At Court

16x20 oil on panel
Ask Castle Gallery about this painting

Sorry for my long silence. Life just moves at too fast a pace - no matter how I try to slow it down. Dogs (both ailing now), school, Girl Scout cookies, weather, life in general... you know the story!

The above is a scene from the Court of The Two Sisters restaurant in New Orleans. The photo doesn't do it justice - nor did I really. There are parts of it I like but sort of sent it out before I fixed a couple of things I'd like to adjust. Ah well... deadlines will do that to you.

I wanted to get it to Castle Gallery before their big Valentine's show "Amour de l'Art" which opens Friday night. Here's hoping another Arctic blast won't ruin their party.

I have been working on other things and stretching my wings a little which is exciting for me. I'm not ready to show the work yet tho. So for now, enjoy seeing what will be available at my galleries in the coming weeks.

Early Hours

12x9 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

I did this sketch as an idea for a commissioned painting and decided to go ahead and send it to the gallery for their holiday opening. It looks rather festive! The setting is an Indiana restaurant "Joseph Decuis".

No Waiting

 16x16 oil on panel

Available at Castle Gallery

This is an interior view of a Kerrville restaurant "Franciscos" that I like a lot. I painted the sidewalk in front of this restaurant during the Kerrville Outdoor Painter's event in Oct. and that painting won the Quick Draw event. I'll share a better photo of it tomorrow since its also available at the holiday show at Castle Gallery Dec. 14th.

Aw Shucks!

16x16 oil on panel

Ask DK Gallery about this painting

This began - and sort of ended - as a sketch. I just thought that I had said enough once I got the initial block in done. Its painted over a toned panel which allowed me to just be vague about the non-essential bits.

Friday opens the Farm to Table show at DK Gallery on the Historic Marietta Square. The show features all their gallery artists sharing works celebrating the growing focus on farm fresh foods. I am happy to contribute with some of my favorite subjects featuring foods being prepared or enjoyed. To see a preview of the variety of works you can click here. 

I'm still really excited to be part of DK Gallery. They have monthly show openings coinciding with their local First Friday Artwalk. The shows give artists and patrons an opportunity to explore all kinds of ideas and themes. I wish I was nearer and could attend. I'm hoping for a visit during their Holiday small gems show.

This scene is from my New Orleans trip earlier this summer. We walked for a long way to find that Cafe du Monde serves nothing but beignets. That wouldn't do for my family. We then found The Original French Market Restaurant nearby serving some excellent Cajun food and got to watch this man shucking fresh oysters for those so inclined.

Oyster Bar

 12x9 oil on panel each

I think I had names in mind for these but have forgotten them. Hopefully I will come up with something clever. For now, they are two more views of the Oyster Bar. I've sent these images to Castle Gallery and all three paintings are spoken for. That is a wonderful feeling. I guess I got it right!

Oyster Bar

16x20 oil on panel
sold

Last fall, I had the pleasure of meeting a wonderful couple in their favorite restaurant - The Oyster Bar - in Forth Wayne, IN. It was a dim, narrow and historical old building with a lot of charm and character and they wanted me to paint some scenes from it. They get first pick of the scenes I've worked on. 
I'm sending this and two others to Castle Gallery soon for their annual Valentine's Show. Opening night is February 9th.

Slow Pour

20x24 oil on panel -
Sold

Opening night tonight at the "Femme" show at Russell Collection Fine Art in Austin and I had two paintings sold during previews yesterday!
The paintings were larger scale for me and definitely harder. The other I really struggled over, but the results apparently were satisfactory! Its a good feeling to know going in that I have sales and people like what they see!

If you are in Austin do come by tonight during the reception and say hello and see the wonderful variety of work created by some very talented women!

A Well Balanced Diet

12x12 oil on panel

I have no idea where I will send this yet.

Here is the painting I showed yesterday while being varnished. I'm currently stewing over how to paint a restaurant interior without so many dark colors. I did two others last week that just seem to dismal and dim. I will let you know what I come up with.

Something from the Bar

12x12 oil on panel

Available next week at Russell Collection.

Bouncing back to the darker colors and playing with interior lighting. Bars are fun because of all the spotlights, reflections, and varying neon lights creating ambiance. This is the back bar of the Cypress Creek Cafe where we had a fun dinner during our workshop in Wimberley.

Making Merry

12x18 oil on linen

This is a commissioned piece for a collector who gets first dibs at a new gallery I'm sending work to next week. A similar scene sparked their interest but was no longer available. This is the King Cole bar in the St. Regis hotel in NYC - and the huge mural behind it is by Maxfield Parrish. Its really quite an awesome setting. Very dim and cozy with the mural dominating the room. I wish I had found this link to the bar earlier! What a great image of the mural. My pictures are not so clear, having been taken at night while trying to be subtle in the busy bar. We should've had a drink and stayed awhile. Next time.

I am happy to share the news that Charleston House in Montgomery is going to be representing my work. This painting and a few others are going to be available in their gallery next week.

Club Room

16x16 oil on linen

This is a scene from the Salmagundi Club in NYC. The day I painted it was rainy and cool. It was just so in New York the day I was visiting there and I enjoyed recalling the comfortable warmth of the basement bar room and its one patron awaiting his drink.

Merry Souls

12x18 oil on linen

Ask Tidewater Gallery about this painting.

I'm pleased to announce that I have new representation with Tidewater Gallery in historic Swansboro, NC. I am shipping several paintings there this week and had to share this newest piece before its even dry!

This is a scene from the amazing St. Regis hotel bar, featuring Maxfield Parrish's wonderful mural of King Cole which dominates the room. In painting it, I mostly copied the other artist's work, which actually got a little boring for me. I like to include other art in my paintings, obviously, but when its almost exclusively the subject, its not quite as exciting for me. But its beautiful to look at and I like the silhouettes playing against the mural.

There are some funny spots on the image here because this is on loose linen and it wasn't laying flat for the photo. I will let it dry and then, using bookbinders glue, I will mount it to gatorboard.

Late Dining

11x14 oil on panel - sold

Today I have foot surgery so this is probably it for the week. I also have a cold starting, so have not made any use of the time I did have while waiting for this surgery - starving and dying of thirst - until late afternoon.
If I don't get back to this later in the week, I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving.

Tending the Bar

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $12 s/h - sold

A lot of my New York trip seems to center around food. Hmmm... so does my life really. Its one of my pleasures. I am not that great a cook, however. I'm good at down home, comfort foods, but have a gourmet taste too that can only be satisfied by chef-prepared meals. This is a little neighborhood bar we stopped in for dessert and an apertif. It was late and the restaurant was nearly empty. The bartender spent most of his time chatting with a customer at the end of the bar unknowingly giving me lots of inspiration.

Business Break

10x20 oil on linen

Ask Castle Gallery about this painting.

To redeem my bizarre painting of models below, I had to post this gallery painting that I finished on Friday. This is the Driskill Bar in Austin. A few men taking a break from the meetings going on elsewhere in the hotel.

BarKeep

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

I rather embarrassed myself taking this photo. I asked the bartender if he'd mind my photographing there, but I think he thought I was flirting with him. ;-)

The photos came out lousy... but I had enough to go on. Barely.

I was working on a larger version of this, but abandoned it. I think I've worked out some things on this smaller version so will continue the larger one I think. Tomorrow. Time is up for today.

Noon on Tuesday

6x6 oil on panel
$100 + $11 s/h - sold

Love this little bar scene from the Driskill Hotel. There is the bar itself and then all around are lounge areas with couches, tables, fireplace, art and sculptures. Its somewhat of a pass through too between the main lobby and the 7th street entrance.
The title is from Sheryl Crowe's song - "all I wanna do is have some fun..."

I have been working - just slowly and on larger things and have been too lazy to post.

Studio Sale -

Merry Mangoes - 11x14 oil on linen panel
$150 + $11 s/h


Trulucks Bar - 12x12 oil on panel
$150 + $11 s/h

Two more offerings. The still life was ages ago and the bar scene has a very Toulouse Lautrec ambiance needing just the right home and space I suppose.
Ya'll contact me if you want to purchase either and I will send an invoice via Paypal.

Afternoon Light

12x12 oil on panel
Available at Russell Collection Fine Art

Another view of one of my favorite painting spots - Halycon Coffee House.