Autumn, NYC

The idea for this painting came to me one afternoon about 10 years ago, when I was sitting in a coffeeshop on Spring street. It was autumn. I'd been living in the desert and had only been in the city for a few months. It was my first taste of the season again - the rich colors, the dry, spicy scents and the way the leaves seemed to dance almost magically through the air...it was all so beautiful to me.

This is one of my favorite paintings.

I call it 'Autumn, New York City'.

Solstice

"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well." - Vincent Van Gogh

The first day of summer.

and my first post.

....it's been an interesting summer so far. These months usually allow time off from a somewhat insane schedule of commercial work, allowing me to try new things, like painting flowers....and blogging. I'm liking that.

I'm presently working on a flower series in gouache. The pale flower under 'paper/pencil/brush' was hand-selected by the awesome guy at the flower shop on my block. I didn't know what it was called, but described it to him. He went to the basement and returned with this one beautiful flower, pale as the moon in his hand.

This dark pink one came from my local corner deli - every New Yorker has one - that place where you can get green tea ice cream at 2 am; where they know your name and will front you if you've forgotten your money....I told the girl at the counter that I was going to paint this one. She told me about how she paints with ink on rice paper as she wrapped my flower.

The Peony is the floral symbol of China. Believed to embody romance and prosperity, it's regarded as an omen of good fortune in life and love.