Just as Craig Ferguson asks at the end of his late night show, "What have you learned tonight Craig?" after blogging about my paintings I, too, have learned more about my work. I have discovered that the circle is a very important element in my work. I enjoy painting pine trees because of the gestural quality of the lines used to create them. I like winter more than the other seasons because winter permits me to show more structurally. I enjoy using subjective colors as opposed to local color. If my painting is a narrative it is often influenced by experiences of my youth. I find work that attempts to imitate, precisely, images that I have seen to be a stressful adventure. While I admire the technical skill of the photo realist, my first response is "it looks just like a photograph". Beyond the technical skill,what has the artist brought to his work? Painting a commission makes me very nervous. Seldom are thoughts of the patron removed from my decision making process. I have learned a great deal with a great deal more to learn.

I have been having a good time painting. This particular painting is for all of my friends who expect a more traditional appearance to my work. I have a "love-hate" relationship with my paintings. When I'm having a success, obviously there is nothing like painting. When my painting doesn't work, I dislike the fact that I could not pull off what my vision. Right now- I'm in love. Have a great day!

What inspires me? Maybe it's a new brush, a compass, a color combination. When I start my piece, I want that sense of adventure. I have a need to interact with the painting. What does this hue look like next to that hue? When I add a color in one place, where then might I use it again? How much of one hue do I use? How little of another hue do I use? When I use a shape, shall I repeat it somewhere else in the composition? How does my eye move about the piece? Does it maintain my interest? Does it show me something in a new way? Did I do too much? These are just a few of my concerns as I create my work. I hope that they maintain your interest and create some type of reaction to the individual pieces. Have a great day!

I am about to get back down to the serious business of creating new work. As I get older my priorities have changed. If given the opportunity to spend quality time with our kids and their kids or painting- I choose the kids. So we have traveled back and forth from Cincinnati to Bexley. There is something about having the opportunity to experience being surrounded by small children one more time. There is that innocence, the sharing of seeing the world for the first time through their eyes. There's experiencing all those places and things that as adults we take for granted. They have no great expectations of me- all I have to do is love them. The artist in me would like all of my viewers to be treated to visual pieces that permit them to see the world through my eyes. I hope that my "children" will bring some of you that same sense of discovery, joy and love.

Here is one of my"children".