Admiration

"Admiration,"  4 x 6 inches,  Oil and Acrylic on Paper

If the last one was a bit challenging, this one represents the few that are still along the lines of my previous night fictions.   

Taxonomy Lesson

"The Taxonomies of Doctor Linnaeus,"  4 x 6 inches,  Acrylic on Paper

In the Pines

"In the Pines,"  6 x 4 inches, Oil and Acrylic on Paper

This one has nothing to do with the Leadbelly song, just a minimal description for a rather minimal image.  As you can see, the paintings vary in technique, with some being left as line drawings.

Marguerite at the Window

Currently Untitled, 5 x 5 inches, oil on paper

As promised, a sample of one of the finished small paintings.   The first title which came to my head for this one was "Marguerite at the Window."  Simple enough, but a quick Google search revealed the name was taken by another image at the Library of Congress. If you are curious, you can look here, but I warn you, the image may be burned on your brain forever like it is mine.

I may be open to title suggestions.   Pretty sure "Let the Right One In" is also taken.

Small Ones

Particularly in the gestational phase of a new body of work, I've had some success with smaller works on paper. So the thought, why not work really small?  The paintings in the photo range in size, but 5x5 inches and 4x6 inches are the two most common sizes right now.  Compared to my earlier work, they are absolutely miniatures.  (I even had to buy new brushes.)

I may talk more about the process later, but suffice to say they have actually taken too much time as I jump from one to another as a solution strikes me. While some of them seem to be following familiar narrative paths, I view each one as a story into itself, and they are not meant to be view sequentially.   I've finished a few and will post some samples shortly,

Like a Tom Waits Song

Some time back in Maine, I was  interviewed by a student as part of a presentation project.  He asked,  "I've heard that you are a big Tom Waits fan, and I've noticed you both have a similar sense of humor.  Has he ever influenced your work?"   I thought on this briefly and replied, "well, I've always wondered, how could I make my work a bit more like a Tom Waits song?"   Apparently, he liked this answer, as I heard later that he added Wait's music to his presentation played alongside images of my work.   I thought this was a rare and singular honor, to share some space and time, no matter how tangentially, with a great artist like Tom Waits.   Then I saw a call for art last month that I simply couldn't resist, so I entered one of my more melodramatic works inspired directly by Wait's music.

I'm very pleased to announce one of my paintings will be on display at the Arc Gallery in San Francisco, California, as part of their upcoming exhibit, "Like a Tom Waits Song."  The show will be on display from May 3 through June 21st. More information  here

Portraits: Actual and Imagined, in Bladenboro

I installed work today in BVAC Gallery, in nearby Bladenboro, North Carolina.  On display are portraits completed from 2002-2011, of fellow artists and friends from my years in Maine.  If you want to make a quick trip to this charming town, the show will be up through June 7th.  Regular gallery hours are 2-4pm, Saturday and Sunday, and all other times by appointment.  The show is sponsored by the Bladenboro Historical Society, so call ahead for an appointment or directions.

I will be attending an artist reception on Saturday, April 12, from 2-4pm.   Hope to see you there!