.
Click on the image to see a larger version.Tomorrow morning we're driving to Montreal to see the band Garbage tomorrow night, and then on Monday morning we're driving further north to Quebec City, where we'll kick around for a day and spend the night. We'll be back on the road on Tuesday, to arrive home again on Tuesday night.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005I'm finally back from Texas The trip started nicely enough, having a pleasant overnight visit at my brother's place in Chapel Hill. We left early in the morning to meet up with some clients in Atlanta, where we handed over a huge stack of work for their new gallery in Michigan. We then drove until late into the night, to stop at Vicksburg, Louisiana for the night. As we're leaving the hotel in the dark of the early morning, the clerk warns us of the severe storm and tornado watch conditions. The slight drizzle quickly picked up to become a solid wall of water and ferocious winds. As we crossed a bridge, we saw the Mississippi River lit up only with flashes of lightning. Of course I had white knuckles clutching the wheel as we got tossed by the wind. Eventually we got ahead of the storm, things quieted down, the sun came up, and we cruised into Fort Worth in the late morning. Only then did we find out that we drove right through the devastation and destruction of several tornadoes.
The show was fairly uneventful. We caught up with some of our best friends from the show circuit, including Jeffrey Cannon and his wife Paige, Richard Harrington and we made a few new friends, including Ronna Katz, printmaker George Raab, and Felice House. We ate well, relaxed, had fun, and tried to figure out what the people of Texas were saying to us. "Ya'll from Wis'chister?", barely muttered on the bottom end of a sigh, actually means "are the two of you from West Chester?". Charming folk, them Texans. Heather flew home on Monday morning to get back to work, while I made the 24 hour drive on my own. It seemed like I drove right back into the same severe storm as I passed through the endless dark swamp that is Arkansas into Tennessee. The sky cleared in time for me to see the lights of Nashville go by, and I slept on the floor of the truck, between the stacks of paintings. This morning I passed Louisville, Kentucky, then across the bottom of Ohio to pass through the striking town of Wheeling, West Virginia, before crossing all of western Pennsylvania to come back to a lonely and singing cat. I'm not sure if Frank even remembers who I am, or maybe he just misses the pet sitter already. In the massive pile of mail, we found a rejection letter from the Madison art show.
On a very sad note, this weekend saw the passing of Heather's dear grandfather.
Looking back on it all, aside from some of the spectacular scenery we saw along the drive, I'd have to say the high point of the entire trip was being able to see several performances of Wadaiko Ensemble TOKARA, a taiko drum ensemble that performed twice each day of the show. Combining the movements of martial arts with thunderous and rhythmic drumming, they were nothing short of amazing. After each performance we were just breathless and speechless. I don't know how, but I feel that I must raise everything in my life up to a new level, and to achieve something great and profound, something that can truly embrace and celebrate all of the things that pass.
Saturday, April 2, 2005This morning we went to the wedding of one of Heather's friends. After the wedding we stopped by the birthday party of one of Heather's little friends from her nanny job last summer. I spent the afternoon surrounded by what seemed like several hundred of the sweetest little children. I guess there was really only ten or so, but at the time it seemed like more. And among the adults I had a chance to meet one of my biggest fans. Her own description of how she felt upon meeting me was "starstruck". It's nice to be reminded that after all of the stress and angst and agitation and frustration I feel with the painting and with the business that when things finally do surface, they look good enough to get a response like that once in a while.
Friday, April 1, 2005 April Fool's DayYesterday I finished the painting of red and yellow tulips.
Click on the image to see a larger version.Today I felt like the April Fool, sitting endlessly in traffic while finding nothing but frustration with all of the last minute tasks I was attempting to resolve before we leave for Fort Worth on Monday. Unfortunately I'll still have things to do before we get on the road on Monday morning.
Monday, March 28, 2005I didn't get any painting done today, because it was dark all day and great heavy curtains of rain swept across the forest and the lake.
Today I did get acceptance letters for both the Port Clinton Art Festival and the Metris Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis, both in August.
Sunday, March 27, 2005 Easter SundayI continued to build up a surface on this new painting of red and yellow tulips. Things are very close to being finished, and tomorrow may be my last day on this piece.
Friday, March 25, 2005 Good FridayI started throwing down paint on a fresh bouquet of red and yellow tulips. Things are hoggish and rude, but hopefully I'll make more sense of things tomorrow.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005Where have I been? Well, I've been slaving day after day over this painting of red and yellow tulips. Suddenly today I realized that it was finished, and I scratched my name into the wet paint, and hurled it into a dark corner of the garage.
Click on the image to see a larger version.And just when I thought I never wanted to see another bouquet of red and yellow tulips, I decided to start mixing colors for yet another bouquet of red and yellow tulips. I figure that I may as well try to see if I can't make the next one look easy.
In other news, on Sunday night we could hear the shrill whistling chorus of spring peepers in the swamp far below us. On Monday I heard what sounded like people stomping around on the roof, only to realize it was about 10 giant vultures walking on the peak of the roof, each one looking like death.
And today is my mother's birthday. Happy birthday, Mom.
Sunday, March 20, 2005 Vernal EquinoxOn this first day of Spring I continued to slug out paint on this new study of red and yellow tulips against a blue background. By the end of this second day, which should be a third day, it still only feels like the end of a first day. Needless to say I'm feeling great anxiety and frustration. Heather thinks I'm burned out on flowers, I don't know what to think. Tomorrow I'll continue to build up a surface and see if I can't pull this thing together.
This morning it was drizzling, and the air had the distinctively fresh smell of spring. Later in the day I realized that Ojisan smelled absolutely horrible, so he got a bath in the sink while howling pitifully. In no time he was puffed up and tearing about the house again like a cartoon character.
Thus begins Spring.
If you find yourself hungering for yet more dramatization of the angst of a painter, see Winter 2005 for the previous season's struggles.
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