Self Portrait With White Mask

Self Portrait With White Mask
Oil on gessoed cardboard
80x70mm

$100

sold

It was the hands that were the tricky part of this painting. Working from my reflection in the mirror, I had to keep putting my brushes down, and picking up the mask and vice-verso. Pretty dumb way of working I guess, but I've done many odd and challenging self portraits in this manner over the years, including one of myself flossing my teeth. I find if nothing else, it's a good exercise in developing observation and memory skills.

The Dutch Auction for the painting of Halved Orange has now closed. It finally sold for $150. Congratulations to Sarah! I may consider doing another one soon.

Moira's Birthday Candle

Moira's Birthday Candle
Oil on gessoed board
NFS

This was a commission for a friends birthday. I painted it a while ago but wasn't allowed to blog it until after the big day!

On another note, apologies for the confusion with the hotlinks to my email lately. Just a technical hicough! I hope I've sorted it out now. If you would like to enquire about my current Dutch Auction or the purchase of any other painting click here.

Double Sharp

Double Sharp
Oil on gessoed board
50x125mm or 2x5"

$100

sold

The dutch auction painting Halved Orange is today $190. Click here to purchase.

Red Dice

Red Dice Oil on gessoed board
55x58mm or aprox 2.25x2.25"
$80
sold

I know that the singular is properly "die", but I've always called a dice a dice..! Painting this actually caused me more trouble than it was worth. I kept getting a reverse perspective. While painting the shadow I entertained the thought that like a lot of my recent paintings the light source is from an indeterminate point, creating multiple shadows. As well as possibly summing up my uncertain feelings about my life in particular, and Life in general, I guess it also stems from my reading of popular science magazines. I don't read art magazines any more - and when I do it's only for the pictures, ha ha - but I read the New Scientist and I'm fascinated with all the current theories on the so called "uncertainty principle" and subatomic particles and the nature of matter and the quest for a unified theory of Everything. I don't understand a word of it of course, but it does capture my imagination. As an observational artist I love the idea that perhaps things only exist when there is an observer present. And does God play dice with the universe or not..?

On a more prosaic note: My Oranges are only $200 today.

Dutch Auction

Just a reminder about my Dutch Action experiment. I started the price off at $300 and it is now at $230. If you would like to purchase this painting before someone else gets it please click here: a

sold

Serrated Knife

Serrated Knife

Oil on gessoed board
95x195mm or approx 4x8" give or take 1/4" or so.

$150

sold

This is the knife that cut the orange.

...And this is the house that jack built.

The price on the Orange is now $280. Tommorow it will only be worth $260. Buy now and save! Or something. I'm not really much good at this marketing game.. Funny thing the perceived value of things.

And a confession. The studio photo of the Big Match painting was an April Fool prank that has turned around and burned me..! The painting was in fact one of my miniatures I photoshopped and made to look big. I thought the joke with the Serious Artiste pose with brush and shovel would be a dead giveaway..! Anyway, it did have a serious side to it in that I have been working myself up into painting some of these subjects larger than life and this gave me some idea of how the Big Match concept would look. Thankyou to all the many people who wrote to me about it with kind and enthusiastic comments. It certainly generated some interest anyway! I'd like to think it was the concept that appealed and it's given me the incentive to go ahead with the actual phyisical painting.

Just remember: "In truth, all artists lie".

Halved Orange

Halved Orange
Oil on gessoed board
145x150mm or approx 6x6"

In an effort to attract more interest I thought I would try something new with this one - the so called "Dutch Auction". It starts at what I feel is a fair price and drops in price every day until someone buys it. So it's a gamble between getting it at a bargain price and losing out to someone quicker. I'll start it at $300 and tomorrow it will be $280. The first person to email me gets it. Have fun!

This has now sold for $150.