Incoming Tide Early Morning- 8x10

Contact Gallery on Greene if you'd like to purchase this one

Late Afternoon Sparkle-8x10

Contact Gallery on Greene if you'd like to purchase this one

Drove up to Marathon (about 60 miles north) and banged out a couple of middle- keys- looking paintings. i love the place. thanks for the crash pad, steve-o.

commercial fishing docks, boatyards, miles of uncongested views, and iguana's the size of vw bugs! man those things can move when they want to. they raise up on those back legs and scoot!

the conch fritters at The Fisheries Restaurant are to die for! i was going to eat healthy, like fruits and vegatables and lose some weight down here this winter. instead i think i'm a cuban or seafood restaurant critic and am not losing a thing! but the saying is "Dont worry MON, BE HAPPY!"

In the Sling-8x10

the figure drawing sessions are making my drawings way more accurate and quicker too.

The Dawn is Breaking- 12x16

Two, hot off the plein air easel. Found a new favorite boatyard with a very friendly owner who loves us paint bums and gave me unlimited access. thanks rick!
the sunrise scene was done from a field study. whenever youre feeling cold or stressed and just want to get away from it all, this one will take you where you wanna go. to margaritaville!

Study Aid For Sale yellow, blue and white block on salmon

Tropical Corner Midday Light- 8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

i'm offering this oil study of some blocks on a salmon colored table cloth as a study aid for anybody thats ever taken my Cape School Underpainting class (or any other cape school instructors workshop- ie camille prezwodek, susan sarback, lois griffel, mary giammarino, john clayton, or rob longley).

what it will do for you is show you how different notes of color in the same value are layered one on top of the other to simulate flickering sunlight. this is what monet, seurat, pissaro, sargent and others were after. monet, seurat, pissaro, charles hawthorne, and others started the impressionist movement letting the eye optically mix the color on the canvas. it really looks like sunlight when you use this method. i'll be teaching it in atlanta at Binders Art Store in October or December. the dates still undetermined but i'll have it nailed down in a week or so and post it on the right sidebar, should you want to sign up. Look at the close up of the white block in sunlight, below. look at the subtle yellows, pinks, and oranges that were laid on top of a lavender (the same value) to create opulence.

believe me when i tell you that if you buy this study aid it will change the way you paint a shape. never flat looking again! and in this case "a picture (or the actual painting in your hand) is worth a thousand words!"

8x10 on gessoed board

SOLD

20 min. Study- Zoe Inclined-8x8-SOLD

 SOLD
went to life drawing again last night. this is one of the twenty minute studies. didnt think 20 min. could ever seem like 5 but it does when i'm doing these short poses. but it does give you a fresh look (i love) that you wouldnt get if you had all the time in the world to work on it.

Looking Down Fleming-8x10

One of my favorite streets to paint on. its a one way with lots of scooter parking places where i can tuck up into and paint, out of everybody's way

Curbside Parking-8x10

Tropical Hideaway- 8x10

a few more for the show.i'm winding down and getting very close to completion. one more 8x10 (probably a night scene from the docks) and a 12x16 i'm working on in the studion, will be it. i'm in the "short rows" as they say where i'm from.

Crepe Myrtle On Elizabeth St. -8x8-SOLD

Boca Chica Beach Afternoon Light-12x16

headed to Gallery on Greene Show

Home Sweet Home-8x10

headed to show

Busy getting the last paintings done for the show. framing, inventorying, tweaking and nerves over how they'll be recieved. all part of putting together a body of work for a show. i like about 75% of what i did. is that a normal amount? should i like more (too critical) should i like less (not critical enough). who cares? it is what it is. i'm sure no one in the creative field is ever satisfied with what theyve done. if we ever did, we'd probably find another stimulating challenge.
all i know is the keys resound in my soul. i feel at home here, tho i only live here part of the year. and in no time (about 30 days) i'll be heading to another home. i guess i'm one of those guys, "wherever i lay my hat is my home"

Night on the Docks-8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

Two Story (Elizabeth and Southard) -8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

Edge of the Key West Yacht Club-8x10

this is a revision of a painting. i liked the energetic fiery sky in the study and this one done the next day was much more tame. so i went back into the sky and put the "mojo" on it. now its got some "umphhh!" You can scroll down and see the change.
all of these will be in the upcoming show. i spent the morning painting and then my frames came in from fedex. i spent the rest of the afternoon framing all this stuff i've been painting since i got here. the fun part of a show is getting to see the paintings all hung together as a visual statement of how you paint a certain place. i'll get to see the individual pieces as a body of work, a culmination of a thought expressed in paint. the mood of each painting and its creator blend into a larger statement that expresses graphically/artistically, how i see key west.
With each piece i tried to show its allure, ambiance and sunshine.

Pitcher and Bowl of Apples-9x12

SOLD

felt like painting a still life outside today just to change up the pace from all the landscapes ive been doing lately. I'm teaching a weekly class on knife painting, doing a few private lessons and between that, and all the other painting i've been doing, its been a busy week. i'm in the "groove" as they say! Tonite i'll head out to the docks to do a nocturne. its a full moon, around 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. should be a very serene night to paint on the key west waterfront.

Entwined-6x8-SOLD

Out Early in Bahama Village-12x16

headed to Gallery on Greene for the upcoming show

was out doing this two sessions yesterday and today. suprised i got anything done answering tourists questions. "where's Blue Heaven, where's Duval St."

one lady stopped me and said "i dont mean to stop you from doing what youre doing but....."

should have had my fake headphones on. will do it on this street from now on, you can be sure!

Corner of Caroline and Elizabeth St- 8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

I'll be putting about 25 paintings into my upcoming show . the opening reception is March 5th.

here's a list of upcoming workshops in the next couple of months. to sign up contact me or the sponsor (links on right sidebar)

Ft. Pierce Florida- Paint Camp- a painting 101 class- April 1st and 2nd

Wilmington NC Art Assoc.- Paint Loose and Colorful Outside- April 11-13

Roswell Ga.-Paint Loose and Colorful Outside- April 18-20

Dare Co. Arts Council- Nags Head NC- Paint Loose and Colorful Outside- Apr. 25-27

Bald Head Island NC- Paint Loose and Colorful Outside- May 2-4

Jacksonville NC Arts Council- One day Plein Air workshop- May 7th

Wheeling West Va.- Paint Loose and Colorful Outside- May 20-22

Higgs Beach Sunrise-6x8-SOLD

SOLD

Woke up early and was able to get out and do a sunrise. some sunrises are loud, and crazy. some are sweet, quiet, and subtle like this one. they happen in just a moment and then theyre gone. all of them, one-of-a-kind and unique.

New Maine Workshop Date Next Year

White St. Morning-8x6

SOLD

This was started during my plein air workshop at the Studios of Key West on White St. I blocked it in in about thirty minutes to show students how to forget about all but the biggest shapes. Capture the color and edit! so tonite i finished it up because i dont like to take an hour away from them painting just to finish the demo. usually they dont finish the first one either.

Just got the news today that i'll be holding a five day intensive plein air workshop at Acadia Workshop Center in Maine in September of 2012. the landscape is beautiful and there will be a class full of eager students, since the majority will be coming a long way to study there. Its located on Mt Desert Island, which is the second longest island on the east coast. i cant wait. somebody brought it to my attention that i gravitate towards teaching/painting on islands and here's just another example of that right?


Dont forget that i've also got a Maine workshop scheduled in August of this year at Port Clyde (and we'll possibly go over to Monhegan Island) We're going to stay in a beautiful hotel called Ocean House and he's offered us the dining room for class if the weather refuses to cooperate. this class will be limited to just a few so it'll fill up fast. if youre interested give me a shout at 919-920-9718 and i'll get you down. bring the rest of your family and make it a great august vacation. there's lots to do for everybody and great scenery


The Blue Gate- 8x10

this had several things that caught my eye. the blue gate, the bouganvillea tree and the house all juxtaposed. the windows were boarded up on the house (its being renovated) so i kept the brown shapes and just added window panes to make it look lived in. took out some houses that were behind it to make it more solitary, plus there was enough already going on in the composition. in my workshops i always stress how important it is to edit, edit, edit. take out whatever is not important to telling your story in paint.

Bernie in Blue-6x8-SOLD

who could resist painting a baby blue vw bus with a pink house and palm in the background? certainly not me! the proud owner informed me her name was Bernie (short for Bernice) Why do all ships and cars/trucks/planes get female names? if you know give me a shout in the comment section. i'd love to know that bit of trivia

Curbside Parking at Turtle Kraals-6x8-SOLD

I'm really enjoying painting at night on the docks (as you can tell). its a little cooler, more serene and capturing a lighting effect thats not coming from sunlight is challenging. as you do it more and more you capture the little subtleties of light coming from light bulbs. like... there are several tints of light. some is pink, some looks cold blueish white, some orangey-pink. then of course the further an object is from this light the darker and grayer version of the home color of that object it becomes. the greatest challenge is mixing colors under a headlamp on your head. its not easy let me tell you!

On the Docks-8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

SOLD

the night i painted this was entirely different than when i painted "on the docks-key west-6x8". it was chilly and we had a gusty cold wind out of the north. people were walking around in coats and sweatshirts. it was maybe 55. and yes i'm spoiled now and had on a sweatshirt. i know.... i can see those tears of sorrow for me right now :D

there old adage that the more you do something the easier it gets is true. the nocturne's are getting easier to analyse out there therefor making it easier to paint in a believable manner. and in less time, which is a bonus since i'm not paid by the hour.

Keys Courtyard-8x10

Headed to Gallery on Greene

Morning on Windsor-8x10

700 Block of William St-6x8-SOLD

500 MPG-8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene show in March. opening reception is march 5th. if youre in town come see me!

On the Docks in Key West-6x8

note- theres tons of glare in the sky on this photo you wont see in person. photographing really dark paint is hard and youre seeing little reflections (hilites) on the paint in the sky. i like to think theyre little stars LOL

SOLD

did this one after sunset using a headlamp to light up the painting and palette where i was mixing color.

my night time paintings are way better than when i did my first nocturnal down here two yrs ago. i've done many since then and as they say "practice makes perfect"

on this night there was a soft warm breeze, and music from bar bands playing, not to mention the smell of good food floating thru the air. i painted this one till about 9 pm. the whole time i was thinking "not bad... painting after dark in shorts and a t-shirt in February! This is the life!"

Corner of Southard and Elizabeth St-6x8

SOLD

a little number from today. the town is full of these cool older tin-roofed houses with porches all the way across the front, surrounded by palms, banana trees, and other tropical plants and bushes. when the sun hits em just right i gotta paint em!

One Way Off Duval-8x6-SOLD

Standing on Duval looking across the street. one of the many one way streets here in key west. tho' this one isnt about it, there's a real beat to Duval St. its like being at mardi gras on Bourbon Street. bars with no front walls, hundreds of people up and down the street, carnival-type barkers trying to get you to go in their t-shirt place, music floating all around mixed with the smell of good food from streetside cafes. the rhythm of the street. below is a rhythm of a different sort.

SOLD

i'm starting to get the rhythm that the body has in different poses. never really saw that fluidness until weeks of these gesture drawings. its more than just getting the proportions right. theres a balance/counterbalance thing going on. like ying and yang.

Brakelights and Headlights-5x7

SOLD

here i am doing my thing at the key west knife painting class. there were 25 stoked painters ready to learn how to wield this mighty piece of magical stainless steel! for three hours i covered the blades, the strokes, how to fade, how to make grass, and water and clouds. most classes you have after lunch on a hot day finds half the class nodding. not in this one. they stayed on the edges of their seats. boy! they want to learn this knife painting thing!



as always there are occassional last minute cancellations so if youre coming to key west (or live here already) let me know if you'd like to get one of those spots if one opens up. my cell is 919-920-9718

Black Gloves Pink Boa-8x6-SOLD

 

Edge of Key West Yacht Club-8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene

Been a busy boy! Inside doing figure drawing in the mornings and painting plein air twilite paintings at sunset. this place rejuvinates me. its such a creative atmosphere. its kinda like the cape where everywhere you go downtown somebodys got an easel up. there are 7 or 8 art or music events every week and lots to do. i dont get to do alot of what i'd like to because i'm out painting all the time but i take time to enjoy myself too. all work and no play makes mikey a dull boy. i'll take time to sleep when i'm dead :D

Black on Red-10x8

SOLD

From Life Study Drawing today. Loved the pose and the theme of the session, which was red and black. we used red fabric, pink boa's, and long black gloves. This was one of my fave's.

US 1 Looking South-8x10

SOLD

Fences Make Good Neighbors-8x10

headed to Gallery on Greene