My teaching trip to San Clemente was made up of a series of highs and lows. The highs were: the flowers… the beaches… and my wonderful students at San Clemente Art Supply… The low point was this… Yep, I got the flu while I was in California. I had to cancel my one-day “Sketching […]
Sarasota Farmer’s Market
One last sketch from Florida… 5-1/2″ x 8-1/2″, ink & watercolor in a Stillman and Birn Alpha series sketchbook It was too windy to sketch outside on the day I visited the Sarasota Farmer’s market with my sketching buddies, so we snapped pictures and headed for a warm, cozy Starbucks nearby. There, we spread out […]
Fun in Florida!
I felt a teeny bit guilty leaving home when winter storm Jonas was on its way, but I had to go. After all, I was teaching in Florida! 4″ x 6″, ink & watercolor in a hardbound Stillman & Birn Alpha series sketchbook I had an early flight out of Pittsburgh, and since I had […]
San Clemente Workshop: Earth, Sea, and Sky
Now that I’m home from Florida, I’m gearing up for my next teaching trip. I’ll be in San Clemente, California, in February for a 3-day workshop entitled “Step-by-Step Watercolor: Earth, Sea, and Sky” followed by a 1-day plein air sketching workshop. The plein air workshop is full, but I wanted to let you know that […]
Commission #7: Tin Can Hollow Road
Here’s the final house portrait in this series of 2015 commissions, a renovated farmhouse on the charmingly named Tin Can Hollow Road in Greene County, Pennsylvania. I took my reference photos in August when the yard was filled with flowers and the white hydrangeas were just beginning to develop the rosy blush that comes as […]
Commission #6: Victoria Belle Mansion
Imagine an outdoor wedding in this beautiful location, with violinists serenading the wedding party from the balcony and guests arrayed in white chairs surrounding the fountain. That was the scene when my client’s daughter was married at Victoria Belle Mansion just a few years ago. 12″ x 8″ watercolor on 140 lb. paper Victoria Belle is an […]
Commission #5: A Cute, Cozy Cottage
When you read the title of this post, what image popped into your head? Clapboard siding, picket fences and porch swings? Colorful flowers tumbling over stone walls? Well, this adorable cottage has all that and more. 12″ x 8″, ink & watercolor on 140 lb. paper The house is framed by pretty white picket fences… […]
Commission #4: “The Pecan Grove”
I’ve done a wide variety of custom artwork over the years, everything from pet portraits to illustrated recipes, but this is the first time I’ve been asked to paint a grove of trees. This idyllic scene of a family walking through a Georgia pecan grove was a challenge for many reasons. “The Pecan Grove”, 12″ […]
Commission #3: “Built with Love”
You see simple ranch-style red brick homes all over western Pennsylvania, where I live. You might drive by this one and not give it a second glance. Its not impressive or imposing. It doesn’t have columns or dormers or gables. It was built in the understated style of a typical 1960s ranch. But this little […]
Commission #2: A Stately Home in Atlanta
House portraits require quite a bit of back and forth communication with my clients. I usually ask for lots of photos of the property from different angles, so I can choose what works best for the composition. The client often requests a change of season for the painting, so there are discussions of what type […]