The Big Change

The plan has been on low boil for months, but pulled the trigger so to speak, and sold my house. I am in need of a change and the thought of new vistas to paint is exciting. Everything is going into storage and then I head to Spain for a workshop, then Lisbon to explore for two and half months. It all feels good and right.

City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC will be getting the new work done there, so watch out for pieces posted here on the blog.

I will be back for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, but not participating in the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibit next year. New territories to explore.

Best wishes to all.

17th Year done and gone

But as always, great fun and paintings have found new homes. Thank you all!

Paintings are still available so check both my website and The City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC

The Last Week - and with great weather!

It was a rough start but the weather is amazing here in Charleston. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Piccolo Spoleto exhibition with cool temperatures. Very grateful, and the last week will be so nice. Come down to pick up some little pieces for your home.

5 Days to Opening Day

I thought it would fun to show some of the larger pieces displayed in rooms scrounged from the internet. I would normally place them in friend’s homes, but time restraint prohibits that just now.

Enjoy.

“ANGEL OAK” 48x60 oil

“Southern Charm”, 24x48 framed

“Peonies”, 40x40 oil

CITY ART GALLERY

4 Prominent Charleston Artists in One Show! Mark Horton, Ignat Ignatov, Hilarie Lambert & Kevin Le Prince

I’m proud to be presenting new work in Greenville, NC March 3-April 8th. I’ll be there for the Opening Night along with Mark Horton and his new work.

"Back in the saddle again"...

Due to a health issue, I’ve been laying low. But all fixed and back in the studio, where I’ve started working on some of inspiration I found in New Mexico. I went at the most perfect time, catching the gold of cottonwoods spread across the landscape.

A commission. 40x40 oil on canvas. “The Road to OJO”

Homebody

I know you’ll all doubt that because of my travels, but I really try to keep a balance on it all. When I travel, I am so happy to be out exploring new places, talking with wonderful people, and getting inspired. When I am home, I tend to stay tucked into my house and studio and very happy.

The past three months have been just that - home in the studio working on commissions and SEWE. It’s nice to be in the Low Country in the Fall with cooler weather and softened natural light.

The painting below reflects the summer travels up North to Cashiers, then the Finger Lakes.

“Mountain Flowers” 30x30 oil on canvas AVAILABLE

Commissions

I’ll touch on the process of commissions, as that is pretty much what I am doing in the studio these days (the phrase “work hard, play hard” seems to elude me. The first part I seem to do the most - which I have no complaints with).

As a former graphic designer/illustrator my job was to take others ideas and form a visual that best defines the thought.I like that process of working with people on a project and have learned to be explicit about expectations. I was uneasy in the beginning but now have a concrete path both the client and I can go down.

1. Client must provide good quality photos of what they want. 2. I provide a rough and price 3. 1/2 deposit down 4. I provide the start, have their approval and paint from there. Once I am into it, the client needs to put their trust in me that I will make something that they love. 5. Email the final, get balance and ship.

"What do you do in there?"

I had someone ask me that question one time, and if you’ve never visited a studio, it probably is a perplexing question. I laughed it off then gave serious thought to “What do I do?”

Well…I throw down paint most days. I’d say that 99% of the time they are intentional and I know what my goal is in the end. How to get there is the hardest of the process. Decisions have to be made: what size am I thinking the subject matter should be? Horizontal or vertical format? What palette and brush am I using? How do I start with my drawing? Where’s the darkest, the lightest, the focal point?

And that’s just the beginning. Where do I make it “strong and interesting”? Do I add cooler here and warmer there? Do I get out of the box and follow my intuition of a bit more abstract? The middle stage is sometimes the most thought provoking and the time I need to step away and let it just “sit” there until I can have fresh eyes. Clean the studio, browse through pictures, go for a walk, go to lunch - anything to get me out of the studio and away from what I’m working on.

The finish. Is it ever? When you can see no more corrections, no place to put that last brush stroke, and it shows your intention…maybe yes.

Back from the North Country

After a month of traveling up North (NC, Virginia, PA and The Finger Lakes) I’m getting settled back home. The heat. The traffic. All seems like more since I left. But I’ll be happy to start painting again after the weekend is over.

“Little Apples” 8”, $375

Headed to cooler weather

Sitting under the stars, painting with friends up in Cashiers for their Paint Out, taking “Cha Ching” up to the Finger Lakes to love on friends and family - life is good.

Commissions done & delivered

Once again SEWE has led a client to me for commissions, and I am so grateful to both. The clients are just wonderful and their home - gorgeous. It was a great collaboration with them giving a direction and letting me go with what I thought would be beautiful in the space. They’re thrilled, and so am I

Painting in Edisto

I met some other campers this weekend in Hunting Island when it was 28 degrees and wind howling. My little camper has great heat so I was nice and cozy - made coffee, read a bit and waited for the sun to shine and warm up things a bit before heading to Edisto for two days. There’s just something about Edisto I love and I lucked out on one of the best campsites on the edge of the marsh. SOLD

Countdown to SEWE!

FEBRUARY 17 - 20, 2022 www.sewe.com for schedule of events. Find me and all new work at Charleston Place.

I’ll be in the QUICK DRAW FRIDAY FEB. 18th, 3-4pm at Charleston Place. Live auction immediately after.

“RESTING IN THE RUSHES”, 40x40 oil on canvas

Wishing You All A Very Happy, Healthy & Joyful Holiday

Just one of those weeks...

Getting into the bush plane while leaving Alaska, I tripped and landed hard on my shoulder. Now rotator cuff damage, therapy and very grateful it was my left arm. Painful but paint with my right, and I got to kayak on Lake Clark so all is good. One of those very grateful moments.

Now packed for Paris, renter has moved in, and ready to hug and spend time with Paris family. We lost the patriarch, Alain Bouvant last night to cancer and he will be sorely missed. I would have liked one last time to see him but felt so honored he had one of my paintings on his hospital wall to keep him company. A wonderfully kind, talented, funny man.

Once I land, get organized and start painting I will try and post them on Wednesdays. All work will be available through The City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC