Reeds and a Stork

Reeds abd a Stork
Reeds and Storks, watercolor, 18 x 24 cm, 7 x 9.5″ on Fabriano 300 gr watercolor paper

We have been mooring in the deep countryside of Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. Reeds, still used for making thatched roofs, line the canals. Among the wildlife are storks, who nest on the tops of trees. Their black tails help make them more visible from a distance. They have even made some special nesting spots for these large birds.

Live Your Dreams- Art on the Street in Valencia

chanteuse final full sm

My contribution to the L’Art de Career (Valenciano for Art on the Street) in Picanya, a small town on the south side of Valencia.   It was sponsored by the Women of Picanya  http://www.picanya.org/persones/dones/activitats.  There are about 50 pieces hanging from the balconies celebrating women through March 20 2022.

Here are my comments:  

Vivir tus sueños (Live Your Dreams)

This expressionist piece is about living our dreams, our desire to become who we want to be, to accomplish what we want to accomplish.  We all seek the path we find most attractive.

Expressionism rejects the restrictions of realism while remaining largely figurative-  you can recognize the object even if it’s not realistic.  It also can include abstract elements.  Here there are four  women, two playing musical instruments, one singing.  The fourth dreams of her possibilities.  Not all the figures are attractive- beauty is not a requirement for success.  There are two muses in the upper left and a third on the bottom left. They inspire the dreams.

The dreams of our youth influence the rest of our life.  Those of our mature years, our 30’s and 40’s, are increasingly influenced by experience. As we continue to age, we tend to become more realistic but still can have our dreams, guiding our later years.

Vivir tus sueños (Live Your Dreams)



Esta obra expresionista trata el tema de los sueños que las personas tenemos, nuestras ganas de ser quien queremos ser, de lograr lo que queremos lograr. Cada uno de nosotros busca la libertad de seguir el camino que más nos atrae.

El Expresionismo rechaza las restricciones del realismo, y por eso nos permite explorar formas y figuras con menos límites. En esta obra, se ve a cuatro mujeres, dos que tocan instrumentos musicales, otra que baila. La cuarta mujer sueña con las posibilidades. También se ve a dos musas a la izquierda y otra al fondo quienes le inspiran a ella. Las musas vuelan en su mundo, invitándonos a explorar mundos nuevos.

Los sueños de nuestra juventud influyen al resto de nuestra vida. Los sueños de nuestros días más maduros, en torno a la edad de 30 y 40 años, se ven más influenciados por las experiencias que hemos tenido, haciéndonos más realistas, y reconociendo nuestros
límites. Según vamos envejeciendo, volvemos a explorar nuestros sueños de una forma menos condicionada, ya que, en este periodo tenemos más tiempo libre y posiblemente más recursos disponibles, los sueños nos guían otra vez.

Live Your Dreams
Live Your Dreams
With friends
With friends in Picanya
INVITACIÓ ACTE HOMENATGE C.C. ART 2022

Lonely Woman II

I happened upon a street corner in Valencia where the idea of this painting occured to me. I modified the scene, chose my own lighting and color scheme and modified the architecture, and then placed the figure.

This is another in my series of Edward Hopper inspired pieces. I was born in the town where he was born and lived, Nyack, NY (1882-1967). His wife Josephine Nivison was also an artist. She contributed to his work as a model and as an artist.

Lonely Woman
Lonely Woman II 81 x 65 cm, 32″ x 26″ acylics on canvas

Tubas at the Palau, acrylics

Tubas at the Palau, acrylics, 57 x 76 cm, 22.5″ x 30″ Arches paper

This is another in a series of paintings based on pen and ink drawings done at the Palau de la Musica.   There are normally tuba and contrabass sections of these symphonic bands.   

tubas sm
The original drawing. Contact me for availability

More drawings from my little notebook

Young Woman Smiling, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink

I always carry a small notebook with me. If I am sitting around and see something or someone interesting, I give it a go.  Here are some recent ones.  

 

 

Young Woman, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink
Young Woman, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink

Man Gazing, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink
Man Gazing, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink

Young Woman Smiling, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink
Young Woman Smiling, 13.8 c 8.5 cm, 4.5 inches by 5.5, inches, ink

 

These miniatures are just $50 each.  Prints too.

Go, Figures

Go Ffigures - detail

Go, Figures

 

Go, Figures started life as a regular modeling session but in acrylics, not the usual way to go.  It evolved into this.  The background is inspired by František Kupka’s Mme Kupka (1910). He was a Czech artist and she his wife. I saw the painting at the Nieu Gallery in NYC, at a special exhibit that included some of Klimt’s famous paintings.

 

Go Ffigures
Go Figures , acrylic on paper, 13″ x 20″, 33 x 38 cm

 

Go Figures Detail
Go Figures Detail

Go Figures Detail
Go Figures Detail

 

Video: Paintings and Drawings Done at Palau de la Musica

Singer Sax Drummer detail 2

The paintings and drawings in this video slide show were done at Palau de la Musica, Valencia.  They explore the state of mind we experience as music transports us to a semi dream-like state.  The paintings and drawings in this video slide show were done at Palau de la Musica, Valencia.  They explore the state of mind we experience as music transports us to a semi dream-like state.  The music is Arco de Noe by Oscar Navarro, a Valencian composer.  He was in the audience the day we heard this piece.

Two Brown Bass Fiddles at the Palau

Two Brown Fiddles

Two Brown Bass Fiddles at the Palau

This started life as a drawing at Palau de la Musica.  I enlarged the original, a tiny 2 x 4″ and put it on the canvas board, then painted in with acrylics.  See also Two Fiddles at the Palau, a version of this based on the very same drawing.

 

Two Brown Fiddles
Two Brown Fiddles at the Palau, acrylics on canvas board, 40 x 50 cm, 16 x 20″

 

Contrabass at Palau de la Musica
Contrabass at Palau de la Musica, the pen and ink done on site