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.

Studies From Life

Painted in Milwaukee, 12 x 16 in, oil on canvas.

Painted at The Palette & Chisel, 12 x 16 in, oil on canvas.

Painted in Milwaukee, 12 x 16 in, oil on canvas.

Painted at The Palette & Chisel, 16 x 20 in, oil on canvas.

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!

Spring Sale

The Palette & Chisel is having their $300 or Less Sale vitural this year, no need to deal with traffic or parking! The show will be opening Saturday June 25 at 11:00am. I will have the following studies available:

Bethesda Fountain 9x12 oil on canvas

Erik 8x10 oil on canvas

Reclining Female 9x12 oil on canvas

Head Study 9x12 oil on canvas

Study of Tina June 9x12 oil on canvas

Portrait of Tina June

This is a portrait of one of my dearest friends, Tina June Malek. We met when we were in high school 20 years ago, while working at Barnes and Noble Cafe. I am happy to say even though life has changed a latte we've remained good friends! Tina is a professional photographer living in California, I hope to visit her soon!

I would like to thank Sarah Beckett from SB Framing Gallery for framing my painting, I'm so happy with how it turned out! If you are interested in commissioning a portrait please contact me for more information.

Pagoda in the Fall

If you are in the southeast area of Baltimore visit the pagoda in Patterson Park! I love the fall and was happy to be able to get out of my house to work on this painting. "Pagoda in the Fall" 12" x 16" oil on canvas.

Here is the painting framed! I had it framed by JLP Custom Picture Framing in Balitmore, Maryland. It is currently hanging at Kaya Furniture Design if you are in Fells Point stop by!

Copy of Giavanni Battista Quadrone "Ritorno dalla Caccia"

This was my first commission after leaving The Florence Academy of Art in 2009! It was so long ago I didn't have a website or even a computer. I had just moved to Chicago and was navigating the city without a smartphone (I got lost A LOT)! A dear friend living in Florence asked if I was interested in doing a commission for her friend Mario, I said yes without seeing the painting first. Luckily The Art Institue of Chicago had a book of Quadrone's work so I was able to get a high-resolution image of this painting to work from. With my friend Judy helping me with the language barrier, Mario gave me my first commission! Copy of Giavanni Battista Quadrone "Ritorno dalla Caccia" 18" x 24" oil on canvas. I worked on this painting for over 1 year in between moving apartments and art studios, babysitting jobs and waiting tables! Fortunately I've always had great roommates who do not mind the smell of lindseed oil and turps!

Mario and I in Judy's shop in 2013, my first time seeing Mario after he received his painting! Thank you Mario!!!

Coloring a Castle

This painting is of St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church in Baltimore. I've wanted to paint this church since moving here. I finally got the chance to paint it from Patterson Park! Which is a lovely park in Baltimore if you are in the area. While I was working on this painting some children walking by told me they liked my "coloring of a castle" which I thought was really cute way of describing plein air painting.

This painting is 8x10 inches. Oil on canvas. It was framed at the Unicorn Studio and Frame and is currently available at Kaya Furniture and Design here in Baltimore, Maryland.