The Final Days of Darkness

On this winter solstice I'm wrapping up the final entries in the 2017 25 Days of Christmas holiday promotion. I've learned some good things about observation and rendition, and there have been a few adventures in new subjects. I'm excited to see how these studies might start to become part of the larger works I'll be finishing for a big gallery show in May of 2017. 

Two Pieces of Sushi

5 inches by 7 inches

Three Blueberries

5 inches by 7 inches

A Mango

5 inches by 7 inches

A Big Week of Small Paintings

As I'm as busy as possible with painting and keeping up with the rituals of holiday food and drink, I finally have time to get caught up on showing some of the recent paintings, some of which are still available for purchase.

Three Sardines on a Small Plate

SOLD! Private collection, Downingtown, Pennsylvania

An Espresso Cup

SOLD! Private collection, Brooklyn, New York

A Glass of Orange Juice

SOLD! Private collection, Richmond, Virginia

A Slice of Cantaloupe

5 inches by 7 inches

A Yellow Bell Pepper

5 inches by 7 inches

Two Forelle Pears

5 inches by 7 inches

Three Raspberries

SOLD! Private collection, Richmond, Virginia

An Egg

5 inches by 7 inches

Three Tangerine Pieces

Every year I like to revisit the glowing colors of tangerine pieces. The contrast between luminosity and light and shadow is always a great course of study. The interesting arrangements and spacing starts to feel like my larger and more complex compositions, but unfortunately this subject doesn't read well when portrayed any larger than very small. 

Three Tangerine Pieces

5 inches by 7 inches

Sold! Private collection, Ardmore, Pennsylvania

A Chocolate Chip Cookie, Broken

As I delve deeper into my pastry series, I found a chocolate chip cookie leftover from last week's Downingtown Main Street Association Christmas party. Certain subjects seems to have no depth or luster, like bread, potatoes, rocks, clam shells and cookies, but the accent points of the chocolate chips gave a dynamic element that I could really sink my teeth into, so to speak.

A Chocolate Chip Cookie, Broken

5 inches by 7 inches

Three Blue Berries

I always hate myself just a little when I line up three blueberries and paint them as though they were any other subject that I'll paint as three in a row. That they work so well in this small format is no small comfort to me, as I feel that I'm guilty of taking a cheap shot at creating an instantly attractive little painting. There is always a little room to explore how blue fades to grey and violet and black in several different directions at once, but in a subject so small, the tiniest fleck of a color describes something that may or may not be the product of truly academic observation and execution. Aside from all this, the paintings are always lovely little gems, despite how they make my heart turn just one shade closer to black.

Three Blueberries

5 inches by 7 inches

Sold! Private collection, West Chester, Pennsylvania

Just Say Cheese

I decided to study a new and different subject, a slice of my wife's cheesecake. Graham cracker crust, with an ample zest of lemon to add tart in place of sweet, this is probably the most perfect dessert outside of an actual French pastry shop. Capturing it in paint was a challenge, as it lacks sheen, depth or luminosity, and I spent more time exploring reflections in the plate than I did studying any nuance of surface or color. 

A Slice of Cheesecake

5 inches by 7 inches

Sold! Private collection, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A Few More Very Small Paintings

As I've been so busy painting these past few weeks, I haven't been up on getting images posted. Today I'll do a little catch-up. I've had some great painting experiences, especially with the details of two olives, and the Campari tomato.

A Painting of a Mango

Sold! Private collection

Two Olives on a Small Plate

Sold! Private collection, Richmond, Virginia

A Tomato

A Golden Delicious Apple

Sold! Private collection, Ardmore, Pennslyvania

Another Golden Delicious Apple

Sold! Private collection, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania

Three Pistachios

On this sixth day of December, I just finished the sixth painting of the 25 Days of Christmas series. Last weekend was taken up with the big final show of 2016, the One of a Kind Show in Chicago. The massive grandeur of Chicago and the Merchandise Mart never ceases to amaze and astound me. Right now, it's nice to be home to get back to work.

Three Pistachios, 5 inches by 7 inches

Sold! Private collection, Austin, Texas