Jack

An oil study of my partner Jack from several years ago. This March we will have been together 16 years!!....wow
I've been working away on the large clam painting. Also two commissions...both birthday presents, so I won't post them here until after they get to where they're going.

Happy Birthday Chuck Law's Art Pages

One year ago today I started this blog...it's been great fun and such a learning experience. A warm thank you to all who have taken the time to look and/or add a comment. Here is the original painting posted ...the 5x7 Gumby and Pokey painting. It now resides in the artist's collection.

Process

sorry about the greens.

A nod to Keiser for the title. This large painting started out at the end of December my initial inspiration was two rectangles of light with an arrangement of clams dancing over top of them. I thought I had left that style behind when I started...and now time has shown that perhaps I have. I was pretty unhappy when I posted what I thought was the final work at Wet Canvas last week. I realized in viewing the work digitally, that the background was not at all what I envisioned at the outset. After much consideration and meditaion and yes even some prayer, I felt directed to change the rectangles into something concrete. And so I have. I struggled with this because, quite frankly I'm lazy and didn't really want to invest so much more time into the piece....and then I asked myself, do I want this to be a good painting...or do I want to go the extra mile and try to create something exceptional...may never know the answer, but at least I know I'm giving it my best. One other change that has occured in the process of this piece.... I've been doing small direct paintings almost daily for the last several months and I was hoping to execute this huge Work in the same manner...I began with really big brushes and broad strokes, but soon the desire for subtle detail kicked in. Perhaps I yet lack the abilty to match the vision with the craft....I am back to hard edge realism and glazing. Not a bad thing for me since I'm starting to feel that satisfaction that comes when a painting matches my expectations. I was thinking of Sargent when I started , now I've got Wyeth-ey feelings as the Burlap takes shape. As I complete the burlap it will be pretty close to the blue background in tone...I think that will really give the dance of the clams their rightful due.

Pretty Mermaids all in a Row

I'm going to be doing prints of these, will post availability and prices when I do. I thought it would be nice to see the best of the best all together.

From the Vault

I've been working over-time at the part-time floral job ...Valentine's Day...or as I like to call it ; "Rose Hell"! No painting for the last 4 days, so I thought I'd post one "from the vaults".

This one was created in the summer of 1987, although it is signed and dated later...after some minor adjustments in 93'. While it is certainly not the best of my work it has importance to me because it was the first piece with which I felt obsessed by a flat over-all pattern of surface. The idea of scattering objects would follow 5 years later. Someone had given me a set of cork placemats, I found the odd looking piece of coral on the beach in Brigantine....the island north of Atlantic City. Hence the title "Brigantine Coral". It is painted with Acrylics, ten years before I began working in oils. The size is 18x24

Eucalyptus Pods in Front of Snowy Window

Gee the title seems bigger then the painting. Did this little 5x5" study rather quickly this morning.

Six Paintings on Display in Millville

Formal Orchids 11x14 oil/canvas

Six of my paintings will be on display from now through May at the Susquehanna Bank in Millville on the corner of Second and G. Streets.

Sponsored by the River Front Renaissance Art Center.

Golden Tailed Mermaid

sold 6" x 7 1/2"

Here is the final Mermaid in the Series. I'm not quite finished with some of the detailing around the base, but I wanted to post the photo, because I know my favorite collector will be watching for her. These were wonderful to paint Marion, Thankyou for the opportunity. I'll be posting the best of the bunch all together when I take the final photos.

Cermaic Mermiad on a Plastic Plate ( Rear view )

Sold 5x7
The closure of yesterday's posting wasn't enough. Here she is one more time ;)

Happy Birthday Dad

My father is a commercial fisherman. For his Birthday I've been doing these handpainted cards in sepia. He really likes them. This year is a WeakFish ,next year's fish will be a Spot.

5x7 watercolor card

Small Shell Painting

Warm shells from a warm place on a cold snowy day. 4x6 oil

While I don't often show unsuccesful works I thought I'd post this photo of the lost mermaid, This is the third attempt and now I'm wiping her clean to start again tomorrow. It's frustrating when things don't flow nicely, but part of the paint of growing. I'm just glad it happens a lot less frequently then it used to.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

....funny, I wrote "paint" instead of pain...well that works!

Shells and Rock

5x7

...coming soon, the final round of mermaids!

Return to Oils

I've returned to oil, but still got Florida on my mind.

Shell Fragments 5x7

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

not for sale

Here are the last two Florida paintings ( that I'm showing ). This was a great place to camp along the Loxahatchee River. These are some flowers and seedpods that were growing around the campsight.

More Watercolor Studies

Not for Sale

Here is a selection of a few more watercolor studies from my trip to Florida. When I look at these I can feel the warm sun that was streaming in when I painted them. It is quite cold and getting ready to snow today here in New Jersey. I must admit I like that too. I love to visit tropical climes, but I think the change of seasons is one of my greatest inspirations. The warm would never be as sweet without the cold. I'll be posting one more day of Florida pictures tomorrow. I returned to daily oil painting this morning. I found it's easier to switch from oils to watercolor, then to switch back to oil painting after two weeks of watercolors. Interesting.

Thing with Barnacles

not for sale

OK I'm not sure what it is...a seed or some kind of fruit or nut. I liked the barnacles on it... it was about the size of a golfball and it reminded me of Mickey Mouse. ..Walking on the beach in Florida for the first time since 1983 I was totally facinated by everything. As I gathered stuff I wondered if the locals took the shells for granted like everyone does with the clams and things here at the Jersey Shore. Then I wondered...Are there actually any locals in southeastern Florida?

Man O War

approx 6x6 not for sale

These lethal blue jellyfish were all over the beaches in Juno. Here is a tiny one caught in kelp that I was able to bring back and paint. Except for occasional studies in sepia I haven' t worked with watercolors in about 15 years. It was really fun using them again while I was in Florida. There wasn't much time to paint so the watercolors were a nice quick alternative. The studies I'm posting are not for sale, these visual diaries of my trip are so much more precious then photos.

Two Weeks Gone

I folks...I'm going to Florida for a couple of weeks...first vacation in three years!! That's not really a complaint, because I gave up luxuries like vacations so I could pursue my painting. That was two years ago this March. I am taking...or as Katherine would say...Traveling with my sketchbook! I will not however have access to a computer, so look for the next update around the twentieth.

Third Red Tailed Mermaid

Sold

Sheer pleasure painting this Occupied Japan gem.

6x8 oil

Crocodile Mermaid

Sold

I'm going to revisit this one after it dries a few days and add some of the linear texture to the croc.

8x10 oil