Ad hoc Modeling

Ball point pen on paper.

I think the local Urgent Care is one of the best places to draw people. This afternoon my daughter was there for a sprain. The waiting room was loaded with people and we had lots of time on our hands. These two men were the most interesting people in the room. The man on the left is 98 years old, the fellow on the right is a mechanic.

Last of The Year

"Water Tank"" 28 x 28, Oil on linen.
This is the last start for the year and maybe the first painting of 2011 for me. Hoping for a better year ahead.

Here is where the tank can be seen, off in the distance.

Drawing At Shepherd

Another terrific Wednesday evening drawing session at Shepherd. Tonight I carpooled with my lovely friend Caroline. We had a super time, and lots of laughs on the way down and back.

Black Friday

A little drive in the country and some hiking on this black Friday, a good day for self reflection. I stayed in tonight, and finished up this drawing.

Study For A Portrait

I am in the process of working on drawings for a portrait. I was lucky enough to find a very good subject while visiting my daughters in Edinboro PA. I have not done many portraits in the last 10 or so years, so this will be exciting.

A Drawing Started

My Sunday so far after dishes and coffee.

Drawing Night

I went to draw at Shepherd tonight with the Wednesday night drawing group. I only seem to be able to make it there once every couple of months or so, which is frustrating.

Oopsy Daisy

"Planter" Oil on clipboard.

Rick

"Rick Mullin" pencil and white chalk.

This is a quick sketch of my friend Rick Mullin. He was in town for the Mummers Parade on Saturday. Rick is a incredibly gifted writer, his blog is one of my daily stops on he internet.

Mobtown Bobber

"Little Bastard" oil on canvas, 60" x 42."

This bike belongs to Tim Sneed of Baltimore, Maryland. Tim is a custom builder with a shop that is loaded with great old bikes and a killer old Seeburg jukebox. Here is Tim's shop.

Midnight, Funkstown MD.

Oil on Masonite, 10" x 5."

Little Bastard

"Little Bastard" 60 x 42, oil on canvas.

I have been working on this one off and on for months. The plan is to have it completed in 2 weeks, we'll see.

AG Fair

"Untitled" oil on masonite, 10 x 6.5.

This man was watching the pig races at the Washington County Agriculture Expo in July.

Drawing Group

Another sketch from the Wednesday night drawing group. I just might be able to attend a few times a month this year. It is such great practice.

It Must Be Autumn

Figure drawing sessions have resumed at the local university. Hopefully I can make it more than twice this semester.

State Line, PA

"Untitled" oil on masonite, 5" x 6."
Closed gas station on Rt. 11 in State Line, Pennsylvania.
Location on Google Maps.

Centralia Pennsylvania

On my last visit to Centralia PA, these were two of the last few houses still standing. Centralia is the location of a mine fire that has been burning underground since May of 1962. For a very good account of this disaster read David DeKok's book: "Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire."

Pearre, Maryland

Trailer in the woods just off the Western Maryland Rail Trail, Pearre MD. I am not sure if this is a home, or a little vacation "getaway." There are a number of old abandoned homes and trailers in the woods along the old railroad. This area was once a thriving community during the days of the old C&O Canal.

Silver Star

"Silver Star" 2" x 2" oil on masonite.

Just about a week ago we attended my father-in-law's funeral at Arlington. He was such a powerful influence in my life, as well as a great friend, I love and miss him so much.

The tiny painting above is of one of two silver stars he earned during the second world war.

Mobtown

I am still working on this painting. Here is the blog of the owner of this bike. This is going to take a while. My last post on this piece, click here.

Berkeley Springs Wildlife

This was an interesting fellow I saw at the park in the center of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. He was sitting on a bicycle, and having a long conversation with a shirtless guy who had the word "PRICK" tattooed in an old English font across his large stomach.

Water Tank

The Hagerstown Airport.

Location on Google Maps

Hagerstown Square

This is a guy that was hanging out in the town square this afternoon.

Euclid R 35

A dump truck parked in a field on Punch Bowl Rd, outside of Mercersburg PA

Location on Google Maps.

Why a drawing of a Euclid Truck? Beats me, it just looked really cool.

Amanda

Hack Wilson

"Hack Wilson" Acrylic on 12 gauge steel. 3.5" x 2.5."

Wilson grew up in the Pennsylvania steel mill town of Ellwood City. Although 5'6" tall, he weighed 195 pounds, and had an 18" neck and size-6 shoes. One sports writer wrote that he was built along the lines of a beer keg, and not wholly unfamiliar with its contents.

He finished his 12 year career having played 1,348 games with a lifetime batting average of .307, 244 home runs, and 1,063 RBI. He died in 1948, possibly due to alcoholism complications. He is buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Martinsburg, West Virginia. There is a street in Martinsburg called Hack Wilson Way, in honor of Wilson.

Micro Murals

Sometime in the next several days, I'll have about a dozen small pieces of art all around downtown Martinsburg, West Virginia. Each piece depicts something that was once part of the town. The pieces are sometimes inconspicuous, and meant to be discovered by people as they walk through town. The location above used to be a J.J. Newberry 5 and 10 store in the 1960s. The art depicts a baseball card that would have been a common item for sale back then. This is a volunteer public art project I developed and have been working on for a couple of years. I worked with Mainstreet Martinsburg, a wonderful group of volunteers that are dedicated to the revitalization of Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Soup and Crackers

Drawing at Railroad Junction Diner on a Sunday afternoon. This man was chatting with his mother and having a nice quiet afternoon lunch.

Little Bastard

This is a painting I started a couple of weeks ago. The bike was built by Tim Sneed of Mobtown Cycle, in Baltimore MD. I have a ton of work to do on this piece. The painting is larger than the pieces I have done for the past few years, "60 x 42."

Father and Son

"Chris and Glenn."
I was going through some boxes in the basement and came across a long forgotten painting of mine that appeared in a concert program for Opportunity Village in Las Vegas, NV. That was about 16 years ago.

Doughboy

Doughboy statue, Funkstown, MD.

This weekend I used my motorcycle as a place to sit and sketch. It worked out pretty well. My supplies sat in an up turned helmet hanging from the handlebar. The sketchbook rested on the tank. The seat is low, so my feet rest flat on the ground on either side of the bike. During the winter I used my car as a roving studio, but this set up on the bike is actually quite comfortable and very handy.

Rt. 522 Pennsylvania

I met a farmer near Shirleysburg PA along Rt. 522. This is a drawing of his 1941 Farmall tractor. It has been in continuous service on his farm since 1941.

Mack B Series

B Series Mack Truck. Parked and rusting along the Lincoln Highway about 10 miles west of Gettysburg, PA. I took a drive on an absolutely miserable day to see a bike show in Gettysburg. After spilling my coffee all over my sketchbook at the Lincoln Diner, I drove west and found this cool old Mack Truck parked along the side of the road next to an old garage.

Le Petit Ecolier

Oil on masonite.

Along The Old National Pike VI

"Our Faith" 7 x 10, oil on masonite.

Along The Old National Pike V

Oil on masonite, 7" x 10." Not quite finished yet. I am going to go by this place soon and see how the last two snow storms have changed the look of the scene.

Along The Old National Pike IV

Oil on masonite, 7" x 10." Still in progress, did a teeny bit more on Sunday.
Earlier post here.

Along The Old National Pike III

This is a work in progress, a little more done since the last posting. Oil on masonite. I started with this sketch before the February snow storms.

Google maps location.

Along The Old National Pike II

This is a piece I am working on based on this drawing.
I have a lot more work to do with this painting.

Cameo

"Cameo" oil on steel.

Along The Old National Pike

I enjoy the really old roads, and the National Pike might be my favorite. Last Sunday I went out late in the day looking for something to draw, and I remembered this Pontiac Catalina sitting along old rt 40, just south of Hagerstown.

Zinc White

"Zinc White" oil on masonite, 3 x 5.

An ancient tube of Utrecht zinc white.

Hagerstown Block in Progress III

"Hagerstown Block" oil on canvas, 8 x 10. This is a work in progress, here is the previous post.

The Ham Sandwich Guy

This is a color sketch from the Franklin County Fair. I think every other trailer in the place was selling country ham sandwiches. Late in the afternoon, just after we arrived, they started a large outdoor church service between the rides and rows of tractors. After the service, the fair started.

Location on Google Maps.

A Quick Buck

Oil on masonite.

Hagerstown City Square

This is a drawing I did a while ago while sitting in Skyline Coffee on the square in Hagerstown.

Here is the location on Google maps.

Hagerstown Block in Progress II

"Hagerstown Block" oil on canvas, 8 x 10.
This is a painting I am working on that is based on a sketch from a previous post from 12/7.

Hagerstown Block in Progress

"Hagerstown Block" oil on canvas, 8 x 10.
This is a work in progress based on a sketch from a previous post from 12/7. It should take a couple more hours or so to complete. I love the late afternoon light on a winter day, and the way shadows of trees smear across the sides of buildings.