Berkeley Hotel

"Berkeley Hotel" oil on 16 gauge steel 4" x 6."
This is another in a series of a dozen or so small paintings on steel, that are going to be placed around town in Martinsburg, West VA. This building today is hardly recognizable, floors have been added and the widow's walk was removed.

Centralia Pennsylvania

"Centralia" Oil on masonite.

Centralia is the site of an underground mine fire that started burning on Memorial Day weekend in 1962. Nature has reclaimed just about all of the town, there are a few houses still standing, there is a fire house with an ambulance sitting inside. The blocks of houses and stores are now overgrown and empty. The ground is still smoking, it is pretty eerie place.

"Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire," is David DeKok's book on the Centralia disaster. It can be ordered on Amazon.

Weekend Warrior

"Untitled," acrylic on canvas. 23" x 19."
This is a nice fellow I met several years ago at the Monocacy Battlefield just south of Frederick, Maryland. He was one of many people camped there for the weekend with their 19th century clothing and equipment. I find it funny to see one of these guys and his family in a mini van, all decked out in their gear, drive up to the drive through at MacDonalds and grab a ton of fast food. Back at the camp, it's all salted pork and lots of beans.

Savoy

"Plymouth Savoy," oil on canvas. 9" x 12."
This is a painting I never really got around to finishing. The car belongs to Jimmy Stewart, a guy that lives around the block from me. He bought this car a while back, and has done very little work on it, the paint has a wonderful, slightly dull patina. The interior is well worn, but not ragged. Jimmy looks like he was born to drive this car, both he and his car appear as though they slipped through some tear in time and arrived here from 1955. He lives in his 1950s rancher, and works over at the Mack Truck plant on the edge of town. This is the car he drives to work.

Lulu

"Lulu," 5" x 7" oil on masonite.
This is Lulu, our 5 year old Chihuahua. She is a harmless little 5 pound goofball. Lulu hates Bob the cat, and the mailman. Other than that she loves everyone. When she sees our neighbors her whole rear end wags along with her tail.

This news story made me so angry when I read it.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/137/justice-for-zoey

Doin' The Peppermint Twist

"Peppermint," oil in masonite, 2" x 2.5"
This piece was inspired by a 2"x2" show at the Washington County Arts Council last year. I participated in that show and had a lot of fun doing a couple of pieces for the exhibit. Doing small works like this provides instant gratification or disappointment for a very small time investment.

From a little while ago

This article was published about a year ago. It features me and 5 other artists from Washington County Maryland.

Black and Decker

"Black and Decker drill," oil on masonite.
I am very fond of this old drill. It was part of a few boxes of tools and hardware my father-in-law gave me when he and my mother-in-law moved from their house to an apartment. I am sure he used it for countless projects over the 40+ years he and his family lived in that wonderful house. My wife remembers getting up early many Saturday mornings for pancakes, followed by a trip to the hardware store with her father. This drill is all metal, even the trigger is steel. I suppose there could be a shock hazard with this old drill. but back in the 50's you took that kind of thing in stride.

Drawing Group

I finally got back to the local drawing group after being away for a little over a year. My work schedule just made it difficult to attend on a regular basis. It was fun to go and spend a couple hours drawing this model, she was really great. Hopefully I will be able to do this a couple of times a month, and get back into the swing of things. I felt very rusty tonight.

Yankee

"Baseball Card," 2.5" x 3.5" oil on steel.
Another in a series of paintings of common items on 16 gauge steel. I realize this particular card is no longer really common. I will most likely tweak this painting a bit more.

Along Frederick Steet

This is a house I often pass on my way home from work. It is an empty house sitting alone by the tracks near a few empty stores in an industrial area in Hagerstown, MD.

Here is the street view of that house on Google Maps.

Pie Oh My

"Lemon Meringue Pie," Oil on 16 gauge steel.

Dead Elves

"Dead Elph," oil on masonite.

I have had 2 Canon Elphs. I love the design of these little metal cameras, they are so beautiful. I just wish they would live for more than a year. I have two dead Elphs or Elves.