Hang on!

                                    Oneanta 2020 oil on canvas 50x40 inches, 127x101.5 cm


 Somehow I had enough concentration to paint this. Last week was tense but the foreboding arrived on the weekend. Every time our president was on camera it was clear we could not look to the federal government for guidance, assurance or even honesty. It`s becoming evident that the criminal lack of testing capability wasn`t bad luck but remained inadequate for weeks because the president didn`t want to see the higher number of infections. Saw the looming crisis only in terms of his re-election prospects. Many people will die because we lost the chance to track the spread of the virus. Like China finally did, or Singapore or Hong Kong. Even today, March 16, the administration is not making the processing of tests any more efficient by relaxing rules on which labs are licensed to run them. This is criminal negligence. Senate Republicans are objecting to the paid sick leave provisions in the emergency legislation passed by the House on Saturday, Fox news continues to downplay our urgent situation.
 A corrective is coming. The utter mendacity of Trump and his Republican enablers will be visible to everyone at last. Even to the cult of his supporters. We will all know some of the dead. We will all be much poorer. The election is won, the Democrats will have to clean up the disaster again.
 Within this sad and terrifying scenario, collectively we must reimagine our country. The catastrophe will make crystal clear how unjust and unfair our society is. Low unemployment and a booming stock market will no longer conceal the cruelty. Because of the profound lack of leadership now, the reassembling of our lives will take considerable time. We will have the chance to  fix it. Create the more perfect union. Address the fearsome change in the climate, outrageous income inequality, racial disparity everywhere, and finally get some common sense gun laws. Let the mass killings end.
 On our way to this better reality, I hope as individuals we can be actively kind and generous. An ocean of need will surround us. As one of my heroes Marshall McLuan said "every breakdown is a breakthrough". A crisis is too good to waste.





Click HERE for work for sale in my studio

Columbia Demo and Impressionism

                                         The Storm Lifts off the River watercolor 18x24


 This was the demonstration painting I did at the In Bocca al Lupo Fine Art gallery yesterday. While I`m often told these demos are helpful to others, they sure seem repetitive to me. Yet some of the same people keep watching. To describe the way I work sounds disingenuous, 'I keep moving the paint around until it looks like what I want', but it`s true. So many of my color choices and marks are close to random. Little experiments happening all over the surface. Eventually they coalesce into something like what I remember.
This painting was based on a 20 year old drawing;

                                                               Gorge Sketch


 I was probably with some out of town friends when we pulled off the road into a turnout. While admiring the view, I did this sketch in a tiny book I used to take everywhere in my pocket. The spot is on Highway 14 in Washington and one of the few places one can see an open expanse unobstructed by trees.
This watercolor was painted from the sketch back in the 90`s sometime;

                                                            Columbia Study

                                                         Leaf Light oil on panel 12x12


Also new. This magnificent tree grows on a golf course I walk by. I think it`s interesting that I`m always astonished at the vivid color of Fall. As if I haven`t ever seen it! I bet everyone has that experience.


 It`s blasphemy and I thought I was all alone with my submerged feelings but just recently I learned I`m just one in a large tribe of politically incorrect art lovers who believe Renoir sucks. Yes he does! Look at my comrades;

 Now this is not a great time to be beating up on anything French.
France was our country`s first ally and its noble culture will not be damaged by acts of cowardly violence. Lovers of peace and freedom worldwide, mourn with the French and share their rightful anger.

But Renoir is awful.
Not so crazy about Monet either. There, I said it.
For the best impressionism, look to America even if one of the Americans was in France like Mary Cassat. Now that was a painter! Has anyone ever depicted the mother and child bond as well?

                                                            Mary Cassat


And Daniel Garber was a master of color and light but certainly under celebrated.

                                                           Daniel Garber


My favorite and the most ambitious American impressionist was Frederick Childe Hassam.

                                                      Frederick Childe Hassam

                                                     Frederick Childe Hassam

                                                        Frederick Childe Hassam


France gave birth to impressionism but Americans brought it to fruition. My humble opinion!

work for sale