"On the Rocks"

Watercolor 10" x 13"

One of the great resources available to a newspaper editorial cartoonist is access to the paper's library (in the old days it was referred to as the morgue). The library of the Richmond Times-Dispatch is an absolute treasure trove of photos going back many decades, and I have spent countless hours over the past 30 years rummaging through many of the hundreds of thousands of photos neatly filed away alphabetically in huge file cabinets. One day, I came across an old black and white photo taken in the 1940s of an Army ship that had broken its moorings in a nor'easter in Maine and washed up on some rocks near a lighthouse. I decided to use the photo as reference for a watercolor. I did the whole painting using only burnt sienna and cobalt blue.

"Maymont Morning"

8" x 10" Acrylic on linen panel

For the past several years, I've donated cartoons to the Maymont Foundation for its annual fundraising auction. This year, I decided I would instead donate a painting. Maymont is a great place to find subject matter, and I've done several paintings "en plein air" on the grounds, mainly during workshops. So an August morning found me wandering the estate in search of something new to paint. I decided on the chickens at the Childrens' Farm.

"Lime Green Chevy"

9" x 12" acrylic on canvas panel

I loved this old Chevy pickup I saw in a rural community south of Richmond. Wish I had it.

"3rd St. Diner"

9" x 12" oil on panel

The 3rd St. Diner is a couple of blocks from the Richmond Times-Dispatch downtown facility. Open 24 hours a day, it has served burgers and beers to patrons for many years. It has recently undergone changes inside and out, and, unfortunately, the great old orange awnings (as well as the tattooed waitresses) are now gone.

"House on Carter's Mountain"

9" x 12" oil on canvas panel

On a beautiful October day a number of years ago when our sons were kids, we were picking apples on Carter's Mountain south of Charlottesville. This house was on the eastern side of the mountain overlooking a large orchard. I painted this from a couple of photos I snapped as we rode on a hay wagon pulled by a tractor.

"Antonio"

18" x 24" oil on canvas

This was a new painting challenge for me. Everett Raymond Kinstler, one of America's premier portrait artists, was in Richmond to jury a show at Brazier Fine Art Gallery, and was also to teach a one-day workshop in portrait painting. I've admired his work for many years, not only his portrait painting but his early cartoon and illustration work, so I didn't hesitate to sign up for the class. Ray began the day with a quick, thirty-minute portrait of a young lady that was, to say the least, terrific! After that, we were to pick a model and get to work. I suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to run out the door . . . I had no idea what to do, or how to even begin. I looked around and everyone else was happily throwing paint on their canvases, so I did likewise, not really knowing what the heck I was doing. Ray came by several times during the morning, offering advice and constructive criticism. When we broke for lunch, I felt more confident, so the afternoon session went much better. At the end of the day, I felt like my first, and so far, only oil portrait painted from life, was not bad. And being taught by Ray Kinstler was a wonderful experience.

"Domineckers"

9" x 12" oil on canvas panel

Dominique chickens, more commonly called "Domineckers," are closely related to Plymouth Barred Rocks. Both were bred from barred chickens that were common in the eastern United States by the mid-1700s. A hardy breed, their heavy plumage made them desirable as providers of feathers for pillows and beds in addition to their eggs and meat. After other breeds of domestic chickens were developed, especially following WWII, interest in Dominiques declined, and by 1970, only four known flocks survived. However, efforts of conservation groups and breeders have brought their numbers back up substantially. I enjoyed painting them because they're just plain good-looking chickens.