John Ackerson

Character Study

2012-02-12T10:21:00.000-04:00

More Bum Series

2012-02-10T09:06:00.002-04:00

Bums

2012-02-02T23:14:00.002-04:00

A couple of pen sketches...

'Moonlight'

2011-12-12T18:38:00.002-04:00

Another pen on paper sketch...this time of a soldier lying on the ground at night...perhaps he should move to find a less visible location...the moonlight here is bathing him in light...perhaps he's too tired to move...

From the sketchbook; 'A Warning'

2011-12-10T09:21:00.005-04:00

Here's an interesting question...if you were to begin with this image as a starting point in telling a story...you can probably imagine all sorts of intriguing possibilities...how far along in the story is this...what came before it... what happens next?

Two figures

2011-11-22T19:41:00.003-04:00

Another of the many sketches I've been doodling away on...Been listening to the audio-book version of the 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy while staying busy in the studio...saw the film last year...yikes!... what a post-apocalyptic vision!...enjoyed the narration in the audiobook...the character of Tom Stechschulte's voice provides the right kind of atmospheric balance...guess it got me thinking...

Pen and paper sketch

2011-11-06T19:44:00.006-04:00

Been thinking of working towards a graphic novel on the side, so I decided to experiment and sketch a few characters. Here's a guy you could say had an issue or two. He's probably experiencing a bad hair day, and his personal hygiene could be in question. After drawing him, the concept of his unkempt appearance reminded me of 'Pigpen' from Peanuts. Though I hand-drew this with pen and ink on paper, I used Photoshop to clean up a couple of edges.
-J

'King and Germain'

2011-10-28T13:49:00.004-03:00

An impasto painting I did of uptown Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada

16" x 20" (canvas size)

Oil on canvas
Available

'A Beach For Lolita'

2011-09-02T21:29:00.006-03:00

An oil on panel from late winter. I was immersed in studying JMW Turner's work at the time.

Available

'Dark Surf'

2011-08-27T10:06:00.003-03:00

Oil on panel

I haven't painted anything for a while as I've been readying the house & property for sale, among other necessary tasks. I painted this in late winter.

See the new link on the right for photos of the house.

Available

'After Suzor Coté '

2011-05-20T10:12:00.006-03:00

11" x 14" oil on panel

Available

I was inspired to paint this scene upon discovering a few small-scale paintings done by a former Quebec based artist (Marc-Aurèle Suzor Coté , 1869-1937)

...who had a genius for combining a roughness of technique with an immediacy, spontaneity, and even an elegance. (I'm not saying I achieved the same results as well as he did, but I appreciate his aesthetic, and his inspiration...) -

Main Street, Saint John, New Brunswick- circa 1900

2011-02-23T22:06:00.006-04:00

Oil on gallery Canvas

30" x42" - Sold

This is looking up towards Douglas Avenue in the North End. Most of the buildings have now been replaced, and the steeple on the church is no longer either. I'm not sure how many residents of Saint John would know we had street cars here. Never been on one myself. Wonder what its like?

Crossing Union Street

2011-01-19T17:15:00.002-04:00

Oil on canvas

11" x 14"

Available

'A Brisk Pace'

2010-01-23T13:13:00.003-04:00

Oil on canvas
12" x 9"
' A Brisk Pace'
Available

"Saint John Winter Series continued"

2010-01-07T10:52:00.004-04:00

"Waiting"

9" x 12" Oil on Canvas

Sold

Corner of Charlotte and Duke

2010-01-03T12:34:00.001-04:00

"Corner of Duke and Charlotte"

Oil on canvas 11" x 14"

Available

Saint John Winter Series

2010-01-01T15:52:00.001-04:00

"Crossing" 11" x 14" Oil on canvas Available

Upcoming May Exhibit

2009-03-21T14:21:00.000-03:00

I'm currently producing jewelry with Gwen, and working on a series of new paintings for an upcoming exhibit in May at a gallery in Saint John.

Fresh Paint

2009-02-28T16:03:00.004-04:00

'The Crooked Tree'
Oil on Canvas 12" x 16"

Sold

2009-02-27T09:49:00.005-04:00

Fresh Paint

2009-02-24T11:10:00.003-04:00

'Winter' Oil on Canvas 12" x 16" Available

Fresh Paint

2009-02-20T12:45:00.000-04:00

'Mountain Stream'

Oil on canvas 9" x 12"

available

Fresh Paint!

2009-02-17T15:05:00.000-04:00

"A Fall Day On Germain Street" 11" x 14" inches oil on canvas Available

Economic Crisis Series - 'What Just Happened?'

2009-01-13T15:04:00.000-04:00

'What Just Happened?' 16" x 16" oil on gallery canvas $500-

Economic Crisis Series - 'Ready For A Change'

2009-01-09T09:35:00.001-04:00

'Ready For A Change' 16" x 16" Oil on gallery canvas $500-

Economic Crisis Series - 'Zero Guy'

2009-01-05T09:22:00.000-04:00

'Zero Guy' 12" x 12" Oil on gallery canvas $400-

Economic Crisis Series 'DEVIL IN A SUIT'

2008-12-29T11:23:00.000-04:00

'DEVIL IN A SUIT' 16" x 16" Oil on gallery canvas

Economic Crisis Series - ' Anger Management'

2008-12-20T12:56:00.001-04:00

Oil on gallery canvas 12" x 12" 'Anger management'

Economic Crisis Series - 'We Should Go To Plan B'

2008-12-17T17:57:00.001-04:00

'We Should Go To Plan B' Oil on gallery canvas 16" x 16" $500-

Economic Crisis Series - 'Decisions...Decisions'

2008-12-15T10:18:00.000-04:00

'Decisions...Decisions' Oil on gallery canvas 16" x16" $500-

Economic Crisis Series

2008-12-12T21:27:00.000-04:00

'A Distant Past' Oil on gallery canvas 16" x 16"

Economic Crisis Series

2008-12-09T09:19:00.000-04:00

'The Color of Money' Oil on gallery canvas 16" x 16"

Economic Crisis Series - 'Look Into My Eyes...You are Under My Control'

2008-12-08T12:26:00.000-04:00

Oil on gallery canvas 16" x 16" $500- available

Economic Crisis Series / Wall Street Crash / Bank Bailouts

2008-12-07T11:56:00.001-04:00

"Let's Talk"

Oil on gallery canvas 16" x 16"

Currently on display at the UNBSJ campus.

This is the first painting in a portrait series based on the money market crash.

Dick Cheney and George W. Bush

2008-12-06T09:38:00.000-04:00

Hanging and drying outside my studio door.

'An Intimate Look at Dick and George'

Oil on gallery Canvas 42" x 30" inches

Currently on display at the University of New Brunswick Saint John campus

George W. Bush - 43rd President of the United States of America

2008-12-05T08:06:00.000-04:00

Oil on gallery Canvas 16" x 16" The temptation was too great...How could I not ?

George Bernard Shaw

2008-12-03T07:43:00.001-04:00

Oil on gallery Canvas 10" x 10"

Sold

Poster for the latest Show

2008-11-16T20:45:00.001-04:00

Nov.16 Art Exhibit - Lorenzo Society Art Gallery at the Saint John University of New Brunswick

2008-10-17T10:36:00.001-03:00

I haven't been posting new paintings here since I am currently painting towards an art exhibit in November.

Fresh Paint!

2008-10-17T10:18:00.000-03:00

'River Flow' 16" x 20" Oil on Canvas

2008-10-08T12:28:00.001-03:00

Fresh Paint!

2008-10-03T09:20:00.001-03:00

'Surf' 16" x 20" Oil on canvas The surf and rocks at Brown's Beach in St.Martins, NB provides endless ways in which to capture it with paint.

Detail

Fresh Paint! - 'River Island'

2008-09-28T14:35:00.001-03:00

'River Island' 16" x 20" Oil on Canvas - SOLD

Detail of paint and signature.

Birch Trees Near the River

2008-09-24T08:34:00.000-03:00

'Birch Trees Near The River' 16" x 20" Oil on Canvas

Fresh Paint

2008-09-20T11:50:00.000-03:00

'Orange and Blue'

5" x 7" Oil on panel This was a fun, quick painting!

"Longing"

2008-09-10T17:20:00.001-03:00

"Longing"

12" x 12" Oil on gallery style canvas. Left unpainted around edges.

Fresh Paint

2008-09-04T12:33:00.001-03:00

'Submarine Rock' 5" x 7" Oil on Panel.

I can see this outcropping from the house. It's official name is the Arcana Rock . It's profile changes twice a day with the rising and falling of the tide. This rock is an extension of West Quaco -a 'bedroom community' of St.Martins. An unmanned lighthouse operates just around the bend. When its foggy here the deep, bass horn can be heard throughout the village. Great place for birds, starfish , and occasionally seals.

Detail

'Early Spring Dusk'

2008-09-01T09:28:00.001-03:00

'Early Spring Dusk' 5" x 7" Oil on panel

Detail

2008-08-25T17:00:00.002-03:00

Fresh Paint

2008-08-25T12:16:00.000-03:00

"Morning Light" 5" x 7" Oil on panel.

Detail

Here's another small landscape. I was walking on the beach early in the day, and naturally amazed at the light in the sky and how it reflected off the water...

'Lost in Time'

2008-08-05T12:56:00.001-03:00

oil on gallery canvas

24" x 24"

Detail

A New Life for the 'Ol Chicken Coop

2008-07-20T10:28:00.000-03:00

Max and I managed to get the shed to this state by July 1st before I had to temporarily abandon any further work on it, as jewelry manufacturing beckoned for my attention. Being so busy the last three weeks, I guess I didn't realize how Max and his friends were looking forward to using the reclaimed chicken coop when it's finally ready for them to use as their new, soon-to-be camp. Yesterday, Saturday July 19th, the village put on its annual yard sale, and the boys scrounged for anything they could possibly use. Max says they found a few odd gems including a small, poker table, so they can sit around it and tell tall tales to each other as they play. Anyway, here are a few pics of what we've done with an old, salvaged window, and salvaged door. The shingles are eastern white cedar - the same as on the house and work garage. In a couple of years they'll turn an appealing silvery color, and will be good for seventy-five to a hundred years or so.

Fixing the ol' Chicken Coop

2008-07-05T08:24:00.000-03:00

This 12' foot x 10' shed was originally built by the previous owner of the land, and later used as a chicken coop complete with suspended concrete floor ( Max and I have since pried up, and removed). Since purchasing the land in '98, the chicken coop has remained as it was when we first came here. It had a half-broken-off door covering what it could of the doorway, but otherwise as you can see it in the pic above, save for the few bright, new boards, was left relatively open to the weather as we had many other projects to get to first. The shed had been at the bottom of the hill before we had it carried up (cabled to an excavator bucket), and sat first in another location for a couple of years, and then when we were doing more work later on, moved to its current setting in a south facing, sheltered area across from the greenhouse and veggie garden. Around the corner is a small, extended forest that we are still making walking trails through. I'm also in there with the thinning saw from time to time, to help the trees in overly dense thickets achieve size, and maintain health. We previously prepared a pit-run gravel foundation for the shed, along with 2' x 2' foot patio squares, and concrete blocks on top. Unfortunately, being open to the weather allowed the shed to develop a case of the 'rots' from the roof truss ends where soggy insulation stuffed up in the eaves retained moisture over the years, to the old, recycled barn beams used for its foundation. Here, you can see where I added new truss ends to repair where they sit on the top plate of the walls. This had to be done on both sides of the shed. This was done after Max and I had already put new shingles on the roof. Nice, old, substantial, recycled barn beams make for a solid foundation! I learned from experimenting many years ago working on other projects, nothing comes in handier than a hydraulic car jack when lifting heavy objects close to the ground. With a car jack I've moved complete decks that have shifted or even sunk from frost heaves, and been able to level them up again. I've also used it when I was beefing up a wood shed. A great tool to have! A few cedar shingles make great shims for leveling things up too! As you can see, extensive rot removal had to be done to plan on using the shed again, even to the point of placing temporary braces in place to hold the roof up while the bottom of the walls were cut off, and replacement of loss of structural strength of the perimeter sill beam, floor joists, bottom wall plates, and then the wall studs themselves, before the braces could be removed. A strip of new plywood finally going back on after the repairs have been completed. Tabitha one of our dogs, ensuring no mice show up on the scene. (There's no mice around here, not much anyway, but she saw one once, and her imagination now works overtime - funny dog). Gabby, a new 9 - 10 month old, female dog happy to come and live with us. She's adorable, and still very much a puppy. A partial view of Gwen's veggie garden. (Pic taken in early June? I think) Another view looking eastwards across the top of the hill.

Saint John Arts Centre Exhibit May 16 - June 28

2008-05-28T18:29:00.000-03:00

* Scroll down 3 posts for photos of the exhibit. *

Oil on Panel Bird Paintings

2008-05-28T17:20:00.000-03:00

5" x 7" Oil on Panel

Detail

5" x 7" Oil on Panel SOLD

Detail

5" x 7" Oil on Panel

Detail

7" x 5" Oil on Panel

Detail

7" x 5" Oil on Panel

Detail

During a few days in the winter I painted a collection of various song birds, sparrows, Evening Grosbeaks, etc.

And I decided to experiment with a smaller, more intimate scale; 5" x 7", etc.

These are not included in the current exhibit.

Canadian Painter Tom Thomson's New Auction Record

2008-05-28T01:33:00.000-03:00

Painting by Tom Thomson (This is the only painting on this blog that's not mine).

An iconic oil sketch by Tom Thomson was the centrepiece of a Sotheby's art auction on Monday, May 26, 2008 in Toronto.
Ash Prakash, a high-end art collector, bought the Thomson piece for nearly $2 million.

The vibrant oil sketch depicts three spindly trees silhouetted against a sunset is believed to have been painted in 1915 or 1916.

Before Monday's auction, it was estimated that the work would sell for between $900,000 and $1 million. After a bidding war, it sold for $1,957,000, including buyer's premium.

"There was lots of interest," said Stephen Ranger, president of Ritchie's Auctioneers. "There were three bidders on that picture -- and there even could have been more."

The buyer of the artwork, ASH PRAKASH kept quiet about his personal life but was pretty clear about why he thought the piece was well worth the price.

"I am particularly delighted to give it a home this time in Canada where it belongs," he told CTV Toronto.

The high-end art collector has a special spot at home set aside for the new painting, though he wouldn't say where.

There has been a surge in interest in the works of Thomson, who died in 1917 under mysterious circumstances in Ontario's Algonquin Park.

His "Tamarack Swamp (Sketch #5)" sold for $1 million earlier this month in Vancouver. It was Thomson's sixth painting to sell for over $1 million. Another piece is expected to sell for seven figures at a Joyner Waddington auction in Toronto on Tuesday.

Although he wasn't a member, Thomson's work was aligned with the Group of Seven, whose members also captured the beauty of the northern Ontario landscape.

Group of Seven

Group member Arthur Lismer's painting, "Pine Island, Georgian Bay," sold for $318,500 -- twice its estimated value. That sum included the buyer's premium.

The sale features works by other members of the Group Of Seven, including Franklin Carmichael's "La Cloche Hills" and Lawren Harris' "North Shore."

"After decades in private collections, many works are returning to auction and demonstrating the vigorous growth of the Canadian art market," said a Sotheby's Canada news release.

Works by group members Frederick Varley and A.Y. Jackson sold for more than $500,000 in Vancouver last week.

"Cape Mudge," by Emily Carr, another artist closely associated with the group, was also to be on the auction block.

The sale was to feature 218 lots with presale estimates ranging from $6 million to $8.5 million. In addition to paintings, it includes sculptures, prints and drawings.

Other highlights of Monday's sale include works by Douglas Coupland, Atilla Lukacs and Tony Scherman, of the Painters Eleven group.

The auction, a joint effort between Sotheby's Canada and Ritchie's Auctioneers was held at 380 King Street East in Toronto.

"It makes for an outstanding survey of Canadian art history and is highlighted by paintings of an impeccable pedigree. Many of these works have been sourced internationally," Sotheby's said.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Tom Hayes

You can find out more about Thomson's life here:
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007981

Here's How the Exhibit Looks on Display at the Saint John Arts Centre May 16 - June 28

2008-05-24T08:39:00.000-03:00

New Painting

Titled: "From the West Side" 30" x 42" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

The following photos are of the painting exhibit displayed in two adjoining rooms at the Saint John Arts Centre.

Max checking out some of Dad's work.

My two favorite people - Gwen & Max

Shediac

Three night scenes - the first one is of of King Street in Fredericton, the middle is of the drive to Rothesay and Quispamsis from Saint John, and the last one is from the perspective of looking through an overpass in Saint John. (Camera captured poor lighting below)

The Kennebecasis

A grouping of 12" x 12's"

44 paintings in total (not all are shown)

The exhibit runs May16- June 28

Art Exhibit on until June 27 at the Saint John Arts Centre

2008-05-22T09:43:00.000-03:00

24" x 24" Oil on gallery-wrapped Canvas

Always inspiring to live here on this amazing coast! After I was finished with this painting last night, the moon that came up over the bay was a tangerine orange! Gwen and I sat outdoors in the seclusion of the cedars that surround the firepit watching the sky transform itself.

Art Exhibit at Saint John Arts Centre May16 - June 27

2008-05-20T12:27:00.000-03:00

Between now and the end of June you can see 44 of my paintings on display in the library, and in another adjoining room at the Saint John Arts Centre formerly known as the 'ABEC'. The centre is currently undergoing brick and mortar maintenance.

Above is a 12" x 12" (top), and a 16" x 16" (below). Both are included in the exhibit.

I'm back to jewelry making for now, but will have to post some interior pics of the gallery and exhibit as soon as I get back there to take shots.

By the way, the building was built 'round the turn of the 20th century, and was funded by Carnegie as one of his famous 400 library gifts to the whole of the continent.

Carnegie libraries are libraries which were built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Over 2,500 Carnegie libraries were built, including those belonging to public and university library systems. Carnegie earned the nickname Patron Saint of Libraries.

Of the 2,509 libraries funded between 1883 and 1929, 1,689 were built in the United States, 660 in Britain and Ireland, 156 in Canada, and others in Australia, New Zealand, Serbia, the Caribbean, and Fiji. Very few towns that requested a grant and agreed to his terms were refused. When the last grant was made in 1919, there were 3,500 libraries in the United States, nearly half of them paid for by Carnegie.

In the early 20th century, a Carnegie library was the most imposing structure in hundreds of small American communities from Maine to California. Most of the library buildings were unique, displaying a number of different Beaux-Arts and other architectural styles, including Italian Renaissance, Baroque, Classical Revival and Spanish Colonial. Each style was chosen by the community and was typically simple and formal, welcoming patrons to enter through a prominent doorway, nearly always accessed via a staircase. The entry staircase symbolized a person's elevation by learning. Similarly, outside virtually every library was a lamppost or lantern to symbolize enlightenment.

Two more 12" x 12"s

2008-05-03T14:22:00.000-03:00

Living here on the coast, there's no end to beaches, surf, and seaweed...

'Springtime'

We often walk into the forest from the field that surrounds the rear of the house. Both are 12' x 12" Oil on Canvas - ... and will be part of an upcoming exhibit in Saint John, New Brunswick - May 15 - June 27 ? at the Saint John Arts Centre. Tons of work yet to prepare for it....

Saint John

2008-04-20T10:15:00.001-03:00

24" x 24" Oil on gallery-stretched canvas. Sold - Collection of Judith Bailey,Vancouver

A recent painting of a small part of the city of Saint John, New Brunswick. This was done from a photo I took in early March when snow was still abundantly on the ground.

The original photo was a longer shot taken much further away which I zoomed in and cropped this section from.

Saint John is known for its historical architecture though it went through a devastating fire in 1877.

When it was over, the fire had destroyed over 80 hectares (200 hundred acres) and 1612 structures including eight churches, six banks, fourteen hotels, eleven schooners and four other ships in just over a nine hour period. Nearly all the public buildings, the principal retail establishments, lawyers' offices and all but two printing firms were burned in the inferno. To make matters worse, less than one fourth of the $28 million (in 1877 dollars) in losses was covered by insurance.

Nineteen people died as a direct result of the fire and there were an undetermined number of injuries. While some people managed to save a few of their possessions, many residents and business owners lost everything they owned. Starvation and disease threatened, as nearly all the food and medical supplies were destroyed when the business and warehouse districts burned. Shelter was an urgent need. Although several thousand people moved to nearby Portland or simply left the Saint John area altogether, a considerable number of city residents had nowhere to go. The Victoria Skating Rink on City Road served as a temporary shelter for several days. Tents were erected on the Barrack Green and shanties were rapidly erected on King Square and Queen Square as homes for people and businesses.

Today in 2008, Saint John is still going through its growing pains with controversial new structures proposed, and possible razing to the ground of more history.

Poseidon's Dinner Knife

2008-04-19T09:24:00.000-03:00

Sterling Silver - 10 inches in length

Poseidon's Dinner Plate and cutlery set above.

The plate is made from 3/16" and 1/4" steel... torch cut and arc welded. The plate is 14" x 18" inches x 3" inches in depth, as it has a slight bowl-like convex shape. (Better for piling a bounty of seafood onto... to appease Poseidon's notorious, and ravenous appetite.)

Been very busy painting towards an exhibit the last few weeks, besides building up our jewelry inventory for the upcoming tourist season.

Poseidon's Dinner Spoon

2008-04-02T20:45:00.000-03:00

Sterling Silver 7" inches long

Poseidon's Dinner Fork

2008-03-19T17:39:00.000-03:00

This Sterling Silver fork is part of a dinner set I created using the mythology of Poseidon as its theme. The fork has three tines to represent Poseidon's Trident he used during the war of the titans, and gods.

As you can see, the tines are actually the tail fin of the fish, while the tip of the handle is the head complete with mouth and eye.

Sterling Silver Length: 8 inches

Water Rising

2008-03-13T11:03:00.001-03:00

20" x 24" Oil on Canvas

The irony of rising sea levels along the world's coasts, but not enough of the precious, life sustaining element in many places.

On Painting

2008-03-11T11:12:00.000-03:00

The making of art is a very individualistic practice. It emerges from the perspective of the maker, but then becomes a collective journey when shared, and viewed by others. It also involves a process that I admit I'm only beginning to understand. People often simply refer to being 'in the zone' when they are able to manipulate art,music, etc., successfully. One important rule to follow, and I try to force myself to be constantly aware of it as I'm working, is to allow myself to relax, and allow one part of myself to become totally lost in the process, while at the same time, cognizant enough to be objective about what it is I'm actually achieving. This can be a difficult balance to attain, and of course like anything else done well, can take years of practice to develop your technique, your eye, and yes, even your imagination. I think this raises an interesting point though - children have it much easier than adults when creating visual art. First of all, they have no fear. They have no parameters of what it is they can or can't do. They have no worry of what their peers might think. There are simply no rules. They invent their own, if that's what you can call it. So they take big chances as they draw, or paint leaning confidently on their imaginations. Equally as important, children are already living in a world of imagination. This is a common way in which we maneuver through our childhoods. As a result, many children readily think in pictures. As proof of this, give a child a crayon and paper and watch what they are able to do with it. Instead of copying from a photo, they are comfortable drawing upon their imagination to render any number of images. On the other hand, many adults have lost this former ability as they must wrestle with the normal challenges of responsible adulthood. Often, this large phase of our lives does not allow for such an indulgence as making art, which as you can see, is actually a very normal thing for us to do in our developmental years, and even as a species. ( More world leaders should make art of one kind or another). Another important thing I do, when planning my 'attack plan' (think of it more as a game than it as work - if it takes a lot of work to create art, then why do it?) is to allow enough key elements to come through. I plan from the early stages of a painting to work out a simple picture plane, and to stick to it. A child often does this - create a simple picture. Picasso used this technique well. If I'm successful with keeping things simple, then I don't confuse the viewer. I don't muddy the important pieces of information that our brains need to discern, and pull together in order to successfully form individual versions of the painting. This happens on a very subconscious level for the viewer. I think its important for an artist to aim for this. I know many times in the past, when I was struck by the fact that a certain painting, or another piece of art I was looking at, hit me a certain way emotionally, it was always an affirmation of how this process worked psychologically. Think of some of your favorite artists works for example, or think of well known abstract expressionistic pieces. These works are usually devoid of any figurative elements to help ground us, and point us in any one definite direction, or so we at first think... But, the ones that truly work successfully tug at our imaginations... I think whatever it is you wish to do well, then if the basic structure is right, if the key elements are there, and just as importantly, if unnecessary information can be withheld, that's when the magic can happen emotionally. I love this process.

Beach Head

2008-03-11T10:57:00.000-03:00

16" x 16" Oil on Canvas

You come to a spot, and you sit and stare out at the water... and you think of how the world is made...and you think of who you are...and you think some more...what will become of it all...

The Piano

2008-03-06T10:02:00.000-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery wrapped Canvas Music fills the air in the House.... Gwen's hands moving up and down, her fingers playing with white and black keys... the melody wafts up the staircase to the second floor....and into the jewelry studio...

Outcropping II

2008-03-05T10:19:00.001-04:00

11" x 14 ⅛" Oil on Panel

Anyway you paint it, the coastline of the Bay of Fundy is always there, beckoning to be painted again, and again.

I've used this specific size because it will fit one of the assortment of old frames we've come across over the years, and I cut the Masonite panel to match it. Although, upon second look of the particular frame, I chose not to include it in the photo because it has sustained irreparable damage. Really quite a shame, since it was quite handsome.

Saint John's Reversing Falls

2008-03-01T13:32:00.001-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery wrapped Canvas This is one of the paintings I worked on during my week long output at the Saint John City Market as hundreds of passerbys watched, and walked through.

Reversing Falls

Twice a day, the powerful tides of the Bay of Fundy, the highest in the world, do something very unique – they push the St. John River backwards, a phenomenon called the Reversing Falls. Here’s how it works: during high tide the water rushes through the mouth of the Saint John harbor and into the Southward-flowing St. John River. This creates turbulent rapids as it encounters two ridges and a bottleneck gorge at Reversing Falls. As the tide continues to get higher, and the water in the harbor rises, the downward flow in the St. John River is slowed, then stopped. This is called "slack tide". The push of the bay’s high tides continues until the river runs in reverse – upstream. Much of Saint John is built on rock, and is situated in and around the harbor. It can enjoy a cool, foggy atmosphere in the summer, though this can change as any particular summer may not receive as much fog as the following summer.The city does receive slightly milder temperatures in the winter, over inland New Brunswick, such as places like Fredericton, the capital of the province . Looking out the north facing arched window from the stairwell landing Just took this picture a few minutes ago from the second floor stairway landing. Seen through the window is part of the rear, attached garage roof, and the unattached woodshed and its roof that extends past it. The world outside is still covered in ice, and snow, and we are receiving yet, another wind swept bit of snow as a small weather system is moving through. I was just in the woodshed a few minutes ago loading up the wheelbarrows, and bringing more wood into the house for the 2 woodstoves. On the wall is a large, blank canvas awaiting the right kind of inspiration. A few thoughts on artistic house design The interior window opposite, is a salvaged piece we placed into the wall to let more daylight enter a small room, although the room does have its own, narrow, north facing window as well. Raw cotton curtains Gwen made, drape inside the window from a steel rod, and allows for privacy. In dark shadow relief, near the bottom of the photo, is the railing and top of two banisters. They too are also salvaged from various places in our abandoned farmhouse, and country auction expeditions over the years.

Cape Enrage II

2008-02-29T09:36:00.001-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery-wrapped Canvas Available

This is a different painting of Cape Enrage. You can see the other painting immediately below. You can also see the obvious differences between the two. Though I used the exact same angle and perspective of the cliffs, trees, ocean, and distance, the color scheme of the foreground is radically different. One is muted, whereas the other has a vibrant cliff and beach area, along with the trees on top.

Cape Enrage

2008-02-28T14:04:00.000-04:00

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas Available

Cape Enrage is on the New Brunswick coastline of the Bay of Fundy. Its always breezy there (anytime I've visited). It's probably a good place to generate power from the wind there). You'll find fossils on the beach when the tide is out. Beautiful, rugged place.

Bay Sunset

2008-02-27T10:36:00.001-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on Canvas Available

We enjoy a southern exposure looking out to the Bay of Fundy. Often during sunset, the sky over the water will display a wonderful atmospheric refraction of subtle colors and cloud formations.

A good time in the summer, near the end of the day, to kick back, forget about the troubles of the world for a while, and relax on the porch with a glass of wine, or homemade beer!

The Great Web

2008-02-23T09:52:00.000-04:00

40" x 48" Oil and Gesso on Canvas Personal Collection Always loved the freedom of technique, and subject matter that abstract painting allows. I realized as I was painting this, how quickly it was happening, and as a result, I had to force myself to slow down to consider compositional elements. Some of the best pieces of artwork are the simplest, not always, but sometimes. In the past, I've spent many enjoyable, quiet moments studying the great abstact expressionists, the likes of; Kline, Motherwell, Pollack, Rothko, deKooning, Frankenthaler, Rauschenberg, etc...

Death Match

2008-02-22T21:53:00.000-04:00

7" x 5" Oil on Panel Available

These are probably some of the smallest people I've painted yet.

Isle Haute

2008-02-21T10:42:00.001-04:00

16" x 20" Oil on canvas I can see this island from where I live. Its a majestic, and pristine island with dramatic cliffs in the Bay of Fundy. Its also home to a genetic biosphere of rare creatures found no where else. Its as if time has stood still for this island. The name is said to be an anglicized version of Ile Haute or "High Island" French explorer Samuel de Champlain gave it in 1604. This painting resulted from a trip along the Nova Scotia coastline where the island is much closer to shore.

Herring Cove Beach

2008-02-19T15:16:00.000-04:00

24" X 24" Oil on Canvas Herring Cove Beach is on the eastern side of Campobello Island. The island belongs to New Brunswick, but its only land connection is to Lubec Maine by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge. Otherwise, you take the ferry from our side. My grandfather was a lighthouse maintenance man, and a couple of times I accompanied him to visit with lighthouse keepers he knew. One summer when I was fourteen, my grandfather, two uncles, and I went out, off Campobello, in a small, fifteen foot, outboard powered skiff. One of my uncles happened to have a fish finder with him. The fish finder measured depth as well as picking up fish signatures. Friendly porpoises swam all around us. With legs and feet dangling over the bow and sides, the July sun beating down on us, we jigged for Mackerel over water that was five hundred feet deep. We made it back later in the day, slightly sunburned, but happy with our catch, and the meal we had afterwards at the campsite.

Mirror, Mirror, Tell me who is the Fairest...

2008-02-16T11:22:00.000-04:00

Over the years, Gwen and I have attended many art and craft shows. I made this copper mirror so women at our jewelry booth would have something fun to hold and look into.

An example of the folding technique on the back. Here, you can also see more of the copper rivets I fashioned and hammered to hold things together.

In case the mirror was to break, there are a couple of semi-hidden tabs on the sides that will allow the back to be pulled out far enough so new glass can be slid in. Notice that it can also be hung on a wall, which is what we do in the house.

Hand made copper mirror. 19" x 7½" x 1¾". Personal collection.

Belleisle Bay

2008-02-15T09:37:00.000-04:00

8" x 10" Oil on canvas Available

I lived near Belleisle Bay for several years. The landscape there is both beautiful, and peaceful.

Summer River

2008-02-11T15:52:00.000-04:00

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas Available

This painting was extremely fun for me to do. It came together quickly, just sort of falling into place.

Winter in February from our hill...

2008-02-11T15:19:00.000-04:00

The photo above is taken after the snowstorm has subsided, and moved on.

The photos above show wind driven snow moving across the hill.

Today (February 11) its snowing again. Wow, what a winter! A real, old fashioned winter. Snow, snow, snow. The world outside is so beautiful had to grab the camera and share some of these memories. You can see how its blowing across the hill. The water in the distance is the Bay of Fundy. The landmass 30 + miles beyond is Nova Scotia. Other pictures are of the field around part of the house, and snow laden trees that can be seen from the west kitchen window, and looking towards the porch from the east kitchen window.

Skateborder

2008-02-05T10:08:00.000-04:00

6" x 4" Oil on Panel Available for Purchase

I remember the fun days I spent skateboarding as a teen. We went down our share of steep hills, got scuffed up and bruised, made a great landing most of the time, but screwed up royally on others. It was a blast while it lasted.

Early Morning Field

2008-02-04T07:34:00.001-04:00

8" x 1o" Oil on Canvas Available for Purchase

I like the feel of this piece. It has good atmosphere - a little mysterious. If you squint your eyes a bit, you can imagine a slight dew mist rising from the ground as everything begins to warm up in the approaching daylight.

Heat Shield

2008-01-31T19:09:00.000-04:00

Besides painting, I love working with steel. This is a 10' tall heat shield I made to protect the wall directly behind the Jotul wood stove in the living room. Besides being very functional, I wanted it to have a cool degree of interest in its design. I'll always remember working on this project. I was half way through cutting, and welding outside on a sunny morning when that fateful news came over the radio on September 11.

Burning Ship, and Burning Ship Study

2008-01-30T00:59:00.000-04:00

24" x 24" Oil on Canvas - Burning Ship
Available for Purchase

This is the larger painting that resulted from going through the process of making a smaller study (below) first.

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas - Burning Ship Study
Available for Purchase

A local gallery owner put a call out to artists to create work for an exhibit on the theme of Oceans and their accompanying Myths. Living in a small village that still has operating fishing boats, and knowing New Brunswick has its own Burning Ship myth, I decided to tackle this idea.

This is a study for the larger painting above, though the study has an honest immediacy about it, that you often tend to lose when working on larger paintings, and so I think this smaller painting gains a validity all of its own.

Yellow and Red

2008-01-28T21:05:00.000-04:00

12" x 12" Oil on Canvas Available for Purchase

This was a fun one to do. Just let myself go with the flow...

The Dining Room

2008-01-27T20:33:00.000-04:00

24" x 24" Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas - Personal Collection With a few, key, salvaged architectural elements such as this arched window frame above, we were able to design our house to incorporate other similar items before actual construction began. This painting is a very close reproduction of what the dining area in our house actually looks like. We found the old, arched church window frame in extremely poor condition. It needed pulling back together, gluing and clamping, having caulking and putty chiseled off both sides, bolting with lag bolts, belt sanding and hand sanding, and finally I cut, drilled, and bolted steel bars onto it for both added strength, and aesthetic reasons.

Where Land Ends

2008-01-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

24" x 24" Oil on gallery-wrapped Canvas Available for Purchase

Living in a maritime environment allows for walking on beaches shrouded in fog. Watching the water churn pebbles, seaweed and other small treasures strung along the sand, and listening to the sound of far away places in your imagination.

There are times when you'd swear the rest of the world had ceased to exist. Time is on your side here, as your bare toes shuffle across the sand. You allow an existential game to develop in your mind....

Are you back at the beginning of time before humankind came into existence, or are you at some point in the near future?

If you are alone, then you're immediate concerns are the basic ingredients of survival anywhere - food, shelter, and clothing. These you are confident you will find somehow. But for now you take luxury in how your exposed skin feels in the light mist that floats around and engulfs you. Afterall, it is just you, the ocean, and where the land ends...

Max and Toby

2008-01-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

24" x 24" Oil on canvas Personal collection

Summers at Brown's Beach
kids, and dogs, and seagulls, and sand dollars
sun, saltwater, and seaweed
sandstone rocks, and cliffs
the tide going out leaves an enormous sand beach to run on
you can watch the fog way out over the water
sometimes there are fishing boats at the edge of distance
once there was a pup seal sunning itself
these are things found in the summers at Brown's Beach

Tabitha

2008-01-24T21:06:00.000-04:00

8" x 10" Oil on Canvas Personal Collection

My family and I have the pleasure of sharing our lives with three lively dogs. The largest is Tabitha, though she is barely a medium-sized by most larger dog standards. She's a Basenji-cross
( an African hunting breed mixed with something else - so the vet tells us). True to her would-be heritage, Tabitha is crazy for the hunt, disappearing into the ground through hollowed out stumps, and other burrows. Tabitha also has a larger than life personality, and tail chasing is a daily routine that she enjoys to everyone's amusement. It really is a pleasure to have a dog like Tabitha around.

Max

2008-01-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

22" x 18" Oil on Panel Personal Collection

This is a portrait of my fourteen year-old son, Max. The setting for this portrait is the scenic Fundy Trail Parkway in New Brunswick. It was the last day the trail was open in November '07. In the background are some of the cliffs and ocean water you see when traveling, or stopping at the many lookouts along the route.

Book Reader

2008-01-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

20" x 16" Oil on Canvas - unframed. Available for Purchase

What's in a book?
The feel of it in your hands as you open it
The quiet, crisp sound as you turn a page
printed letters become words, and the words become thoughts
then the magic begins to happen as the immediate world around you begins to dissolve
visual imagery from another place fills your mind
you reach to grasp new perspectives and ideas
and characters who were at first strangers to you, become familiar
as you find common ground to identify with them
and a few of the more memorable characters, over the course of several hundred pages, even become friends...

Crow

2008-01-18T18:56:00.000-04:00

7" x 5" Oil on Panel. Sold

Crows are one of of those favorite subjects.
Continuing to paint at the Saint John City Market. Good production week - a painting a day (Bay of Fundy landscapes) for the last five days.

Three Crows #2

2008-01-16T19:44:00.000-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. Sold Collection Of Ruth Ross.

This painting is a bit of a departure from what I normally do in my choice of palette, but it happened in a very natural way. Outside my studio window, walking together through the grassy field, were three more crows. This day however, the sun was intensely, dazzlingly bright. Everything appeared to have a brilliant shimmer to it. The water in the bay sparkled like diamonds, as well did the iridescent feathers of the crows. It was a good moment...

This week I'm taking part in "Wet Paint" at the Saint John City Market. Local artists set up small displays, and paint. We're there for whoever happens by, and/or wishes to stop and watch. It's going well, and I'm enjoying myself. It's interesting to see some of the reactions the artwork gets from the public. I'd like to think its providing a momentary pause in the lives of whoever sees it. I'm getting tremendous feedback...

Midday Refuge

2008-01-14T19:59:00.000-04:00

12" x 12" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. - Sold

Imagine a bright, spring day. Midday. The sun is high overhead. A large body of water in front of you, is in tune with the gentle weather above. Ripples, tiny, barely perceptible, slowly lap onto shore. It has a delicate shush, pause, shush sound. A longer pause, and then the sound repeats in what becomes a meditative melody. A few gulls fly and cry to each other further away. Their sound is somewhat diminished by distance, and the gentleness of the water that appears to fill your inner being up. There is no one else around. You are alone. You are alone with the beach, the rocks, the birds, and the water. You are finally alone with your own thoughts...

Distance

2008-01-13T12:16:00.001-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. Available for Purchase

This painting is simply named because the atmospheric effect of distance pleases me. Often in summer, along the Bay of Fundy you get to see these formations of broken fog rolling gently along the coastal waters. It can be sunny one moment, slightly foggy a few minutes later, sunny again, and this can carry on back and forth all day.

Storm at Brown's Beach

2008-01-12T09:45:00.000-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 1½" deep. Available for Purchase

Always admired how Turner achieved such bold atmospheric effects in his works, though I have to admit, I haven't had the opportunity yet to view a Turner firsthand. From a painter's perspective, it would be instructional in examining up close, the deft of stroke, thickness of paint, and overall richness of effect. It would go a long way in determining the exact methodology, and technique(s) employed. Whatever one can learn is all the more to add to the toolbox that one ultimately carries around within themselves - J.

Saint John River

2008-01-11T20:30:00.000-04:00

5" x 7" Oil on Panel. Available for Purchase

The Painting A Day movement largely concerns itself with producing at least one, new, small painting a day. Many artists who participate in this practice routinely produce paintings that are actually smaller than the one above; 4" x 6" for example, or even smaller. (postcard size) At first, I found it a challenge to paint on such a small scale as this, but the benefit of doing this can be many fold for the artist who wants to attempt it.
I especially enjoy the views of the Saint John River when traveling on hwy 105 between Jemseg and Fredericton. The river appears peaceful, and gently bends its way around a large island that someone keeps cattle on. As you drive by, you can see the flat barge that is used to transport the animals. The surrounding land on a good portion of the rest of the drive, is flat with many fields of vegetables that I presume benefit from the nearby water, (high water table, and/or rich silt built up in years past when the river would flood?).

Beauty on the Beach

2008-01-10T19:01:00.000-04:00

24" x 24" Oil on canvas. Personal collection.

Did this portrait of my wife Gwen this past fall, after a relaxing, and peaceful walk together on one of St. Martins' several beaches. It was in the later part of a beautiful, sunny afternoon. We had the dogs with us, and we were all enjoying the newish, fall air, and the fresh breeze near the water.

Flower Pot Rock

2008-01-09T07:33:00.000-04:00

16" x 16" Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas. 1½" deep. Available for Purchase

Living in St.Martins has given me numerous opportunities to visit the Fundy Trail, and explore its many trails, beaches, waterfalls, as well as its lookout points such as at the Flower Pot Rock shown above.