Spring Twigs

5x7 oil/panel

Uncut Daffs

This past week I've been spending a lot of time in the garden and making a waterfall for the koi pond...I guess that could be considered another creative endeavor as well. I think of Monet when I'm out there. Today was so nice I sat outside and did this 9x12 study of the daffodils. I really didn't want to cut any more, since they're the only thing blooming. Ah spring!

Classic "Scatter" Painting ...from the vault

Faded Hibiscus...I gave this to my Sister for her Fiftieth Birthday in September of 2005. One my favorites. 16x20, oil/canvas. These are shriveled up buds from my red hibiscus tree.
I'll be in two exhibits in Milleville from now until May 16th. I have a dozen smaller paintings in the "Alcove" at the the Rennaisance Art Center and two large paintings in the spring juried show for the Society of New Jersey Artist's at 501 n. high street.

daffodils and tube of paint

more daffs 6" x 11" oil/wood

From the ( recent ) Vault: Tuscany Wine

This is only from a couple of years ago, but I just now took a photo. The painting was commissioned to me by my Sister's Fiance'. They are Wine Buffs and these are some of their favorites ...with a picture of the winery in the background. The photo in the painting was taken by them earlier that year while on a visit to Italy. Of course it was fun to record my own image in the bottles...an added bonus, heheheh.
The painting is 16x20 oil on canvas

Werner Pfarr's Free Drawing Project

A while back I discovered a Drawing Blog by Werner Pfarr. I found it appealing because Werner lives and draws around Nice, France which is where I was born. Even more interesting is Werner's Free Drawing Project. He will send you a small drawing in return for a photo of the drawing once you recieve it. Then he frames the photo and does a drawing of that. That piece becomes the next free drawing. The idea being that this could stretch into infinity. You know ...a drawing of a drawing of a drawing,or as I learned on Werner's blog a Mise en abyme. Pretty cool if you ask me. Here is my little second generation drawing that I received from Werner. He has already done the next piece from the photo I sent.

Blue and Gold

Tiny flowers from my garden. 4x6 oil/wood

From the Vault: The Fisherman

Here's an acrylic I did of my Dad back in the eighties. I was at my parents house today taking some photos of my older paintings, including my first self portrait at the age of 17...added to the self portrait post.

Three Mussels

A friend told me of a spot on the beach where there was lots of driftwood. When I got there I found nary a stick, but tons of these small mussel shells...one of my favorite subjects, especially when they are still joined. Tried to stay quick and loose with this small study. Approx. 6x6 oil on wood.

better daffs

another try, this time out of the vase. 5x7

Pesky Daffs

Every year now I try my hand at these, with results that are always displeasing. This is a small one...4x6 canvas

Rose Bowl

These are a couple of "blown" roses I brought home from the part time job. In the floral business blown means fully open and probably pretty close to dying. They're no good for selling, but nice for painting I think. 5x7 oil/panel

White Diver Dan

I read somewhere a reference to small paintings like this posted on a blog as "Blog Paintings". I have no wish to try and do one of these every day, but doing them frequently is a good thing. Plus they do sell well. These little ceramic Occupied Japan figurines were made for aquariums, although they are often mistaken for spacemen. I think the inspiration was the diving apparatus out of Jules Verne's book 2000 Leagues Beneath the Sea. This is oil on board 5 1/2" x 7 3/4s. An odd size for an odd little man.
....now back to the big stuff!

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.