"Handling Air"

I was drawn to the large rusty air handler and the outside inside play because of the deteriorating roof

This is the old Staley Plant in Morrisville

The train engine still runs.

This was my view from my studio at PAFA.

I painted this during a 2-day master workshop, with Scott Noel at PAFA.

 Ben Gordon is shown painting one of his masterpieces.

I was thinking about the absurd and the sublime when I painted this.  

The Top Hat is courtesy of my good friend David Robinson.

This is my father-in-laws work bench. My in-laws live in the country in Lancaster County and the entire property is rich with painting potential.

My dear sweet Sophie...had to say good bye to her this summer, she had cancer.

"Summer's excess"

Work from spring semester

Work from spring semester

recent work

Dmitri's series

These are the interiors of three restaurants in Philly each owned by Dmitri, who is the son of Thomas Chimes, an influential painter in Philadelphia. Dmitri was most generous, and sympathetic with my desire to paint in his restaurants. 

Recent work

This is a study for a larger painting I did titled "Handling Air". The large painting is the same size as the pumpkin painting 3' x 4' oil on canvas.

A wise man walks in the rain

Had fun with the reflective shadow on the wet pavement.

When shadows go walking

Playing more with in and out of shadow.

Casting a shadow

Got interested in more color with the figures.

Alter ego

The shadows in this pastel almost overshadow the figures (pun intended) making the pedestrians seem anonymous.

Me and my shadow

I liked how the shadows are so emphasized in this pastel, if you turn it upside down it still reads as pedestrians walking.

In shadow

Wondered what shadows do at night...

The notion of a shadow

The first in a series of shadow studies I did in pastel and charcoal on paper.

The "Hattie III"

This is called the carding room where they actually spin wool onto those wooden cones the first step in the many processes that make a wool felt hat.

The "Hattie" II

More in the "Hattie" series.

Eraserhood

This building is in a neighborhood in Philadelphia known as "Eraserhood".
So named because when David Lynch was in school at PAFA, where I am getting my MFA, he was fascinated with this neighborhood and it inspired his burned out industrial scenes in his movie "Eraserhead".

Hattie I

This is 1 in a series of three paintings I did of the interior of a 100 year old hat factory in Denver, Pa.  It is know locally as "The Hattie".

Doppleganger

This is a large painting 60" x 36" oil sticks on canvas.
My studio in Philadelphia is on the 8th floor, so my view of the pedestrians is much like what is pictured. I left shadow images (ghosts) in the painting because I been thinking about the things/people that become invisible in life.

Hat in hand

More in the hat in the hat series.

Eat your hat

This is a hat from a friend who bought it at an estate sale when he was a young kid and has been carrying it around ever since (roughly 40+ years, but who's counting).
I was thinking about the absurd and the sublime when I painted this.