Blog
Why I am not a Plein Air Painter
Actually, I am a plein air painter in that I do enjoy setting up my art supplies and painting outdoors when the weather is perfect. The difference is that I am not interested so much in painting what I am seeing as much as what I am feeling inside. However, I do find it very hard to ignore the reality of the environment in order to interject my own ideas. The temptation is too great ...
6th Annual Art Show and Sale
It's that time again! Artist Gloria Coker is hosting her Annual Art Show and Sale in Hampton, Virginia Come walk around Associates in Dermatology and view Gloria's beautiful paintings up close and personal. Meet and visit with Gloria and other art lovers as well. And as in past years, there will be delicious hors d'oeuvre to snack on and of course wine to drink. Won't you come out and join us? Enjoy Gloria's colorful paintings ...
My Obama Painting
I bet everyone wonders what an artist does when she is alone in her studio. In my case I am surrounded by a confusion of the tools of my trade. Along one wall is an almost ceiling high bookcase holding old loose-leaf notebooks filled with photos of my work in plastic envelops. I call this my archives. You will also find file boxes filled with years of photos, collected reference material like photos (almost all ...
Painting Slump
I have been in a painting slump for quite a while now. Well, maybe not a slump, but definitely a plateau. I mean I have during my career painted and drawn so many different themes all of which seemed to follow each other effortlessly without pause; and to my surprise they have always been exciting to me while I was painting them. Apparently my style of painting has provided a unity to these themes so ...
Scammers Attack Artists, Too
Oh joy! Another art scam email. This time I only responded with a "Ha-ha". I have used earthier language in the past. One time I actually asked him (or her - give the sexes equal time) if he ever got tired of scamming people and he responded “No." Should have saved the email. Email Scammers are just the latest and most sophisticated in a steady stream of those who see artists as an easy target ...
My Memory of a Remarkable Commission
Time: Years ago. I do not even have a record of it.It is winter: Cold and dreary in Hampton, Virginia And Cindy wants me to paint a watercolor of her, outside, tending to her summer flower garden. Of course I tell her I can. I show up at her house, trusty 35mm camera in my cold hand. So how are we going to do this? We go outside where she shows me her garden. Nothing ...
Christmas 2021
So it is finally over. Perhaps one of the weirdest holidays in memory. It is usually stressful enough but this year the merry in Merry Christmas was somewhat half-hearted. The familiar issues of vaccinated versus anti-vaxxers, disrupted travel plans, airline cancellations, supply chain issues, exhausted health caregivers and teachers, and the build up of 2 years of ongoing COVID anxiety leads me to think that to most, 2022 can't come soon enough. Anderson and Andy ...
After the Paint Dries
The other day I spent 5 hours hanging my art at the Associates in Dermatology office for my upcoming Art Show and Sale on Nov 12. Those working artists who exhibit will understand the process involved in managing an art business. There is much to do after the paint dries. Displaying a large show, removing and storing wall art, replacing with new art, labeling, and pricing is tedious. But now I should be able to ...
Demo Day
The other day I demonstrated my art (I call it Demo Day) at the Gallery on the Hill in Yorktown. Many people get palpitations when they think about someone watching them do their thing - be it a craft or activity. I have done it for so long that it does not phase me a bit. My only issue is that, for the first time in my career, I was at a loss as to ...
Teaching an Older Person to Cook
We don't use the word "old" in my family. I will not share how long Luke and I have been married because you would then consider me very not cool. Not that I have ever been “cool,” mind you, but a “person of a certain age” sounds ridiculous. Mature is pretentious. I like “seasoned,“ but the visual image pretty much refers to meat or vegetables and I am not going there folks. Meat has too ...