Sunset Behind the Museum

Sunset Behind the Museum, Oil on Canvas, 24” x 36”

I started a plein air painting of The Museum of Science and Industry years ago when I lived in Hyde Park. While painting the front of the museum someone told me the best view is from the back and they were right! One evening I was back there painting as the sunset, it was beautiful and I've wanted to make a painting of it since.

In the documentary, EXPO: Magic of the White City I learned that the Museum of Science and Industry was built to house fine art for the World's Fair. It was the only building that had to be fireproof which is why we still have it today.

My painting will be at The Palette and Chisel October 14-15 for their Open House Exhibition, the show correlates with Open House Chicago so there will be plenty to do and see!

Firefly Art Fair 2023

I had a great time at the Firefly Art Fair this year! We got lucky with the weather here in Wisconsin, we missed the rain and the heat and humidity didn't warp the paper or canvases! Thanks to everyone that came out, especially my mom for keeping me company!

I did a little self-censoring for the art fair, here is my copy of Théobald Chartran's nude with a leaf. Everyone at art fair thought my drawing could of been hung without the leaf but it was a converstation starter and got a few laughs.

My donation piece, pencil study of "Sunflowers".

Salmagundi Club

Last weekend I participated in a paint-from-life competition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City. This was the first time I've entered a competition like this, and I had a great time! There were about 50 artists competing, and we had 5 hours to paint a portrait. Here is my painting from the competition.

16 x 20 inches, Oil on Canvas.

It was a pleasure visiting the club and meeting fellow artists. The competition overlapped with their Emil Carlsen exhibition. It was a delight to see his paintings in person. I hope to participate again in the future.

Firefly Art Fair 2022

Hooray! My tent has arrived in time for the Firefly Art Fair on August 6th & 7th. A year ago I moved back to Wisconsin and learned that Wauwatosa is a Potawatomi word for firefly. Maybe this area has more fireflies than others? I would like to think so. Besides, who doesn't love fireflies? They are one of the few bugs that do not gross me out and bring up nostalgic memories. I would like to thank Sarah Beckett from SB Framing Gallery for doing an amazing job framing my paintings for this event. This will be the first art fair I've participated in, and I'm looking forward to it!

As a donation piece, I drew snapdragons from our garden. This year for Valentine's Day I asked my partner to buy us flowers for our AeroGarden. The flowers took off and soon out grew our AeroGarden. I transplanted them into our garden in the spring where they are thriving! My favorite thing about snapdragons is the shape of their seedpods -- they look like tiny skulls that you can plant around your house to keep evil spirts away. I should plant more.

I had to include this video because I think it's so precious! I was trying to figure out how to hang paintings from this tent in our back yard, and a little butterfly stopped in to visit. It made my day, I would love to hire it for the art fair!