"Three on the half shell"

Oil on panel - 6"x 6"Here it is kids - the last painting until I return from Paris early next month. Rest assured that I will return fully charged to get back to the easel. What better place to become inspired than the City of Lights? À bientôt.

"Cocktails"

Oli on panel = 5' x 7"
We celebrated my friend's birthday this past weekend at an elegant restaurant in Baltimore. The collection of preprandial apéritifs made an interesting composition. I particularly like the traffic light created by the Cosmopolitan, white wine and appletini. Please don’t brand me a Philistine for drinking my Laphroaig "on the rocks", ice is fun to paint. Hey, how did that water glass get in there?

"Champagne corks with medallions"

Oil on panel - 5" x 7"

For the last 3 months I have embarked on an artistic journey of daily painting which has opened my eyes to a world which I thought was lost to me. Is there anything sadder than an artist who has lost his spark, his inspiration, that thing that drove him to create? After 40 years, I despaired that my muse was gone for good. I read all the self-help books on regaining your creative vision, studied the “Artist’s Way”, did my morning pages, etc., but nothing ignited the flame. I knew I could still paint and buoyed myself up by painting portraits, not that there is anything wrong with that, per se. But portraits are meant to please the sitter and the artist together. I wanted to paint for me and have others excited by my vision. Portraits, even good portraits are done one at a time. They move through the studio one or two at a time. Years have gone by since my last one man show. Friends stop asking what I was working on. Then one day while I was researching a painting on the internet, I stumbled upon “dailypainters.com.” I was transfixed by the variety of artists doing on a daily basis, what seemed impossible; to take mundane, everyday objects and compose them into little jewels. Art didn’t have to have an earth shaking message. It needn’t be this deep thing. It was enough to be well composed and executed. I loved that the hand of the artist, those mad brush strokes that no computer software program could create, were there for all to see. The clouds parted and I too, started seeing in paint again. The paintings in my last exhibition were all 40” x 60” and here I was doing these little tiny works and becoming more excited about them by the day. Friends dropped by the studio and were excited again. I started posting them on a blog and people would be upset if a day went by without a new piece. I hadn’t even figured out the ebay thing and yet most have been bought in what could be described as a feeding frenzy…”What do you mean the fish are gone?” Today I got word that I had been juried into that group of artists that had reignited my passion for this crazy artist’s life – http://www.dailypainters.com/. Of course, as fate would have it, I leave for Paris this weekend and will be disappointing those who like my stuff. Rest assured, it is only for a week and I hope to gather a lot of fresh ideas while there.
I have this thing for corks, as many of you know. These champagne corks reminded me of a pile of mushrooms. I thought it would be fun to inject a bit of color and shine with the medallions. Enjoy.

The dilemma of the artist’s wife

My wife is often placed in the precarious position of being my second set of eyes. Having spent hours working on a piece, one tends to lose objectivity and the dreaded “Well, what do you think?” is tentatively posed. As she stands there with furrowed brow, I can see she is weighing her options. There is something in the painting that bothers her. Should she say something and risk bruising the delicate artistic ego or say nothing and keep the peace? I usually can tell when there’s something bothering her. “What?” I ask. “You’re not going to leave it like that?” she says, pointing to that one stroke that invariably is my favorite little flourish. It’s a no win situation for her.
Yesterday was a case in point: “Well?” I asked. “Gee, I don’t know about that copper bar. I’m not getting the feeling of copper; it looks like a seascape to me.” Uh oh! She just placed a squirrel in my painting. Wait, what?
During the early days of the cubist movement, Picasso and Braque were great friends and would often critique each other’s work. I imagine their conversation went something like this: “Puits?” “Il est grand excepté l'écureuil.” “Écureuil, quel écureuil?” “Là à côté de la guitare.” “Merde!” (Picasso: “Well?” Braque: “It’s great except for the squirrel.” Picasso: “Squirrel, what squirrel?” Braque: “There, next to the guitar.” Picasso: "Shit!”) Not unlike a Rorschach inkblot, once an idea like that is planted in your head, nothing can get it out. The notion of the seascape was so strong I had to go back in and pick at it until it was gone. Happy accidents happen all the time in this journey we take as artists and this morning I had one of them. Determined to get rid of the squirrel (waves crashing on a not so copper shore) I wiped out the offending blobs of white which I had laid on with a small palette knife the day before. The crimson and cerulean hues had set overnight and had stained the panel. The effect was exactly what I (and Susan) was looking for. Had I rubbed it down last evening it would not have worked, but as it turned out, we had dinner plans that took me away from the studio. Oh, another lesson: Never, ever “pick” after you have been drinking. We’ve all been there: You’ve been out with friends, shared a few laughs, had a few pints, and later you walk into your studio to look at the day’s work. “Hmmm, that one stroke looks odd.” (My words, not hers.) I’ll just fix that. Oops! No problem, I’ll just fix that. Oops! and so on. …Don’t do it!!

"A mug of beer at Mike Anderson's"

When you get in an artistic funk, sometimes you just have to go with what inspires you the most. I’ve been saving this image for just such an occasion. The reflections of neon off this wonderful copper-topped bar at the now dark Mike Anderson’s was crazy good fun to paint. The mug of beer is a carnival of color. It's been said "a painting is never finished – only stopped"…I’ve stopped here. Knowing when to stop separates the good artist from the great. The lesson for the day - don’t pick. (I know tomorrow I’m going to pick at this painting anyway. I always do.)

"Acme Oyster House"

Oil on archival, museum quality, 1/8” Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 5" x 7"

How’s this for an excuse for not painting this week – I lost my glasses. Last week was particularly warm and I took the opportunity to get in the wind on my Harley. I changed into my sunglasses and stuck my prescription glasses in my leather jacket. Sometime during the ride they fell out and got run over. I found them two days later crushed by the side of the road. I have a spare pair but they are not good for painting. Yesterday I went to the ophthalmologist to get a new prescription and he put drops in my eyes – Whoa…cool colors, but not great for painting. Oh, I was in Florida from Thursday until Sunday so no work on those days (although I did glean some reference material during the trip.) Today’s painting was done wearing my old, old spare pair.
These oysters were shucked especially for me to paint by “Stormin” Norman at the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans. They look good against the white marble oyster bar.

"Bloody Mary"

Oil on archival, museum quality, 1/8” Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 5" x 5"

Some say the Sazerac, a drink made with rye whiskey and Peychaud’s bitters is the quintessential New Orleans cocktail but for me it is the Bloody Mary. Every restaurant tries to give it their own twist (no pun intended), but one element that is constant and unique to the Big Easy is the inclusion of spiced beans. I always have a jar on hand and wouldn’t think of jamming a big old hunk of celery into one of my morning cocktails. This particular Bloody Mary was had this past December at Herbsaint. I tried to have some fun with the color and paint. Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? I sure do!

"Sauternes et carte postale française"

I like the innocence of this old french postcard. Painting it reminded me of the fashion paintings, albeit on a much smaller scale. À votre santé!

"Moonstones"

Today I went on a field trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the work of Antonio Mancini, the late 19th century Italian realist. If you don't know his work, you owe it to yourself to check him out. His early work, including a piece he did at age 16(!) was spectacular! He got a bit crazy later in life, but then don't we all?
Yesterday's painting presented me with a new challenge: making a cluster of unopened oysters visually interesting. The daily paintings have hitherto been ala prima - direct paint with no glazing or scumbling. Painting the outer beauty of the oyster requires the richness and depth that only glazing and scumbling can give. Watch for the Cape May Salts to deepen in a week or two. I give you as an example "moonstones" - which benefited from a similar treatment.

"Cape May Salts"

At the risk is becoming known as "the guy who paints the oysters" - here is another oyster piece. I don't think I will ever tire of painting these creatures. They are as different as snowflakes and the variety of color and texture keeps drawing me back. Not to mention that I get to eat them when I'm done. Quite a bonus since they are delicious.

"petit déjeuner français"

Oil on archival, museum quality, 1/8” Ampersand Gessobord™ panel - 6" x 6"

O.K. campers, here is the first little painting of the new year. I am going to Paris at the end of the month and this plate of croissants and bread is a small reminder of my last sojourn across the big pond.

The Pirate of Reisterstown - "At year's end"

Christmas is over, my birthday, too, and New Year's Eve is here. Most of my traveling is done, although a short trip to Florida and a long one to Paris is looming, I am really looking forward to getting back in the Studio. Have a Happy New Year!!

"Château d'Yquem - 1980"

This is one of the paintings that I couldn't post until after Christmas. My friends celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary two years ago with a spectacular party at what was then the Boston Ritz Carlton. To commerate the occasion, they opened a case of 25-year old Château d'Yquem sauterne -- quite a treat for those of us lucky enough to be invited. I managed to squirrel away mementos from the party in the pocket of my tuxedo. They came in handy when the wife asked me to paint something as a Christmas gift for her husband this year.

"Gulf Oysters"

This is the painting that was in the juried show, "Small Wonders," at the Maryland Federation of Arts Circle Gallery in Annapolis, Maryland. I like this painting and am glad to have it back in the studio. There is a song called "Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?" I do, and this painting reminds me why.

"Box Crab"

Here is a little painting that I couldn't post before. I must admit that painting a portrait on a gesso-primed crab shell was a new experience for me but hey, I'm from Baltimore, so what could be more appropriate? The glitter was my wife's idea and seemed to add a je ne sais quoi.

"Walking on water"

Oil on canvas - 18" x 24"(?)

There is a scene in the movie “The Time Machine” where George has fended off the attacking morlocks and jumps into his time machine, knocking the crystal control lever all the way forward. The world around him begins to move at an alarmingly fast pace. He looks on in horror as a dead morlock turns to dust in mere seconds. My life seems to be doing that. If only I could play out the next scene. “But I was going the wrong way,” he says “back, I had to go back,” and he grabs the lever with both hands and reverses his course through time and returns to his home only slightly late for dinner. It always bothered me that he was late at all, seeing as he had a time machine, but no matter. All this is to say that 10 days have gone by without so much as a dead morlock to show for it. Well there are a smattering of secret painted presents yet to be revealed but 4 days in New Orleans and 3 in Boston have taken their toll. I did glean much reference material in the Big Easy, so the days ahead will be filled with fun stuff. Speaking of fun stuff, here is a new piece that I have been picking at since the summer. It is of my friend Gary crossing the koi pond at the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. I call it “Walking on Water.”

"Peggy and Zack"

Perhaps you can teach an old dog, new tricks. By that I mean this old dog. The daily painting exercises have given me fresh eyes. This piece was commissioned posthumously to commemorate the life of Peggy, the yellow lab. You can see by her muzzle that she has some years on her. This was yesterdays painting and I was given the green light to post it. ...R.I.P. Peggy.

"Taking a short break from posting"

Just when you got used to seeing new work on a daily basis I go and spoil it. Sadly, I must withhold the next two or three paintings as they are secret Christmas gifts. Rest assured that I will post them after the holidays. If that wasn't bad enough, I am off to New Orleans for a bit. Fear not, the muse has settled in to her new digs and the fire is still lit. Stay tuned!

"Ashton vSg"

In Oscar Wilde’s play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," Lady Bracknell asks Jack if he smokes. He replies, “Well, yes, I must admit I smoke.” “I am glad to hear it,” she says, “a man should always have an occupation of some kind.” I too, must admit I smoke [cigars] when I paint. Not always as nice a cigar as this Ashton. Painting in the smoke was an act of faith as I pulled the soft brush through the gradient background. I only had one shot and I had never really tried to do what I was attempting. It worked! A simple yet satisfying little painting.

"Haut - Medoc 1997"

My first wine painting, "Cépage Laguiole Corkscrew" was a commission and thus not available to those who have expressed interest. I have played with those same elements in a more simplified, almost abstract composition. From across the studio it reads like the mark of Zorro! The aged cork against the white table cloth is quite trompe l'oeil.

"Ryleigh's oysters - Baltimore"

I went to Ryleigh’s Oyster Bar in Baltimore this summer for their First Annual Oyster Festival. There were quite a few varieties of oysters being offered that day and I don’t recall from whence these guys came. We ate al fresco and the sun raked across the pretty mother of pearl shells and danced on the ice. I like the bits of blue. I toyed with the idea of hinting at the “Sunkist” logo on the lemon for a small splash of green but thought the better of it. If you look hard you can see two chrome sauce cups reflected in the ice at the top.

"Corkboard with pushpin"

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

I don’t what is so compelling about wine corks. These little speckled, brown cylinders just delight me. Maybe it’s their infinite variety - the myriad designs and colors. Perhaps it’s their ultimate demise that makes me save them. My minions pay token when coming to parties with bags full of corks (and foils and champagne medallions). As an artist, I like units - things that can make up larger things. I am currently visualizing a mosaic of Julia Child using wine foils as pixels a la Chuck Close. I have made many 2’ x 4’ bulletin boards with corks. Some recipients of these find it hard to use them for the purpose for which they were made because they don’t want to cover them up. This painting answers that problem. It is a small section of my board in the kitchen.

"Casamento's"

Oil on panel - 5" x 5"

One of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans is an old established oyster bar and family restaurant on Magazine Street called Casamento’s. It was spared the wrath of Katrina, though apparently Joe Casamento, the son the original owner was not - he died the night of the evacuation. The shuckers lay the "ersters" directly on the old fashioned pale green tiles. Some of them were as big as my hand! (None of them "tourist oysters" for me) Enjoy!

Sometimes life gets in the way.

Being a slave to the daily paintings is not what this is all about so I may take a respite from posting on the weekends. Keep checking in and please post comments -- an artist needs feedback on his creations. Just click on "comments," not the envelope. Thanks!

painting demo - "Almonds"

Throughout art history painters have used the technology of the day to create art. Vermeer had the camera obscura, Rockwell used hundreds of photographs to compose a single painting, etc. The photo-realists took this to a new level in the 70's. As I mentioned in the "Pacific Cod" blog, I find the use of a laptop near my easel invaluable. This is how I utilize it in my work:
First I coat the panel with umber and pull up the forms with a rag:

I next rough in the darks:

establish the highlights:

Final detail:

là vous l'avez - Almonds!

"Bozo Oysters"

I grew up in Baltimore in the 50's watching Stu Kerr play Bozo the clown, so I had a tough time not thinking, “Give me a "B,” give me an “O,” give me a “Z,” give me another “O” when we ate at Bozo’s Seafood Restaurant in Metairie, Louisiana, a Cajun/Creole version of the Westview Lounge in Baltimore, but the oysters were first rate. I like the play of greens and pinks in this piece.

I am currently in a juried show called “Small Wonders” at the Maryland Federation of Art’s Circle Gallery in Annapolis. My painting is called “Gulf Oysters” and was painted before I started the daily paintings. Nonetheless, had I had all these small, immediate paintings to choose from to submit, I still would have chosen an oyster piece as they are one of my favorite things, both to paint and to eat!

"The Enchanted Oyster"

Once upon a time there was a magical place called New Orleans. In this enchanted city you could indulge your wildest fantasies, be they musical, artistic, culinary…whatever. The pace was slow and easy. Indeed, the "Big Easy" was its name. Then one day an ill wind named Katrina blew into town and much that once was, was lost. No longer could you hear the sound of the street cars on St. Charles Avenue. No longer could you go to Mike Anderson’s on Bourbon St and get 25 cent oysters in the afternoon. Alas, those glorious chilled pewter plates of delicious, glistening mollusks are a fading memory. No longer do the neon lights bounce off the copper-topped bar and onto the sweet flesh of the freshly shucked local oysters. Oh sure, the Acme is still there, but sadly it has become somewhat of a tourist destination. This lone oyster is tangible evidence of bygone days. Enjoy and remember.

"Compost bin"

They say “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” This painting is proof. The reflections of egg shells, coffee filters, rotting green tomatoes and onion skins off this battered compost bin caught my eye and appealed to my odd sensibilities. I always feel better returning a bit of organic matter back to mother earth. These lowly subjects now have served a greater purpose than mere food for worms.

"Cépage Laguiole corkscrew"

Oil on panel - 5" x 7"

Many artists have been dining at the “wine painting” table of late. It is easy to understand why. The full spectrum of colors that come from different varietals and the play of light off of glass, metal, cloth, and cork make for unending compositional possibilities. I am known to have a thing for corks. Should the great flood come tomorrow, our house would rise up and float away with the thousands of corks stored here. Every flat surface in my studio is taken up with stuff so I have gone vertical and have made large bulletin boards of wine corks. I almost hate to cover them up - they are so handsome. The stelvin closure (aka the screw cap) is starting to surpass the cork as the best way to seal a good bottle of wine so corks may be going the way of the 8-track. Enjoy them while you can!

"Oyster"

Oil on panel 5" x 5"

One plump, salty oyster shucked at Nick's in Cross Street Market in Baltimore...yum!

"JJ"

Oil on panel 6" x 6"
This painting is the opposite of yesterday’s piece. Where fish are cold and slimy, cats are warm and fuzzy. This cat, JJ is particularly warm and fuzzy. He spends a lot of time on his back and if I didn’t know better would think he was half rabbit. He came into our lives about a year ago and is the perfect studio cat, a good mouser too. I suspect you will be seeing lots of him as he is a good model, spending much of his time sleeping in the studio.

"Back in the swim"

Just like falling off a bike, you have to dust yourself off and get back in the saddle. I thought I should paint something that had a lot of textural possibilities and that I could have fun with. This fish fit the bill.

"Wipeout"

Every man of my generation knows the song “Wipeout” by the Safaris. Back in the day we beat out the rhythm to that song on any make-shift percussion surface we could find, be it desk, table, whatever. Tonight I did a wipeout of my daily painting. Even a good artist can have a bad day and trying to salvage a painting that is not working is futile and ultimately frustrating. I set myself up for this piece to crash. Against my better instincts I broke out the blending brushes and pretended that I was Johannes Vermeer. I can’t lose sight of the purpose of the daily paintings. I will break for Thanksgiving and get back to the easel on Friday.

"Abacrombie"

One thing artists and chefs have in common is the love of creating new things. Their palette is used to stimulate our palates. Who hasn’t been impressed with the care and artistry of a beautifully plated dish? One such artist was the chef at the now dark “Abacrombie.” Restaurants often have small windows to pass dishes through that create a sort of diorama. I always enjoy the chance to peek inside to the workings of the kitchen. Here is a painting of Chef Sonny working on one of his ephemeral masterpieces.

"nudité dans la fenêtre"

I am certain that those who know me well are wondering where all these still life paintings are coming from. Where is the guy who painted all those dancers and mimes and models? It's true, I have been holding off on painting the figure until I was comfortable with the small format and quick nature of the daily paintings. I think this first little nude worked out well.

"Bridal Bouquet"

More intricate than the usual daily paintings, this painting was started yesterday. It is the companion piece to "centerpiece" posted last week. The cameo is a family heirloom - "something old."

"Sharpies"

Oil on panel 5" x 7"

This little sketch tested the limitations of my paint box. I finally got to use a bit of rose madder and cerulean blue, colors not usually on my palette.

"Dynamite roll"

Oil on panel - 5" x 5"

Another aspect of poissons morts - sushi. Less sad than the fish market and infinitely more tasty, sushi is an art unto itself. The colors hearken to the fast approaching holidays. I allowed myself some fun with the heightened color. The julienned jalapeno and slivered scallion played nicely off the wasabi.

"My two cents worth"

Oil on panel 5" x 5"

This little piggy bank provided me with some fun surfaces to render. The glass had a slight pebbly texture, was tinted copper-pink and the light danced off the shiny coins within. I ride a Harley Ultra and my nickname is "Hog Adams" so the HOG thing seemed to fit. Also, I am always putting in my two cents, for what it's worth.

"Redfish"

Oil on panel - 6" x 6"

I once reluctantly went ocean fishing with some friends while vacationing on the Outer Banks. We cast our nets upon the waters for hours but the bounty of the sea eluded us but for one poor red drum. He was unceremoniously thrown into a cooler full of ice on board to be filleted later. I would periodically open the lid and gaze at this poor creature. His eyes were larger than mine. He beckoned me to let him go. If it had been up to me I would have set him free but my crewmates would have keelhauled me on the spot. I have an aquarium in my studio so I have a soft spot for our finned friends. That said, he was delicious, so he did not die in vain. I was struck by the variety of colors on these 3 redfish. The cadmium red eyes of these little guys reminded me of that fateful day on “the minnow.”

"Chestnuts"

It is truly amazing how fast this year has flown by. Fall is here and with it a bounty of new subject matter. Take for instance the chestnut. Each is as unique as a snowflake and the warm colors and soft reflections off the shell make them fun to paint, either singly or in a bunch. Here is today’s painting.

"Brussels sprouts"

Every child's nightmare becomes fodder for the daily paintings.

"Pins and needles"

The daily paintings are meant as warm up exercises. This one is a case in point. My wife was making a beautiful velvet jacket for me and was using the studio to cut and pin the pattern. This little pin box caught my eye. The black box, clear lid and bright shiny pins had the makings of a fun sketch.