Pleinair Painting

Sometimes ideas come and I have to paint them. This painting started a new series I'm calling "Vessels." I'm not really sure what they are, nor do I think it really matters. Some people think this is coral, others ice crystals, others energy or space creatures. I saw it in my mind's eye and had to paint it. The creative process has always been a mystery to me and I try not to examine it too closely. Often I have found that experimentation can open me up to other avenues..and the paintings that I do along the way may not be the destination...but rather the path to it. I am on a path at the moment. Abstraction is not one of my strengths, or even one of my passions...but I am captivated by the patterns that are emerging. Patterns that I recognize are in nature on many levels. On this bitterly cold and dark January night, I'm emerging from the depths. Slowly.

As artists, we always seem to be recording things. Sometimes it's difficult to separate real life from the process of recording. As I'm painting a scene, I'm recording what's happening, or what has happened, or what I wish was there. So am I really "in the moment" or chasing a moment that has already passed. While painting "En Plein Air", we call this loop "chasing the light." As light continues to change on the scene, the question always arises: "Do I change the painting to match the current light, or do I try to remember what the light looked like a few moments ago?" If one chooses to change the painting, there is a risk that the painting will never be completed because you will always be "chasing the light." It's a dangerous loop. Recently, my life has been an exercise in "chasing the light." As each day dawns, I have a list of projects that need completion, but as the sun arches across the sky, the...

DETROIT WHOLE FOODS MURAL! Earlier this week I was notified that my design won the Whole Foods Detroit Mural competition. There were close to 100 designs submitted, so this was quite an honor to be selected as one of the four finalists. The murals will appear on the exterior of the building on the north side of Mac just east of Woodward in downtown Detroit. My design is based on health, vitality and community--a true reflection of what is currently happening in Detroit. The city is in the middle of a revitalization and it's exciting to see. I was there during Noel Night this December and was amazed at the crowds, the activity and excitement. It felt young and fresh and I wanted to be a part of it. I am truly honored to have been chosen and look forward to starting this project. Completion will be in early spring. I'll post photos of the dedication ceremony when it occurs. 

2013--Happy New Year! 2012 was a challenging and innovative year for me. I explored new avenues and venues. Some of them were lucrative, others not so much. I did my first art fair in Scottsdale, Arizona-- that was a bust. Then I did Ann Arbor-- good show for me. Learned a lot. I'll do it again, but differently. I published my first book in July. I've sold 900 so far! That pretty much saved my year. But the most fun I had this year was making and selling my "Ann Arbor Tiny Townie" Ornaments.  They were little hand-painted versions of Ann Arbor's iconic structures. I sold close to 300 of them! On my last evening Christmas Market of the year, a man walked into my booth and announced that he was Jewish. "I don't know what I'm doing at a Christmas Market" he said, "But I have cash money. What can I buy?" I thought for a moment and then directed him towards my ornaments. "A jew buys a Christmas ornament!" He said in jest. ...

At Last! My first published book is available from Cottage & Farm Press. It's 22 years of Observer cover art including scenes of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor parks and neighborhoods, daily life and events. The book is only $29.95 and includes 48 pages of Ann Arbor Observer covers including anecdotes about my life and the techniques I used to create the illustrations. Hard cover, 12 x 12 inches. It makes a great gift or coffee table book. I'll be introducing it officially at the State Street Ann Arbor Art Fair starting July 18th through the 21st. Come visit me there and I'll sign the book, or order the book from www.cottageandfarm.com It will also be available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble in a few months and Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor starting July 20th. Hope you like it!

After last year's record snowstorm the end of February and record cold temps in March, I was certainly surprised with this year's 80 degree average temperature in March. It's supposed to be the first day of Spring today and most of my flowering trees are already fully decked out in their lovely spring garments. But, I'm not complaining. I'm working really hard to find time to be outdoors before the bugs come and the temps are unbearably hot. These are precious days to a pleinair painter. I hope you are all planning a trip into the wondrous outdoors this weekend. I'm heading out today. The sun is magical, the temperature is perfect and we get very few gifts like this in Michigan. Blessings to you all!

If you make your living as an artist, as I do, you've probably seen a major change in the purchasing habits of Americans since the end of 2008. The last three years have been a challenge, to say the least. I've paid the bills OK, but pulled the belt tighter on dog treats, trips to the country and dinners out. And, the salvation army is getting fewer of my clothes, as I'm hanging onto the fashions a bit longer than usual...overlooking a frayed sleeve or balled sweater in favor of a thicker wallet. In the past, I've been 99% commissioned as a painter. All of my work is paid for before I paint it. But, I'm getting fewer calls as our sluggish economy drags on with little recovery. So, the other day I decided that I needed to change my strategy. And I asked myself, "Where are the buyers of art going to buy art these days?" And that's when I decided to find out where the best art fairs in the nation were located. It turns out that Scottsdale, Arizona is a re...