Emain Macha

David drove us all out to Armagh and we checked out Emain Macha, Lochnashade, and Navan Hill. It was intense to be standing on the same spot where Cúchulainn defeated Queen Maeve and Brian Boru was burried.
There was also a Border Collie called Lady that posed out for a portrait.

The locals greeted us upon our arrival.

Craig rocked the 15mm lens.

David made some rad sketches for future paintings.

Yesterday

We stopped by Carrickfergus Castle for a quick game of chess....

Travel Tip # 4,834,684

Always take one of your best friends with you....

Greetings from Belfast

A real quick update....I'm over in Belfast, Northern Ireland right now and my cousin Philip has been showing us all around the city and country. I've never experienced hospitality before like I have here, everyone I've met has been absolutely brilliant. I'll post more more as soon as I can....

A few Things before I head out....

"Honest and Sincere"
mixed media on panel
24"x24"
I'm leaving the country in a few hours and I'll be gone for a couple of weeks. I'll try to post from the road but I'm not sure what kind of internet access I'll have, but don't worry there will be mega-posting the first part of September when I return. Until then, here is a bunch of new work to peruse....

"The Object Lesson"
mixed media on panel
12"x36"

"Gregor's Inheritance"
oil on monotype on paper
8"x10"

"When The Road Finally Gives You Back"
mixed media on paper
18"x24"

"Nice Dream"
mixed media on paper
18"x22"

"Gregor's Auspicious Morning"
oil on monotype on paper
8"x10"

"Collaborations"
mixed media on paper
18"x22"

"The Philosopher"
mixed media on paper
22"x30"

"When Enough Is Enough, You're Halfway There"
mixed media on paper
22"x30"

"Oppenheimer's Optimism"
mixed media on panel
36"x48"

pictures from yesterday....

Titled:
"Land(e)Scape"
oil, monotype, coffee, pencil, correction fluid, spray paint, collage on panel
24"x24"

Titled:
"Not A Ghost Or A Stranger"
oil on panel
36"x36"
I just put the finishing touches on this one, I think. A memorial of sorts.

New Painting

In the past I've always had an irrational fear of employing green in my paintings and whenever I did it always came out muddy and all blah and gross. Last week when Mary visited my studio and was helping me with this piece she pulled a big tube of thalo green from the abyss of my box-o-paints and proceed to spread it around and at first I cringed at the idea of this green suddenly thrust about the surface of my new painting that I was already preconceiving to be "greenless", but then it started looking really good and I think I might have found a green that I can really feel.
The moral of the story is this:
Don't waste your time in stuffy art schools, save your cash and spend a few days painting with a five year old.
word.

Today

We saw this great spider and I made a portrait of her.

New Painting

before and after

I just put the finishing touches on one of the paintings that I posted yesterday....

New work MEGA-POST

I've been hard at work making lots of new stuff.  Here are a few samples for you to feast your peepers on.

inspiration.

We have lots of vultures lurking in trees around our neighborhood.  They are elusive and not easily photographed.  I'm always excited when I can get a decent image.

Yesterday

Our new neighborhood is terribly conducive to walking dogs.... 

....Bren enjoys going down and up the slide at the playground.....Spirit enjoys watching....
....the afternoon light is total Hallmark....
....and there are always geese to chase.

Variations. Subtleties. Meditations.

These are brand new paintings of old and favorite subjects.  The tree is from the Plains of San Augustin, in New Mexico, where Craig and I camped and many UFO's have been spotted.  The coffee cup is an image of the best cup of coffee I ever had, at the Crooked Tree, in the East Village NYC. 

Lil' Phil

Congratulations to Phil and Carey on their new son.  I had the privilege of snapping a few photos right after the birth.