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More thoughts about painting
How fortunate we are when a truly great artist not only has the ability to create wonderful, enduring paintings, but also has the gift of teaching and is able and willing to share that knowledge with...
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Edgar Payne on originality
Many artists are attracted to Edgar Payne’s compositional principles gleaned from his book, “Composition of Outdoor Painting”. Mention his name and those principles are usually discussed. I have not...
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A nation under judgement
It bothers me immensely when politicians, upon concluding a speech, invoke God’s blessing on America. Thomas Cole – “The Course of Empire: Pastoral State” – Oil (1836) It’s a brilliant political...
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I need your help
I will be filming two more videos for Streamline Publishing in September. One of the videos will be showing two versions of the same subject. Using the same palette, I will demonstrate that by changing...
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Importance of preliminary work
The great American painter, Edgar Payne, states in his book “Composition of Outdoor Painting”, that a pictorial representation is always a translation. Nature suggests ideas for interpretation; the...
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Why draw? Let’s just paint.
Some years ago, when I was asked to teach a weekly art class, I gladly accepted. I expected a class full of eager, enthusiastic students, ready to tackle the challenges of becoming fine artists. The...
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An interview with Amanda Lovett
Amanda Lovett is a talented artist living in Georgia. I’ve known her for a number of years and she was most instrumental in helping me create my book, “Limited Palette Unlimited Color”. In this...
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The value of creating a gray scale
I believe many beginning, even more advanced artists, believe it is a frivolous, unnecessary exercise to create a gray scale. Even though the title is a play on words, the true meaning is real. What I...
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Plein air painting and sobriety
Plein Air Today online newsletter has just shared with its huge audience an article I wrote concerning the plein air movement. Titled, “Bringing Sanity to Direct Painting”, I believe that’s exactly...
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A real-ism dem-un-stration coming soon
I’m pleased once again to be on the faculty of Realism Live. I think 2022 makes it my third or fourth time. It’s a great opportunity for you to learn from a group of superb artists. What exactly is...
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Pros and cons of art competitions
It’s very possible that the painting you entered in that last art competition was a real dog. You know, the one that was rejected. But hey, your mom loved it. On the other hand, you may have submitted...
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“Junctions”– the creative process
From the beginning of the year I had two paintings in mind that I wanted to create specifically for the Oil Painters of America Western Regional competition being held this month at Southwest Gallery...
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Replaying an interview with Joe Paquet
“Tell the world what we love” is sage advice from a painter I greatly admire. I took a workshop from Joe Paquet in 2017. He is philosophical and thoughtful when he speaks of creating art, stressing...
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Tim Breaux’s unique journey
Tim Breaux is a talented guy…a pharmacist, author, inventor, and artist. In this exciting interview we explore each of those areas with emphasis on how to succeed in this world as an artist. He shares...
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Developing concepts
Certainly new things can come into existence by accident, without necessarily knowing the outcome. That might likely happen when that which already exists is combined, intentionally or unintentionally,...
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An unlikely connection
When my wife and I visited Vermont and Massachusetts a few years ago, little did I know that one of the paintings I’d create from that trip would result in an unlikely connection. (Click images to...
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Realism Live is fast approaching
I enjoy depicting simple, common, everyday life and its objects as things of beauty and worth. I intend to show the dignity and value of the subjects I paint – just as my artistic influences have. In...
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Celebrating a sober Thanksgiving
There’s a palpable malaise that rests heavily upon our nation and our soul. There’s something gravely wrong, we know it and we feel it, but like sheep we are being led astray, swept along and forced to...
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Celebrating 50 years
It was in 1972 that I began my professional art career. Previous to that, I had spent four years in El Segundo, CA as an Air Force officer while attending the Art Center College in Pasadena for night...
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Creating “A Bitterly Cold Morning”
It all began when the Illume Gallery of Fine Art put out a request to its artists to create two winter themed paintings for its Christmas Miniature Show. I have always been drawn to my neighbor’s...
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