Blog Posts

A new site design, a chance to take stock

My show: "the Garden in the Summer" -Botanical studies in Oil is now up at the Romano Gallery, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ until January 7th. (To view the show over the Holidays, Call (908)-362-6121 for an appointment).

There's a new look and a new professionalism to my website thanks to Mary Ortega. So now I will work on returning to periodic blog posts. Hopefully,you will find them interesting and enlightening.

On the left, a sketch done "live". On the right, the latest oil painting in what is becoming a series with the theme of jazz musicians. Struggled with values on this painting, and controlling how much activity there was. At first it seemed chaotic and overly busy, no focus or flow. I worked on shifting and toning layers.

Summer break has arrived, and with it the usual conflict between having free time and needing discipline in my work habits. Normally, I over-schedule my commitments partly to provide a structure to my life. As an artist, I chafe under the 9-5 work week, but tailspin when I don't have to answer to a schedule.

Came across this quote today from one of my favorite musicians, Esperanza Spaulding in Newsweek magazine/Daily Beast:

accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person: Jim frequently must submit to the demands of being a parent. Like when he must deal with a certain intransigent teenager, rather than focus on his work.

I'm starting this blog partly out of a need to communicate about things that excite me and partly out of frustration with the Facebook model.