September 14

Norm
oil on stretched canvas, 11" x 14"
collection of the artist

Posting may be a little sporadic over the next weeks. I just finished my once per term stint as exam proctor and marker at the local university, and now I'll be turning some of my efforts to our interminable home renovations.

August 30

Whippets at Bayswater
graphite and gouache on wood, 10" x 10"

This is a very preliminary sketch for a painting in a series I'm beginning.

August 28

SOLD
Dunes at Bayswater
oil on canvas panel, 6"x 8"

August 27

Private Collection
Sea Wench and High Clouds
oil on canvas panel, 8"x 8"

Home and land locked once again. I feel I've been robbed of a dimension. Although I haven't been much of a plein air painter I bought a portable easel and paintbox to carry with me on vacation. This is the first painting produced on my new contraption. This view, although it changes all the time with the weather and the presence or absence of boats on their moorings, is one slice of the panorama that greets us whenever we look out a window or step outside our once a year home away from home.

August 8

Ben
oil on stretched canvas, 7" x 9"

We're preparing for our annual sojourn through Quebec and on to Nova Scotia's gorgeous south shore. I thought the hiatus in my posting would come while I was blissfully doing nothing en vacances, but instead, it's come before. The hectic lead-up to travel is taking up all of my time.

I've been enjoying still life painting, but nature mort sometimes feels a little, well, dead, and I find myself craving more animated subjects. I'm not sure what will emerge on canvas or in my sketchbook during our travels, but I may turn my attention to some landscape and more portrait sketches. This one is actually my father, looking more ecclesiastical than usual. He's been lending a hand in our renovations and is more likely trying to determine level than pondering existential mysteries, but one never knows.

July 31

Gull Wing Study
oil on canvas panel, 5" x 7"

July 27

Pelee Island Ferry
graphite in sketchbook 10" x 8"

More from my Pelee Island sketchbook

July 25

The Dead Gull
graphite in sketchbook, 5" x 8"

July 25

The Dying Gull
graphite in sketchbook, 5" x 8"

We spent some restful days on Pelee island, Canada's southernmost inhabited island. So no paintings, but some sketches. The beaches abound with with wildlife, but the casualties of Lake Erie storms made better, if moribund, models.

July 19

SOLD
New Season Garlic
oil on canvas panel, 10" x 14"

July 18

SOLD
Daisy on Yellow Silk
oil on canvas panel, 4" x 6"

July 17

SOLD
Daisy on Pink Silk
oil on canvas panel, 4" x 6"

July 12

SOLD
Max
oil on canvas panel, 10" x 14"

July 10

Red and White Currants on Siver Tray
oil on canvas board, 8" x 8"

July 6

Red Currants on Silver Tray
oil on canvas panel, 5" x 7"

July 4

SOLD
Spring Onions on Majolica Platter

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

June 28

SOLD
Local Strawberries
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

June 27

SOLD
Peony in Celadon Bowl
oil on canvas panel, 5" x 7"

This is the last peony of the season. Spring is truly finished.

June 25

SOLD
Yellow Roses
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

June 18

SOLD
Peony and Mock Orange in Silver Pitcher

oil on canvas panel, 8" x 10"

June 15

Peony in Tarnished Silver
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

PRIVATE COLLECTION

June 14

Tree Peonies with Pruners

oil on stretched canvas, 20" x 24"

This is another painting that doesn't really qualify as a small canvas, but it belongs thematically, so I've posted it here anyway.

June 7

White Tree Peonies in Glass Jug

oil on stretched canvas, 11" x 14"

June 5

SOLD
Tree Peony Blossom
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

May 24

SOLD
Lilacs in Porcelain Creamer
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

May 23

SOLD
Lilac Blossoms
oil on canvas panel, 3" x 5"

May 9

SOLD
Daffodils take 3
oil on canvas panel 8" x 8"

My friend M who is a landscape architect and a deft hand at flower arranging always comments when I make even-numbered collections of plants or flowers. So this re-make of the last painting features three daffodils, for M.

May 8

Daffodils take 2
oil on canvas panel, 8" x 8"

May 3

Daffodils
oil on canvas panel 6" x 8"

When I walked outside in the morning to see what was new in the garden I found these extravagant beauties resting on the ground--their double blooms too heavy for their narrow stalks. Rather than leave them to the slugs, I cut them and brought them inside where their subtle scent is filling my whole studio. They look as though they belong in a dutch floral masterpiece--or a vanitas painting. Fleeting beauty traded for robustness.

May 2

Bar Scene
oil on canvas panel 6" x 8"

April 25

Golden Gate

oil on canvas panel 3" x 5"

I fell in love with San Francisco and, although I left with my heart intact (a narrow escape), I have to pay a little homage to a very beautiful and livable city. I guess this is a landscape cliche, but what landscape hasn't already been seen? In a superbly curated exhibition of Vivienne Westwood's fashion career now at the de Young Museum in San Francisco's Golden Gate park, the designer is quoted as saying something about how we react only to what we already know. Somehow, seeing something already known, but experienced in person for the first time is very poignant--perhaps all the moreso for the accompanying recognition.

April 23

I just flew home on a red-eye flight from San Francisco this morning. Now back in the familiar seting of my studio, I can hardly believe I was watching pelicans and cormorants fish in the crashing pacific surf yesterday. That trip and a portrait I was working on account for the long hiatus, but I plan to be posting more small paintings and drawings very soon.

March 29

Snowdrops

oil on canvas panel 4" x 6"

I picked these from the small clump in my backyard and stole a little time from my portrait painting to record these intrepid harbingers of spring.

March 26

Sam asleep
oil on canvas 28" x 18"
Collection of the artist

I painted Sam earlier this year in what is a characteristic pose for him. Sam is 19 years old.

I'm working on a portrait right now, so my postings may be a little less frequent. On the other hand, I do hope to document some of the signs of spring emerging in the garden. Our first crocus bloomed today and we have snowdrops in the backyard. Spring at last.

March 22

SOLD
Ginger and Garlic
oil on stretched canvas 5" x 7"

March 18

Cat in Window
oil on stretched canvas 10" x 10"
Collection of the artist

March 13

Green-Edged Mussel Shells After Dinner

oil on stretched canvas 6" x 8"

I love to look at iridescent mussel shells. It seems a shame to throw away something so gorgeous.

March 11

Orchid Stem

oil on stretched canvas, 5" x 7"

Somehow, the purchased exotic flowers of winter never have the same appeal as the short-lived flowers of spring. I can hardly wait for the garden to come back to life. The sun is out and the snow is melting. We turned the clocks forward today--three weeks earlier than ever before. As a late riser, I welcome the change.

March 9

Dessicating Rose

oil on stretched canvas 7" x 7"

March 8

SOLD

Red Peppers

oil on canvas board 5" x 7"

March 7

SOLD
Red Onions
oil on canvas board 5" x 7"

March 6

SOLD
White Onions

oil on canvas board, 5" x 7"