Things to come

With the approach of Spring (though it certainly doesn't feel like it with all this rain and cold weather), comes another year of exhibitions and painting deadlines. I've got a few shows lined up for 2010 already, with others hopefully in the pipeworks. I'm also displaying work at the Portsmouth Arts Guild again this year, from April through to July.

All this means I have to get my A into G and produce a lot of paintings. Luckily I feel inspired and motivated, which is often not the case with me, but lately I've developed a keen interest in two subjects which should provide a limitless resource of material. One is interiors, the other people-scapes.

So far, the interiors I've painted have included a movie theatre, a restaurant, a diner, two motel rooms, and several rooms from private residences, with many more pieces to follow. My people-scapes have been inspired by New York and the busy Provincetown in Cape Cod. Aside from my interest in light, shadow, and reflection, what these two subjects have in common is the human element, whether it's the hustle and bustle of a busy street, or the quiet serenity of an empty room where the occupants have only just vacated, or are about to inhabit it. I like to wonder about these people - what are they thinking, why are they there, where are they going? People are interesting, and even a vacant room has a story to tell.

Right now I'm longing for summer. (I'm sick of being cold, and I desperately need some Vitamin D.) The onset of warmer weather also brings with it tourists to Newport, and thus busy, crowded streets. Good subject-matter for my people scapes. The sun also creates marvellous interior shots. In fact, the sun is essential to both my outdoor and indoor scenes. There's nothing like a darkened room with a liquid pool of sunlight, or the blue-grey afternoon shadow of people and buildings late on a summer's day.

I will be updating my website again in the next couple of days. I'll also add some of my most recent paintings. As you may have guessed, they're of interiors and people-scapes.

Lobster Pot Lights, 20x20" (top) - Late Afternoon on Commercial St, 20x20"

Room 28, 16x20" (top) - Room 14, 14x18"

It's been a while since my last post. I haven't blogged or updated my website for many months, and now we're into the new year! Geez, I really have been slack.

Since my trip to NYC I've been back to the Cape, and had a weekend in Salem, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. I love Cape Cod. I embarked on a Hopper pilgrimage of sorts in an attempt to track down some of the Truro and Wellfleet locations he immortalized in his paintings. I was somewhat successful, but even when I wasn't, at least I had fun en route.

My most recent paintings have, of course, been of the Cape. I painted two interiors of the motel rooms I stayed in, and several street scenes from Provincetown. I've found myself wondering about the people I paint in my street scenes, what lives they lead, their relationships with each other. It's the same with my interiors. Despite their emptiness, my intent is to make the viewer curious about the previous occupants, or the occupants to be.

I have a few more paintings yet to post. I've also just completed a Monet forgery for the upcoming Fakes & Forgeries exhibition at Spring Bull Gallery in Newport, RI, and in the next few days I'll start on my next painting project. A new year, and a new start. Hopefully it'll be a successful painting year!

New York series continues

I've been a tad remiss in blogging lately. Too busy enjoying this fabulous weather! At last, summer has arrived.

Since my last painting "NYC Taxi Cab" I've created several smaller paintings of New York, which can be viewed under Cityscapes. My latest is "NYC Promenading II", another scene of pedestrians in New York backlit by the bright lights of Time Square. I have painted quite a few pieces from this angle. I was completely mesmerized by the neon lights, like a deer frozen in the headlights. Boy, New York's electricity bill must be huge! I love it though. What an amazing city.

NYC Promenading - 8x10"

More Big Apple...

NYC Taxi Cab, 10x20"

Finished my latest New York City painting this afternoon. I haven't exhausted my subject matter yet. In fact, I don't expect to for some time, so expect to see more in this series.

3rd Place!

Beach Gossip, 8x16"

I'm on a roll! I won 3rd place at the Portsmouth Arts Guild Summer in Rhode Island juried exhibit with my painting "Beach Gossip". Awesome! The show runs from July 2-26, with the opening reception on Friday July 3 from 6-8pm.

More Big Apple

I'm on a roll with my NYC paintings. Just love the city, and have developed a particular fondness for the taxis, which of course are everywhere. Finished my latest "NYC Reflections" last week, and have almost completed my next one already. I'll run out of reference photos soon, and will have to go back for more!

NYC Reflections, 14x18"

Updates!

"Night Lights" - 8x10"

There's a few things to update you on. Firstly, I won 2nd Place at the Imagine Yellow exhibition this month at Portsmouth Arts Guild with my painting "Night Lights". That was rather exciting, and quite unexpected!

This month I also made my first trip to New York City, which was fantastic! I love NYC! I love the buzz, the hustle and bustle, the honking taxi cabs and the bright lights. There was so much to look at! Weather wise my first day was pretty wet and miserable, but there was a fabulous silver lining. I took plenty of photos and the best ones were from the rainy day - lots of umbrellas and reflections. I've already created two paintings, and I'm currently working on my third. I'm thoroughly enjoying immersing myself in the city to create these pieces. It's almost as good as actually being there again. I'm definitely going back, and soon!

"Rainy NYC Day" - 12x16"

"NYC Taxi" - 20x24"

After my NZ trip, I also created some NZ themed paintings, which I will soon post to my website. I plan to update my website and make a few changes, so it may be a few more weeks.