Christmas at the Water Tower oil 11x14 $160

The Chicago Water Tower is one of my favorite subjects having painted many of them. It is not without challenge. Very often artists tend to select many of the same colors for their work, placing them in the same position on the palette so you reach for them without looking. Occasionally I like to explore using some of the less common colors in my paint box. Recently I have begun using some Prussian blue for my night skies. It tends to yield a greenish hue-unfortunately my photo doesn't capture that color correctly and the water towers colors are a bit muted, but the essence of the painting is captured and you can get a sense of the shift in the night sky.

Sunrise on the River Oil on canvas 11x14 SOLD

This painting is a view from the Chicago River looking towards Lake Michigan. I decided to use a simplified palette here with the predominant use of purple (its complement yellow) and some green to create a work with a bit of a different feel. When I began this painting I was very unsure how it was going to turn out-sometimes you have to trust the process (and your intuition).

Sunset at the Shedd oil 11x14 SOLD

This painting was done about 18 months ago. It is taken from the walk along Monroe Harbor on Lake Michigan looking towards the Shedd aqaurium. It has proven to be quite popular leading sales in prints (limited edition) and cards.

Gore Range Trail (oil on canvas) 16x20

Usually I tend to 'work small.' The bulk of my paintings are either 8x10 or 11x14. I have worked larger but they are the exception rather than the rule. Many of my larger paintings were done first smaller and then redone on a larger scale. It allows one the opportunity to experiment with the composition as well as colors without the commitment to the larger canvas. This painting's 'preview ' has been sold and not available. The the larger painting-above- is a view while hiking on a trail in the Gore Range in Colorado.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. This is the first post for a new blog. The inspiration for this blog is actually two-fold. One of my daughters, a gifted writer, began one earlier this year. Her entries serve as entrance into her world, as a midwesterner in New York City. The other is a plein aire artist from Topsail North Carolina-Mike Rooney-whose near daily postings inspire myself and other artists.

This blog will focus less on writing (unlike my daughter's) and more on painting (like Mike's). My family and I have much to be thankful for this day as we embark on the holiday season. Best wishes to all. This painting is inspired by I a trip to St Thomas my wife and I took earlier this year. These fishermen docked there daily selling their 'catch of the day.' Look for other paintings from this trip.