Back Home from the Windy City

Here are a few shots of my booth at the One of a Kind Show - Chicago. The show features some 600 artists from all over the country. There were about 80 painters of which a handful of us were "Featured Fine Artist". The recognition was for the fact that the promoters of the show used my work to promote the event. The Chicago-ans truly appreciate fine art and I received a lot of positive interest in my work....though no one bought a piece for the Obamas to take to the White House. That was mildly disappointing ;)

October Orchard


















4' x 4' Oil on Panel. I started this painting in October during our Indian summer. This piece is painted on one of my Papa-panels(specially crafted supports created to my spec's by my favorite carpenter: my dad). They are very cool to work on and the smooth surface gives a luster to my work that I really enjoy. Tomorrow, I will post a big poppy piece that I also painted on a 4' x 4' Papa-panel. Both are traveling with me on Wednesday to Chicago!

Poppies on Yellow



















This piece is now finished and will be part of a group of limited edition Giclees that I am printing on canvas and framing for the One of a Kind Show in Chicago on December 4 - 7. This show is focused on the holiday shopper and though I will have my big originals on display, I plan to have a wall collage of framed limited editions. Here is a peak at a little 4" x 4" image of September Orchard:

September Orchard



















3' x 3' Oil Painting on gallery-wrapped canvas. I just finished this piece a few days ago. I started it in September which is the palette I saw in the landscape as I ran around my block. This piece will go with me to Chicago in December as I will be exhibiting at a juried show, the One of a Kind Show - Chicago.

On My Easel



















This piece is near finished...stay tuned :)

Glamazon Series


















6' x 2' each Panel. These beauties remind me of the 1980's super-models...tall, strong and gorgeous a.k.a. "Glamazons". I will post a better photo of them later. This was taken at the Levis Commons Show this past weekend. The "girls" attracted a lot of attention over the weekend, but no one was brave enough to take them home :)

5 Friends on Red










2' x 4' Oil on Panel
This is my second finished piece on the panels that my dad made for me. This one is especially cool in that I used a small drywall knife to apply and finish the gesso on the masonite. The knife left marks and undulations; adding a lot of interest to the panel surface. Again, this one was fun to paint. Really liking these panels!

Apple Solo











2' x 4' Oil on Panel
This is my first finished large-scale piece on Masonite. The panels are custom-made by my favorite carpenter... my Dad :) They are super sturdy with a 2" cradle. I primed them with two coats of Gesso which will keep the oil paint from eating the panel over time. Panels are a very cool surface to paint on; very seductive. Because the support doesn't give with the pressure of my brush, I liken it to driving a sports car. I can't say that I finished the painting any faster; but definitely enjoyed the ride!

A little momento from the Ann Arbor Art Fairs; one of my paintings was chosen to represent the South University Fair on the cover of the "Official Art Fair Guide" which is the guide to all four fairs. Pretty nice PR for me :) big smile!

These next works were all completed in advance of the Ann Arbor Art Fair. My apologies for falling behind in my posting but I had to step away from the computer for a bit to focus on painting to get ready for the fair.... and then after the fair we took off for Lake Michigan for some unwind/family time.















30" x 40" Poppy Series II
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

















30" x 40" Poppy Series III
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas




















3' x 4' Poppy Series IV
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

















4' x 5' Thoughtful Moment II
Oil on Gallery Wrapped Canvas

Poppy Series I














30" x 40" Oil on 3/4" gallery wrapped canvas. I have been working on four different poppy pieces for the last several weeks. This is the first of that group....more to come soon!

Under the Old Apple Tree
















Orchard at Sunset
















Both pieces are 3' x 4' oil on gallery wrapped canvas. These two works were created for a couple from Chicago that are collecting my work. They will pick their favorite and the other piece will go with me to the "Crosby Show" in Toledo, OH. These collectors are actually clients of my gallery in Ann Arbor (Pierre Paul Art Gallery) and have already purchased two of my favorite orchards. Orchard at Night and Orchard at Dusk.

Stay tuned as I have lots of work in that "almost" finished stage. So more to come soon!

Sunflowers on a Periwinkle Sky














3' x 4' - Here is the follow-up piece to Sunflowers for Jen. Feel free to comment if you have any thoughts over which one you like better and "why". Thanks!

Sunflowers for Jen














4' x 3' Sunflowers in a field. This piece was created with a dear friend in mind. I learned a lot from this painting in that I think my painting comes easier if I don't treat to piece too preciously. I did another piece with the same composition of the five main sunflowers but since it was second piece and this one was already complete; the second piece came a little easier. Will be interesting to see which one she is drawn to!

Sunflowers on a Red Sky


















3' x 3' Oil on canvas. This painting has been hanging around in my studio for a while. It started out as a fairly typical representation of a field of sunflowers...blue sky, golden petals, green leaves and it left me uninspired. So I covered the entire piece in a generous red glaze and painted into it. Much more fun to paint and it helped me bust through that "stuck" feeling. I have been working on a sunflower commission that I felt I was getting too "stiff" about and I think this was a good diversion to help me stay loose and expressive. It's funny how you tend to paint better when you let go of the "preciousness" of the piece.

Sunflowers for Sylvania


















4' x 3' on Gallery Wrapped Canvas - Sunflower Oil Painting
I posted this piece in-progress back in October....I thought I was on a roll to finish it and then as paintings sometimes go with me, I had to put it aside to rest. Now I think it is done!