Pure Joy

Pure Joy

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

36" x 18"

My friend Ann commissioned this painting for her husband's birthday. She sent me the photo she had taken that she wanted me to paint from and I could picture it on this size canvas immediately. I wanted the focus to be on the dogs while still creating interest with their surroundings using depth, color, and atmosphere.

Here are some closer up shots of the doggies. They are such happy Goldens in their happy place-water!

An international commission

This is Boston

8" by 16"

Oil on canvas

SOLD

Bio Bio River, Chile

8" by 16"

Oil on canvas

SOLD

These two pieces were commissioned by someone who bought a small painting of mine at The Artists Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place. The paintings were inspired by photos he took while flying overhead two of his favorite places, Boston and Chile.

These were painting on a loose piece of canvas and I deliberately left the edges rough. 

They were mailed off to Mexico City this week so I guess I can now say my work is collected internationally. That's pretty cool, right?

Larry the dog

Larry

8" x 8"

Oil on Ampersand Gessobord

This is Larry. I just love the name Larry for a dog. He looks like a happy pup. He is a rescue dog and this portrait is going to his owners as a present.

I painted this at home last weekend and took a photo of my set up. For reference, I used a color print out to size as well as the image on the iPad so that I can get a truer sense of Larry's coloring.

Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs

Entering Truro

16" x 16" x 1.5"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

Available at the red inn in Provincetown

SOLD

Entering Provincetown

16" x 16" x 1.5"

Oil with palette knives

SOLD

These two signs just made their way up to the red inn a few weekends ago. On our way there, we passed by both of the real signs. 

I have painted these signs many times, however this time I added a few landmarks in the background. For the Truro sign I added the long row of Days Cottages and for the Provincetown sign I added the Pilgrim tower and a dune shack in the background. I am excited to move on to paint other towns on Cape Cod adding landmarks from each town in the background.

Race Point Ranger Station, Provincetown

Race Point Ranger Station

24" x 18"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Cradled Artist Board
SOLD

This painting worked up quickly while working at the Art Gallery at Patriot Place a few weeks back. I finished it in one session. The photo I used for reference was taken in the fall on Race Point in Provincetown and the lighting was spectacular.

Pepe's and progress

Lunch at Pepe’s Wharf

18” x 24”

Oil with a palette knife on cradled panel

SOLD

This is one of our favorite spots to have lunch in Ptown, Pepe's Wharf. It has an amazing view of the water and also amazing drinks. One of my personal favorites is the negroni. I added a few negronis into the painting for fun. Can you spot them?

I like to think of this painting as a modern day "Lucheon of the Boating Party" by Auguste Renoir. Kind of fun, right?

I took some progress shots along the way. There was a lot of detail in this image so just like Renoir's painting, it took several sessions to complete.

 And I also took some close ups so you can see the texture and details.

While summer is winding down here in New England, I like to look at this painting and anticipate being out there again next summer for a cocktail and delicious lunch.

Red Inn From The Sea Number 5

Red Inn From The Sea V

12" x 36" x 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

SOLD

This is number 35...yes, that's right, the 35th time I have painted this magical place in Provincetown. We were just there last weekend to deliver more paintings and I heard that this painting had sold, so Yay!

New Pet Portrait : : Mischa

Mischa

8" x 8"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artist board

This beautiful girl belongs to my beautiful step daughter, Marissa who turned 30 this year. I painted this portrait of Mischa as a special surprise gift for her birthday which was on August 25. 

Here is Mischa checking herself out. The portrait will hang here by Mischa's window spot with the nice view. 

 I think she approves.

The Harbor Lounge, Provincetown

Cocktails at the Harbor Lounge

18" x 24"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Art Board

SOLD

On our last day trip up to Ptown, I dropped this painting off at the Red Inn for sale. Polo and I went to have lunch and while we were eating, I heard that the painting had already sold. The Harbor Lounge is a popular spot to have a cocktail and you can see why-it's right on the beach! It was a beautiful day when we were there so the photos I took gave me some nice reference shots to choose from. We hope to make another trip up soon to drop off some more paintings so stay tuned for the next selections. Ptown offers an endless amount of beautiful painting subjects to choose from!

Welcome to the Red Inn

Welcome to the Red Inn

18" x 24"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas

SOLD

This painting was a collaboration. Polo started the painting by sketching the composition and laying down the initial color scheme. Then I added some thick paint textured on top with my palette knives. It was purchased by someone who lives in the Village at the Red Inn condos. I think they may be some more collaborations in the our future.

Happy August everyone!

Entering Wellfleet

Entering Wellfleet

12" by 12"

Oil with a palette knife on Blick Studio Artists Board
SOLD

This is another sign of summer-the friendly roads signs you see as you drive from town to town on  Cape Cod. The last trip we made up to Provincetown to deliver artwork to the Red Inn, I had a lot of time to study this sign as we sat in traffic for quite awhile while going through Wellfleet. But once you hit Provincetown-it's all worth it!

And I'm told this painting sold in 15 minutes  after being hung up on the wall at the inn. I believe that's a record.

I have a vision of doing a show that would include an "Entering" painting for every town on Cape Cod. That is quite a long list that would include: Bourne, Falmouth, Sandwich, Woods Hole, Barnstable, Mashpee, New Seabury, Yarmouth, Harwich, Hyannis, Brewster, Dennis, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. Did I miss any?

My Pat Hat

My Pat Hat

8" by 6"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas

SOLD

It seems a little early to start thinking about football season. I mean summer just started, right? Well I am so excited because we just purchased tickets to see the Cleveland Browns play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in October. This will be our first game at Gillette Stadium even though we have been part of the Artists Studio and Gallery at Patriot Place for 8 years now which is located right in the shadow of the stadium. We've worked during games before and it is crazzzee.

My dad was a loyal Browns fan until the day he died so I will be secretly wanting a win for him and a good season for the Browns as well. Plus the two teams are featured in my painting of the stadium I posted a few months ago. Our seats will be in the upper left section of this painting. As they say, "the nosebleed section."

Polo bought me this Pat Hat last year and I love it. It is so warm I wear it all winter long. I'm sure I will be wearing it at the game along with something Browns related as well. It will be a win win game for me.

The Inn at Cook Street

The Inn at Cook Street

6" by 12" by 2"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

Available at The Inn at Cook Street

I recently painted this smaller version of a bigger painting I had done on commission for the inn several years ago which you can see on their website www.innatcookstreet.com and also at this previous blog post. The innkeepers told me that several people have asked if that painting is for sale, so I thought I'd paint a smaller version to have available if someone was interested in a version that they could simply pack in to their suitcase and take home!

If you ever are looking for a great place to stay in Provincetown, this is it. Great location, beach access down the street, stroll past galleries in to the exhilarating downtown area for shopping and great dinner options. You won't want to miss the included breakfasts--they are a great way to start the day. Plus John and Pat are the most hospitable and nicest inn keepers around.

Here are a couple more angles of the painting so you get a better sense of the dimensions and the scale of this piece.

Cap'n Jack's Wharf panorama take 2

Cap'n Jack's Wharf

12" x 36" x 2

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord
SOLD

This is an iconic and beloved place in Provincetown. I've always wanted to stay here. It looks like so much fun. But in the meantime I will just keep painting it!

Here are a couple of progress shots I took along the way while painting at the Art Gallery at Patriot's Place. The first is my sketch stage and the second was about halfway through. I finished this in one session. My palette knives were on fire!

This painting will soon make it's way up to Provincetown and will be for sale at the red inn.

Happy Summer!

At The Beach House

At The Beach House

16" x 16"

Oil with a palette knife on Ampersand Gessobord

SOLD

I so enjoy painting these old family photos. The photo I based this painting on was taken during a family vacation to Long Beach Island in New Jersey. We went here several summers with family friends and were right on the ocean and near the boardwalk. I also remember going to the Atlantic City boardwalk and a Miss America pageant was going on at the time.

I'd love to go back someday and see if I can recognize the house where we stayed. But I'm sure a lot has changed though since the 70s.

Gillette Stadium : : The Canyon of Champions

The Canyon of Champions

24" by 48"

Oil with a palette knife on canvas

Available

I'm finally able to post this painting as it took me several sessions to complete. A total of about 20 hours. I used several reference photos of the stadium and fans to create this piece. The progression below will give you a good idea of how it developed from sketch to finish. 

As you will see below, I did not use my usual orange background wash before I sketched. Why? Because I forgot! I was so excited to get sketching after I purchased the large canvas that I completely forgot so I thought I'd leave it and see how it worked. Well about halfway through you will see that I ended up adding the orange wash later. The white was driving me crazy.  I felt like I had to fill every hole with color.

I also took a few close up shots so you can see the detail (below). In my painting, the Patriots are playing the Cleveland Browns. I grew up a Cleveland Browns fan, so it seemed fitting.

A group of stadium security guards came in to the gallery one day while I was painting. One of them claimed that he is the top orange dot in this section below, as that is his usual "beat." Funny guy.

 A close up of the stands...it's just a bunch of dots and blobs of paint!

I signed the painting by putting myself in to the bottom left corner: GORBETT, number 19 (for the year the painting was completed). I also painted in my dad in front of me, a true Browns fan for life. I gave him a Browns jersey, number 87 for what would have been his age on April 21. Sadly we lost my dad on April 9 so he spent his 87th birthday in heaven on Easter with The Big Guy, but I did get a chance to show him that I painted him in to the painting before he left us. He was touched and thrilled. I also added a few other family members to keep me company in that corner. :)