In 2024, Stacey and I went on a trip with our friends, The Carswells – Rhine River cruise through The Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Spent some time in Amsterdam and saw the windmills at Kinderdijk. Didn’t have my supplies, so grabbed some printer paper, a ball point pen, and cranked out a few sketches. This one is of a windmill with The Carswells in the foreground.

In 2024, Stacey and I went on a trip with our friends, The Carswells – Rhine River cruise through The Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Spent some time in Amsterdam and saw the windmills at Kinderdijk. Didn’t have my supplies, so grabbed some printer paper, a ball point pen, and cranked out a few sketches. This one is of a windmill with my wife in the foreground.

In 2024, Stacey and I went on a trip with our friends, The Carswells – Rhine River cruise through The Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Spent some time in Amsterdam. Went to the Van Gogh museum. Had a station where you could grab a pencil and paper and draw a portrait. Did this quick sketch of my muse, Dave Carswell.

Was on a business trip to Seattle. Saw these Pike Place Market street performers playing music while wearing cat masks. Weird, creepy, and cool – worth a drawing.

Captured a great reference photo of my beautiful daughter, Emily, while of vacation in Italy. Had this of my to do list for years – happy to finally get to it. Was going to do as a colored pencil drawing, but once I had the drawing blocked in, it called for black and white.

A few years ago, our friends, The Carswells, and my family attended a formal event in Philadelphia. Very fun night. At the end of the night, the hosts put out party items including Mardi Gras beads and glow sticks. We got silly, putting glow sticks behind our ears, wove them through our glasses, and even made crowns. Snapped some pictures. I liked the way the glow stick light reflected off of skin, and started composing. Kept refining until I got a photo that I thought would make a good painting. My initial motivation was the challenge of painting the reflected light. But, I also like that the painting subject matter challenges the viewer. When I was snapping shots, liked that the subject matter was a bit disquieting and could be read different ways. Blue light, a central cross, and beads (rosary) gave the image a religious vibe. But, the stark frontal gaze, dark deep set eyes, exaggerated grin, red background, and horns give a menacing, dark feel. Intending the viewer to question how to read the painting. Coincidentally, visited the Jamie Wyeth exhibition of his “Unsettled” work right when I finished this painting. From the exhibition book, “multiple thoughts and emotions wrestle on the canvas…for me, emotions such as fear, anxiety, and sadness are deeply coupled with their polar opposites: confidence, pleasure, and happiness. I find it difficult to express the dark side without also bringing in the light.” Worked to capture similar feelings in this piece.

Another “Taste Of Home” painting – this one is #28 in the series – “Dr. Brown’s Sodas.” This one’s a bit of a stretch to the series theme. Was introduced to Dr. Brown’s sodas at delis in New York City. But they now sell this brand at a number of local supermarkets. I’m partial to their Diet Black Cherry flavor. I included their Cel-Ray – a celery-flavored soda – no joke – because I just find the idea of a celery-flavored soda unique and cool. For the record, I want to love it, but it doesn’t taste all that great to me. My “Tastes Of Home” series features food brands local to Reading/Berks County, Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and the greater Philadelphia area. Hope you like.

Although it’s a bit of a stretch, considering this part of my “Tastes of Home” series. In 2022, was coming home from a New England business trip. Rein’s Deli In Hartford, CT is one of my go to’s. Picked up bagels, lox, black and white cookies, Dr. Brown’s sodas, and rugelach (small, flakey pastry). Coincidentally, that same week, my kids ordered pastrami and corned beef, rye bread, good deli mustard, pickles, chocolate babka, and matzoh ball soup from Katz’s Deli – had it delivered to our house. Had this great deli spread – begged to be painted. Loved playing with the repeating circle and crescent shapes and enjoyed balancing and creating movement with the colors.

Although it’s a bit of a stretch, considering this part of my “Tastes of Home” series. In 2022, was coming home from a New England business trip. Rein’s Deli In Hartford, CT is one of my go to’s. Picked up bagels, lox, black and white cookies, Dr. Brown’s sodas, and rugelach (small, flakey pastry). Coincidentally, that same week, my kids ordered pastrami and corned beef, rye bread, good deli mustard, pickles, chocolate babka, and matzoh ball soup from Katz’s Deli – had it delivered to our house. Had this great deli spread – begged to be painted. Loved playing with the repeating circle and crescent shapes and enjoyed balancing and creating movement with the colors.

“Serial Revisited” is a sister painting to ”Serial”, a painting of my son, Cole, and cereal objects painted a decade ago. When Cole was 8, we were watching TV. Something came on about a serial killer. Cole asked what that was. My stomach sank as I explained to him. Answering his confused look, “Did you think it had something to do with breakfast cereal?” “Yeah.” We had a good laugh. Knew there was a painting in there somewhere. On the surface, that original painting can be viewed as a nostalgic cereal piece. Deeper meaning – fleeting youth, lost innocence. I look at that older painting, when Cole was 8 – little did I know. I see the fine man he’s become, and decided to revisit the theme. This one’s more complex, intense, and reflective of our current state.