"Aloha" 12 x 18 Oil on Panel

As of right now I would have to say that a pineapple is the hardest thing I have ever tried to paint. They change colors every day going from bright green to a yellow brown. The mango keeps getting redder which is nice and the coconut will rot overnight if you don't keep it refrigerated....basically, you have to paint FAST.

Step 1. The Drawing: I draw with a brush using a mixture of burnt umber and white. I start with a value just slightly darker than my canvas tone. I usually do three drawings getting slightly darker with each drawing.

Step 2. Make it round: Once I start filling it in with paint, I work from the darks to the lights in strips or bands of value. Everything that turns goes from dark to halftone to light. The first step of painting something round is to.... make it round. If a round object does not look round early, all of the detail in the world will not make it work.

I paint living objects in the order in which they will rot. If I am working on objects that will not rot, I work from the background to the objects closest to me.

I waited on painting the mango because I knew it would get more red as time went on.

At this point the painting felt like it was missing something....It needed more personality so I added some Key Limes.

After I put down the first layer of paint I coat the objects with pure linseed oil and then wipe it down gently with a paper towel. I then paint again into the wet surface. You can get some terrific results with this technique.

At this point the pineapple is unrecognizable but it will still cast the right shadows.

A few finishing touches left....

This painting was part of The International Guild Of Realism Show at the Jones & Terwilliger Gallery in Carmel, CA

The Blueberry Waltz

I painted this one in December of last year and it was accepted into the 2012 annual juried show at the Ridgewood Art Institute in NJ. The idea of the painting was to try to create motion with still objects. Another one of my paintings where the objects in the paintings are characters on a stage.

The title "The Blueberry Waltz" was suggested by a good friend.

10 x 24 Oil on Panel

SOLD

The Travel - Part 2 (Jensen Beach & Myrtle Beach)

After Maimi, I went back to where I was staying to rest for a night or two. The beach I walk on daily is called Jensen Beach. After visiting many of the Florida beaches on the East Coast, I realized how great Jensen Beach actually is. The only time it was really crowded was fourth of July last year. Never alot of traffic or people, and the water is usually warm enough to walk in.

The shot of the trees is from Bridge Rd on Jupiter Island. Some of the most interesting trees I have ever seen.

On the way back to NY I made several stops. One in Jacksonville to get my oil changed but I didn't feel the need to take any pictures of it.
I had lunch in Savannah, GA, one of my favorite cities, and moved on to Myrtle Beach.
Before you get to Myrtle Beach in NC is a town called Georgetown, which for some strange reason was booked solid. I stopped in about ten hotels between Georgetown and Myrtle Beach...all booked solid.
I took a road west to Conrad, SC and stayed at the Red Hill Motel, which rented rooms by the hour, and had just sprayed for bugs. They used enough spray that I could smell it, but not enough so that it would actually work. Next time I'll check priceline first.....
When I got into Myrtle Beach I found that there were plenty of rooms, at discounted rates if I had only driven a little further! Nah, why make life too easy.

Next stop - Virginia Beach

The Travel - Part One (Key West & Miami)

I have spent the last two months living in Florida. I usually begin my day with a walk on the beach and then paint for about eight to twelve hours a day. On rare days I paint as few as three hours, but have also painted as many as fourteen hours in one day. People have been asking "Have you been to Key West, South Beach?" The answer is always, "I'm too busy"...
I decided to take some time and see a few things on my drive back up to NY.

I started my trip in Key West....

For some reason I had Key West confused with some wonderful tropical island with long sandy beaches and horizontal palm trees laying across them. Instead I got Bourbon St. with a moat around it. I had a burger and a margarita at Margaritaville and stopped into Capt. Tony's which was worth the drive down. Part of my travels include chasing song lyrics.
The drive into town is absolutely stunning but for the most part, if you want to get drunk, look at some bad paintings, throw-up, and buy a T-Shirt to remember it all, Key West is the place for you.....I went to Miami...

Miami is so much fun. The Art Deco architecture in South Beach is worth the trip...and of course the palm trees.

A few Pictures of the beach.....

Next stop on the trip.....Myrtle Beach!

R2 D2 and Apples

A few months ago a friend of mine jokingly asked if I ever considered painting a bunch of toys or hid any action figures in my still-life paintings. I told him I have painted toys, but not action figures. Painting a group of toys or action figures will and would take me months. He said "How about just an R2 D2 and apples"......so here it is.
The R2 D2 is from the original Kenner Toys from 1977. It is a bit beaten up but I think that makes it more interesting.
"R2 D2 & Apples" 6 x 8 Oil on Panel.

SOLD

Standing Apart From The Crowd

I've always been partial to anyone who doesn't quite fit in so I thought I'd make a painting about it. I picked this mustard colored apple and surrounded it with beautiful fruits of red and purple.....

It's titled "Standing Apart From The Crowd" 10 x 20 Oil on Panel.

SOLD