"Casamento's Oysters on a Formica Table"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 8"

2018/2019

  You may have noticed that today's painting is dated 2018.  There is a reason for that and forgive me if I have addressed this before, but it is worth repeating.  There is an old adage, nay, an axiom, that states a painting is never finished but merely stopped at a given time.  It is knowing when to stop that separates the good artists from the great.  When I stopped this painting, I was not quite happy with the results.  The flesh was a lifeless, monotone grey.  Since the daily paintings are meant to be exercises or warm-ups, I just moved on, chalking it up to a bad day.  However, I just couldn't let this one go. I did varnish it, in a forlorn hope that the sunken colors would sing and be brought back to life.  They didn't and it wasn't, so it went into "the box."  The Box is sort of like the Island of misfit toys for lost and forgotten paintings.  I had not given the piece much more thought until a few days before Mardi Gras. While watching the Food Channel, a segment on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives featured Casamento's on Magazine Street in New Orleans, which is where I first encountered these three. I knew then that I had to revisit them. 

  Sure, I could have started with a fresh panel but I wanted to experiment with removing the old varnish.  Hitherto, I had never removed varnish from a painting.  I purposely use Soluvar vanish because it is self leveling and easily removable for the restoration process years from now.  I am happy to report that it does come off nicely, without disturbing the paint beneath.  This painting had been varnished at least 6 months ago so I wasn't too worried about that aspect. The nearly grisaille under-paint took the fresh glazes and scumbles beautifully, as if to say "What took you so long?"  Like Lazarus rising from the grave, there is new life in these pretty, puffy little bi-valves.   Laissez les bons temps rouler!

West Coast Oysters with Lemon and Mignonette

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"
2019

  Another small oyster painting from last week.  Perhaps not quite as much fun since these were posing for me alfresco and there are no catch lights to make them glisten.  That said, the pretty, deep, fluted cups have charm of their own.  They remind me of cogs in a wheel or the inner workings of a watch.  The juxtaposition of the shells, the weathered wooden table, the metal cup and hint of a crystal glass made for a fun and challenging exercise. I like the way the yellow of the lemon dances around the composition, grazing off the shells and mignonette.  The expression "A pop of color" is overused today, especially on home decorating shows, but it is appropos here. The lemon really makes the painting sing.  Perhaps the more correct title should be "Lemon with Oysters, Mignonette and glass."
 

  I'm generally not a fan of sauces on oysters, but out West, where the oysters are less briny, creamier and more minerally, I like a squeeze of lemon, a splash of herbaceous mignonette or even just a dash of tabasco. Call me a homer, but even after all my travels, I still prefer slurping the local guys from the Chesapeake Bay more than almost anywhere else, with the possible exception of Prince Edward Island.  I do like a salt bomb oyster and they produce some beauties up there.

"The Persistence of memory"

oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"
2019

  Another year has gone by and again I have neglected this poor blog.  Well, today is a new day and a new commitment to keep you, my loyal followers, abreast of my creative efforts. By now you are aware that oysters are my go-to models when I have been away from the easel or wrestling with my Muse. A singer does scales to keep their instrument sharp, I paint oysters.  Besides, I like painting oysters!  They remind me of snowflakes - no two are alike. This little piece reminds me of Salvador Dali's ubiquitous  "The Persistence of Memory." The shell of the lower oyster seems to melt over the edge of the table like a ripe Camembert in the warm sun. 

Blue Point Oysters with Pea Crabs

oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"
2018

  Let's take it from the top kids.  I'm pretty much starting from scratch with the blog, since it's been over a year and a half since I posted anything here.  I had to relearn the whole process, so bear with me.  A lot has happened since I last pecked out a blog entry.  The most salient is transitioning from daily painting small works to painting full scale, commissioned portraiture.  I will always have a soft spot for the little panels and there will be studies and some small pieces included here, but portrait work is my first love. I will be back-posting some of the important works from last year which include the CEO of a fortune 500 company, a district court judge, a local television icon here in Baltimore and a newly unveiled portrait of past Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.  I have some fun work in front of me too, so stay tuned!

Spit

Oil on panel

6" x 8"

2016

  This little guy is the late, great Spit.   I have owned a tabby or two in my lifetime and have always been fascinated by the myriad of color variations of their coat.  Sometimes cool, sometimes warm, depending on the light, it can be a challenge to capture in paint.  I really pushed the paint on this piece, often using a dry brush technique to grind into the gessobord (yes that's how Ampersand spells it) panel.  He has a rather ghostly appearance, coming out of the shadow chiaroscuro style, which is apropos since he has recently ascended to the heaviside layer.

"Mike"

 

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 6"

2014

  I experimented with scale with this piece.  The painting is of Mike, the dearly departed tabby that belonged to my friend Ellen.  It is amazing how much presence this panel has for it's diminutive size.  His countenance can be felt from across the studio.

  I'm not sure why this painting of Mike popped up here as I painted him in 2014.  I was going through my blog making corrections and I guess I moved him on up.  I suppose he just wanted to be seen again.  Ironically, I have just finished a painting of a tabby.

"One Hon Bar Oyster"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

 This little guy slipped through the cracks and has never been posted.  He has been sitting on my mantle for over a year.  I have been enjoying his company but his wanderlust is palpable.  He longs to be admired by others.

"Pemaquid oyster, shell and lemon"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 8"

2016

I realize that I have said this a thousand times before but I am going to try and be more faithful in posting to my blog.  Hmmm, why did Yoda's words just pop into my head?  "Do or do not, there is no try." 

"Sea Queens"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2016

"Porgie in a Jam Pot"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2016

 I am sure even my staunchest followers have long given up hope of seeing new work coming out of the studio and posted herein and who could blame them?  No, I haven't hung up my brushes nor have I run off to join the circus.  So what have I been up to since last August?  Well, there were quite a few paintings that just didn't get posted.  More importantly, I have been polishing my shingle and concentrating on my first love, commissioned portraiture.  That has meant more time in the museum and less time in the studio.  Also the studio work has been more experimentation than finished work.  If you're still with me, stay tuned.  Good things are coming.

study for "The Palantír"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

"Coal"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

2015

6" x 10"

I finally got around to finishing the painting of Coal.  I think the slender panels and curvilinear forms work together nicely:

"Tanner"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 10"

2015

This is Tanner.  He lives on the west coast with his buddy Coal.  I have been wanting to paint a pair of Yin and Yang panels of the these little guys since last year.  I hope to have something of Coal tomorrow if all goes well.  Stay tuned.

"Ginger"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

This piece is more illustrative than some of my older animal paintings.  It has the feeling of a plate in a children's book.  Not that I am unhappy with it.  Quite the contrary.  In this day and age of computers and image manipulation, it is pleasant to see the hand of the artist, is it not?

Variations on a theme - "The Conversation" second state

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

You should be aware by now that my "daily paintings" often serve as sketches for larger works.  By their very nature, these small paintings allow for the exploration of multiple compositions from various angles without spending days and weeks on a large polished painting only to find that it could have been improved if only I had done this or that.  The fact that these little panels hold together as finished works of art is a side benefit of their creation. A case in point is the painting above.  An earlier version saw the standing beagle with his hand on the huntmaster's arm.  I liked that very much but I might want to introduce a few more of his canine cohorts at the bottom of the larger finished painting.  We shall see.   

"Horse Head study"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

  As promised, I am back at the easel and at the keyboard.  Today's painting is a study of a horse head.  I may have mentioned that I am starting an equestrian series and am familiarizing myself with horse anatomy.  I have great respect for horses, although I have very very little experience in the saddle.  I prefer to have 76 horses under the saddle in the form of my Harley-Davidson. I used a semi dry brush technique on this piece.  It almost has an egg tempura effect.

"Soph"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

To quote Britney Spears - "Oops, I did it again." That is just so typically me, I have neglected posting work and musings on my blog.  I actually have been painting and the new work often finds itself on my Facebook page or www.dailypainters.com.  Even when I have posted here, it was just a quick entry of a painting, with little more than title, size and date.  Sorry to the few followers who are still with me. I am going to make a concerted effort to be current and informative.  Fingers crossed! 

This is Soph.  He (yes, he) belongs to some friends of mine.  When they found and adopted him, they had named him Sophie, with the assumption that he was a she.  They learned otherwise at his first visit to the vet but his name stuck, hence "Soph." It was their choice.

"Pub 44 Oyster"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

5" x 7"

2015

"Oyster on Red"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

5" x 7"

2015

"Oysters at the Passport Wine Festival"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

I really had fun painting this piece.  The tooth of these Ampersand panels allows for some great effects.  I doubt that I could have gotten the same scratched weathered wood effect on canvas. It was a bright sunny day in Healdsburg, with a few puffy clouds as evidenced in the base of the wine glass.

Mandala Series #1 - "Four Oysters and a Shell on a Black Plate with Lemon"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 8"
2015

 

When I was a youth, one of my early record purchases was a 45 (remember those?) of Peter, Paul and Mary’s “Puff the Magic Dragon.” On the flip side was a song called “The Great Mandala – The Wheel of Life.”  Since I didn’t have many records in my collection at the time, I gave it a spin.  The haunting harmonies were compelling but the lyrics were a downer.  I filed the Great Mandala away in my collective unconscious.  Fast forward 50 years and the circle of life has come to the fore.   Hitherto I had not been a “new age” kind of guy.  You know what I mean – Crystals, smudge sticks, spirit guides etc.  My meditation has always been to get out on my motorcycle and lose myself.  My friend Hugh would attest to this as I have been known to get lost often and often.  On doing research on mandalas I may have opened the door a crack to a new way of seeing inside myself.  I don’t know why I have been drawn to these strange circles but I have been recording them for a few years now. I guess I am doing with oysters what Richard Dreyfuss did in Close Encounters of the Third Kind with mashed potatoes.  As stated, I am not well versed in the lingo of the spiritual order so I will borrow and link to a more informed source to enlighten the uninitiated.

 "What is a mandala?

The meaning of mandala comes from Sanskrit meaning "circle." Even though it may be dominated by squares or triangles, a mandala has a concentric structure. Mandalas offer balancing visual elements, symbolizing unity and harmony. The meanings of individual mandalas is usually different and unique to each mandala. The goal of the mandala is to serve as a tool on our spiritual journey as it symbolizes cosmic and psychic order.

 The design of the mandala is to be visually appealing so as to absorb the mind in such a way that chattering thoughts cease, and a more philosophic or spiritual essence envelopes the observer which in turn leads to higher consciousness or awareness. In short, a mandala can be seen as a hypnotic, letting the creative hemisphere of our mind run a little more free while our analytical mind takes a little nap.

Each observer has different experiences. However, the overall consensus is that meditating with the mandala leaves the observer relaxed, and he/she comes away with a resolution or clarity concerning the intention that was set before the meditation.

Another form of mandala meditation is to make or color a mandala of your own. Painting, coloring or drawing mandalas allows for our creative brain to come out and play, leading to an altered state where we can perform constructive healing, and gain incredible insight into ourselves and our lives.

Once we have set our intention, we begin to focus on the mandala. Let your eyes take in the beauty of the designs, allowing your mind to wander as it will. If your mind begins to chatter (i.e., I should do laundry, have to get milk, need to finish that report for work), simply bring your attention back to the beauty of the mandala. Get inside the mandala, simply fall into it, swim in it, let it absorb all of your attention. As you fall into the mandala, you will begin to feel lighter, and intuitive thoughts may arise. Relax and float with the thoughts and feeling that come to you. If you begin to feel lost, uncomfortable or if you get the "chatter" again, simply focus your attention back on the mandala."

Of course, for me staring at a plate of oysters also makes me hungry.

Enjoy the new series! 

"American Standard"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

Bikers have an expression - "Chrome won't get you home."  That may be so but it is fun to paint.  Not that this is a tricked out trailer queen.  This lowly plumbing fixture adorned the urinal at the now defunct Dogwood Restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland. Some wag noted recently that I could paint anything, kind of the visual equivalent of a singer being able to sing the phone book.  High praise indeed.  When I'm on, I do feel that way.    

"Rooster and Goat"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

I may go back into this piece.  "Daily painting" doesn't allow for glazing techniques, as the idea is to lay it down in a few hours.  I wanted to capture the warm setting sun on these critters.  The goat worked out fairly well but I need to glaze some shadows into the rooster since the sun was shining through his comb and a more distinct shadow falling onto his feathers. I'll post the glazed piece here in a week or so.  Stay tuned. 

"Deep Cup"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

5" x 7"

2015

 

These pretty bi-valves were had last year in Healdsburg California at the Passport Wine  Festival.  Unfortunately I cannot recall their appellation and provenance. I should have named this painting "Stars in the Heaven" as that is what they remind me of.  Their elegant ripples and points and the glistening ice are as varied and as vast as the constellations. 

"Fred Cantor Saddle-view"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

This painting has a lot of presence for its diminutive size.  I was happy with the movement of the Percheron cantoring around the ring, his mane blowing in the breeze.  One can almost feel his large hooves kicking up dirt and gravel.  I had forgotten just how challenging painting a portrait the size of a dime can be.  I have new found respect for Jean-Léon Gérôme.  

"Lucky Dog"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8" 

2015

Contact me for availability

This little guy is the resident greeter at a restaurant in the Hampden area of Baltimore.  His name is Lucky Dog.  I won't name the restaurant because, unlike Paris and other European cities where dogs are welcomed, our health department is not be thrilled with such four footed maître d's.  I have been in more than one dive bar in town that could use a resident cat to keep the mouse population at bay.

"Pool Time"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

I've been told by some of my followers that they have had issues with the e-mail notifications crashing.  I think the problem may have been the large files I have hitherto been posting.  I have gone to a 72 dpi file size which I hope will correct the problem and also make it harder for the Chinese to steal my work.  Sorry about that.

"Ricky Reflection"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

9" x 12"

2015

This was a wild one.  Lots of loose, wet paint and lots of squinting to get the effects I wanted.  The orange tones are not as pronounced in the painting as they are here.

"One Plump Oyster"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 6"

2015

  "O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."


The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

"Little Yellow Nude Sketch"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015
Contact me for availability 

This little nude is quite different from the brushed out, tightened down paintings that I am used to doing.  It was all I could do to not blend out the strokes and soften her up.  Old habits die hard and I am fighting against years of photo-realism.  I am not unhappy with the results.  Fear not!  A zebra can't change his stripes.  Doing these quick oil sketches will hopefully keep my larger work fresh and lively.  

"Ella in the Sun"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

Contact me for availability

Fellow blogger, Alice Thompson, recently opined the demise of the art blog and the exodus to other social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.  Is it any wonder?  We artists want, nay need, constant ego stroking and approval to keep the creative fires burning.  Sure, there is a place for comments on a blog but seldom do people take the time to make them. Days or weeks may go by without a single remark.  It is much easier to hit the "like" button on Facebook.    Today's artists judge the success of a painting by how many "likes" they get.   I must admit that it is nice to get immediate approval of one's work. Then there is the wider audience that popular social media enjoys.  Here on my blog I have 163 "followers."  On Facebook I have many times that and with other people "sharing" my work it goes on from there to infinity and beyond. I still use my "Daily Painters" site to reach an even broader target audience for my small works.  Thousands come to that site daily to look for little gems.  I personally think there is room for both blogging and other social media.  In the old days an artist would spend weeks or months in the studio preparing for a gallery show.  If you were lucky, two hundred or so would come to the opening and a few more would amble through during the run of the exhibition.  Thousands and thousands of people from all over the globe see my work now and I have paintings in Greece, Germany, France, England and many other countries.  Why, there are workshops in China stealing my work and selling copies at this very moment...but that tale is for another day.

This is one of my studio cats - Ella.  She came in as a feral kitten 6 years ago and has made the jump to indoor life quite well.  She is top cat and keeps the other three - her mother, sister and a recent addition from the shelter, in line with a hiss and a firm paw.

"Virginia Oyster and Shell"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

This is new twist on an old theme. I really enjoyed painting the warm tones of this oyster painting.  The slightly briny oysters were shucked at a friend's party over the weekend. They were staged on a venerable aluminum cookie sheet, the brushed surface of which picked up and diffused the warm light of the kitchen in a delightful way.  The yellow and pink tones of the shell and flesh of the oyster played well against such a background. 

"My Ever Loving Joy and Mr Mosby"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10" 

2015

A visitor to the studio yesterday asked me if I liked painting horses.  I told him that I did but that I had a lot to learn about equestrian body language and other idiosyncrasies. A case it point - Joy, the little brown mare here, does not have her ears pricked forward.  Something which I did not pick up on.  I made a similar mistake a few years back when I painted my first llama.  His ears were way back, which signifies agitation.  I suppose I should be glad he didn't spit at me when I was in the field with him. I'll have to have a consultant to guide me with the hunt paintings I plan to do this Spring.  Tally Ho!    

"Three's Company"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord Panel

8" x 8"

2015

 What is it about oysters that makes them so much fun to paint?  Could it be that each one is as different as a snow flake?  Or that the flesh is so sensuous. Their varied shapes and sizes never fails to excite me, whether they be plump or slender, colorfully flamboyant or mono-chromatically plain, large or small.  Oh, and they are tasty little creatures too!       

"Oysters with lemon and cocktail sauce"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

This is a colorful one.  I personally don't nap my oysters with cocktail sauce or douse them in mignonnette, preferring to enjoy the lovely brine and taste of the sea.  To each his own.  I do savor the dash of color the red cup of cocktail sauce brings to this painting however.

"The Conversation"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

Sold

I attended the blessing of the hounds this past Thanksgiving, across from St John's Episcopal church in Glyndon, Maryland.  It was a crisp morning with a fresh thin blanket of snow covering the field.  The foxhounds were frisky and anxious to be off.  I fancy this little guy was asking the hunt master "Is it time to go?"     

"Laura and Thor"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

Sold

Last year was a particularly sad one with regard to our furry companions.  Aside from me losing my beloved JJ, many of my friends saw the demise of little loved ones.  

Thor, the world traveling Schnauzer, left us late last year.  He had been to Germany, San Juan, New York City and numerous other far away destinations in the company of his opera singing "parents."  Farewell, mighty Thor.  

"Amy Angel" study

Oil on linen mounted on board

6" x 8"

2015

I have been sitting on this reference of model Amy since before the turn of the last century.  I laid it in and started to work on it and I felt that I just couldn't go on.  The image is so wonderfully late nineteenth century, so Bouguereau,  that I didn't think I could do it justice at the time.  Armed with the Zorn palette. I think I may be able to finish it now.  The little sketch above is my dipping a toe in the water.  It reminded me of the scene in H.G. Wells The Time Machine when George shows his friends the model of his invention:

Here it is

 

"Callie"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

 This is Callie.  Sadly, she has gone to join the morning stars.  Her merry spirit lives on in this small piece. I have never before painted a Rottweiler.  Their fur is a myriad of changing hue.

"Yin and Yang"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

These were some local oysters from the St James river, I think.  I really like the light on the empty cup.  I may have to play with some more empty shells in the future. 

"Teal Bands"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

8" x 10"

2015

To paraphrase Professor Higgins - "By George, I think he's got it!"  I have finally figured out this daily painting thing.  Six new works in six days!  The daily paintings are meant, for me at least, to be a sort of warm-up exercise to start the day.  For the longest time I have treated them as more like small jewels than sketches, not that there is anything wrong with that.  The hours involved in some of the small but very complex works of the past didn't make fiscal sense and I lost my way.  This Harley painting is a case in point:

 

While the painting is lovely, I got very little for it, considering the hours spent on it.   This is one of those paintings that I wish I had kept for myself.  I have at last discovered that the joy of creation is in letting the paint speak for itself.  "That looks like a photograph." is not necessarily a good thing in this day and age of computers and Photoshop.  I want people to say - "That looks like a painting"

"Mika"

Oil on museum quality Ampersand Gessobord panel

6" x 8"

2015

My fifth painting this week and my first papillon.

"Marti"

Oil on linen mounted on board

6" x 8"

2015

I am trying to touch all the bases while my creative juices are flowing freely so I have been maneuvering from one genre to the next - oysters, dogs and cats and people, to keep it fresh and exciting.  It has been a while since I pushed flesh around and this little sketch allowed me to play with the limited "Zorn" palette again.  Laid down in about an hour, it was refreshing to paint something that was not too tedious.  It may not be the "Girl with the Pearl" but it was fun.