"Untitled Abstract Landscape Series"

12"x60" 

Mixed media on stretched canvases

$550

SOLD

The complete series.  I'm pleased with the way this turned out, and I'm happy to report the client is as well.  I wanted to make the two end pieces a bit heavier, and the middle, anchor piece to bridge the gap, (both literally and figuratively) between the two lighter, greener pieces. 

"Untitled"

12"x12"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

$100

SOLD

The fifth, and final in the commissioned series.  I was more aggressive in this piece, wanting to add a bit more weight to balance out another piece in the series, which ended up being placed on the far left of the finished series.  I will post the entire series tomorrow.

 

"Untitled"

12"x12"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

$110

SOLD

The fourth in the series, this ended up being the middle, or anchor piece.  

"Untitled"

12"x12"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

$110

SOLD

Here is the third piece in the series of 5.  

Things have been pretty crazy 'round these parts with regards to auditions.  For the past two weeks I've been auditioning 2-3 times a day, and even had the rare Saturday callback.  Just like the good ol' days.  I booked one of them, a commercial, so that's cool, and I was this close to booking a second one.  A great way to end the year.  

Untitled

12"x12"

Mixed media on canvas

$110

SOLD

The second piece in that same series.

Untitled

12"x12"

Mixed media on canvas

$110

SOLD

The first in a series of five.  

"Dreams/Landscapes"

27"x36" (series)

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$900

The complete series.  

I'm not too jazzed by this photo, but you get an idea of what the series looks like.  When displaying them I would give them more room to breathe, but for purposes of photographing them and seeing any sort of detail, I pushed them together pretty tight.  Also, I gave very little thought to how they would be displayed, thinking that the buyer could, in the end, make that final decision.  

"Landscape 8"

9"x 12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

Another in the series of 9.  I guess, now, the series is complete.  I may paint another one or two just to put it all together.

"Landscape 7"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

"Abstract...blah blah blah... composition... blah blah blah..." 

Oh hell, who am I trying to kid? This is an abstract landscape.  Plain and simple.  Sure, it's similar to yesterday's post where I placed it horizontal and called it "One White Line", but when I showed yesterday's piece to my wife, she said she liked it, and promptly proceeded to turn it on the vertical.

Yup.  Another abstract landscape.  

I paint these on their side, horizontally, and it's how I've been seeing things lately, even dreaming of this kind of setup:  the dark colors on the left, lighter on the right, lines etc.  When I show the pieces to my wife, or my art rep, they both like them vertical.  

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.  

"One White Line"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

 This piece is a bit of a departure from my abstract landscape series, although, if you prop this up on it's side, it become another landscape.  This piece is connected to the green piece I posted on October 8th.  

"Landscape 6"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

No real fixed horizon line on this one... and I'm okay with that.  Still trying to loosen up and find these pieces.  I feel like I'm understanding these abstract landscapes a bit more, but I've still a ways to go.

"Landscape 5"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

Yup.  Another landscape for the series.  I've tried to loosen up a bit more with this one...

"Landscape 4"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

I tried going a bit more minimal on this one, sticking to just the blues, gray and a touch of magenta.  

"Landscape 3"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

I feel like the blue and green area in the land portion got a bit muddy, but hopefully it won't be too much of an eyesore once it's displayed with the other 8 pieces...

"Landscape 2"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

This piece is another in the series of landscapes.  I'm still finding my way around these... As I paint them, they're becoming more literal, and less abstract.  That's not a good thing, or a bad thing, I guess.  It just is... Subsequent pieces may be more pulled back. 

"Landscape 1"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

This was to be the second piece in a 9 piece series of abstract landscapes.  I guess it still is the second piece, but in the meantime, I've sold the first one, making this the new first piece in the series.  Eeesh, that's a fat explanation... 

Untitled

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

SOLD

Write this date down.  No, really.  Go get a pen, I'll wait... October 8th, 2008- the day I painted something I kinda liked.  

Is it perfect? Nope.  I do like this direction though, and I'm excited to explore it further.  It's not bad for a study.  I'm seeing something similar to this, as a triptych for over our mantle.   

"Landscape Study"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

What began as more abstract, ended up being more literal.  

"Two Rectangles"

9"x12"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

$100

There's a lot going on here... Too much, perhaps.  I'm still working on the colors of these, and I'm still not comfortable with the way I'm incorporating the different styles.  Growing pains, I guess.  One thing I am happy with is the aged, distressed quality I'm achieving with these.  I need to refine the palette and make these less bold.   

"Reflection"

35"x35" 

Mixed media on canvas

I realize the piece doesn't look square.  It is.  I had to crop it a bit due to the poor photo I took of it.  

In continuing to explore the idea of incorporating two or more different styles within one piece:  "Reflection".  I'm posting the piece how I originally conceived, and painted it, though I think it works if rotated once clockwise, making the vertical brown band horizontal.  

I will continue to pursue this idea further.

Untitled

5"x7"

Acrylic on fiberboard

Government Bailout Package Price:  $50 

Ugggh!  

Okay, let me get this off my chest:

It's F&%#ing HOT here! 

We just returned from a short trip, and when we returned... well, let's just say someone needed to tell Southern California that It's Officially Autumn.  Is the heat an excuse for this painting? No.  It has been a while, though, and it's really been a while since I sat down and banged out a painting of the day.  My blog has really become more like the Painting of the Month.  I'm close to finishing 3 much larger pieces, or, at least I thought I was close on a few of them... we'll see what tomorrow brings.  

"Within/Without"

24"x30"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

Yeah, not entirely sure about this one.  It's quite a departure from the stuff I was doing before and yet, it's related to other stuff on the site.  I've begun to try and incorporate some of my different styles into one piece, and head off in another direction.  

"Harmony in Brown & Green 2"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

The other "Harmony..." piece in the set.  When I painted them, I envisioned this piece being displayed on the right, and "Harmony...1" on the left. 

I've been trying to loosen my style a bit with the "Harmony" pieces.   

"Harmony in Brown & Green 1"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

Just finished this piece, and "#2" which I'll post tomorrow.  I'm liking this palette a lot.  

"Variations #2"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

My blog has sort of come full circle with this piece.  Back on  July 2oth, 2006, my wife used this piece to set up the blog for me.  She surprised me with it.  I'm glad she did.  Since that time my painting has changed a lot.  I've used the small jewels as an opportunity to experiment with techniques, mediums, styles and palettes.  I feel I've grown, (at least I HOPE I have!) and I've really enjoyed myself in the process.  For those of you who have checked in on me, I really appreciate your comments.  It helps to kind of kick my butt a little when I know that people may be looking at the blog.  

"Harmony in Blue #2"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

This is the second piece in the "Harmony in Blue" series.  I need to put a quick layer of gloss varnish on it, just to even it out a bit.  When I  started doing this series, based on the "Variations" series, which is oil, I had a challenge in trying to replicate the technique and effect. The pigment in the former, was mixed with wax; which is how I got the desired effect.    I found that if I mixed the acrylic paint on the "Harmony" series with gloss extra heavy gel, that it was too buttery, but if I mixed it with matte extra heavy gel,  the consistency more closely matched that of the oil-based series.  Because of that, there are both glossy, and matte areas on the finished "Harmony" pieces which need to be evened out.  

"Harmony in Blue #1"

30"x30"

Acrylic on canvas

Yes, this is mysteriously like the other, smaller piece.  I tried to blow it up, and this is what I got.  I also painted another piece to go with it.  I will post that one tomorrow.

I must say, it feels good to be using a lot of blue again.  

"Variations #3"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

Another piece in that older series.  With this piece, you can see how I've tried to work in small bits of color to connect the paintings.  The series really should be displayed together, though they are available separately.

"Variations #1"

11"x11"

Oil on wood

Say whaaaa? Oh yeah, you read that right. OILS!   

Okay, so this is an older painting.  This is one of four pieces I based my last jewel on.  It's a direction I feel needs more exploring.  Making the switch from oils (and wax on this piece and the three others in the series) isn't easy, also, I'm going this direction while making these larger, no small feat.  Well, for me anyway.

Untitled

10"x10" 

Acrylic on stretched canvas

This piece is based on an older painting I did, but in oils.  I was given the assignment of duplicating the earlier piece.  I didn't want to completely copy it, it was more a case of trying to remember the technique I used in this style of painting... It represents a new direction, or, depending on how you look at it, an old one.

"Dancing Woman" (movement sketch)

5"x7"

Acrylic on fiberboard

Hmmm.

Yeah, not really sold on this, but hey, at least I DID one.  This is kind of movement sketch I tried.  I got the idea from a book on drawing my Dad gave me when I was home last week. To me, this looks a lot like some sort of failed Olympics logo or something.  I like the idea of trying my hand at sketches of moving figures, and I really think my work could benefit from the looseness that I wish to achieve.  This represents my first foray in that direction.  

No painting to post today, well, at least not yet.  I felt like I needed to get on here and post something so that people didn't think I fell off the face of the planet.  Rest assured, I have not.  I know you were probably unable to sleep wondering, "what happened to Jeff?"  I went on a short trip back home, couple of days... It was the Shelving Trip.  I put shelves up in the garage for my Mom, and shelves up in my Dad's studio.  I got some books on drawing from my Dad, and in the paging through them on the flight home, got some ideas for my painting.  I haven't painted in so long.  It seems I haven't had a good session since my show a month ago.  I just haven't been aching to paint, and the auditions have kind of taken over as well.  I've been out 5 times this week already, and it's not friday yet.  It's a good thing.  

I'm hoping to get some painting done this afternoon, then it's off to class tonight, (Improv classes) I perform friday night with family coming in for the weekend.  Realistically, I think next week will be when I finally get some painting done...

"Cyndee & Marlon (Redux)"

18"x24"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

I reworked this piece, losing the blood red, and replacing it with blue, and added more texture.

"Dream Image #2"

8"x10"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

I dreamt this painting a while back, maybe a month or so, but just now had the time and inclination to put it down.  As with the first Dream Image piece I painted, it always seems like a better idea when I first wake up.  I know that they always look better in my dreams!  I also altered this piece a bit.  I added the green to it, and the third, horizontal line, intersecting the other two.  It seems that when I dream of paintings, at least the first two that I've awakened to remember and attempted to paint, have both been landscapes in as much as I paint them.  I wonder what that means? Should I be leaning towards the abstract landscape?  Hmmm, food for thought.  

"Uncovered"

40"x60"

Mixed media on canvas

SOLD

Here is the piece where  I first incorporated the jute.  I love the rough, almost hairy quality it has, and the way it grabs the paint and texture mediums when I drag the brush over it.  After areas of the jute has been covered with texture mediums and paint, I like to go back, lay some gauze over, and then go back over again with the mediums.  Pretty much, it's just a matter of layering and massaging certain areas to the background while pulling others to the fore.  I was happy to sell this piece.  It will be hanging on a cruise ship.  

"Hidden" 

15" x  21.5"

Mixed media on wood

SOLD

You may be saying to yourself, "Self, this piece looks familiar", and you'd be right.  I completed it a while ago, then put it aside, but I was never really happy with it.  I recently was putting together my show for saturday night, and picked it up, and reworked it a bit, adding some burlap, and about 3 layers of texture and gauze.  I'm glad I did, as I sold it during the show.  

The show was a success!  I can't tell you how unnerving it was to be there, with a DJ, food, wine, and lots of people, just to hang out, escape the heat (it's been ridiculously hot here lately), and see my stuff.  All in all, I sold 4 pieces, one of which was quite large.  I will post it probably tomorrow or later this week.   We had some dear friends from out of town staying with us over the weekend, and they really helped put the show together with flowers, the arrangement of the room, etc.  Sure, I hung the pieces, but the two good friends, and my wife, D  did all the heavy lifting.   Without them, the show wouldn't have been half of what it ended up being.  I had so many friends, clients, friends OF clients there... hell,  even a clown  showed up.  No really.  There was a clown at my show.  No, I didn't plan for it, it was a friend I do improv with who does clowning sometimes, who came directly from a job to the show.  Let me tell you, when a clown that tops out at six and a half feet shows up in a small gallery, it turns a few heads.  

Good times.

"Corrosion"

40" x 60"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

I finally finished a large piece!  It didn't take a very long time, either, all things considered.  I've done a lot with the screen and two different types of gauze.  I really enjoy working with the gauze.  I've begun a second large piece and hope to have it finished in time for the show in a few weeks.  In that piece, I'm trying out some jute.  We'll see what we get.

"Outside the Box"

24"x 30"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

I've branched out a bit with the color on this piece, namely, the cadmium orange, and continued down the path with the gauze and texture. I've used the orange color a lot in my older work, but I've gotten away from it for quite a while.  

"The Day After Tomorrow"

 30"x 40" (triptych)

Mixed media on stretched canvas

SOLD

Well, finally, after two plus years, and about three attempts, here is the finished commissioned piece that's tormented me since it's inception!  It is, in a nutshell, a painting about war.  One of the most difficult things about the piece, for me, was my own opinions about the war we are currently in.  It makes me angry, and the anger seemed to really be getting in the way of the piece originally.  I think that there is still anger in the finished piece, along with chaos and violence, but also I tried to instill a bit of hope.  

There are nearly 700 names of fallen soldiers on the three canvases from the Afghanistan & Iraq wars.  It took me an entire day to write the names on the piece.  I remember I listened to Chopin, and was pretty depressed by the end of the day.  The enormity of it starts to settle in when you do something like that.   I will never pretend to know what it's like to be in war, to be faced with the decisions those brave men and women make on a daily basis, which is another problem I had with the piece.  The client wanted a piece depicting what someone in war might be feeling, or experiencing.  I've watched countless war films, the biography channel, and the incredible 7 part Ken Burns documentary, "The War".   All of that, and still, I have no idea what it's like.  None.  Nor could I ever know, unless I actually experience it first hand.  So that was a huge hurdle to get past.  

The title was taken from a Tom Waits song of the same name.  It's a song sung from a soldier's point of view as he writes a letter to his family back home.  I listened to it countless times while I worked the painting and I think that helped me to focus a lot better rather than something so huge as WAR.   I also listened to a lot of Chopin, Nine Inch Nails' "Ghosts" record, Peter Gabriel's "Passion" soundtrack, and other numerous things to set the mood.   

I used gold leaf, screen, lots of texture, and lots of loosely woven gauze.  I tell ya, it's been such a process with this piece that I honestly have no idea if it's any good, or if the client will like it.  I sure as hell hope so.  

"Emergence"

30"x 40"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

SOLD

This is a commissioned piece for a woman I went to grade school with back in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.  A long story, too long to go into here.  The color palette is a bit different than I've done recently.  I've worked in the gold leaf, and even a bit of gauze that is visible upon close inspection.  There was a concern of physical weight of the piece, so I didn't go too crazy with texture, trying instead to make what I did put on the canvas, really matter.  

"Letting Go"

30"x40"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

"Letting Go" is a kind of a working title for this piece.  Hell, I'm just happy to have finished it.  It seems an eternity since I've completed anything.  I've been faced with letting go of things lately.  We went to D's Uncle's memorial last weekend.  He was the artist.  I've been in my head painting, usually putting in 7-8 hour days at the easel, and not always happy with the results.   "Letting Go" is as much about the work, as it is with circumstances in my life.  

With this piece I've begun to use a new element;  gauze.  The lightbulb went on a few weeks ago while at an art exhibit.  I already use screen, why not gauze? Same idea, but it gives the piece a soft, almost downy quality to the areas where it was left untreated.  Other areas are varnished or painted, (or both) giving it different qualities.  I'm really diggin' on the gauze, and using it in tandem with the screen.  There's some screen in this piece, but most of it was covered up, by the seemingly endless work I did on it.  It's really come a long way from where it once was.  It has photographed more red than it really is, although there is some red in it...

This piece is for the upcoming show in June.  

No painting yet to post today, although I HAVE been painting, thank you very much.  I'm still getting stuff ready for the show in June, but there's also been a lot going on with my acting lately, mainly, a change of agents.  It was a long time in coming, and I'm hoping the switch will bring with it a lot more work.  My life is mostly filled with 3 or 4 things.  First, my wife, (duh), but after that, if I'm not auditioning a lot, or working a lot as an actor, then I am at the easel, painting, about 8-9 hours a day, 5 days a week.  Sometimes on the weekend I'll paint, but mostly, I try to get my running in then, the longer runs anyway, but ever since my sinus infection/surgery, I've really cut back on the running.  I've had to.  I'm rather sick of dealing with all of it, frankly, and yesterday, I decided to just push forward regardless of how crappy I may or may not feel that day.  I need to get back into running shape, and get back into the gym and get strong again.  I was supposed to run the Big Sur marathon two weeks ago, but that did not happen because of the physical crap I had been dealing with.  The running is much more than just physical fitness for me.  It's a form of meditation really, and when I don't get out on a long trail run for a while, well, I feel it.  I'm sure that D would agree that there's a marked difference in my demeanor as well.  When I'm out on the trail, I can sort through problems, be them acting problems, painting problems, or any sorts of day to day things that come up.  Running soothes my soul, and I'm anxious to get back to it.  I have been thinking of starting a running blog.  I don't know who the hell would read it, or why anyone would, it's not like I'm a world-class athlete, (far from it!).  I think it would just be a record of a regular guy doing running, training for an ultra or two, and what that entails.  Anyway, this post is just kind of a progress reports of sorts, kind of a "Yeah-I-know-haven't-posted-much-lately-but-here's-why" kind of report.  I'm hoping to have a few pieces finished in the next week or so.  Maybe I'll do some jewels in the meantime.  I gotta tell you, though, I'm just not feeling the small size of those right now.  It's hard for me to go from a large piece to a small jewel, and back again.  It really is changing gears for me on a big level.

I hope you're all well!

UNAVAILABLE

"Open Door"

24" x 30"

Mixed media on stretched canvas

This is a piece that I posted earlier, but I hadn't finished.  Now, it's finished.  I didn't do a whole lot more to it.  I worked some more texture in it, (gotta have me more texture) and a bit more work to give it some added depth.

I donated this piece to the Make a Wish Foundation for an art auction  to be held here in Los Angeles, so it's not available for purchase.  I felt the image was appropriate for the foundation.  I'm hoping it fetches some ridiculously large sum for the Make a Wish kids.  

"Approaching Storm"

5" x 7"

Mixed media on fiberboard

Honestly, this piece began as an abstract, but became more literal... I tipped in on it's side and saw the "storm", and so worked it with that in mind.  It didn't take me long.  I was working two or three of these jewels simultaneously, which is how I work the larger pieces as well.  While one piece is drying, I pick up another work that one for a while, and keep rotating them out.  

 

"Abstract Landscape"

5" x 7"

Mixed media on fiberboard

I've had someone asking me to try my hand at some abstract landscapes.  (You know who you are!)  So, here is one.  Just a quick study.    

Untitled

5"x7"

Acrylic on fiberboard

I had surgery on my sinuses last friday, and I'm still on the mend.  Today my head was splitting and I couldn't really focus on anything.  I wanted to try painting, but was afraid to commit.  D came up with the genius idea to tackle a jewel.  "Brilliant!" I think I may start hitting the jewels to warm up a bit before I get to the larger works for the show.  It's also a good way to start posting more work on Daily Painters.  I haven't been doing as many pieces as I should be.  

"Two Halves of One"

24" x 48"

Acrylic on stretched canvas

Another piece for the show.  I'm painting larger these days, and so it takes longer to finish them.  

While photographing this piece it occurred to me that I should be taking more time while I paint to back away from the painting and view it that way.  I think I spend too much time up close 'n personal with the pieces.  I used to walk away from my paintings.  Maybe it's because the studio is small.  I don't know.

UNAVAILABLE

"Hidden"

15" x 20.5"

Mixed media on wood

Comparatively speaking, this is a small piece.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I painted a jewel.  I've been working on larger pieces for the show coming up in June.  I feel like I'm behind.  I've been putting a lot of hours in at the easel lately, and I think that that along with my sinus infection , has caused me to feel a little spent.    

We received sad news yesterday.  There was an unexpected death in the family.  D's Uncle, Bruce.  He was an artist, and one hell of one at that.  I was lucky to have met him on our honeymoon in Italy.  As a wedding gift he let us choose an oil pastel drawing.  What a great day that was... the dogs Lampo and Luna were there, along with  Principe Nero, their cat.  All of them were trying to "help" us.   We pulled out all sorts of  treasures from his studio, setting them all out in the backyard to look at.  Then came the hard part, trying to pick just one.   

He was one hell of an artist.

"There and Back Again"

17" diameter round

Mixed media on wood

SOLD

If you've ever been on my blog, or seen any of my other pieces you know I'm a big fan of texture. Many a museum security guard has gotten their hackles up when I approached a Van Gogh, hands safely clasped behind my back, nose inches from the canvas.  I love studying his brushstrokes,  trying to figure out his process.  He is not the only artist I do this for.  I just need to see what's going on under there!  

There's a lot of texture on this piece.  

The name of this piece originates in how the piece came together.  It began as a commissioned piece, long ago.  When I had the custom panel made, I had 4 more made.  There were a few dead ends with this piece, so I began anew with another panel and ultimately used that as the final commissioned piece.  So this piece headed one direction, then another, then another and finally, headed the direction from whence it came.  So it's been, say it with me kids, "there and back again".  

 

"Isolation" 

36" x 36" (diptych)

Mixed media on stretched canvas

SOLD

I went "crazy with the cheez-whiz" on this one... (Beck fans, anyone?)  Three boxes, screen, lots of texture, and copper leaf.  I feel like I'm finally honing my technique.    

No painting to post today.  I continued work on a diptych for my upcoming show in June.  I need to really bust my butt to get about 10-15 paintings finished for that show.  Today I did a bit of work on the diptych, and then I reorganized a bit.  I pulled all my paints, brushes, additives etc. out of the wood boxes I kept them in, and put them on a wheeled cart I use in the garage studio.  Now I can actually SEE all my stuff laid out in front of me.  It doesn't sound like much, but I'm a bit of a neat freak, and to be organized really helps me focus.  I think it was an unconscious (subconscious?) way of getting down to business for that show.  It also occurred to me that I need to do some larger work for that show, at least one of about 5 or 6 feet to kind of anchor it.

I hope to finish the diptych by the end of next week.  

 

"Two Blue"

18" x 36"

Mixed media on canvas

What's this? Working the horizontal? Say whaaaaaa? 'Tis true.  Of course, I had to go vertical in the imagery of the piece.  I also worked the texture a lot on this painting, but left areas where the weave of the canvas is still visible.  

 

"In Tandem"

9" x 25"

Mixed media on fiberboard

SOLD

This is a commissioned piece I've finally finished.  The client wanted me to use greens, but as I wasn't sure of the space it would be hung I wanted to bounce the darker greens against some neutrals.  I've added screen for some texture, hoping that the viewer would be enticed to look closer.  It strikes me as a masculine piece, but hopefully not overbearingly so.