Mark Adams Studio

"Conch Shell"

2012-01-27T20:27:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 8" x 10"

Ah, the ubiquitous conch shell. Who among us (at least on the eastern seaboard) didn't grow up with one of these beauties in the house? A souvenir from a family trip to Ocean City, Atlantic City or some coastal vacation town, these mollusk shells were wondrous instruments for blasting out a trumpet-like tune and when lifted to your ear you could swear you could still hear the ocean. I understand they are somewhat endangered now. Pity, as I love a good bowl of conch chowder.
If this background color looks familiar it's because I had mixed a bunch of this teal for the horse painting and had some left over. I thought it would make the perfect foil for this piece.

"Jane"

2012-01-25T18:58:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 6"

My friend Debby has a new mare to hitch to her team of draft horses. Her fancy name is Seven Lick Acres Jane. Whether you call her by that hefty appellation or just plain Jane, she is quite a horse. I had fun with the coloration on this small piece. Hey, at least it wasn't another oyster.

"Oysters and lemons"

2012-01-18T21:54:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

Hey, what can I say? Oysters are fun to paint! These guys modeled for me at the Cross Street Market in the Federal Hill area of Baltimore.

"Oyster and knife"

2012-01-17T18:05:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

It's ironic that I love to paint (and slurp) oysters but I couldn't unhinge a raw one if my life depended on it. I've watched the process a thousand times. It looks so simple when my friend George does it, of course he is a world champion oyster shucker. To be fair, I haven't tried in a long while.

This beauty and a host of its siblings were brought to a party I attended recently by a very thoughtful and well received guest. Carried in a joint compound bucket, along with the accouterments for opening them, they were dredged from the river flowing past his backyard. Thankfully he also brought the skill to retrieve the bounty within. Someday I'll try again when the fear of a stigmata has past.

"Lover's Eye"

2012-01-16T10:34:00.004-05:00

Oil on porcelain - 1" x 1 1/4"

I was commissioned a while back - OK, a long while back - to paint a "lover's eye" for a dear friend. For those not familiar - miniature portraits of just an eye, set in elaborate brooches, lavaliers, stickpins or even small boxes were secretly exchanged between clandestine lovers during the turn of the eighteenth century. Eye, brow, perhaps a wisp of hair was just enough to keep one's lover close but not reveal his or her identity. The girl for whom this was painted is quite the jewelry aficionado and I have no doubt she will find the right craftsman to set this properly. As for its ultimate recipient - she'll never tell.

"Monica's Wedding"

2012-01-12T17:11:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 8" x 10"

Technically speaking this was the first painting completed in 2012. However, I have been working on it for quite some time. It was a challenge since the original reference was artfully taken in black and white and I had to transpose the color from a plethora of miscellaneous snapshots from the wedding. The painting was commissioned by my friend Deb who provides the following commentary:

– Monica was married on June 24, 2011 in Penang, Malaysia in a Hindu ceremony. This is an image of her following the wedding in her wedding sari, which is traditionally red. The ornate necklace which can be seen is customarily placed on the bride during the ceremony in lieu of a wedding ring. During the ceremony, Monica’s hair was covered by a scarf, which remained on until the ceremony was completed. When it came off, an elegant braid was revealed underneath. The jasmine in her hair is the flower customarily worn; the smell was exquisite.

For those of you not familiar with Hindu weddings, they definitely know how to party. These festivities lasted for four days and at each event there was wonderful food and drink, with all who were present dressed to the nines in fabulous saris, gowns, cocktail dresses and amazing Indian garb. On the first day, there was an engagement party where the engaged couple received blessings. On the second day there was a Mehendi party where the bride and female wedding guests received henna tattoos on their hands, arms, legs and/or feet. This was followed by a Sangeet, an evening party, held under a tent on the beach. On the third day, the wedding took place under a tent at sunset followed by another fabulous meal. The kilted groom and his family, who are Scottish, were escorted to the wedding site by a group of bagpipers. People hung out their windows to see this sight in tropical Penang. Finally, on the fourth day, there was a formal reception.

The painting was commissioned as a gift for Monica’s mother, Usha, in thanks for her warmth, generosity and hospitality. The original photographs that were used as reference for this painting were taken by Monica’s new sister-in-law, Alicia Betham.

JJ in the Studio

2012-01-11T21:54:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

Happy New Year! I don't know about you, but I am glad to put 2011 behind me. Talk about the quintessential creative blackout. I won't go into the myriad of negative elements that led to my eight month artistic drought. Suffice it to say that I am climbing out of it and am excited to be back at the easel. Here's to 2012! May it be glorious for us all.

Sammy upside down and happy

2011-08-18T19:22:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

My boy Sammy was vying to be on the blog again so how could I resist? Although my wife disagrees, I think the background looks like a roaring volcano or the flames of Hades. Sam has a little white bib and a white tum with he is obviously proud of, as he is fastidious about keeping it snowy white.

"Piper in the garden"

2011-07-28T21:09:00.007-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Here it is gang; the first painting since the back went out. I won't bore you with the details - the short form is that I had (have) nerve damage in my right leg which has prevented me from standing for long periods of time. Since I stand at my easel, which I feel is the only way to paint (no offense to the sitting artists reading this) I needed a lot of physical therapy to help regain my strength. A big thanks to Janine at Hunt Valley Physical Therapy for getting me this far.

It is apropos that I chose Piper to be my first subject. She has been my model more than a few times, being the mother of three of my four studio assistants. I haven't painted her since her ear was tipped. Piper could be the poster child for TNR. For those unfamiliar with the program Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is a method of humanely trapping unaltered feral cats, spaying or neutering them, and releasing them back to the same location where they were collected. TNR is promoted by the ASPCA as a humane and more effective alternative to euthanasia for managing and reducing feral cat populations. When I was finally able to trap Piper and take her to the Humane Society to be spayed she was once again laden with eight kitten embryos. Tipping the ear is a way to signal to other kind souls who wish to help these wayward girls that they have been fixed. Living a few blocks from the Humane Society, we had our share of strays come to call. There are a lot of despicable people in this world, among the worst are the cowards who deposit their unwanted pets on the Humane Society grounds after hours so they don't have to explain why they are giving them up. One such visitor was a little white cat that we called Clara. When we finally were able to gain her confidence, we took her to the vet to be spayed. Our keen-eyed vet noticed the incision scar from her previous spay when she shaved her and thankfully didn't open her up again. Clara was probably someone's pet that they had gotten tired of and dumped up the road. Piper is and always will be feral. She and her wild companion, Bristol (yes, named after the Palin girls) live a good life on the back porch. We live in the country so cars are not an issue, in case you were worried. The girls have a duplex cat house that I built for them which has two heated sheepskin beds in the winter and two hammocks in the summer to keep them comfortable. They prefer to hang out on top, like Snoopy on his doghouse, in this heat. Three meals a day (canned food) and a midnight snack - they don't go too far afield.

It felt strange (in a good way) to be painting again.

Phoenix, Festus and feelin' fine

2011-06-17T10:21:00.001-04:00

OK, maybe fine isn't le mot juste but I like the alliteration. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, I am finally on my feet again, albeit somewhat wobbly, not unlike Festus from Gunsmoke. I have this urge to holler "Hey, Marshal Dillon!" Quite apropos, since we lost James Arness this month. This is just a post to say I am NOT dead and hope to stand at the easel very soon. With luck there may be some new art on these pages - Gasp!

"Say hello to my little friend"

2011-05-20T18:38:00.004-04:00

In case some of you were wondering what became of me, I blew out a lower disk about ten days ago and have been on my back ever since. The angelic Susan has been my lifeline between this world and a world of excruciating pain.

Debbie Hairy"

2011-04-10T19:28:00.006-04:00

Oil on canvas - 24" x 24"

For over 20 years we have had a sit down dinner party to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The menu is carved in stone: corned beef roasted with sherry, dry mustard and brown sugar, butter-drenched cabbage, beef braised in Guinness, poached salmon with dill cream, Irish soda bread, champ, and Irish whiskey cake. Each year there is a patron saint. Past years have included St. Patrick Stewart, St. Patrick Macnee, St. Patrick Swayze and St. Patrick Henry ("Give me corned beef or give me death") to name a few. When we started running out of Patricks we started adding Pattys; St. Patty Duke, St. Patsy Cline, St. Patty Hearst and, this year, St. Patti Smith (because the night belongs to corned beef lovers). Though not officially a costume party, our guests usually get in the spirit. St. Patsy Cline brought out everyone's urban cowboy, St. Patty Hearst saw everyone in green berets. You get the picture. So we weren't too surprised this year when two of our guests came in drag as Debbie Harry and Tina Turner. We also had a very convincing Patti Smith, complete with copious amount of spirit-gummed crepe arm pit hair and doves on her fingers. OK, you had to be there. I was channeling my inner Andy Warhol when painting this rendition of my friend, Bruce.

"Williwaw"

2011-04-07T16:54:00.009-04:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 8" x 10"

I was recently commissioned to paint this heroic and fantastically fortunate cat - Williwaw. After reading his adventures on the high seas you will agree he is the luckiest of cats

The Story of Williwaw

By Linda A. N.
December, 2008
Rotterdam, NL

Nothing short of a miracle describes the survival of Williwaw. Williwaw (Willi) is our tiger cat who has lived with us aboard our 36' sail boat for the past seven years. We (John and Linda) moved aboard our boat in 2001 and spent the first two years cruising the east coast of the States and the Bahamas. It was in 2003 when we crossed the Atlantic that our incredible incident occurred.

On the third night of the passage we were experiencing the typical fatigue from sailing shorthanded. We were on our way from West Palm Beach Florida to Bermuda. The weather was overcast but calm, there was no moon that night and we were motoring along just fine at 5.5 knots in these conditions. With three hours on and three hours off watch we were still adjusting to our off shore schedule. At 3:00 am John was on watch but had dozed off, only to be woken with a timer that we used as insurance to awake us every 10-15 minutes to check the horizon for shipping traffic. John was ready to change watches with me and noticed that Willi was not in the cockpit where he had been sleeping earlier. He called down below to wake me up for my watch and asked if Willi was keeping me company. I got up, still tired from only three hours of sleep and looked around for Willi. It was not unusual for him to find a warm and peaceful place to get a cat nap. With John on deck and me below we searched the entire boat. I was beginning to panic with each minute that went by and no cat to be found. After several more minutes, we decided that he was not on the boat and we didn't know when or how he could have gone in the water.

There is almost no chance of finding anything in the water in the best of daylight conditions when you are out to sea. We were also about 200 miles north of the Bahamas where there is always a possibility of sharks. Without speaking to each other we knew in our hearts that we would not find Willi. I was overwhelmed and on the verge of shock. It was darker than one can imagine; you could put your hand in front of your face and not see it.

In the meantime, John intuitively looked at the compass course and time as we were searching for Willi. John turned the boat around to follow the reciprocal course. We both knew we would not find him but we could at least make an attempt. We motored back about five minutes. Called out, we heard nothing. We motored another five minutes and called. John could hear something very faint in the distance. It could have been anything but most likely his imagination. We went another few minutes in the direction of the soft noise. Called again, we could hear a muffled MEOW. Now frantic to find him before he drowned or was lunch for a shark we continued to start and stop in the direction of his meow.

Earlier that evening during my watch, I had been listening to the short wave radio to try to stay awake. There was a BBC Nature minute about the reflective nature of cats eyes. Now still in my state of panic to find Willi alive I remembered this and got our strongest spotlight. Shinning it in the direction of the noise, we could just barely see one of his eyes in the distance. Now with a better route to head toward, I put the boat in gear and throttled up as fast as it could go. As we first approached our frantic cat, the boat was moving too fast and could not slow the boat down fast enough. As we passed him, I was sure our boat wake would drown him. We made a second attempt to reach him and after failing again, I threw a cushion into the water, it was one of the few things not tied down during our offshore passage. Willi was able to hold onto the cushion making it easier to both see him and eventually retrieve him from the Atlantic.

The next thirty hours exhausted Willi regained his strength and appetite. It was truly a miracle we could find him and see his eyes shining from the light through the darkness in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

The remainder of the trip to Bermuda was uneventful for Willi. My mom Joyce met us in Bermuda along with several cat harnesses; we still had over a thousand ocean miles to go offshore before our destination of Portugal.

Since then we have traveled from Barcelona Spain throughout the Mediterranean to France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Malta, and Tunisia. Then in 2006 we pointed our bow to the north and headed through the canals of France to England and now (December 2008) the Netherlands.

Willi remains our devoted companion. He makes new friends wherever we go; his newest ones are the two fifty pound dogs of the harbor master. His Dutch is improving every day!

"Ray"

2011-03-15T23:00:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord™ panel 7" x 10"

This little guy is a Cherry Headed Conure also known as a Red Masked Conure (Aratinga erythrogenys) also known as Ray. In another life I dated a girl who owned a Red Headed Conure named Arthur. I could go into some amusing off-color stories of Arthur's antics but this is not the ideal venue to air them. Suffice it to say that he was a character and I have no doubt that Ray here keeps his owners on their toes.

"Oysters and Champagne"

2011-03-10T17:14:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord™ panel 8" x 10"

"Vincent on quilted pillow"

2011-02-09T19:55:00.005-05:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 8" x 10"

The recent spate of posthumous pet portraits has led me to the archives and this image of my own dearly departed Vincent. If you have ever read Cleveland Amory's "The cat who came for Christmas" you will understand the reference that Vincent was my "Polar Bear". A cat like him comes along once in a lifetime (if you're lucky). I am twice blessed because J.J., too, is such a cat, (meaning no disrespect to Sammy, Shirley or Ella). Vincent was only with us for ten years and struggled with uncontrolled diabetes for the last 3 1/2 of those. We planned our social schedule around his 12 hour insulin routine. What a brave boy he was! Because his blood sugar had wild swings up and down, we had to test it just before giving his shot. The drill was this: heat a small sock filled with rice in the microwave. Press it to his ear until the blood warmed and shine a small flashlight to see a vein. Prick it with a retractable lance pen and get a sample then calculate the amount of insulin. You would think the sound of the microwave would send him hiding under the bed. On the contrary - he would saunter into the kitchen and flop over on the rug, knowing he was going to get lots of love and attention. God, I miss him.

"Gideon"

2011-01-27T15:10:00.006-05:00

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord™ panel 8" x 10"

Once again I have been called into service to paint someone's dearly departed companion. This is Gideon in younger and happier days. I'm told he had 15 wonderful years with his owner since being adopted from Cocker Spaniel Rescue of New England. Rest in Peace Gideon.

"Tangier Sounds"

2011-01-20T15:05:00.007-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

I know what you're thinking - "That's it!?! The first painting of the new year; the first painting off the easel in a month is an oyster painting!?! Where's the new series? Where's all the pent up inspiration gushing forth? Oysters...OYSTERS!!! We want something new; something fresh. We've seen this bit; what else ya got? Oops...sorry. Actually that is what I'm thinking and have been for a while now, which accounts for the lack of work on these pages. In my defense, oysters are fun to paint and just picking up the brushes after a month is a step in the right direction. Look for new work soon. Happy New Year!

"Dallas"

2010-12-23T10:37:00.008-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord™ panel 8" x 10"

See - I'm not dead, although my old hard drive is. What a nightmare trying to salvage my images and reload all my programs onto the new drive. Although I have a huge 1T external hard drive, I had become lax about backing up. Lesson learned. Back up your work every day or at the very least once a week. It is also a good idea to keep your program and driver disks in one handy place in case you have to reload them. I have been painting during all this mess but most are Christmas presents and I didn't want to post them for fear of blowing the surprise. This is one such painting, but I doubt the recipient is aware of my blog. I was not told his name but he reminds me of Tramp from the old TV show My Three Sons.

This just in: "His name is Dallas and he's a rescue dog...he has a new family in Ellicott City."

"Roscoe"

2010-11-16T16:03:00.005-05:00

Oil on linen mounted on wood panel 8" x 10"

This portrait of Roscoe differs from my usual daily paintings in that it is painted on a linen covered wood panel. I was a little apprehensive about working on a textured surface on this small of a scale, but my fear was groundless (no pun intended). The beautiful 1/4 inch birch wood SourceTek panel took the paint beautifully. The real challenge was getting a good photo of the finished painting due to the constellations of reflected light splattered across the textured surface. I finally got a decent shot this afternoon using the natural north light in my studio. It was a particularly bleak day, weather wise, which also softened the light. Once again my faithful beat-up bristle brushes came in handy to capture Roscoe's course fur and soft muzzle.

"Centreville Carousel Horse"

2010-11-04T15:43:00.008-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 7" x 10"

I spent some time in Toronto this summer and came across a wonderful old carousel on Centreville Island. Built in Germantown, Pennsylvania by the G.A. Dentzel Steam & Horsepower Co in the early 1900's, this hand carved wooden carousel is one of about 30 left in existence today. It contains 52 animals 3 abreast, 36 of which are jumpers. There are also 2 chariots. The accompanying band organ is a Wurlitzer. I thought I'd have a little fun with this one. I felt the menagerie around him was a bit distracting so I isolated him from the ostriches, bunnies, pigs and other whimsical creatures dancing in the picture plane. I still wanted a sense of color and motion so I kicked up the vibrancy and kept the paint loose (for me). Does it work? The jury is out.

"Mardi Gras Bloody Mary"

2010-10-28T01:02:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

And now for something completely different!

Something that one sees around Jackson Square in New Orleans is a form of naive folk art using familiar icons of the area. Often done with ordinary house paint on found planks of wood or shingles, these colorful objet d'art are cheerful and amusing. I thought it would be fun to try my hand at one using a subject that is near and dear to me - Tabasco. I probably have over 100 bottles of hot sauce of various stripe in the pantry and in the fridge (much to my wife's chagrin) but the one that gets utilized the most is the ubiquitous Tabasco. Nothing else tastes like it. I dare say you could make a Bloody Mary with Jamaica Hell Fire Sauce but it wouldn't be the same. I further embraced the New Orleans theme by using purple, green and gold - the colors of Mardi Gras, to really sink it home. I thought the black outline gave the painting a clumsy folksiness. I told you I was going to have fun.

"Sammy with pumpkin"

2010-10-20T23:21:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

It's raining cats and dog...well, OK, just cats, in the studio lately. Hey, can I help it if I have a ready supply of willing models at my beck and call? Alice Thompson's Calypso Moon Art Movement has challenged us to paint a Halloween themed painting this month and my Sam seemed like a good fit. He has been unhappy with J.J. getting all the attention lately and was an eager model. Well, it helped that I sprinkled the pumpkin with catnip. He implored me to paint out his little white bib and white underbelly but I couldn't do it. It just wouldn't be Sammy if I did.

"Administrative assistant"

2010-10-19T23:37:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

My wife Susan occasionally works from her home office and is often visited by unsolicited I.T. support in the form of J.J. He is highly skilled at sending e-mail and types in some form of code that only cats can read. In keeping with my new more painterly approach to the daily paintings, this piece was a study in contrasting colors. The ubiquitous "windows" blue playing off the warm oranges of J.J.'s fur. I am still on the fence as to whether this one works or not. I was close to wiping it down along the way. I'll know better tomorrow. J.J. is thinking "Now where did she put that mouse?"

"Cleo"

2010-10-13T21:57:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

Like ordering a Cosmo at a bar, it takes a truly manly man to paint puppies and kittens. I really wasn't going for the cheap shot with this piece - honestly. I was grabbed by the Tissot-like back-lighting on this little imp. My friends Sherry and Joe just adopted two sweet sisters from the S.P.C.A. These gregarious girls, Cleo and her litter mate, Iris, couldn't be cuter if they tried. Cleo was clowning around on the landing stairs and her aura of light and amusing expression was something I deemed paint worthy, if just a silly bit of fun.

"Poissons"

2010-10-06T19:11:00.008-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

These cold fish have been on ice in my queue since my last trip to France, which, as many of you know, was quite some time ago. Fresh in my mind these many months, they have resurfaced to remind me of why I started painting in the first place - because it's fun! At least it's supposed to be. I seemed to have lost sight of that fact recently. What started for me back in '07 as an experiment in "daily painting" - a new art movement with the sole mandate of completing a small work of art every day, became something quite different. I must admit that I seldom attained the stated goal, but I was content with 3 or 4 per week. Trouble came when I felt compelled to make the work tighter and tighter. Not content with small, quick oil sketches, I wanted to do something that would wow people. The diminutive panels ceased to be mere little studies and became polished works of art. The praise I got from these little jewels was like a drug. I lived for the comments on my blog. I spent way more time on them than I could ever possibly justify, given the monetary ceiling of the internet marketplace. I started using the opti-visor more and more. Frustration set in and I began to resent them. That, my friends, is my long winded explanation for why I have not been posting. I recently made a pilgrimage to the Corcoran Museum in Washington to see an exhibition of Chuck Close's prints. That man knew how to have fun. His "fingerprint" works are a stark reminder that we should have fun in the process. Embracing this revelation, I allowed myself to once again feel the support - to scratch and scumble and toss the paint. This piece may not be great, but it was fun and that's a start. I feel like I'm swimming upstream.

"Asta la vista, baby"

2010-09-14T16:53:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

For those of you still out there, who were wondering what became of me - all I can say is I have been (once again) wrestling with my muse and that lady has been hitting the gym. She did allow me the best two out of three falls and I am happy to say I won the bout. I am picking up were I left off, with Asta as an ersatz canine Bacchus. I have been implored to create a wine label to be used in a fund raiser for the Humane Society at the Dogwood Restaurant in Baltimore. In all honesty, it did not take much pleading for me to take on this project, as the Humane Society is a charity near and dear to my heart. The study of Asta, which I did before the freeze-up acted as a service dog to guide me back to the easel. Good boy, Asta.

"Asta"

2010-08-12T01:42:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

This piece is much nicer in reality. Try as I might, I couldn't get the subtle coloration to come through. Perhaps It is the late hour. That said, I won't be writing much about this piece tonight other than to say that Asta is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met. He is the canine equivalent of JJ and that is high praise indeed. He is also the top dog at my favorite restaurant - The Dogwood in Baltimore.

"Spotted Llama"

2010-08-04T23:31:00.008-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet...

I visited the farm of two dear friends over the weekend and they have, within their vast menagerie, some two dozen, wildly varied, llamas, Sadly, I got lost in all the names of this one and that one. No, there was not a Dahlia llama nor a Fernando llama. For all I know this guy was named Spot, the Wonder Llama. I am certain to find out his true appellation when they see this post. Aside from the glorious wool that comes from these sweet creatures, another perk is llama poo which is better than miracle grow. I used some on my herbs and you could practically see them growing, like Jack's bean stalk. It's really good sh*t.

I painted one of their llamas a few years ago and was told that when they put their ears back they are wary or nervous. This fellow seems to be saying "All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

"Bella"

2010-07-29T00:27:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

I was channeling my inner Matisse tonight with this painting of Bella. The jury is out on the contrasting colors and vertical stripes. Again I wanted the paint to show so I didn't get too fussy with it. I may be horrified in the morning. Hitherto I had not painted a vizsla, so it was a challenge on many levels.

"Oh Lucy!"

2010-07-21T00:32:00.007-04:00

Oil on linen mounted on board 6" x 8"

...you got some splainin' to do! Actually I've got some splainin' to do. Today's painting was an experiment with painting on a more textured surface than I have been using for these little studies. I had an e-mail from someone who liked my work but preferred a more textured surface than my usual ampersand panels . Oddly enough, I find the brushwork is more pronounced on a smooth support, as the stroke has no place to hide and is there for all to see. I'll grant you that you do get an evening out and diffusion of light reflected off the surface of a cloth support but on such small work it is tantamount to painting on burlap if you scaled it up. I personally like the bit of tooth that ampersand panels have.

I met Lucy last week at a friend's house. I assume her appellation was derived from a certain wacky redhead that we all know and love. She is a sweetheart.

I've had to begin comment moderation as I have been getting a lot of spam on the comment page lately. Sorry about that but your feedback is still important to me so keep 'em coming.

"Drink Me"

2010-07-14T22:37:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

Before you say "Jeeze, Adams can't paint a round bottle to save his ass." let me say that this particular vessel has the weirdest shape. Flat on two sides with square diamond nipples, then ridged on the adjacent sides with a slightly curved front. Curiouser and curiouser; could this have been the model for the little bottle Alice found on the table in wonderland?

" ... round the neck of the bottle was a paper label, with the words `DRINK ME' beautifully printed on it in large letters. It was all very well to say `Drink me,' but the wise little Alice was not going to do that in a hurry. `No, I'll look first,' she said, `and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; for she had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt, and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant things, all because they would not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them: such as, that a red-hot poker will burn you if you hold it too long; and that if you cut your finger very deeply with a knife, it usually bleeds; and she had never forgotten that, if you drink much from a bottle marked `poison,' it is almost certain to disagree with you, sooner or later.

However, this bottle was not marked `poison,' so Alice ventured to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off.

Until recently, painting a still life was as unfamiliar to me as being 10" tall was to Alice, and sometimes just as frustrating. I have great respect for my fellow artists who can render inanimate objects with precision. That is not where my heart lies. I am much more comfortable painting organic subjects, be they fish or fowl, man or beast. I thought I would step out of my comfort zone to portray this little medicine bottle, which is on loan to me by some dear friends from Virginia. They brought me a treasure trove of miscellaneous brick-a-brack to inspire me during my recent creative malaise. I think it is safe to say they have the largest collection of cobalt blue glass on the East Coast. This panel may be another "unique" as I found the painting of this somewhat tedious and I am afraid it shows. Hey, at least I was swishing paint.

"Carmel"

2010-07-13T23:43:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 5" x 7"

For some perverse reason I wanted to try and paint my sister-in-law's dog, Carmel with a single worn out bristle brush. I was mostly successful, with the exception of a small sable brush for the detail in the eyes. I kinda scrubbed in the oriental rug rather than get too fussy with it. There is some fun greens and blues in her fur. According to my niece's facebook page, Carmel, whom she lists as a sibling, is spelled "Carmel" although I think she was named for the candy (caramel) How does one pronounce caramel anyway? Is it like that town in California or does it have three syllables as in Car-a-mel? This burning question (even more than TP - over or under?) has plagued me for years.

"Leo in the sunshine"

2010-07-12T23:51:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Here is Leo once again in happier days relaxing in the morning sun. Sadly he recently crossed over the rainbow bridge after nearly two decades as my friend Stephanie's constant companion. I have been sitting on this reference for a while, waiting for the right time to use it. I've been in an artistic funk (again) and he has helped me through it. Thanks, Leo!

New Orleans Horse and Cart

2010-07-08T00:12:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

So much for coming back tanned, rested and ready. Oh, well. I've always felt a little sorry for the poor horses in front of the Saint Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square. It can't be fun in July and August pulling a cart full of sweaty tourists around the French Quarter. On the bright side - it is relatively flat and they know the drill so maybe it isn't that bad a gig. Speaking of sweaty tourists - we set a record here in Baltimore yesterday - 105 degrees! Woo hoo!

"JJ with Sunflowers"

2010-06-15T01:05:00.002-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

What, you were expecting a motorcycle piece? That would have been the logical choice but as you know, I am not a logical guy. I like to keep you guessing and JJ was lobbying for some face time. He was channeling his inner Van Gogh and I thought it only fitting to oblige him. The cerulean blue ribbon dissecting flora from fauna amused me.

Recharging

2010-06-05T06:05:00.002-04:00

"Old mad Baggins is off on another adventure..." It is that time again - my annual trip to Lake George for the Americade rally and not a moment too soon. Creating a new living space has really drained the creative battery and I need to recharge. With luck I will come back full of inspiration. Farewell and may the the blessings of Elves and Men and all free folk go with you. May the stars shine upon your faces until I return.

"Neptune Oyster House Oyster"

2010-05-27T01:31:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 5" x 7"

The terrible headlines about the eminent ruination of the Gulf Coast has got me thinking and worrying about my beloved Gulf Oysters. Plumper and sweeter than their East Coast brethren, I would hate to think I may have had my last taste of them. Yesterday I painted a cat named Bean. Today a blue point oyster from the Neptune Oyster House in Bean-town. Coincidence? You tell me.

"Bean"

2010-05-25T22:33:00.010-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 12"

Talk about stepping out of my comfort zone - first landscapes and now interiors. I have had this commission in the queue for months and finally decided to tackle it. The intense light and fauvist color allowed me to have more fun than usual. Bean was my friend Kim's longtime companion and was once given an opportunity to spend some time in the Virginia countryside. Once home, being a city girl and not free to roam, all she could do was wistfully dream of her days chasing butterflies from her SoWeBo windowsill.

"Adirondack Stream"

2010-05-24T22:53:00.005-04:00

Oil on canvas 24" x 36"

This months artists Calypso Moon Artist Challenge - "the Secret Garden," gave me an opportunity to do something I almost never do - paint a landscape. Aside from the occasional outdoor setting of a dog or equestrian portrait, I just don't paint landscapes. It is not in my creative repertoire - my bag of tricks. It's not that I don't like them - on the contrary. I could get lost in of one of Gustave Courbet's landscapes for hours. Twenty years ago I was commissioned to paint the above painting which depicts a stream in the Adirondack mountains. Until recently I didn't have a slide of it. I thought it was apropos to post it now as I am leaving soon for my annual trip to Lake George. The Americade Rally is the largest motorcycle touring rally in the US and riding in the finger lakes never fails to free the spirit.

BTW - I was painting today but didn't quite get it finished. Look for something new on Wednesday.

"The Mark Adams Martini"

2010-05-19T23:20:00.007-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

For those of you following this blog, you might think that I have fallen into another artist malaise, and you would be right. Perhaps not as severe as in the past, but a ripple in the force none the less. We all know by now that the only way through is to push ahead, experiment with new things or play with old familiar, tried and true things to reacquaint yourself with the Muse. Glass has always been an amusing challenge to paint and since I have recently had the honor of having a drink named after me at my favorite restaurant - The Dogwood, I thought it might be a good place to start. Master mixologist Mike, the bartender at the Dogwood serves up a killer dirty martini with a twist (no pun intended). They start with organic vodka and infuse it with Serrano chilies. Shaken, not stirred (of course) with olive juice and garnished with pickled okra and olives, it is a thing of beauty and quite tasty if I do say so and I do, as I am having one at this very moment. Sláinte

"Secret Garden"

2010-05-14T00:20:00.015-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 9" x 12"

This month's Calypso Moon Artist Challenge was to paint a "Secret Garden." It could be anywhere you go to seek solace from the trials and tribulations of everyday life. As luck would have it, I needed to look no further than my own back yard. My wife Susan and I are avid gardeners and we would love to lay claim to this magnificent design but the credit goes to Master landscaper Bob Jackson and his merry men for coming up with this lush oasis. Planted just this past fall, the landscape looks like it is has been here for years. In the early evening we look forward to a "walkabout." Grab a glass of French Rose' and circumnavigate to grounds to see what new and wonderful things have sprung up. Can you have too much statuary? Well, yes, but to paraphrase the young Mozart in the movie Amadeus when the king questions whether his concerto has "too many notes" - "Just the right amount, your Majesty." I bow to his retort. This little guy used to live right behind the studio at our old house. He is now nestled in the woods, backed by some lovely Ligularia Dentata Desdemona, a wonderful plant with deep green and purple leaves. Here are a few photos of the garden. Grab a glass of wine and enjoy!

"Parrot"

2010-05-05T23:42:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

This painting was commissioned by a friend and I didn't get a back story so how about a parrot joke to go with it?

A lady is walking down the street to work and sees a parrot in a pet store. She stops to admire the bird. The parrot says to her, "Hey lady, you are really ugly." Well, the lady is furious! She storms past the store to her work. On the way home she saw the same parrot in the window and the parrot upon seeing her says, "Hey lady, you are really ugly." She was incredibly ticked now. The next day on the way to work she saw the same parrot and once again it said, "Hey lady, you are really ugly." The lady was so furious that she stormed into the store and threatened to sue the store and have the bird killed. The store manager apologized profusely and promised the bird wouldn't say it again. The next day, when the lady walked past the store after work the parrot said to her, "Hey lady." She paused, scowled with an icy and deadly stare, and said with a hoarse voice, "Yes?" The bird, strutting back and forth on its perch in a cocky manner, said, "You know."

"Fruit Tart"

2010-04-28T23:46:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 5" x 5"

The Queen of Hearts she made some tarts all on a summer's day;
The Knave of Hearts he stole the tarts and took them clean away.
The King of Hearts called for the tarts and beat the Knave full sore
The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts and
vowed he'd steal no more.

It was hardly a summer's day here in Baltimore today. Those foolish enough to have been lolled into thinking that frost was a thing of the past and have planted tender annuals are busy lighting smudge pots or kicking themselves. I entertained the idea of planting the herb garden last week but thankfully thought the better of it. After the worst winter in 200 years we all want to put that behind us but Mother Nature has a way of reminding us who's boss. I decided to have some fun swishing paint today and get away from the Opti-visor for a while. Enjoy!

"Big Yawn"

2010-04-28T00:51:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 5" x 7"

My wife isn't the only one who objects to the ghoulish nocturnal creative hours I keep. J.J. plainly feels that my time would be much better spent in bed, with the electric blanket on high and him under my arm under the covers. Clever cat that he is, I may adopt his suggestion in short order. Just when I got use to spring, winter has come back to Baltimore and there is a real chill in the air tonight. I'm sure I will miss this weather during the dog days of summer but now - not so much. It could be that J.J. is merely bored with my artistic pursuits. Hopefully he will perk up when he sees himself starring in the blog tomorrow.

"Two Fox Hounds"

2010-04-22T03:51:00.002-04:00

Oil on linen mounted on panel 8" x 10"

"Oyster with Three Lemons"

2010-04-19T22:46:00.003-04:00

Oil on canvas textured ampersand panel 6" x 6"

"Harvey"

2010-04-17T21:07:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

To those patient people still checking in daily, who thought perhaps I was stuck in some Northern European country waiting for the volcanic ash to settle, I apologize for not posting more often. I was traveling earlier this week, although thankfully not abroad. I was in Boston on a three day culinary tour. Talk about food that is delicious and bad for you! Scup's in the Harbor, Craigie on Main, Gibbet Hill Farm, Neptune Oyster House and Barbara Lynch's new restaurant Menton were a feast for the eyes and the soul. You will be seeing some food art in the near future. In the meantime here is a fun painting of my friend's Basset Hound - Harvey.

"Lobster with drawn butter"

2010-04-07T23:36:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

Alice Thompson's Calypso Moon Artist Challenge this month has us painting delicious food that is bad for us. She was very specific that it not be healthy food. Beyond that, the world was our oyster. To that end, I choose lobster with drawn butter. Without chemicals my cholesterol would be sky high and I probably should stay away from anything drenched in butter, but I can't help myself. My doctor gave me a choice a few years ago. He said "We can do this with diet and exercise or I can write you a prescription". Tough choice - Duh! Gooey desserts have never held much fascination for me. I grew up with a diabetic mother and two diabetic sisters and sugar-free jello was often the Dessert du Jour in our house. I never got use to eating sweets. Oh, I'll indulge in a hot fudge sundae now and then but I would really rather have a nice hunk of Roquefort than a piece of cake any day. Besides, lobsters are as much fun to paint as they are to eat. How we suffer for our art!

"Sammy in the Sunshine"

2010-04-04T00:12:00.002-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

Sammy has probably been thinking 'Hey, what am I chopped liver,?" since, hitherto, he has not been represented on this blog. J.J., Ella, and even little Shirley have all made it to stardom, but not Sam. It's not that I didn't think him worthy -far from it. Painting a black cat presents an artist with an interesting challenge. More often than not they are just a big black blob with piercing green eyes. Sitting in the sun changed that perspective and all his subtle coloration came to the fore and he positively glowed. Like Sammy says - "I gotta be me."

"Vezzie"

2010-04-01T01:07:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

I've been painting a lot of fur lately so I thought I'd have a go at some feathers for a change. My friend Deb gave me a very faded photo of her long departed yellow nape Amazon parrot Vezzie a while back to see what I could do with it. It was one of those old Polaroid photos which had faded and color shifted. After some internet research, I think (at least I hope) I came close to her original coloration. I really liked the contrast of the greens and the reds. Why Vezzie you ask? According to Deb - "She was named after a heroine in a Victorian novel by Trollope. That character had broken her hip and walked with a limp. She was so vain that she refused to walk in public after that and was carried everywhere in a sedan chair, Of course, pet parrots don't walk or fly - they're carried everywhere. And, pet parrots can be incredibly vain - my beautiful Vezzie certainly was. So, that's where her name came from. She was also wicked smart. She could break out of her cage, in-spite of the fact that it takes several actions taken at the same time to get the cage open. She was a really good talker and could imitate me perfectly. She was my special bud."

"Ella and Friend"

2010-03-29T19:50:00.015-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

A normal nightly ritual at the Adams' household before lights out is usually a game of "stick" with our four resident felines. Stick is played by sweeping and wiggling a felt mouse with 5 leather tails attached to a stick enticingly back and forth for their (and my) amusement. Shirley and Ella insist on it, Sammy pretends not to care and hides under the bed until a hidden paw lurches out to get in the game. JJ would like to play but is over-matched by his younger cohorts and usually sits on the sidelines and watches. Two nights ago no one showed up for the game and curious, we went to find out why. What could be more important than "stick?" Well, I'll tell you. How about a real live mouse? All the players, even JJ, had cornered a mouse in the studio and were standing guard. He had taken refuge under the bookcase and they had no intention of letting him saunter off. Normally our bed looks like NFL tonight with a pile of cats and us vying for a comfortable spot. Once settled in, trying to extricate oneself in the middle of the night can be a challenge. Even more so is working yourself back in once they have spread out. Even with a king-sized bed, they take up a lot of real estate. Sometime late that night Sam and JJ crept back to bed, leaving Ella to continue the vigil. By lunchtime all but Shirley were back at it. By this time the poor mouse had become resigned to his fate and would scoot across the studio floor pursued by his tormentors who, too, were exhausted from their all night antics. At one point I think the little guy figured out that if he didn't run, they wouldn't chase him and he actually almost curled up with Ella, who was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. I grabbed my camera and snapped off a few shots of this tender scene, got a box to put over the mouse who was no worse for the wear and let him outside - much to the kids chagrin and all was back to normal the next night. This scene with Ella and her new friend reminded me of the saddest Christmas carol I have ever heard, which always makes me well-up when I hear it. It's called "The Cat Carol" by Bruce Evans.

The cat wanted in to the warm warm house,
but no one would let the cat in
It was cold outside on Christmas Eve,
She meowed and meowed by the door.

The cat was not let in the warm warm house,
And her tiny cries were ignored.
'twas a blizzard now, the worst of the year,
There was no place for her to hide.

Just then a poor little mouse crept by,
He had lost his way in the snow.
He was on his last legs and was almost froze,
The cat lifted him with her paw.

She said "Poor mouse do not be afraid,
because this is Christmas Eve.
"On this freezing night we both need a friend,
"I won’t hurt you - stay by my side."

She dug a small hole in an icy drift,
This is where they would spent the night.
She curled herself 'round her helpless friend,
Protecting him from the cold.

Oooooo

When Santa came by near the end of the night,
the reindeer started to cry.
They found the cat lying there in the snow,
and they could see that she had died.

They lifted her up from the frozen ground,
and placed her into the sleigh.
It was then they saw the little mouse wrapped up,
she had kept him warm in her fur.

"Oh thank you Santa for finding us!
"Dear cat wake up we are saved!"
..."I’m sorry mouse but your friend has died,
there’s nothing more we can do.

"On Christmas Eve she gave you her life,
the greatest gift of them all."
Santa lifted her up into the night sky,
and laid her to rest among the stars.

"Dear mouse don’t cry you are not alone,
you will see your friend every year.
"Each Christmas a Cat Constellation will shine,
to remind us that her love’s still here."

Oooooooo

"Muzzy"

2010-03-28T00:06:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

I find Facebook an interesting Internet phenomenon. One can lurk in the shadows and yet keep abreast of one's friends' and family's goings on. I personally have no idea or care about what happens in Farmville or what all those hearts and gold stars that all my Facebook "friends" bestow on each other mean. What I do care about is when I read about something extraordinary - whether happy or sad - that happens to one of my friends. "Friend" is a word that is thrown around a bit too casually these days. I have always counted myself blessed to have so many people in my life that I consider true friends. You know - the ones you can call in the middle of the night when you have broken down on some God-forsaken country road 50 miles from home and they will rub the sleep from their eyes, pull on their pants and come get you. It's what friends do. Don't get me wrong, I am pleased and fascinated by my Facebook "friends." It's nice to know that even a few total strangers consider me interesting enough to want me as their "friend." But the real point of this is that I recently saw a post about the passing of my friend's friend's dog. I only met the dog's owner once or twice at a party, but I was so moved by the photos of his beloved Muzzy and the touching comments from those who knew her, that I wanted to paint her portrait to honor her memory. She has a regal look about her, perhaps owing to the Elizabethan collar of white fur around her nape. The floral ottoman allowed for some fun brushwork and gave the painting some quiet femininity.

"Mardi Gras Beads and Corks"

2010-03-11T01:31:00.008-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 5" x 7"

This is my submission to the 2nd challenge of the Calypso Moon Artist Movement. The challenge was to "take only two things that you collect and make an interesting painting that reflects your personality and/or history." This was not an easy task, as I collect lots of things. To the uninitiated I might even be considered a hoarder, which is neither true nor fair. Being an artist, I see the potential in things as possible grist for the creative mill. Corks, wine foils, beer caps, wishbones, cigar bands, hats, fortune cookie fortunes and Mardi Gras beads are but a small sampling of what is in the hundreds of boxes in the basement. I have been saving wishbones since I was 11 and have thousands. I have bushel baskets of wine corks which make great bulletin boards. With the advent of the Stelvin closure, a.k.a. the screw cap, corks are fast becoming a thing of the past (insert Boones Farm Strawberry Hill reference/joke here). I know screw caps are better at preserving wine but the theatrics and pageantry of the sommelier is diminished by a mere quick twist of the wrist. I wonder - if a bad bottle of wine is "corked" is a bad Stelvin capped bottle "screwed"?

The bead collection started years ago when I was down in New Orleans (duh!) for Mardi Gras. My wife and I were walking back to our hotel after the Orpheus Ball, dressed in black tie and gown and we happened on the tail end of a Mardi Gras parade. We later found out that you must get rid of all your throws before the end of the parade, so timing is everything. You want to have enough to last the whole parade but since they reuse the floats, you have to jettison everything in the last two blocks, which is where we were. The revelers were lobbing beads by the gross, still wrapped in their plastic bags. Armfuls of beads came raining down on us. I could barely carry my treasure back to the room. Needless to say I was hooked!

Alice wanted us to demonstrate our creative process, so here are some work in progress pics:

Here is a rare photo of one the larger cork boards I have made. Rare because it is not completely covered with stuff push pinned to it as it will be is a few months time, since we just moved in and I took the old detritus off during the move. Empty vertical surfaces are almost as much a clutter magnet to an artist (at least to this artist) as a horizontal one. Note the wishbone drying in the upper left corner.

"JJ" - no, not my JJ

2010-03-09T23:52:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 8" x 10"

Before I got swept up in the great move and before the back to back blizzards of 2010 I was loosely commissioned to paint this magnificent Ragdoll. After yesterday (sorry Tig) I thought it might be time to splash around in this feline's fantastic white mane. Besides I have a soft spot for any cat named JJ.

"Tig"

2010-03-08T19:07:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 6"

Why is it that every time I lay off the brush for a while, I start back up painting a wild creature like Tig here? You may remember back on June 15th 2008 I had a similar experience painting another of my friend Deb's canines, a wee wiry terrier named Elfie. Tig was Elfie's predecessor. I got a little back story from Deb:

"She was a rescue who went through at least 2 owners before she came to me. We didn't know her exact age of course, but we think that she lived to be about 18. She peed by walking on her front two paws with her hind legs in the air - the only trick that any of my dogs have ever been able to do and one that made me laugh every time she did it. (Of course I'm easy to amuse.) I really miss her."

Thanks for giving me a needed jump start Tig - much obliged.

"Millie"

2010-02-24T00:36:00.006-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Posthumous pet portrait week continues at the studio. This sweet little beagle is, or should I say was, Millie, faithful companion to my friends Tom and David. and side kick to Chloe the Jack Russell terrier represented on these pages a few months ago. Chloe has a new cohort in beagle form named Penny who has the same endearing (?) habit of nesting on the top of the sofa cushions. I wish this was a better photograph of the painting. The subtle nuances of the color got lost in translation. C'est la vie.

"Sezza"

2010-02-23T01:51:00.007-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

Self Portrait - Green Black and White

2010-02-20T10:55:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 5" x 7"

I was invited recently to participate in a fledgling artist challenge blog started by artist Alice Thompson. It is called the Calypso Moon Artist Movement. Here's her first challenge:

1. You may use only 1 color (mixed with Black and White). That's right, only one so choose wisely. Remember the importance of contrast. Your base color can be black, white or a gray shade in between mixed with your color.

2. No nudes. I want to see a little more than just your face. Upper body and shoulders carry a lot of character. Give us that. Check out Van Gogh's self portraits to see what I mean.

3. When you post the image on your blog you must tell us how and why you choose the color that you did.

Perhaps not quite following the spirit of the challenge or perhaps because I have a more graphic nature, I choose to isolate the hues. For me - adding black and white to one hue would create a monochromatic (duh!) portrait and I wanted more intensity. I could have brushed more greens into the portrait and indeed contemplated doing so but that would have obfuscated my vision. Why Green? Irish heritage would be the easy answer. I have been described as a somewhat too tall, impish leprechaun. But I wanted something with punch and red was too obvious. I am not a red kinda guy, except around Christmas (for obvious reasons - Ho, Ho, HO!) Purple is my favorite color but I didn't think it would work in this application. In a former life I was known as "Markus the Green" having been a Lord of the Rings apostle in the 60's - long before it was turned into a major motion picture. So green it is.

"warm up exercise"

2010-02-19T00:27:00.002-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

It seemed appropriate that I paint ice today since I have been looking at, shoveling, blowing and chipping snow and ice for the past two weeks. I live just north of metropolitan Baltimore and we recently had back to back blizzards. Two feet of snow followed a week later by two more feet of snow. Today was good fun shoveling the snow from the roof of my new house as water dripped down from a speaker in the ceiling. Is it any wonder that I haven't done much in the studio? I thought painting these colorful little guys would get me get back into the swim of things.

"RibN Redux"

2010-02-09T00:04:00.004-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

I went to a Super Bowl party yesterday at the home of my friends, the Jokesters. Bless them for the invite, as we don't have television reception where we live. It's the price we pay for living in paradise. We are trying to get cable to come down our road but so far Comcast is not receptive to the idea. I don't really miss TV except for things like the Super Bowl and the Olympics, well, and the Food Network. Given that New Orleans is our second home, I need hardly say, a good time was had by all. Whoo Hoo! - Way to go Saints! Laissez les bons temps rouler!! Cheering on the Saints with us was one of the sweetest dogs on the planet, Marianne and Steve's Australian Shepherd named RibN. His appellation is derived from a ribbon of black fur that dissects his right side (or is it his left?). Aside from his good nature, he is a thing of beauty and I thought today would be a good day to reacquaint myself with the breed.

Well that's settled...

2010-02-03T23:14:00.006-05:00

Our old house that is. We settled on our old house last week - lock, stock and barrel and now have furniture to sit on - yea!. It has been said that moving is one of the most stressful events in one's life and I am here to tell you that is a huge understatement. We have 16 years of wonderful memories from that place and hope the new owners enjoy it as much as we did. All this is my feeble attempt at an excuse, albeit a good one, for not painting for so long. The work of opening boxes, hanging artwork and organizing goes on but without the hectic pace of getting our old house ready to sell. I have covered the paralyzing, debilitating fear of the "cold start" ad nauseam on these pages so I won't bore you again with the details. Suffice it to say that I am suffering from it in a big way just at present and am attempting to work through it. I swished a little paint today just to test the water. I'm not sure I am happy with the result but I thought I would put it up for edification. You can't say it isn't energetic.

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

Post Script:
In the sober light of day this painting of Mac McDoodle is not without charm. It was fun to splash around in all those colorful curls. Thanks, Mac.

" A glass of red wine"

2010-01-21T00:33:00.003-05:00

Oil on cradled museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 9" x 12"

surprise!

2010-01-13T00:45:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

More to say about this painting tomorrow.

Cold starts, cold starts and cold starts.

2010-01-06T14:51:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!

Here in the East we were greeted with 22" of snow a week before Christmas. Mercifully it subsided enough by the big day as to not intrude on the familial yuletide festivities and the myriad holiday parties that followed. The snow is now a memory but the new blast of arctic air is chilling me to the bone. Being a long time motorcyclist I naturally abhor winter. Day after day of sub-freezing temperatures with no end in sight (well, April) doesn't help my spirits. As if that weren't enough I have the mother of all colds which started on Sunday and now I am staring at the prospect of another creative cold start. All of this is by way of an explanation of why there is no new work yet. I hope to shake this cold soon. Meanwhile I am spending time bundled up in a blanket watching cd reruns of Julia Child's "The French Chef." Since my sense of smell is gone I might as well vicariously enjoy Boeuf Bourguignon, Bouillabaisse a la Marseillaise and Tripes a al Mode. (Well maybe not that last thing) Bon Appetit!

"Buster"

2009-12-23T21:59:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 8" x 10"

One of the saddest things that I am asked to do this time of year is paint a posthumous portrait of a beloved pet. Having been there myself, I know the pain of losing a longtime (and sometimes not so longtime) friend. This is Buster, who crossed the rainbow bridge this past October.

This may be the last piece I create in 2009. I promise the new year will be full of new, exciting and consistent work (fingers crossed).

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"Chase" (not dp)

2009-12-15T21:44:00.005-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

This sleepy little guy is, or should I say was, Chase. Sadly he has recently joined the morning stars. I can only assume that his appellation was derived from what terriers are prone to do - chase things. Squirrels, cars, cats, people, even their own tails are all fair game. Of course it is possible that he had a brother named Sanborn which would have been apropos since terriers as a group seem like they have had one too many cups of coffee. Then again his owner might have used his Chase credit card to purchase him from the breeder. Oh well, these speculations are profitless. God speed, Chase.

"Abbey"

2009-12-02T01:15:00.003-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

As promised - this is Jake's friend Abbey basking in the afternoon sun. I had mixed feelings about included her intense red collar but I think I like it.

Raining Cats and Dogs

2009-11-30T23:36:00.006-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

It's that time of year when my plate is piled high with commissions from people anxious to get in that last minute Christmas portrait of their favorite four legged companion. I hesitate to post these as some are obviously meant as surprise gifts but I was assured that the wife of the commissionee of this pretty marmalade tabby doesn't look at my website (sniff). Anyway this is Jake, one of two cats belonging to my friend Earl. Look for Abbey tomorrow.

"Bridgett"

2009-11-17T02:07:00.007-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

Early this year I was asked to donate a pet portrait to the Humane Society. Anyone who adopted a cat or kitten during the spring and summer was entered into a drawing for a painting of their newly adopted companion. The winner was the owner of this pretty girl named Bridgett. Her ice blue eyes and interesting coloration would have compelled me to paint her even if there had been no contest. Her beautiful party colored markings and sweet demeanor guaranteed her a place in someones heart and home. I hope they like the painting. My fashion roots came out and I gave her the stark grey seamless treatment made famous by Francesco Scavullo, Richard Avedon and Irving Penn.

"Ella with Hydrangeas"

2009-11-10T01:00:00.006-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 10"

The cat formerly known as Dino (before we realized he was a she) is part of the rat pack of kittens we adopted last spring. She has turned into a real love and is quite smitten with JJ. She dogs his every waking (and sleeping) moment, much to his consternation. I call her Ella because she reminds me of the paintings in Robert Motherwell's Elegy series. I fear we will never be able to have flowers inside again because the rat pack seek and destroy any flora (and small fauna, i dare say) that comes into the house. Ella got a chance to check these pretty hydrangeas out before the tempting bouquet was sequestered in the powder room for the night.

"Schatzi"

2009-11-04T00:56:00.007-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

"I'm baaack" Yes I finally put brush to panel for the first time in the new studio. I couldn't find my maul stick, paint rags, turpentine, and miscellaneous other painting accouterments but I managed to get something on the easel. Schatzi is my friend Beth's wire haired dachshund. She's a real schweetie and reminds me of Alfalfa from the little rascals with her cute cowlick (Schatzi, not Beth). Hey, it's a start.

Still in Limbo

2009-09-26T13:57:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update -

Still digging out. I don't have internet access yet so I am not able to keep up with e-mail and such. I am finding wi-fi where I can and checking in now and again. Hopefully things will calm down in a week or two.

Drum roll please!

2009-09-13T19:06:00.004-04:00

Here is the new house. The landscaping is still a work in progress but the house is 99 percent finished. Thanks to all who haven't given up on checking in. New art is just around the corner.

Here is the new studio:

Move update - (ndp)

2009-08-24T20:53:00.003-04:00

Just in case you need visual proof that I am indeed in the throws of moving, here is a shot of what was the studio. JJ and the kids are having a ball playing in the habitrail that is now my home. We move out on Thursday and Friday. Unpacking will be just as laborious so don't get your hopes up for any new work just yet.

"Sprocket"

2009-07-16T01:35:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

Dear old Sprocket was the American Bulldog belonging to my friends Lauren and David. Every dog has his day and sadly his has come and gone. He was always a playful pup who got his way - no napkin was safe on your lap nor shoelace left tied. This was Sprocket in his later years - ear thrown back, gums flapping in the breeze, that unmistakable grin. I'm sure Saint Peter is throwing him that slimy kong right now (and missing the tassel on his robe.)

Please Stand By... (ndp)

2009-07-06T09:26:00.003-04:00

As predicted, packing and moving is taking its toll on my creative output. Right now the studio is in shambles. I have kept out the bare essentials for painting, just in case I can summon up the mindset and time to lay brush to canvas but I fear that may be a pipe dream for the next month or so. Its a pity, too, because I just saw a wonderful exhibit; “Luis Meléndez: Master of the Spanish Still Life" at the National Gallery in Washington and came home full of inspiration. If you live in the area, you should try and see this show. The man really knew his onions! His elements were few and oft repeated in varying compositions rendering glass, copper pots, bread, and a plethora of fruits and vegetables with amazing skill. I was impressed.

"Fabulous 5"

2009-06-26T01:33:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

Although my idea of having a few "black and tans" normally takes place at my local Irish pub, this motley crew also put a smile on my face. The image was sent to me recently by Anne Stark, breeder of champion dachshunds and whippets. She seemed to think I could have fun with this and she was right. Her pups can be seen on her website "Piper's puppies4u."
Thanks for the amusing reference, Anne.

You may ask why the blue eyes? The original reference of these pups was most assuredly made with a flash which reflected back as blue. I toyed with the idea of making the retinas black but I liked the cobalt accents dancing around the panel. I think it livens up the painting.

"Paris Carousel"

2009-06-18T00:48:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8 1/4" x 10 7/8"

I've been picking at this painting for a couple of days, not quite sure of how I wanted to play this. The subject is so colorful that I had intended to splash on the paint loose and free but my realist roots kept the piece in check. I think I'll sleep on it and see if I need to throw on some more highlights in the morning.

JJ - "bunny pose"

2009-06-10T23:39:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

It has always been hard for me to get back into the paint after a hiatus of a week or more. All those self doubts rear their ugly heads and I stand before the blank canvas wondering if I can still make the magic happen. JJ, my constant companion in the studio, has once again been my inspiration and my familiar back to the muse. I'll never understand the mystery of the creative spirit. Ours is not to reason why.

"Recharging my creative batteries"

2009-05-29T10:24:00.003-04:00

I am heading out on my annual pilgrimage to Lake George, New York for the Americade rally. As some of you know, my other passion is motorcycling and I look forward to this event like a little kid anticipates Christmas. Billed as the largest touring rally in the United States, it has much to ofter - great roads, old friends, demo rides from almost every manufacturer and the largest collection of touring rider vendors assembled in one place called the tour expo. If you ride and have not gone to Americade you are missing a good time. It doesn't get any better than riding through the Adirondacks and the Finger Lakes. I will be gone for a week so there will be no new paintings posted for a while. I am having some doubts about the intense red of yesterdays painting and may tone it down with a glaze when I return. Let me know it you concur with this observation.

"German Shepherd"

2009-05-28T00:25:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

"Mac"

2009-05-19T01:13:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

I thought I was the only one still looking like Manard G. Krebs these days, that is until I saw my friend Stephanie's tiny toy poodle, Mac, wearing his ever so beat, black turtleneck sweater. Poodle cut? No way! This dog is one cool cat! I'm certain he has a black beret stashed in his kennel somewhere.

"Sisters"

2009-05-14T02:55:00.009-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Meet the new kids on the block. You may recall my dear Anna was called home back in March. This opened the door, literally and figuratively to bringing the feral kittens that we had been looking after since last summer into the house. Anna was too set in her ways to tolerate three new kittens into her world. She had stoically declined JJ's constant invitations to play. This would have been too much. I must say that I, too, was not prepared for 24/7 living with feral cats in the house. At first it was like having live squirrels inside. They would run and hide if you made a sharp noise, had shoes on your feet or made a sudden move. I am happy to report that we are going to need a bigger bed as Ella and her brother, Sammy, have discovered the joys of the electric blanket and the comfort of snuggling with humans (a.k.a. the big pink monsters). I don't have the heart to tell them the season is changing and they will have to wait until November to feel its warmth again. While they were still living outside we put a litter box out for them and they all caught onto it right away, so all is well in that department, although policing 4 boxes does take more time. Shirley is still very much afraid of everyone and everything - except JJ. She is in heat right now and we are very careful to not let her escape. She seems to think JJ can help her out, but he is not up to the task, if you catch my drift, nor is her brother Sammy. From this painting one would think that Ella, formerly known as Dino before her femininity became apparent, was a bruiser. She is actually quite demure. Her slender body and tiny stature are almost ferret-like. She can squeeze into the tiniest spot and gets into more trouble than the Beav on an outing with his friend Whitey. Ella is her nickname, by the way. Her full name is "Elegy to the Spanish Republic Number 57" because she looks so much like that Robert Motherwell painting. I hope to paint her brother, Sammy, very soon. Stay tuned.

"Oyster Plate"

2009-05-11T23:49:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

"The world was my oyster but I used the wrong fork" - Oscar Wilde

"Holly and Jonahven"

2009-05-07T01:40:00.010-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

I'm sure by now everyone has given up on me, but for those still checking in, I assure you I am fine and still creating art. I have been working on a commission that ate up a bunch of time, then I left for the West coast to visit my daughter, granddaughters Sonny and Willow and my new grandson - Jonahven Infinity. They live in Ashland, Oregon, the epicenter of hippydom on Earth. The town is an exciting amalgam of art, theatre, music and strange interesting characters. It's a pity that it is so difficult to get to, as I would love to be able to visit more often, not only to see my daughter and grandchildren but to experience the Shakespeare Festival that it is home to. Every year 600,000 people make a trek to this quirky little town to see some of the Bard's plays performed on an outdoor Elizabethan Stage patterned after the Globe Theatre. As it is, one must fly into Salt Lake City and catch a puddle jumper to Medford or fly into Portland and drive five hours. Ugh.

The first Wednesday of the month the Daily painters group that I belong to has a theme challenge. This month it was "Celebrating Mom" in honor of Mother's Day. The work was supposed to be posted yesterday but I had other fish to fry so here it is, better late than never. My granddaughters attend the "Willow Wind" school which had a May Day celebration complete with May pole and floral wreathes. Quite apropos, given the populace. This is a painting of my daughter Holly and with her new little boy. Perhaps I've seen the Lord of the Rings too many times as there is an elfish quality about them, which is rather fitting, seeing as Holly's middle name is Lórien. Oops, my early hippy roots are showing.

"Blue"

2009-04-23T00:33:00.006-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 8" x 10"

As you can see, I am going through a brindle phase right now. Blue here, belongs to my landscape designer. He brought him over today to model for me. Sporting the typically gorgeous Australian Shepherd coat, his eyes are particularly unusual, in a Marilyn Manson sort of way. One is half brown and half blue, the other pure ice blue. He is also a sweetheart (except to groundhogs, I've been told). His coquettish sidelong glance is endearing.

"Bigger Big"

2009-04-15T23:19:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 8" x 8"

Mr Big belongs to my friends Debby and Fran. I painted him last year as a lark, to see if I could portray his great stature on a small 6" square panel. Although I was happy with that painting, I really wanted a bit more space to capture his wonderful brindle coat. On a recent visit Mr. Big acquiesced to another model session. He is a bit grayer in the muzzle but is still a magnificent beast.

BTW - I didn't say which Wednesday, did I?

Out of the Studio

2009-04-02T14:37:00.002-04:00

I'm headed down to New Orleans for a few days. Look for new work on Wednesday.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

"Out of the Box"

2009-03-31T23:36:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

Perhaps I should have called this "Out of the sand box" The name is derived from the monthly Daily painters challenge - Out of the box, meaning paint a subject or in a style or medium that you are not familiar with. Anyone who knows me well can tell you that I loath boats and I am not altogether thrilled with going to the beach either. That alone would fit the criteria for the challenge. Blue paint would be another element with which I am ill at ease. My early years as an artist, as I may have stated before on these pages, were spent immersed in the study of the Dutch masters. I may have used the tiniest bit of ultramarine blue to cool down the shadows, but that was it. No cerulean, no cobalt, no Prussian inhabited in my palette. I hesitated to put this painting on the blog but what the hell. It actually has more going on texturally speaking, than one can see from this photo. Suffice it to say that I have new respect for the seascape painters out there.

"Rufus in the garden"

2009-03-31T01:21:00.004-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

As an artist, I am frequently (very frequently) asked to donate work to various charities. I wish that I could accommodate every worthy cause that asked for a painting but sadly, more often than not, I must decline. I recently took our two feral females to be neutered at the Baltimore County Humane Society's Spay and Neuter Clinic. The young receptionist saw my blog, loved the work and asked if I would donate something to her fund raiser. She must have caught me at a weak moment and I acquiesced. Rufus here is her Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Of course now she has to decide to donate a portrait of her dog to the cause. Tee hee.

"Roscoe"

2009-03-25T02:17:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 6"

I don't always have a back story when reinterpreting someone else's reference. I just really liked this guy's Walter Matthau impression. I was surprised to discover that Roscoe was a Maine Coon, given up for adoption at 6 months of age due to the fact that he didn't have the classic long thick coat. I've been told he does however have all the other typical traits of a Maine Coon, from being a one person cat to "chirping." His "Grumpy Old Man" look has been Roscoe's look all his life. This cat was born an old man. Roscoe is also well traveled, having lived abroad for a couple of years. He is 13 now and Diabetic.

"Blessed are the cheese makers"

2009-03-23T06:49:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

The cheese portrayed in this painting is a small sampling of the selection presented to us in Paris at Restaurant Guy Savoy. To try and describe the culinary experience of that night in mere words on these pages would be futile. Suffice it to say that it was the most amazing, decadent (and expensive) meal I have ever had.

"Anna" - R.I.P.

2009-03-18T22:41:00.003-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel - 6" x 8"

I suppose you've been wondering what happened to me. Had my muse run off to Monaco to play baccarat? Had I shuffled off this artists life and joined a monastery? Not quite. Sadly, I had been nursing my dear Anna who was battling two powerful foes - cancer and old age. She finally succumbed to their one-two punch yesterday and I had to intercede on her behalf. Not the way I would have chosen to celebrate St. Patrick's Day I assure you. This kind of intervention is not conducive to the creative process. Perhaps if I were a watercolor painter my work would have taken on a Grace Hartigan quality. Salty tears make for some interesting effects while working in a wet medium. I was able to steel myself to paint a commemorative portrait today. God speed, Anna. I hope you are frolicking with Vincent, Theo, Marco and your mom. At least you are no longer in pain. I wish I could say the same.

"Art Nouveau Harley-Davidson"

2009-03-11T00:44:00.005-04:00

Oil on Canvas 27 1/2" x 42"

This piece has been knocking around the studio for quite a while. Intrigued by Alphonse Mucha's use of heavy delineation to flatten the figure, I decided to see if I could update it with the help of my Ultra Classic Harley-Davidson and my model Stephanie. The painting was quite a departure for a staunch realist like me. It is certainly unique. That 1997 wine berry and charcoal paint scheme on the bike was a knockout. I learned, too, that I am way too lazy to own a bike with white walled tires.

"Chloe"

2009-03-09T23:11:00.005-04:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

What is it about Jack Russells that make them so endearing? Who among us has not been amused at Eddie's antics on the TV show Fraser? An interesting factoid: the dog who portrayed Eddie was named "Moose", an odd name for a little terrier. The few Jacks that I have crossed paths with have been a bit on the nervous side and would shake uncontrollably if I so much as looked at them funny. Yet they all, without exception, had sweet dispositions and although they looked rather fragile, were tough as nails. This old gal belongs to my friends Tom and Dave.

"Lochi"

2009-03-04T21:48:00.008-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

This little guy is named Lochi or is it Lockie? It is short for "Low Key."
How he would spell it is anyone's guess:

The naming of cats is a difficult matter
It isn't just one of your holiday games
You may think at first I'm mad as a hatter
When I tell you a cat must have three different names

First of all, there's the name that the family use daily
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey
All of them are sensible, everyday names

But I tell you a cat needs a name that's particular
A name that's peculiar and more dignified
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular?
Or spread out his whiskers or cherish his pride?

Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo or Coricopat
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum
Names that never belong to more than one cat

But above and beyond there's still one name left over
And that is the name that you will never guess
The name that no human research can discover
But the cat himself knows and will never confess

When you notice a cat in profound meditation
The reason, I tell you, is always the same
His mind is engaged in rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name

His ineffable, effable, effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular name
Name, name, name, name, name, name

T.S. Elliott

"Vodka Martini with Three Olives"

2009-03-04T01:30:00.007-05:00

Oil on museum quality ampersand gessobord panel 6" x 8"

Scotch whiskey and I are old friends. We go back years and years and I still like a wee dram in the evening, after I have put the brushes down, of course, and am reflecting on the day. The peatier the better. I could easily retire to Islay and drink Laphroaig when I'm near the end. Lately however, I have embraced the dirty, spicy vodka martini as my drink of choice. Last year dear friends of mine gave me a bottle of home infused pepper vodka. They are master gardeners and pepper heads and grow some very interesting and uncommon varieties of hot peppers like "Biker Billies" and "Chocolate habaneros." Let's just say the stuff would put hair on your chest. It was not for the faint of heart but right up my alley. This year they gave me a bag of assorted capsicums and I took them to Lars, my favorite mixologist at the Dogwood restaurant in Baltimore to infuse with one of his organic Vodkas. He keeps it behind the bar for me to have with my short rib meatloaf special on Thursdays. I doubt mere mortals could touch the stuff. It really is wonderful in a dirty martini. This is one of Lars' concoctions.