Model Fixing Bracelet

I liked the obscurity of this, and the underdeveloped surface. I worked only once with this model.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2009
#69

Mother and Daughter

Clare's mother, Eileen, appeared serendipitously as I composed this. It seemed to fit with the theme of reflection.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75, 2009
#68

Allison Reclining

Allison is lying on a sheepskin I bought at Costco. I was interested in the angularity of the arms in relation to the lines of the drapery. Also, the bird's-eye view is rare for me.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

oil on linen panel, 7.75 x 9.75, 2009
#67

Clare with Gold Mask

As I continue to work on the Governor's portrait, I decided I would post a series of slightly older paintings which were done just before I began this blog. They are a bit larger than the blog paintings, and are mostly from 2009. The mask Clare is holding is actually a rather heavy plaster cast which I found at a yard sale.

Available as a fine art print. Click here for details.

oil on linen panel, 9.75 x 7.75 inches, 2009
#66

Merry Christmas

I had hoped to do another Christmas painting this year but I have been too occupied with the Governor's portrait. Instead I am posting our Christmas card which was designed and printed by my wife Lauri. For a number of years now she has been producing beautiful and very unique cards and it is always a pleasure to send them to friends and family.

I want to sincerely wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Near Year!

Kelsey in Dark Glasses

I finally got around to finishing this small study of Kelsey. There is a similar version that was posted last November. In this one I enjoyed how the light washed out the color in the sleeves of her shirt.

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#65

Haley Roberts

Haley is part of the team at the David Klein Gallery, and it is a pleasure to work with her. It was her idea to base this on Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, and I think it was a good one. The clothing and headdress were also her inspiration. All I did was apply the paint.

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#64

Governor Jennifer Granholm

I am happy to announce that I have been commissioned to paint the official portrait of Michigan's Governor Jennifer Granholm. This is a major project that will demand most of my time for the rest of the year. Therefore, blog postings will be sparse. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has followed and supported this blog since its inception. It has been a very rewarding project for me and I expect to continue it in some form well into the future.

Jack

This is Jack, Sofia's brother. It was fun to have them both in the studio, and it was remarkable how attentive they were to what we were trying to do. Having their father there helped, of course. If you are interested in commissioning a portrait, you may contact me at [email protected] for pricing and other information.

oil on linen panel, 7.75 x 5.75 inches, 2010
#63

Sarah

Sarah is another new model that I hope to work more with this summer. I'm still trying to capture the effects of a live flame. It's not an easy thing to do.

oil on canvas panel, 6 x 8 inches, 2010
#62

Sofia

This is a recent commissioned portrait, a Mother's Day surprise. I also painted Sofia's twin brother, Jack, which I will post in the near future.

oil on linen panel, 7.75 x 5.75 inches, 2010
#61

Apryl

This painting is from Apryl's first modeling session with me and I was very happy with how it went. She is a natural with an imaginative wardrobe and I look forward to working with her again.

oil on canvas panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#60

Mirror of Melancholy

This is derived from an earlier, larger painting. I continue to be interested in how paint might suggest a reflected image as opposed to an actual one. It's a subtle difference that I want to continue to explore.

oil on canvas panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#59

Green Hat

In a recent painting I was mildly criticized for depicting a redhead in a red hat, a fashion blunder it seems. On Amber's next visit to the studio she presented me with this green hat, which she kindly donated to my collection.

SOLD

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#58

Happy Easter

NFS
oil on canvas panel, 6 x 8 inches, 2010
#57

Figure with Vanitas

I am still toying with multiple light sources and was somewhat pleased with this result. Currently I am trying to learn to effectively illuminate a scene entirely by candlelight. It requires lots of candles, but fortunately the fire department is just down the street.

SOLD

oil on canvas panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#56

Gabriel

This is a portrait of my son Gabriel, who just graduated from college. He is a very talented artist himself, though he decided to major in linguistics. Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like information about commissioning a similar portrait.
NFS
oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010
#55

Second Light

Here I was interested in the dichotomy of sunlight and candlelight. The wide brim straw hat and Amber's shroud of hair serve to separate these two worlds of light.

SOLD

oil on linen panel, 6 x 6 inches, 2010
#54

Ben's Trains

This painting was for a little boy who loves trains, and whose father is a distinguished art collector. Trains seem timeless in their fascination for children, even as their role has declined, at least in America.
SOLD
oil on linen panel, 6 x 8 inches, 2010
#53

Magnolia

 

This flower painting went to a little girl who admired it in my studio one day. I like to think of her growing up and blossoming with it.

SOLD

oil on linen panel, 8 x 6 inches, 2010

#52

Kristin in Red

 

It's difficult to achieve a full value range with a true red, at least for me. It wants to turn brown in the shadows and pink in the highlights. I added the light on the wall in an effort to balance the composition.

SOLD

oil on linen panel, 6 x 6 inches, 2010
#51