I-Pad Paintings - the East - Mother Ireland!

                                                                        Volcano!

                                                                 Botanical Garden


 I did these on the plane last night, I think I`m making progress!

We stormed the East!
Beginning in Boston, we celebrated my talented niece Mackenzie`s graduation from BU. With her mother, her sisters, their significant others, John and me all in one beautiful historic Air BNB. That was fun! Any time with the nieces is predictably joyful! Here is the graduate with her extraordinary sisters Elizabeth and Stephanie;

 Next we took NYC by bus! Bolt Bus! Who knew buses could be pleasant?
My old pals John and Sandra showed us hidden corners of Queens where they live, and escorted us to the High Line and then the Tenement Museum for a humbling lesson in perseverance. But we mostly talked while I admired their children. The babies I used to hold are now kind, competent adults. I had to withhold myself so they wouldn`t feel interviewed.

 New Rochelle was our final destination.
In 1973 when I was just 19, a dropout from college and art school, I found my way to a communal farm on the North California coast. There I met Lake, a single Mom of a two year old girl. She was 28. Other than my parents, she has been the most influential person in my life. A New Yorker for years now, she is a maniacal gardener,  a lover chickens and all other birds, an amazing cook and a friend extraordinaire. Isn`t she lovely?

John took this picture of me painting from the second story of her home, a rehabilitated barn;

This is what I painted;

                                                 Sky over New Rochelle watercolor 12x9


She paints too;

                                                 Home by Lake Charles watercolor


 We went to the incomparable New York Botanical Garden to see a rare and interesting show by  Frida Kahlo.

On my last visit to New York in 2007, Lake introduced me to the dynamic artist Debra Coulter. She knew my work from the web and was full of praise. Though I don`t remember hearing about this, she used some of my paintings to teach her young students about landscape painting. I saw her again a couple of nights ago and she gave me a flash drive of their work. I have to say, these strong paintings challenge the delicacy common to my stuff. Take a look, first the student`s, then mine.

                                                                 Aidan 2014

                                                                      Devin 2013

                                                                    Gillian 2011

                                                                    Matthew 2011

What an ego trip! Thanks Debra!

Now I want to thank Ireland. Nearly as monumental to me as the Supreme Court reversing DOMA and Prop 8 two years ago, the Irish vote for marriage equality last Friday was stunning in its overwhelming numbers, its insistence that all love is worthy. The huge expatriate vote brought me to tears. The fair, open hearted Irish should understand that they released scores of children from bullying and torment. This is the gay agenda! Make our god given natures so ordinary it`s unremarkable. The Irish should also know this gives courage and hope to those persecuted in Cairo, Moscow, Kingston and Kampala.
Beautiful Ireland!

Lake Oswego Plein Air Paint Out is next week, I hope I bump into some of you!

work for sale in my studio