Train, Norwalk

16x20 oil on linen

On one of our bike trips thru some of Norwalk’s industrial back alleys, we came across this group of pullers just quitting for the night. The engineer jumped down and drove off in a nearby car and I walked around it while the last of the sun faded out. My hair on end a little from all the electricity pops and escaping gasses coming from it. We hadn’t seen much that was interesting that day so it was a nice last minute treat.This is one I sent into the Greenhouse Gallery contest, lets hope they accept it.

Class studies

Somehow I've been squeezing a figure painting class into my hectic schedule. The teacher is Vadim Zang and he linked under my links, the painting of the girl below is by him. He a great teacher and I strongly recommend his class at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art. Most of the studies have some touches by him all the studies are pretty small.



the above is by Vadim-

It was nice being in class again, the only down side is I wish there were more serious young students in class, sadly there is a high percentage of old ladies who are not ready for classes this advanced, a flaw I blame on the academy for not setting up the school seriously. It was refreshing to sit in a quick sketch class when Vadim was sick and work with studious young men. The ladies chatter, fight, laugh constantly are demanding and praise themselves at high volume. What they need to do is learn drawing and manners.







Some unsupervised quick sketches. The guy is 5 minute poses and the girl was 10. Both amazing models. the guy was done more with exaggeration and strong lines, the girl I tried to loose the lines and get the proportions calmer.

Oil Can, Scraper & Show News

Scraper 5x7 oil on linen
Got looser with this one. This is my paint scraper for my my Palette which is an old window this is sitting on the edge of.



6x8 oil on linen

Hardly ever do the still life, but lately I've gotten interested in them. Here is the first of a couple. This is and old oil can I put on the edge of my Palette which is an old window. Went a bit tighter than I wanted to go, the others got looser.

Show news 2008
I excited to announce that Timothy Horn has agreed to do a show with me at Segil Fine Art in July. Tim's work features a lot of old cars juxtaposed with buildings painted with old school skill, but with a subtle modern edge I admire. I'm especially knocked out by his sense of economy in design, he's smart enough to leave out as much as he can, making his compositional ability a great strength in his simple subjects. While our themes aren't exactly alike, I think we have enough in common to complement each other in a show. His Website is under my links please visit and feel free drop him a note.-------->>>>>>>>>>

Below are three examples of his work.



Abandoned Dream



Bus Stopped



Up against the wall

Santa Anita Village

Santa Anita Village is a condemned trailer park on Lower Azuza on the western edge of El Monte. It was supposed to be leveled this year, but as these things drag out sometimes. I’ve done at lest 5 paintings based on the old trailers there. The unique thing about is half the trailers are gone, so there is room to see some standing alone.
When ever I’m taking pictures there is always a busy-body old lady type with nothing to do, but cash a social secrurity check and gossip who starts to follow me around as I’m a subject of interest to the paranoid. To help them keep busy, I often let them follow me, then double back behind them then back around again until they “get it” and give up. Sometimes I explain what I’m doing, but they usually back away nodding and muttering when I rhapsodize about fifties design of trailers. Dudes get it more often as they can relate my talk to old car deign or they’re too lonely and high to judge anyone. Bit of glare on this scan, lots of subtley lost adjusting the values, sorry about that. for some reason the iomge isn't opening, but downloading when you clik on it, I don't know why.
24x 16 oil on wood