Photos sent by my daughter from Loma Linda, CA became the subject of the latest 6x8 inch Iso-LACE-tion modello this week. Holly and her husband are there for a couple of months, and they were delighted to find fruit trees in the yard where they are staying. I coaxed her to send pictures. It took several tries to get the composition and lighting … [Read more...] about Trompe l’oeil Painting and Loma Linda
One Stitch at a Time
Making stitches and threads with paint has become a daily endeavor. The newest Iso-LACE-tion piece is finished and on the drying rack. In my studio, finished paintings go on a shelf to dry by means of low heat from a tungsten light bulb which accelerates the drying time. Although when you think about it, there is really no hurry these days. … [Read more...] about One Stitch at a Time
Painting in the Time of Covid-19
Like most of you, strategizing meaningful chores to fill time at home is a daunting task lately. Up until now, I’ve been clearing clutter, tossing dried-up paint tubes, cleaning closets, washing brushes, washing my hands, and oh the horrors - watching re-runs of Bob Ross’ Happy Paintings on PBS. Idle Hands and Demons Much more appealing is … [Read more...] about Painting in the Time of Covid-19
Joker in the Tulip Bed
When I first developed my Lessons from the Low Countries pigment project in 2006 / 07, I became completely in awe of the many glorious attributes of the tulip. Since then, I have utilized this workhorse flower for many compositions. The reasons for this are simple: it is one of the most breathtakingly splendid flowers in the world and … [Read more...] about Joker in the Tulip Bed
Lapis Lazuli Pigment Discovery: You’ll Never Guess Where
Last week I read a story about - no kidding - the 850 year old skeleton of a woman whose teeth were recently examined alongside other specimens in the same cemetery in Germany. According to the story in the journal Science Advances, scientists like to poke around in very old dental skeletal calculus to find evidence of food, bacteria, and … [Read more...] about Lapis Lazuli Pigment Discovery: You’ll Never Guess Where
Portrait of a Girl, Mok Lan
Sometimes if we are lucky in life, certain people come along that we find inspirational. And if we are doubly lucky, we get to know them and even call them friends, or even better than friends. This happened to me many years ago when my daughter, Holly, married Craig, a man of Chinese heritage. His family has a fascinating history, and I have a … [Read more...] about Portrait of a Girl, Mok Lan