I've been ShowCased!

I've been showcased in the 2006 January/February issue of Art ShowCase Magazine, page 22. This is a Michigan publication deticated solely to promoting local fine art and venues of fine art.

I've read just three issues of this magazine and already I'm hooked. Oh, not because they've selected my work for one of thier issues but because I find this publication a very valuble resorce as an artist.

Recent Awards

In October of 2006 I was juried into the Canton Fine Arts Exhibition here in southeast Michigan. This exhibit has built a solid reputation in it's fourteen year history. This was my forth year as an exhibitor and was honored for the third time as the Peoples Choice Award winner for my painting tittled, 'Monkey Business'.

In early February of this year I have received notice that I have been chosen as the Peoples Choice Award winner for the Michigan State Fair , Professional Fine Arts Exhibition for the same painting. (My forth People's Choice win)

Though juried awards are great, It's the award chosen by the viewing public that I'm most proud of.

Jamieson Collection (7 of 8 paintings)

The Jamiesons have commissioned me to paint a portrait of each of their 'feathered' children.
The birds are able to view their portraits each day while playing on their playstands which are located in the same room as the paintings. They seem to enjoy them. It was a pleasure to work with the Jamiesons and their feathered family.

My Style?

I'm often asked what style my work is. Some people say ," It looks so realistic". I say, "somewhat" and that's intentional. Some say it feels Dream-like or fantasy. I say,"maybe a little". Some tell me it can have a contemporary feel while others see a bit of traditional.
While I do feel that there is a cohesiveness to the over-all body of my work, in that it appears to have been painted by one individual, I personally don't feel that it fits into any one category. At least not one that I've heard of yet. My work does seem to have a touch of all of these elements.
What is clear is that I am drawn to bold, bright colors and strong images. I enjoy the relationship between separate elements or subjects within a scene or even the relationship between the painted subject and the viewer. My personal view is that all life, all living matter, is of equal importance and that is what I intend to portray.

The past year.

I began this blog almost one year ago with the intention of informing my interested art followers of the current direction of my work as it unfolds. At that time I had some unfinished business to attend to such as commissions (The Jamieson Collection) as well as work for the 2005/2006 show season.

While I have accomplished my goals , the eight month projected time frame for the six painting commission became twelve months. My wife says that artists tend to have a distorted sense of time and set unrealistic goals. Personally, I don't see it!