Visited the Cayman Islands for the first time back in 2024. Beautiful place. Enjoyed watching the chickens that were everywhere on the islands. Apparently, a number of years ago, the islands were hit by a hurricane. The locals freed their chickens so they could fend for themselves and not get caught in a precarious position in their cages during the storm. After the storm, was too much work to recapture the chickens, so they began to roam wild. The locals protect the chickens – have become a ubiquitous symbol of the islands.

Every year over The Holidays, my family and my wife’s extended family visit Jim Thorpe, PA, for a train ride along the Lehigh River and through the mountains. Fun to walk around Jim Thorpe, all decorated for Christmas, after the train ride. Every year, a Santa visits everyone on the train. The past few years, Santa has been a singing Santa. Got some great reference photos I used to create this colored pencil drawing.

Part of the “Tastes Of Home” series – this one is #31 in the series. I love apple butter, on toast or with cottage cheese. For those not familiar, it’s a Pennsylvania Dutch thing – an apple sauce simmered much longer until most of the liquid boils off and the sugars carmalize. Becomes a thick, brown, jammy paste. There are lots of very local farm brands that I like – I find great producers at the farmers markets around me. Chose to paint a larger regional brand, Wos Wit, because I like the PA Dutch fraktur-style graphics on the label. Hard to screw up apple butter – sweetness varies by brand – but all are good. Why the bright background? I envision this series being exhibited together, so mixing up the colors – wanted a bright pop and I like the play between pink and yellow/orange – and I had a big wad of magenta, a color I rarely use, on my palette from a previous painting and didn’t want to waste it. My “Tastes Of Home” series features food brands local to Reading/Berks County, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and the greater Philadelphia area.

My college friend, Bovie, is one of these people that lights up a room. When he’s around, everything just gets better. Today (2025), he’s a business executive, and he looks the part – wouldn’t recognize him from this painting. During Covid, don’t know if he was just bored or going a bit stir crazy – wasn’t seeing clients – didn’t need to be “reserved”, so he grew out this thick, goofy mustache, shaved his hair into a mowhawk, and dyed it bright red. He and his wife were going to a gender reveal party, so he bought this bright pink suit. Did a photo shoot. Loved the pictures – captured who he is to the extreme – asked if I could use the photos to create a painting. Completed this using a half dozen different shots as a reference. Hope this puts a smile on your face and you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating this and thinking about Bovie.

Another one in the “Tastes Of Home” series – this one is #30 in the series. Pretzels, especially soft pretzels, are my go to food. Love pretzels in all forms. Good thing I live in “America’s pretzel capital” – there are more pretzel bakeries in the Reading, PA area than any other city in the U.S. Last year (2024), I visited Germany – spent time in a city known for pretzels. Had some – enjoyed them – but, gotta admit, they weren’t as good as the soft pretzels in Philly. Hear it’s the water – think there’s something to that – our pretzels just taste better. My “Tastes Of Home” series features food brands local to Reading/Berks County, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and the greater Philadelphia area.

Amazing Labor Day 2025. In Philly at my daughter’s apartment. She had this great rooftop view of the city. Did some plain air painting using gouache (opaque water color). Fun painting fairly loose and free.

Another painting in the “Tastes Of Home” series – #29 in the series. Tastykake pies and cakes are a convenience store staple in my area. Their peanut butter Kandy Kakes are addictive. Sponge cake, peanut butter, and chocolate – especially good frozen. My “Tastes Of Home” series features food brands local to Reading/Berks County, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and the greater Philadelphia area.

This painting is similar to one I completed in 2021, “Cross Keys Sunset.” Painting is of a sunset at a family farm in the late Fall. Wanted to create a similar painting, later sunset, Winter/snow scene, colder pallet. Was painting to capture a vide/feel – happy with the result.

Excited by this one. 9 months worth of work. Celebrates all things from Philadelphia. Our sports teams and moments (Sequon’s leap, The Doctor, Tugger’s celebration, our boxing scene), music (Philly soul, Doo Wop, Chubby Checker, Hall & Oates), our foods and restaurants (Pat’s and Geno’s cheesesteaks, tomato pie, Tasty Kakes), our history (Founding Fathers), and too many other things I love about the City of Brotherly Love. I hope you love this painting as much as I loved creating it.

Excited by this one. 9 months worth of work. Celebrates all things from Philadelphia. Our sports teams and moments (Sequon’s leap, The Doctor, Tugger’s celebration, our boxing scene), music (Philly soul, Doo Wop, Chubby Checker, Hall & Oates), our foods and restaurants (Pat’s and Geno’s cheesesteaks, tomato pie, Tasty Kakes), our history (Founding Fathers), and too many other things I love about the City of Brotherly Love. I hope you love this painting as much as I loved creating it. Giclee is smaller than the original size (23” X 46” for the print vs. 36” X 72” original)