I am honored to share that I have been commissioned to paint the official portrait of Missouri First Lady Claudia Kehoe for the Governor's Mansion. As I begin work on this historic commission, I find myself immersed in the same questions that guide every portrait I create: How do you preserve a life? What makes a portrait endure? And why do people continue to commission portraits in an age when we carry thousands of photographs in our phones? The answer, I believe, is simple. Legacy. 25 years ago, my uncle came to visit my home for the first time. He was only eleven years old [...]
Hi all, It has been WAY too long since I last blogged and will I won't be blogging regularly anytime soon, however, here is new podcast interview you might find fun. Enjoy! American Art Collective Podcast [...]
Hi art friends! I had to skip my June newsletter as I ended up having a quick surgery with a slow recovery. I'm feeling really good, but you all know how busy I enjoy being and it has been hard for me not to work! There's so much to catch up on! Though I'm technically going to stay out of the office until July 12th, I can't wait any longer to send you guys my news. I have four new commissions!!! I'm really excited because I've already finished one and it's been approved by the client. Three more to go! I get to [...]
If you are following me closely you may know I’ve experienced a handful of life shifting events in 2022 which have pulled my time and attention away from the easel. I think in total I painted 4 paintings this year. I can only speak for myself when I say that when I paint I put my whole self into my work, which is why I haven't been able to paint — my whole self has not been available. As time ticks on, as it tends to do, it has given me the space to gain some perspective. Though the concerns that [...]
When my son Seth was about 13 years old he complained of pain in his shins, “Mom!” he said, “My legs hurt so much. Is there something wrong?” I told him I knew exactly what was happening. “You are growing, Seth. Unfortunately, your legs are going to hurt for a while. But if you eat healthy food and get lots of extra sleep, at the end of the summer you will probably be 6 or 8 inches taller.” As I spoke, he grimaced but by the time he realized he was going to grow, he wasn’t as worried about the shin pain. He [...]
I don’t know if some sort of Mercury Retrograde applies to emails, but this year, my inbox has been overwhelmed by spam, scams, and what I call “email bombs.” And since I haven’t signed up for any new magazines, subscriptions or websites, nor did I do any new online shopping, I find the added activity highly suspect. Daily, my Gmail mailbox is bursting at the seams with online magazines, Wayfarer sale notices, home improvement offers, and the growing number of fake ‘collector’ emails. Maybe you’re seeing an influx of dubious emails as well? I’ve had a number of fellow artists and [...]
One of the many benefits of being represented by an established art gallery is the introduction I was given to a real Paintings Conservator. Unfortunately, our introduction was based on a common mistake artists (and myself) continue to make: we get so excited to send work to a gallery that we wrap it and ship it before the varnish has fully dried, which leads to damage to the varnish. I’ve actually done this a total of three times in my 10 years as an oil painter. I can honestly say that after my Q&A with Paintings Conservator Christyl Cusworth, I [...]
Mystic Auctions at Sotheby's March 4-16!! At Sotheby's Contemporary Art Auction in NYC! The auction begins online today at noon and this painting will be available for in-person viewing by appointment at their NYC location. (CLICK HERE) My time in the sunny days of Scottsdale went by so quickly, I forgot to send out my February newsletter! But not only that, I forgot that this month marks my 10th anniversary...of oil painting!! Ten years ago on March 5, 2012 I stepped into the doors of the Scottsdale Artists' School and entered the classroom of the great Romel de la Torre to start learning how to [...]
Time has always been a source of anxiety for me. I am one of those people who leave for the airport three hours too early, rushing the whole time, weaving in and out of traffic, absolutely certain I am just one unforeseen obstacle away from missing my flight — only to sit in the terminal for two and a half hours before boarding. I absolutely hate being late, so much so that I will berate everyone that I perceive is holding me up. So it goes without saying that to me, 2021 flew by too quickly and that, up until [...]
If I’ve learned one thing as a professional artist, it is that there is no special bookkeeping software just for artists. You might think that is negligible knowledge, but a major red flag for me as a mentor is artists who are looking for business tools and practices that are ‘especially for artists’. I see those artists as being in danger. What kind of danger? The kind that sucks up all your time, energy and money, because there are too many businesses that are ready to prey on artists. I know you’ve seen them, the infomercials for ‘art marketing’, ‘art accounting’, [...]
