Brick, 2

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 4"

#156

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This is a painting of the inside of the water tower in Volunteer Park, Seattle. I have always been strangely drawn to decay. I love looking at how things show wear.  

Redwoods

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 4"

#155

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More trees from Seattle. This painting is of, I believe, a clump of redwoods. I say clump for lack of a better word. I love trees but sometimes I wish I were more of a botanist or an arborist. 

Redwood

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 4"

#154

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Another of the many astonishing trees in Seattle. This magnificent Redwood was located in the park next to the Locks. 

Imperial Walkers

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 12"x 3"

#153

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This is a painting of the view from I-5 as we leaving Seattle for the airport. The thing that struck me was how the sun broke through a crevice in the clouds and shone on the Imperial Walkers. These are the heavy lifters along the Duwamish Waterway. I've always been impressed by these behemoths which seem to dominate the landscapes of just about every major seaport.

The Taxi, 3, Cleared

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Plane

#152

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The third installment in our series, this is the scene as we are about to take off. It is absolutely my favorite point in any flight, the moment of anticipation of that incredible acceleration that always brings me back to neighborhood drag racing. Not that any of my clunkers were anywhere near this fast.

Morning in City Park

2013, Oil on Canvas, 14"x 11"

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This is a painting of City Park in Hagerstown, Maryland. It was painted, or at least started on-site during the summer and am just getting around to finishing it. When I start a landscape outdoors I prefer to finish it in the studio. Outdoors I'm in record mode, later, without the distraction of reality, I can concentrate on just making it a good painting.

Brick

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#151

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This is a building in Seattle across from the waterfront. The brick buildings there remind me of the street scene by Vermeer. Not that I'm stupid enough to compare my work to Vermeer's.

Bridge Over Bridge

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#150

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Sitting under one of the many bridges in Seattle. It looks like the Aurora Bridge but I can't be sure because I lost track of where we were. This was the case for most of the day until we would come to a landmark.

Incoming, The Taxi, 2

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Plane

#150

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This is the second painting from the "Scenes From a Plane" series. It shows the continuation of our approach to the runway and just how much air traffis there is at Sea-Tac International Airport (Seattle-Tacoma).

Drawbridge

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#149

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This is a painting of the control tower at Ballard Bridge, one of many drawbridges in Seattle.

The Taxi

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Plane

#148

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It's a good thing that my wife doesn't really like the window seat or I'd be out of a job. This is the scene that was out my window as we were taxiing out to the runway at Sea-Tac International Airport (Seattle-Tacoma). I was struck by how colorful the tarmac was. More to come.

Pier 57

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 5"

#147

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On the right is Pier 57 (Pier 56 is on the left) home to many restaurants, souvenir shops, an arcade, and of course The Seattle Great Wheel. The Wheel stands 175 feet high and is the largest observation wheel on the west coast. It has 42 fully-enclosed gondolas so it can remain open all year. Seattle is not a particularly tall city so the wheel is visible from all over, especially around the waterfront.

Red Cedar

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#146

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This is one of the many enormous cedar trees in and around Seattle. This one is in the Botanical Garden located adjacent to the Chittenden Locks. To get an idea of the scale of this tree, the shrub to the left is about five feet tall.

The Gate

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#146

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This is a detailed view of one of the gates that separates the Puget Sound from the Lake Washington Ship Canal and Lake Washington, Seattle. I'd be a terrible tour guide. 

Under the Overpass

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#145

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This is the view down Troll Ave.Seattle, under the George Washington Memorial Bridge (also known as the Aurora Bridge). The reason it's called Troll Ave. is because of what's behind the viewer. an 18 foot high concrete troll grabbing a VW Bug. Thanks to Dave & Sue for bringing us there.

Rays

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#144

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A Seattle landmark. Best oysters I've had in a long time.

The Locks

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#143

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I'm back from a rare vacation. This time it was to quasi-sunny Seattle, WA. Actually I think it rained once while we were in a grocery store. The only reason that we even noticed was because the sidewalk was wet. Much thanks go out to my cousin Dave, his wife Sue and their daughter (my second cousin) Anna. They generously spent the better part of two days giving us the grand tour of the city, feeding us and generally making us feel as welcome as possible. This was a scene from our tour. It is part of the "Locks" which is the elevator system that allows passage of boats and ships through the Lake Washington Ship Canal and connects Puget Sound to Lake Washington. These Locks will keep me painting for weeks.

Window

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#142

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This is a window from a building on 23rd Street and Third Avenue in NYC. I have always had an appreciation for architectural details especially when properly lit. Of course, everything looks better when you're properly lit.

Broadway and 23rd

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#141

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Humidity in NYC is horrible, but it makes for great subject matter.

By Any Means

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#140

During my last trip to NYC this is what I had to traverse to get my salmon fix. Actually this is what was in front of me I just walked around it. For those of you who have never been here, this is Russ & Daughters, purveyors of the finest Gaspe Salmon (not too smoky, not too salty) in the City. 

Industry, 2

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 3"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#139

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This scene reminds me of the Southwest, at least the lower half of the painting. The upper half is all New Jersey. 

Arch

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#138

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This is a scene approaching Philadelphia from New York. I loved the feeling I got from looking up and out onto the the train yards from underground and wondering what's over the ridge. 

Big Stubby Pencil

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#137

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This scene reminds me of a job I had a lifetime ago in Jersey City. I was a project manager for a mid-sized construction company. Driving to work each morning I was struck by the fact that nothing, I mean nothing was pretty, but everything was so damned interesting.

The Yellow Building

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5'x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#136

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This is a building that I painted a short while ago. I have noticed this same building all along the tracks between New York and Philadelphia. Some are painted, like this one and some are the original brick. All of them have been modified to some degree, some more than others. It kind of reminds me of the suburban neighborhoods where I grew up.

Cumberland Valley Exhibit

2012, Oil on Canvas, 46"x 50"

I received this email yesterday from the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts:

Thank you for entering the 81^st Annual Cumberland Valley Artists Exhibition. It is with pleasure that I inform you that the following work of art you submitted was accepted for inclusion in the exhibition: 

·         Ski Holm, Cemetery At The Bend, oil on canvas...

Very good news, indeed! I am honored to be included.

The exhibit opens on August 17 and runs through November 3, 2013. The opening reception will be on Sunday, September 8, 2013, 2:30 - 4:00.

On a slightly more personal note, an exhibit of works created by my museum students will open that same day. Please come by and show support for my fearless students and also for all of the artists fortunate enough to be included in the Cumberland Valley juried show.

Along Came a Spider...

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#135

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As near as I can tell this is a cyclonic sorter, probably used for grain. No matter, I thought it would make a decent painting.

Approach to New York, 2

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#134

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This is a scene looking across the New Jersey marshlands through an industrial section and into lower Manhattan. Yes, thats Freedom Tower to the right.

The Other Tracks

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#133

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This was just outside of Philadelphia. Another set of tracks that ran alongside ours for a while then veered off to the right. I have found myself fascinated at how all different transportation lines crisscross throughout the landscape, and by how egocentric my view is at each encounter. After all, to someone on the other line the Amtrak line followed them for a while then veered off to the left.

Under the Tracks

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#132

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Passing under another line of tracks just outside of Philadelphia.

The Bridge

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#131

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One of the many bridges along our route  to the City.This is either the Pulaski Skyway or the NJ Turnpike. Next time I make this trip I'll have to use my GPS.

The Yellow Warehouse

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

Scenes From a Train

#130

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A warehouse along the tracks located somewhere between Philadelphia and NYC. I've noticed this same peculiar pale yellow color in many of these old buildings. It works for me.

Bridge Over Troubled Waters

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Train

#129

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Another painting from the train as it approaches NYC. Always lookin' for floaters.

Reclamation

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Train

#129

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Another scene courtesy of Amtrak. As is the case with almost everything along the tracks, what is within arms' reach is ravaged, everything else is pristine. 

High Voltage

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Train

#128

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Another from my train series. We happened to be stopped here for a while so I got out and painted this. Not really. The delay did however allow me to take quite a few pictures. This is one of the support structures that carry the overhead power lines for the NJ Transit trains.

The Station

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#127

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This, as it turns out, is Newark Station not Trenton as I had originally thought. A rose by any other name would still smell like Jersey.

Trenton Station

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

Scenes From a Train

#126

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This is my latest painting from the series Scenes From a Train. This, as the title implies is Trenton Station. I fell in love withe buttress-like steel work and all or the light. As the phrase goes "Trenton makes, the world takes". Thanks Trenton for letting me take this image.

Have a Nice Day, Matey

2013, Oil on Canvas, 6"x 4"

#125

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A student gave this mug to me to use as a still life prop. I had a tough time figuring out how to use it, so it's been sitting in my studio, smiling at me. Being a bit irritated by this I brought it to school to let it smile at my students for a while. This did nothing to squelch their kvetching (Yiddish, I know, me too). So, as the school year comes gurgling to an end and I am slowly bringing my props back home where they belong, what remains is this mug ever smiling, again, at me.

Tea and The Paper

2013, Oil on Canvas, 6"x 4"

#124

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Even more tea. I was (and still am) afraid that there wasn't enough visual info to figure out just what the hell this is. Please let me know what you think.

Weak Iced Tea

2013, Oil on Canvas, 7"x 5"

#124

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More tea. This Ironstone pitcher is a favorite of mine. 

Red Rose

2013, Oil on Canvas, 7"x 5"

#123

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One of my students wanted to create a series around tea so the room is full of tea pots, cups and lots and lots of tea bags.

Cool Colors

2013, Oil on Canvas, 7"x 5"

#122

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I love going through the Dollar Store. One of my guilty pleasures. I found these reusable ice cubes and could not resist (remember, it's a dollar).

Orange Teapot on Paper Bag

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#121

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Sometimes I get tired of painting objects sitting on drapery. This seemed like a good alternative.

Paper Bag

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#120

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I try to get across to my students that not all paintings need to be grand affairs, that simple everyday objects can make wonderful subject matter. This is usually met with blank stares, so I do paintings like this.

Spring Shadows

2012, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#119

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I'm back from the dead. After what seemed to be months (actually a little more than a week) I am finally well enough to resume painting. This a painting that I started a week and a half ago of Madison Square Park in NYC.

It's good to be painting again!!

Orange Tic Tacs

2013, Oil on Canvas, 6"x 4"

#118

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Just an exercise in form and the use of complementary colors. These unfortunately were my last Tic Tacs. God help my students tomorrow. Let them know the power of true coffee breath.

Approach to New York

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#117

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Just back from a very busy trip to NYC. This was a perfect opportunity to continue this recent series of mine depicting scenes from a train. This is a painting of the marshlands in New Jersey just before the train reaches the Hudson River tunnel. It's sort of morbid but my wife and I both admitted to each other that whenever we pass by this area we can't resist looking for bodies.

A Coat of Yellow Will Do

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"
Scenes From a Train

#116

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This is third in the series. I found it interesting that this building which sits among the railroad tracks was so yellow and at the same time so gloomy.

Industry, 2: Back to Nature

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 5"x 7"

#115

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Another scene from a train. I found it interesting how the plant life was reclaiming this building while competing with the graffiti.

Industry, 1

2013, Oil on Canvas, 3.25"x 7"

#114

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I was searching through old images and came across a file with pictures taken from the train during a trip to NYC last Fall. I've always been amazed at how many ancient industrial complexes there are along railroad tracks. More to come.

Cleo With Eight Legs

2013, Oil on Hardboard, 7"x 5"

#113

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This is a painting of my cat Cleo. She was sitting in her favorite "You can't catch me" spots.