Killing Flies

I recently watched this documentary, "I Like Killing Flies" about Kenny Shopsin, chef, philosopher, consumate New Yorker as he manages his 900 item menu in a small corner space in Greenwich Village.
Kenny approaches life and management with a series of inflexible rules and regulations including no parties of five and no cell phones in his restaurant. He has been celebrated by Calvin Trillin and I've heard he has recently written a cookbook. I think I was so charmed by this character because of his commitment to doing things his way and desire to be as creative as he can be in a cookie cutter world.

Cupcake

I painted this cupcake in acrylics on patterned paper. The paper includes images of old recipes and notes. I added my own memo "2 dozen cupcakes by Monday" I'm baking for the church bake sale tonight ... not cupcakes but I am trying something new - using cake mix to make cookies. Cake mix, 2 eggs and some oil and you have drop cookies. Vary it lightly and make bar cookies. Frost, clean up and get back to the studio!

Snow Day!

Yesterday, when the Summit County Sheriff imposed a driving ban for all but essential workers I thought, "Ah! Thats not me!" So I had some time to paint and read and oh, yeah do some chores. All in all a really nice day if you dont count the 12" of new snow that fell.
Here's one aceo I painted - a snow scene, what else?

Arizona - Canyon de Chelly, Monument Valley,Navajoland

This painting was a challenge for me because I was painting it using a photo reference and I've never been to the place. I struggled with not having a sense of the place. The photo was posted on WetCanvas! and we were all invited to do our version of the scene. I decided to go large and did a 15x30" canvas. I think I need to take a trip out West to see for myself how the light hits the rocks and just what color the sand really is. In the meantime this may or maynot be accurate but it is growing on me. Price on request.

San Francisco

For a little change of pace I did this piece in watercolor and ink. The basis for the painting was a photo on the Different Strokes blog of a pink Victorian house. I decided to add some background and identify it as a San Francisco locale by including the Golden Gate bridge. The painting measures 8x10, on 140# paper.

Epiphany Festival of the Arts

Last night was the opening of the 19th annual Festival of the Arts at The Bath Church. It was a lovely event. The church does such a great job of organizing and presenting the work submitted by artists of Summit County.
I've included the invitation in the slide show... check the show hours and by all means go see the show!

Cold

Cold. That sums it up. This morning, at 10:00Am it was -9 degrees. I had to bring all the soda in from the garage - I had Coke Slurpies in the making. During the wee hours it had dropped to -13, and now at 1:30 we've moved up to -1 ... So what else is there to do but paint cold and snow?

Here's an ACEO of cold Lake Erie.

One good thing about this cold is once the lake is frozen we wont be getting all that Lake Effect snow.

and here is the snow.... typical everyday sight!

Snow Scenes

These are some recent snow scenes .....

I sue have enough reference material around here!

All are ACEOs

A Man Named Pearl

This is a wonderful movie. Inspiring in showing us what one man with a vision can create. His joy, his passion has given him a lifetime of pleasure and enriched his town and brought people together. Two thumbs up!

Washington Nights

I painted this night scene of the Jefferson Memorial as part of the Different Strokes Challenge. I decided an ACEO was just the right size to reinforce a sense of intimacy that a night scene demands. The limited palette was a joy - much fewer decisions to make!

Everett Road Covered Bridge

There are some strange coincidences in this world.
I was just finishing up this painting of the Everett Road Covered Bridge last night when I took a break and read the local newspaper. The guest columnist had written a featured piece about - yes... the Everett Road Covered Bridge!
Its a beautiful site with its own rich history. Its a major attraction in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park for locals and visitors.
The newpaper article can be found http://www.hudsonhubtimes.com/news/article/4499517
Some facts:

• Everett Road Covered Bridge is the only remaining covered bridge in Summit County. But in the 19th century, it was one of more than 2,000 in Ohio, the state that led the nation in covered-bridge construction.

• The builders of Everett Road Covered Bridge used a truss pattern patented by Robert W. Smith of Tipp City, Ohio, in 1867.

• Everett Road Covered Bridge was repaired at least twice after major damage, first caused by the 1913 flood and then by a truck in 1970. Then in 1975, rushing water from a spring storm lifted the bridge from its sandstone abutments and deposited the wreckage into the steam bed below.

My covered Bridge is 5x7" on ampersand board and available for purchase, $60.00

Fresh Paint

Here are some new aceos that I currently have listed on eBay..... a New Year, a new palette... and away we go...
I think of this one as a sort of 'chasing Vincent" type of landscape


and and this, a bright summer day in the marshlands...maybe we're on our way to the beach....



and finally this scene of a campsite on the lake


so ok, those who know and love me know I'm not in the tent. And certainly not in the canoe. I might be at the local Holiday Inn looking for a wireless connection and some room service but still it's a pretty scene.

Very Very Bad Art

I think we all know that there is a Museum of Bad Art in Boston. But I have to tell you there are un-discovered treasures to be found for this museum. A bunch of artists on WetCanvas! have agreed to offer up our very best worse efforts for the viewing public.

WARNING: This site is not for the faint of heart. Those who suffer vapors and weak constitutions should NOT view this link:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=538557

Please use the restroom before viewing. YOU WILL NEVER LAUGH SO HARD AGAIN!

Update - thanks to the efforts of Allan and TG we have a poster compiled of the worst of the worst.