Self isolation/day 195.

​If you would like to purchase the Visions Adjoin historic commemorative book you can purchase a copy through this link, or from the info listed above.  

What have I been up to?  I finished four small works and I have two new paintings that I will start to paint on today. Took awhile for me to draw them as they are both subject matters I don't normally tackle; but hey, after being isolated for 195 days I decided to turn my hand to some new ideas.  Why not? Plus, I'm confident it will be fun.  Who doesn't need more fun these days?  

Also, for your reading enjoyment I'd like to recommend a book or two. Metropolitan Stories by Christine Coulson is just magical.  Published in 2019 it is a quick read; but don't rush through them - savor them.  If you have ever spent time at the Met, you will love the perspective.  I enjoyed every story in this novel and it further verified some things from another book I read recently titled Stealing the Show by John Barelli and Zachary Schisgal (which I recommend as well). Back to my brushes.  


​"Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits."  - Samuel Butler

Self isolation day 181.  

​I have two new series in production now. My usual inspiration route is to make a word sketch and then decide what to include in my still life paintings that will get the idea or message across to the viewer. I have a new series I call "The Signs" which uses this routine. But I also have another series started wherein I used a different inspiration which is highly unusual for me. I was inspired by a tube of paint color. I'm not usually inspired by any particular color - I love to paint with them all equally. But if inspired by a color it is usually a challenge like...do a red painting, or this works well for this subject matter.  This was different.  I first saw the color on a FaceBook post (you've seen them - the "guess what color" posts). But it stopped me in my tracks.  This was it!  It was the answer. If you paint you will know what I mean; you have something socked away but can't decide on the best way to produce it.  "Hmmm, this would be better poured", or "That's not good enough.  I'll hold onto it and use it later." So I ordered some of this paint, and I am happy to say I was not wrong. I have revisited some ideas I had only produced in miniature and thought they weren't good enough for a full-on painting. Now I am on my fourth painting and it has not failed to meet my expectations yet. So remember to keep your mind receptive. Don't just look; learn to see the possibilities.  Back to my brushes.  


"In creating, the only hard thing is to begin:  a grass blade's no easier to make than an oak." -   James Russell Lowell