"SASHA III"
Oil on Linen Canvas Board
11"x 14"
SOLD

I've painted this image several times, each time a different interpretation. This piece is painted in oil using the palette knife and with a slightly different arrangement of the turban.

"SARAH JANE"
Oil on canvas panel
11" x 14"

A friend invited me to do a live demonstration. After socializing and enjoying a few refreshments and a glass of wine, I went to work painting this piece in acrylic. I was surprised at the result, always wondered what a painting would look like after a glass of wine (I don't drink.) I later went over that acrylic attempt with oil, keeping additional touches to a minimal so as not to loose the spontaneity of the live demonstration. The goal was to capture the essence of the features with as few details as possible while keeping the paint and brush stroke lively. I had such fun with this piece. I have been invited to do another demo.

Title: "EVENING REVERIE"
Medium: Oil
Size: 11" x 14"
SOLD

Fresh off the easel, this piece was painted entirely with a palette knife in oil on Belgian Linen Canvas Panel. My goal was to capture the essence and mood of the model with as few details as possible, allowing the loose paint strokes to retain their vibrancy.

It felt great to create this work of art.

"EVENING THOUGHTS"
Pastel
9" x 12"
SOLD

Every painting is a new experience and an opportunity to try something different. I started this piece with an abstract acrylic underpainting on Wallis paper. Once dry, I laid in the figure with soft pastels being careful not to blend but allowing the strokes to suggest a blended effect. The play of warm and cool colors create a lively effect - much more evident in the actual painting.

Title: "EMILY ANN"
 Pastel
9" x 12"
SOLD

My daughter graciously agreed to model for me, a rear treat these days - she is a busy teenager. I started this piece by laying in bold strokes of vivid colors, intending it to be impressionistic, hoping to suggest the forms rather than rendering them accurately, but as so often, it ended up being a realistic painting. Realism seems to be my "default" button, the style I revert to in spite of my efforts to break out of that mold. Although the painting turned out to be quite different than the image in my head, I am pleased with the results. I can always try again for the effect I want, perhaps even using a different medium - oil and palette knife come to mind...

"LETTUCE"
Pastel
SOLD

After painting a portrait or two, I will usually paint a still life to de-stress, I refer to it as "clearing the palette." I find figure painting to be the most challenging of subject matters, that is not to say that still-life is easy, all painting is difficult if it is done well.
I have painted this subject several times in different mediums and each time I have been fortunate to sell the painting.

"JULIA"
Pastel
12" x 9"
SOLD

This beautiful young model is the daughter of a dear friend of mine. After painting her in oil with a palette knife, I decided, as I often do, to paint her in pastel, treating the background in a similar loose style as I did in the oil painting.

For this painting, I mounted the wallis paper on board giving me a rigid surface to work with. The rough tooth of the paper was ideal for the many layers of pastel used to create this portrait. I do not blend with my fingers, instead, I allow the many layers to do the job. If I feel the need to soften an area, I use a hard pastel and go over the area lightly - it lends for a much richer effect.