Rabbit on a Crate with an Apple, 24x24, 0il

I thought it would be funny to show the progression I go through when doing an oil painting. So, this is the progression of a painting of my friend and fellow Rabbit Advocate Kem Sypher. Though Snowflake is no long on this earth Kem, a photographer extraordinaire, has many photos of her which he has shared with me. I always start out with a canvas toned with burnt Sienna, either oil or acrylic, it doesn't matter at this stage. This canvas was toned with oil burnt sienna. Then I layout the subject matter in the Bistre style (no that isn't a typo). You can look that up on Google; basically it is painting in one color using the wipe out method to achieve the under painting. I don't move on to color until I have the layout perfect. This saves a lot of time when I start painting with color. Also, I don't have to go back in and change any compositional mistakes if I paint the under painting is Bistre. Once the under painting is exactly the way I want it I start laying in color. My darks are painted thinly and the lights are painted very thick. The painting goes very fast this way. The first afternoon I laid out the composition (Bistre). The next day the under painting was dry enough to start laying in color. It only took another afternoon to paint the rabbit and the apple. Now, I had to let that dry to paint the crate. Here you can see the progression of the painting. It isn't finished yet. I'll add the final photos of the painting as I complete the next stages. Oops! The last photo should be the first photo, showing how I start the layout. More to come.....

Fuzzy & Wuzzy, 8x8, oil

This is a tribute to Fuzzy & Wuzzy, aka The Aliens, Kem Sypher's two rescued Jersey Woolies. Kem took them home from the shelter as babies July 27, 2003 to foster as they were too young to spay and neuter. They never went back. Both Fuzz and Wuzz have past over the rainbow bridge.

A Chronicle of Influence - THEN & NOW. Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts Show. JUNE 21, 22, 23, 2013

I would like to invite you to the Arts Council of Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. This year is the 17th annual Chronicle Exhibit. I am one of 50 participating artists invited to show work at the Chronicle Exhibit. This years theme is THEN & NOW. It is an exhibition exploring the nature of artists' working relationships, collaboration and mentor-ship. Thomas Kenneth Conway, a past show winner, invited me to collaborate with him on a painting theme. Together we chose to paint a recipe. We selected GUACAMOLE as our theme. Tom and I have not seen each others paintings. We chose to be surprised opening night of the show, June 21st. I will be at the show from 6pm to 9pm if you would like to join me. Here is my entry into the show. "Guacamole", oil, 13"x31". $1500

First Thursday at Signature D Gallery, Feb. 7, 2013

Join me and 13 other OSA artists at an all OSA show at Signature D Gallery at 333 NW 9th, Portland. The gallery is in the Elizabeth Loft Condo building. My painting, Long Winter Shadows, will be at the show. $1200.

Road to Lanvallay, 16x20, oil

I took the photo for this painting in 2009 when we visited our friends the Feuillades in France. Lanvallay is in Brittany. It was July but true to west coast weather it was rainy and cool in Brittany. In the origi

nal photo the sky was black with rain clouds. That's they way I first painted this scene but it was too dreary so I took the clouds out of the painting and gave it a yellow sky.

Three Persimmons, 14x16, oil

I picked these persimmons off a neighbors tree. I couldn't resist. The tree was loaded and the persimmons were beautiful. Persimmons from the grocery store have no appeal for painting. They looks shriveled, the leaves have been removed and they have lost their color and luster. The neighbors tree was a great find.

Super Storm Sandy, Mixed, 24 x 15.5

I was fascinated by this debris pile created by the clean up after hurricane Sandy. This is my version of the garbage pile. I was hoping to make something beautiful out of something so deadly and devastating. The painting is acrylic with bits of watercolors pasted into the debris pile. Many thanks to fellow artists and friends, Kris Kuester, Michael Musto, Noel Riney and Billie Fisher who contributed pieces of their watercolors to this painting.