Spring and hot tea.

I painted this when I was 22 years old. It was early spring and the sun was warm though I still recall the tips of my fingers were chilled by the evaporating turpentine as they clasped my #12 filbert. The canvas was 5' by 4' and I completed it in about 4 hours, chasing the light and aching for the reward of a pot of hot tea. I sold it a month later at a group exhibit on Long Island. Great memories. There was still an element of the experimental in every piece, never quite sure of the outcome, always excited by the end result but perpetually frustrated by the nuances I had failed to capture. Every painting was an opportunity to improve, discover that new twist of color or stumble on how subtle pressures could perfect even my hundredth-thousand brushstroke.

Rosie

Rosie has a pleasing methodical approach to her work, which she executes with intensive, unwavering focus. She has all the makings of an artist, she simply has to devote the time and the recognition that there are no boundaries to her imagination. Once realized, her hand and eye will follow and the range of her potential will unravel exponentially.

Maria

This was painted by one of my students, Columbian beauty and ethereal being Maria Samper. Sadly she has just parted these tropical climes for the Pacific Northwest but I am hopeful she will continue to be inspired by her inner machinations, full of vibrant symbolism and a profound sense of her cultural identity. Viaje con seguridad mi alma emparentada!