Art Makes Me Happy

Mead's Corner 16x20 Oil on linen. $640--SOLD
Is that too simplistic? Art makes me happy? Who cares. I produce art that is original, striking, interesting, and in the tradition of realists such as Hopper and Rembrandt and Courbet. The mere process of painting causes such happiness in my heart that I often think it may be a controlled substance! After peering over my shoulder, I see no drug sniffing dogs and I continue with my bliss. I've been at it since I was 16, producing plein air paintings, portraits, and even the occasional abstract. I've had only three shows in my life. The first was at the Wichita Art Museum. Strange that. I've always managed to sell my art directly. I'd start to build up an inventory in order to seek placement in a gallery and suddenly they would start marching out the door in the hands of happy buyers. A great problem to have.

Grant 20x24 Oil on linen. SOLD
My portraits have been a staple for me. I love doing them and seem to have someone knocking on my door just when I need to pay a bill or buy a passel of supplies. What I seek in those portraits is to capture an intangible quality that mere photography cannot reach. I think I succeed. Of course, it always helps to paint really interesting people. So far, everyone has been amazing. The little boy to the left is Grant. He is a charmer. Dressed in period costume from the 1880's, he gives off that attitude that says he might just be a handful.









Jake Euker 28x24 Oil on linen. SOLD
When I paint for myself, I'm a bit looser. This is a portrait of Jake Euker, a brilliant man who passed unexpectedly, leaving behind literally thousands of people who will miss his scathing humor, wry observations, beautifully wrapped presents, and often hilarious takes on everything from the movie Nashville to the high cost of children's stickers. He is missed.

This painting helped me to work out my feelings about his death and once it was finished, I gave it away.

As I develop my technical skills related to online social media, I will strive to provide a blog that is updated fairly frequently and which will attempt to be at the very least, not boring.

Thanks, for reading and...



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