Lemon Lineup

Oil on 1/4" Gessoboard. Approx 4"x8" SOLD

I was in the mood for something colorful yet simple.

Letters In The Sky

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is a view from downtown Glen Ellyn. My wife and I spent some time down there this past weekend. The weather was great, too. We finally have some Summer temps.

Rainbow in the Rain

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

From sunny sunsets to rainy rainbows. This was my view from my driveway. My main goal was to capture the density in the air, the humidity, and the misty rain coming down. Don't forget...you can't have a rainbow without the rain. Another note - I painted this whole painting with a #10 flat brush. It was huge and that made the painting go quick..and I don't feel I sacrificed any detail either. It's one of my favs right now.

Santa Monica Sunset

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is a photo I took when I was visiting my friends in LA over Memorial Day. They took me to Santa Monica beach which is a place I will never forget for a number of reasons. On our way back to the car the sun was setting and you could see the slight haze over the mountains. Incredible view.

Downtown Building

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is a building in downtown Wheaton. I have really enjoyed summer nights on the weekends walking around the downtown area with my family. Good times.

Wine Night (challenge painting)

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

Here is the next challenge painting. The subject this time was an unmade bed.

Avocado Reflection

Oil on 1/8" Board Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I love how you can see both halves of the avocado reflected in the blue bowl even though only the seeded half is showcased in the foreground. I hope to use this bowl more predominantly in the near future. It has a cool look to it.

Cut Avocado

Oil on 1/8" Board Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I got really brushy with this one. I like, though.

Awaiting Fate

Oil on 1/8" Board Approx 8"x8" SOLD

This poor little lemon. About to get sliced and diced. He sure will taste good squeezed into some iced tea, though.

Reaching Steeple

Oil on 1/8" Board Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is a church from downtown Elmhurst. It is a older upscale neighborhood. We were visiting our friend who just had a baby at the hospital in Elmhurst and I snapped this photo at a stop light.

Ship In The Night

Oil on 1/8" Board Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Here is the second Alaska painting. What a perfect shot of the glowing cruise ship next to the moon.

Alaskan Sunset

Oil on 1/4" Board Approx 4"x8"

For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com

From palm trees to an Alaskan sunset. A co-worker went on an Alaskan cruise a few weeks ago. When I was flipping through her photos, I just had to paint a couple. There may be another from the alaskan series soon.

Three Palms

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Another shot from LA. I don't get to see many palm trees. Maybe every few of years or so. To me, they are a mysterious tree. So thin and tall yet so strong. They sway like crazy without breaking. And are a pleasure to paint with their expressiveness.

Double Yolk

Oil on 3/8" Gessoboard (this board has a hanger groove notched in the back) Approx 8"x8" SOLD

This painting kind of had a slow start to it. It wasn't until the last half hour or so when the intensity and drama really came out. At that point it was like "achieving flow". Runners talk about that sort of thing (at least I did when I was a runner). When you're on a long run, at 8 or 9 miles of an 18 miler you just hit a groove where the rest of the miles just flow right by. Now that I am reminiscing about those day I really miss it. Any other runners out there reading this?

Punch Buggy

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is a scene from LA when I was there over Memorial Day weekend. I was driving in my friend's car and saw this bug on the side of the road. I wiped out my camera and took this photo. He probably thought I it was strange since it wasn't a major landmark or a tourist attraction. Oh well, I like how this painting turned out.

Cracked Shell

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

The whole time I was painting this I kept thinking about an artist's blog that I always visit. Jeremy Geddes. He paints cosmonauts and these reminded me of the helmets. Check this guy out. His work is deliciously morbid and super realistic. I love it.

Self Portrait (Challenge Painting)

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Here is the next challenge painting. This time it was my turn to choose the subject. I wanted to pick something I haven't painting in years...self portrait. I picked a pose that didn't show my receding hair line.

Bird On A Wire

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This darn utility pole again. I love it tough. I could walk out into my backyard any day of the week and see this in a new way each time. This time I caught a bird perfectly perched on the wire.

Reflecting

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

A little different take on the same strawberry. I have never painted a strawberry in such detail before these. They are crazy little things. All those seeds, highlights and reflecting light. It is a plethora of value and color transitions.

Single Strawberry

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Simple but detailed today. I really enjoyed painting this strawberry. From the reflected light to those very specific highlights.

Tulips

Oil on 3/8" Canvas Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

Here is something that is not so typical of me...and I like it. I used an 8x8 board with a groove for a hanger already cut in the back so framing is optional.

Water Tower

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I took this snap shot on one of our road trips to Tennessee. I think I spent more time on the background then on the water tower itself. I tried to keep the trees simple but detailed enough to not be recognizable.

Detached

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This setup seemed to defy the norm when it comes to light and shadow. The tomato didn't really have a shadow area. Instead that area was close to the local color and light/midtones were lightened to accommodate. I hope that makes sense. Just know that it was weird but interesting to view.

Cozy Pears

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I have a larger painting in the works of a composition very similar to this. I hope to get it done in the next couple of weeks. We'll see. I liked how these pears seemed to be cuddled together nice and cozy.

Missing Tomato

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

If you were following my auctions you may have noticed that ebay removed ALL of my paintings. They accused me of breaking rules and regs but I simply didn't. It's too late now, they took the auctions down. All the bids and watchers..gone. On top of that, they suspended my account from auction style listings for the next 2 weeks so I can only do fixed price listings until then. SO I relisted my current paintings as fixed price listings so now the first bid wins. I apologize for all the inconvenience and hope that the interested parties return. Thanks!

Main Street Steeple

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This church is located in downtown Lombard. Right on Main Street if you didn't guess that already.

Apple-Tini

Oil on 3/8" Canvas Board. Approx 9"x12" SOLD

This painting took two days. It just so happens that those two days were about a month apart. It's something I couldn't drag myself back to to complete. Finally yesterday, I dug my heels in a finished it. I really like the result. Typically my paintings are done in one sitting so there is essentially one layer. Having two layers on this one helped judge the values and color to be more accurate and attractive...at least to me. Sorry for the glare on the photo, I have trouble shooting anything bigger then 6x6. I need someone to come teach me how to photograph.

The Face Off

Oil on Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

I missed the challenge from last month but I am back on track this month. The challenge was to paint something shiny from your kitchen...right up my alley. I revisited these two items from my arsenal. Next month is my turn to choose the challenge and the gears are turning.

Utility Pole In Sunset

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I painted this utility pole once before. It is just at the edge of my back yard. I couldn't resist this with the pink sky. I don't use much pink in my paintings so this was a nice change. I really like how the power lines turned out.

Fortune Cookie

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

And here is the fortune cookie from that night of chinese take out a while back. Any guesses as to what the fortune says?

Close-Up Pear Study

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I have a large pear painting in progress so wanted to use this one as a little study of the color and value variety of the pear. I watched a short you tube video from Richard Schmid and he said "It's better to have put a color in then to not have put it in at all". I think that is because once it's in you can adjust it, but without it there is no basis to start from. Those words stuck with me and this painting has more color variation then my usuals...which I like.

Chinese Take Out

Oil on 3/8" Canvas Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

It didn't dawn on me to paint the left over chinese food box until I opened my fridge a couple days later. It was like a light from above shining down. I was instantly inspired. I felt compelled to use a larger board for this one. It is a 3/8" thick board that has a groove for a hanger already cut in the back so framing is optional.

Overflow

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is actually a Mother's Day gift for my Mom. It's a bit late but I couldn't find cherries anywhere at that time. Anyway I hope it's worth the wait, Mom.

Triple Yolks

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

My wife was baking in the kitchen and I jumped in for a second to shot this photo with my phone. Not the most ideal reference but a great challenge to create a painting from.

Hot Dog Special

Oil on 3/8" Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

Here is the second painting that was a gift for another friend in L.A. a week and a half ago. I was nervous going into this painting. I knew it was no simple task. The hot dog was going to be a challenge but the paper was going to make or break the whole piece. I think this is my all-time favorite painting. It's something different from my usual work and, for me, was a complete success.

One Red Apple

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"

For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com

Simple, right? I know. My goal here was to bring as much interest to this as possible in the painting process. I let more brush strokes drag accross the surface and embellished the reflected lights on both sides of the apple. I am pleased with the end result.

"Cherries On Glass"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This is the first time I set something up on a piece of glass. I really like the whole reflections it shows. Not just the implication of a reflection. It was a nice challenge.

Teapot

Oil on 3/8" Board. Approx 8"x8" SOLD

I painted this as a gift for a friend I visited in L.A. this past holiday weekend. It was a rockin' time. A lot of laughing and people watching. I saw all of the sites that I have only seen on TV before. My wife actually got me the trip. She planned it all ahead of time for my 30th birthday which was earlier this month. That's why I say she's the best.

"Dolly Mix"

Oil on 1/4" Board. Approx 6"x6"

For purchase info email susan.brownlow@artunderamonkey.co.uk.

If you live in the UK you may know this candy. It's called Dolly Mix and from what I hear, it's great (i have to admit I didn't eat any of the candy). It's the last of five requests for an online gallery that is in startup mode right now. If you are interested in purchasing, you may do so direct from the site's creator, Susan.

"High Speed Train"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Something a bit different today. In this scene the viewer has the perspective of traveling at the same speed as the train so the background is blurred and the train is crisp.

"Railroad Keys"

Oil on 1/4" Board. Approx 8"x10" SOLD

My wife's Dad worked as a switchman for the railroad for about 45 years. These are keys from there. If I'm not mistaken, the small one is the switch key and the long one is a caboose key.

I haven't posted much lately but that does not mean I haven't been painting. I have two more paintings to post but have to wait to post them. I also have another 20x20 painting in the works. I'm trying to expand my portfolio of 'large' work.

"Pear Portrait"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I have been super busy lately. Yesterday was my daughter's first birthday party. We had about 60 people at our house. It was insanity, but overall a great party. All that and Lucy won't even remember it. I can't believe she is coming up on being one. Time is really flying by. Oh and Happy Mother's Day!!!

"Sunlit Apples"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

Not much to say about these apples besides they looked good in the sun. Good enough to eat.

"White Study with Mug"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"

For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com

Sometimes you have to go back to the basics. I wanted to do a value study with general light tones while still keep form and dimension to the object.

"Peeled Orange No.3"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

This orange feels solid and strong. That's why i like it. I focused a lot on edges in this painting - mainly trying to keep them soft.

Another New Portrait

Graphite on Bristol Board. Approx 8"x11" SOLD

Here's the second portrait. The last for a while. I may take a break from the mountain scapes for some still lifes. Stay tuned for those.

"Untouched Peaks"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6"

For purchase info, please email michael@mnaples.com

As we drove through and up the mountains we were pondering the fact that humans may have never stopped foot on the mountains tops we were looking at. That's a deep thought.

"Mountain Ridge"

Oil on 1/8" Gessoboard. Approx 6"x6" SOLD

I wanted to focus on the background more on this painting. Really trying to capture the atmosphere in those mountains.