Demo

Generally I demonstrate oil painting techniques with a live model - on Weds., January 26th, I'll be demoing from a photo composite I put together in Photoshop.  It's a family portrait of husband and wife indie-rock duo Mates of State and their daughters.  There is no charge for this event - bring a friend.

@ ArtSpace Herndon 7:30-10pm

750 Center St.; Herndon, VA

Amazing Skill

A hero of mine ever since I saw him in action on TV in my younger years:

The Flintstone Camera Pterodactyl

Faith, Hope and Charity Video

A little 'making of' video of "Faith, Hope and Charity".



Direct Link

Also on Vimeo.

The soundtrack is by Steven Sharp Nelson - I knew him back in High School.  Here's his website, and here's a pretty cool YouTube cover video with Steve and Jon Schmidt.

New Session Starts January 11th

"Melissa" • 12" x 16" • Colored Pencil, Conté, and White Chalk on Toned Paper

The 3rd session of the Theory and Practice Tuesday classes will begin on January 11th.
This session will focus on aesthetic mark making - starting at the sketch and culminating at the fully-rendered drawing.

Click here for more information and registration links.

"In theory there is no difference between theory and practice.  

In practice there is."

-Yogi Berra

Faith, Hope and Charity

I recently completed a new painting that I've been working on since December.  Titled "Faith, Hope and Charity," it is a representation of these principles of action.

The figure of Faith planted the seed and is seen watering and caring for the plant.  Hope waits patiently for the fruit the tree will bring while Charity, the greatest of all, provides the light.

As I see it, faith is a belief in something so strong that it causes you to act.  For example, you believe that flipping your light switch will provide light, so you actually walk over to the wall and flip the switch.  Your hope is that the light in the room will turn on - therefore, hope is the focus on the result.  Charity is more than alms, it is another word for love.  I believe love undergirds all good.  In this example, charity would probably be akin to the live electrical grid.

I'm currently reading former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's wonderful (but unfortunately premature) book, "The Age of Turbulence".  One of his points is that a free market economy functions on the basis of trust.  Without it, commerce would dwindle and the free market would die.  Just think what would happen if every contract were litigated (assuming you could trust the lawyers and the law enforcement).

Just as trust is necessary for transactual obligations to be assumed and fulfilled, love (or charity) undergirds a civilized society - as civility is simply charity at a really low intensity.  As charity increases, so does the power, richness, and productivity of our relationships.  As Christ teaches in the Bible - the law, and the teachings of the prophets, hang on love.  Matthew 22: 36-40.  Without this love, there would be bareness.

"Faith, Hope and Charity" currently hangs in a show at the Springville Museum of Art.

Prints and Posters of "Faith, Hope and Charity" are available on the WebShop.

Art Quotes

"Spiritual Jubilation" • 22" x 30" • Mixed Media on Paper 

"The aim of art
is to represent not the outward appearance of things,
but their inward significance."

-Aristotle

Dedicated to All Literalists

A friend of mine from NJ sent this Dilbert cartoon to me.  Enjoy.  

While this cartoon can apply to many aspects of life, I do remember the first time a teacher ever told me that I didn't have to paint exactly what was in front of me.  This advice was extremely freeing, as my eight-year-old fingers were having a really hard time painting 5 rows on the base of the goblet in my still-life.  She said - just put three in - later explaining that every realist painting is both selective and an abbreviation.  Thanks Helen.

PS - I bet this guy could do a 7 minute painting no sweat.