Bruiser...

Meet Bruiser! This was another holiday Pet Portrait Gift Order from December. Did you know that I can personalize this with your pet's name and custom colors if it looks like your Pug? It will save you $100 on your Pet Portrait Print!

Tandem Trip #2 of 2010

On Sunday we took our 2nd tandem ride of 2010, almost 30 miles round trip, from our house to the Museum of Science & Industry and back (so I could check out the storm exhibit...I am intrigued by weather!) It was a great ride south, I never get tired of looking at the glorious blue green color of Lake Michigan...this is all a little easier now thanks to the 3 speed hub Rich outfitted our 1970's vintage Schwinn Twinn Tandem with for our inaugural ride on Easter Sunday. We did 25 miles from under the I-90 bridge at the Fox River through Elgin down to St. Charles and back...the wind blew us all the way back which of course we planned (and I needed, as I was still recovering from my freaky cold).

The photo above shows the false horizon I kept seeing...you cannot see Michigan from Chicago but it looks like it here! And below, our fair city from the south shore:

Art on Tap...

I'm loving the brick walls at The Village Tap, where I hung several paintings last week...my works contrast well with the casual urban vibe of this popular Roscoe Village pub known as "Chicago's Premiere Neighborhood Tavern & Beer Garden". My show will be up through May...so stop by to have a drink (over 26 beers on tap!), enjoy some of their fabulous food and the art (all works are available for sale)...and hey, why not swing by my studio on the way, if I'm here I just might join you!

 

Recent Pet Portraits...Rudy & Murphy

My most recent Pet Portrait subjects, Rudy (Yorkie) and Murphy, live in sunny California.

Murphy is my official portrait of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

If you are thinking of a Pet Portrait for a Mother's Day or Father's Day Gift get your order in soon as my Art Fair Schedule ensues at the end of this month!

Studies for new paintings...

A bigger truck...

Making bigger trucks is harder. Everything suddenly looks very angular and stiff...so after playing around a bit I realized if I make all of my pieces irregular imperfect rectangles and squares then I have a chance at giving the bigger trucks the whimsicality and personality of my small ones. So...stay tuned bigger and happier looking trucks coming soon...in a month or two you'll see where I'm going with all of this...
 
 

Sister Prints...

Over the years I have done some kids and family portraits, but stopped for awhile as kids are usually pretty challenging for me to capture (not having my own). My wonderful clients Brian & Gretchen asked me to do these for their new nieces both of whom were adopted from China, Gracie most recently this past December and Molly back in 2007. The kids are so adorable and it is such a happy ending story, it was a pleasure creating the images for these prints.

Chicago Social...

 

A client recently mailed me this press clipping from February's Chicago Social Magazine of a couple posing with the painting I donated to the Shedd Aquarium Art Sharks Fundraiser last year. It's always exciting seeing my work in print (even when they don't give me credit)...will have to track down this couple for my mailing list!