My day started out by catching a field mouse in the house. Thankfully, the animal was unhurt, and I did not need to take it to a place like Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. This wildlife hospital that had served the entire Triangle had to shut down. Many have listened to me lament over this heartbreaking loss. Now, prior to spring,…
When one is confronted with a prize to take a trip “anywhere”, it's a little daunting. As the recipient of a WUNC radio prize -- I had the unusual option to decide where I might want to travel. My decision was to take a river trip named Waterway of the Czars and travel down a major waterway from Moscow to St.…
The 2013 Calendar full of Whimsical Animals debuts this month. I have been creating calendars for 5 years. Each month is a sturdy trading card which displays the versatility of my style and themes where humor prevails. Past years contained portraits of both wild and domesticated animals, birds of North Carolina, and Carolina scenes. 2013's original oil paintings of animals are…
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” People differ in their tastes for art forms and color palettes. People also differ in their interpretation of a work of art’s meaning, with art critics endlessly debating over an artist’s intent. I believe it is important for the viewer to form his or her own experience of a work of art…
Hiking this morning on the NC Botanical Gardens trail, I was reminded again how much inspiration I gather from spending time among the growing things of a forest. The more I let all my senses adjust to the slower speed of the trees and streams, the more I become aware of the incomprehensible variety that surrounds me. I try to…
I have been trying to paint more abstractly and seem to always end up with a horizon line and a landscape based paining. So I had an idea based on something someone said in a class one time. We took a mat frame and found parts of paintings that could be stand alone paintings. So I decided to try this…
There is an interesting new article written in a Cary online rag about one of OCAG's own -- artist Luna Lee Ray, who was recently recognized as the CVA Artist of the month. The column describes her interest in art as a child, her travels to New Mexico and Hawaii, and her move to North Carolina. And it may surprise…
Thought I would share with you what I learned from a recent talk on art collecting that was presented by Sheldon Peck at the Ackland Art Museum. Peck opened with a slide of Toulouse-Lautrec's oil on board of Dr. Jules Emile Paen, a dentist. Dr. Peck is an orthodontist who has amassed a remarkable collection of Flemish and Dutch drawings.…
How many times have you walked into a museum or gallery and wanted to reach your hand out and touch the texture you see in front of you? You know that's not allowed. In most cases, anyhow... I encourage my viewers to touch the sculpted surfaces of my paintings. For instance, this painting of a dining scene is more than a…
A fascination with psychology and the process of learning...have been driving forces in my life and in my art. I've been a teacher for much of my life and always a painter. For me, the creative process is similar in both endeavors. As a teacher, I loved discovering how to successfully reach a particular child -- by building up knowledge…