Another Winter Day

Winter Forest, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Coconut Grove, Florida

Winter Sunset, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Coconut Grove, Florida

I'm quickly gaining a new appreciation of winter. I never realized how normal light gets stepped up to such a high voltage in the snow. These are good exercises in observation. First I carved out another study of the odd grove of trees on the edge of my property in the muted light of the afternoon. The sun started coming out as the afternoon grew dark, and then the sky suddenly lit in a blaze of color. Normally I would run to grab my camera, but instead I started mixing and laying down paint with the linen board in my hand. The heart wrenching colors changed every few seconds, but I managed to capture some version of the technicolor sky.

Winter Sunset

Winter Sunset, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009
Private collection, Orlando, Florida

After finishing what might be one of the most exciting little paintings I've ever done, I started pondering the sky. Without a whole lot of planning I sketched out a little color study of the sunset reflecting off of the snow on the ice on the lake. A few trees were silhouetted in the foreground. This is all very exciting, and I'm already thinking about hacking out some larger versions of these little studies.

Winter Forest, Revisited

Winter Forest in Sunlight, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009
Private collection, Larchmont, New York

Suddenly the same dismal grey forest came to life when the sun came out. Shadows vibrated with color, and nothing could capture the sun glowing in the snow. Now I can see how landscape painters seem to always be having so much fun.

Winter Forest

Winter Forest, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009
Private collection, Fairfield, Connecticut

Just to really get out of my element, I tried to find some color in the otherwise grey and dismal forest. Rain fell on the ice-covered snow, and everything is just dark.

Groovy Boots

Brown Boots, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Saskatchewan, Canada

Just to try something totally different, I decided to carve out a study of some old brown boots. The smooth lines and slick shine provided some interesting challenges, and there is plenty more to learn from this subject

A Baseball

A Baseball, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Today I carved out a very small study of a genuine baseball. I picked up two for this commission, one to keep bright and white and the other to give to Frank. I thought he might give it a nice patina of use and abuse, but he quickly lost interest. So I took it upon myself, and first rubbed coffee into the leather, then scrubbed it, then rubbed it with oil, then burnished it on a wooden table top. Apparently nothing replicates the look of use and time, of grass and wood and leather, endless hours of summer, of exertion and sweat, of wins, losses and team spirit. At some point I'd like to find a well used one, the dirty yellowed leather burnished to a bright shine. So instead, this study is of the bright white one, minus the blue printing which I found can be easily washed off.

A Banana

A Banana, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009
Private collection, Greenwich, Connecticut

For so long I said I never would, only for one reason or another, yet today, for the very first time in history, I actually tried a very small study of a single banana. It was a great day for historical events, as Barack Obama was sworn in as the new president of these United States. I watched him deliver his inaugural address, and I was moved by his sincerity and dedication toward helping us to rebuild our identity and purpose among ourselves, and with the rest of the world, starting today. In my own studio, the brave new world starts with a painting of a banana, but bigger wheels are already turning. As always, I can hardly wait till tomorrow, for myself, and for all of us.

A Yellow Apple

A Yellow Apple, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Washington, DC

On the heels of finishing a big and bold and bright painting of pink tulips, I decided to carve out a quick small study of a single yellow apple. The day was fairly dim and grey in the fading light of an all day snowfall, but I did manage to find some bold and lively colors.

A Lemon

A Lemon, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania

On top of juggling endless paperwork, I managed to finish a very small study of a single lemon. In these dark cold days of winter, the lemon is still fresh and zesty with brilliant color. It's no surprise that lemon yellow seems to be fairly useful with this subject.

In other news, see the lovely little painting done by Brian Eppley, of his brand new David Oleski coffee cup. Last week he was a bit under the weather, but thanks to this cup, he's feeling much better. In some ways he may possibly have even become a better painter from the challenge of studying this new and exciting subject. There's no end to the good things you can experience while enjoying your favorite beverage from an offical David Oleski coffee cup. Buy one today, or get a whole set of four and share them with your friends and family.

A Peach

A Peach, 5" by 7", oil on linen board, January 2009

Private collection, South Boston, Massachusetts

After a month away from the very small painting studio, I decided to kick off the new year with one of the more challenging subjects I've encountered, the peach. Any tricks I may have learned with shine, sheen and reflected light are useless when observing the fuzz of a fuzzy peach. One of the keys to it all was in understanding that transition colors are made of the grey January light, and not the reflections of the surrounding space.