"Joe"

"A man is a success if he gets up in the morning,

and gets to bed at night, and in between

he does what he wants to do."~Bob Dylan

Recently I had the opportunity to crash at my friend Joe's place in Chicago. It was my first time in the Windy City and I was captivated by it. I stopped by on my way to the Midwest and then back again on the return journey. Each time we spent time up on the roof of his warehouse loft in the Fulton Market area. It is filled by day with lots of activity: meat packers, milk and egg distributors, etc. It also has a smattering of quaint little bistros offering some pretty amazing craft beer. It is very close to the downtown area yet seems to be removed and in its own little world. 

As a thanks for letting me stay at his place, I painted this little portrait of Joe. He's an old soul living in the body of a 23 year old. He is, among other things, a philosopher, a great photographer and a professional barista with Intelligentsia coffee. 

We met each other via a mutual interest in the life of Christopher McCandless. Our friendship has subsequently been enriched by a love of photography and the beauty of the world around us, good coffee and living a life of exploration. 

 Joe standing atop his apartment pointing out the various landmarks around his place..

"Joe", oil on panel, 10"x8", 2011, is a little thank-you for great hospitality. It is earthy and humble, like Joe. He has a favourite chair in his apartment, a chair in which he photographs all of his house guests before they depart. I sat in this chair and he took my photograph, and then I had him sit in the chair for my own photo reference. The "Joe" painting is the result of that photo shoot. 

The end to a great evening of great conversation, with the Sears Tower in the background

I haven't painted a direct portrait like "Joe" for a long time. To paint someone directly, to scan their features and try to interpret them in a meaningful way is difficult and thrilling because of its difficulty. The challenge is to see if one can infuse some magic into their features, to breathe life into a person that already lives and walks the earth. Many artists paint people, but the true test is to see if we can place the person's character into the piece, to mix some of their soul in with the pigment. 

Over the last few months I have concentrated on painting the figure in a more oblique way; mixed in with folds of sheets or silhouetted in doorways. They are in their own world, they are a part of the narrative that surrounds them. However to paint a simple, direct portrait one must abandon the accoutrements of the person's environment and simply focus on their features. The set of their brow, the curve of their mouth--these things are all who they are, and like no one else in the world. It is beautifully confounding and enticing.

As time passes I am trying to paint more people in exchange for travel or other great opportunities. It is a great and symbiotic exchange. It is a way of expressing thanks...it is what the artist can offer as our own appreciation to others for their kindness. It is the best currency of all.

On my return trip it was stiflingly hot in Joe's apartment. He pointed out his neighbour's hammock in the loft next door. He has slept here upon occasion and offered it to me as a choice of place to lay my head for the night. I knew it would be an interesting experience and I was right. I woke up to the El trains starting their day at 4:30am, then the birds starting theirs around 5am, and then the hum of the forklifts around 6am. It was unique and wonderful. Here is a photo of the view I woke up to...

5am view of the Chicago skyline from the hammock on the rooftop..

Have a beautiful day/evening/morning, wherever you may be...

"We shall not cease from our exploration and at the end 

of our exploring will be to arrive where we started...and know

that place for the first time."~T.S. Eliot

"Kerri, Aware"

Artists are like sharks: we must constantly move and continue creating or we will perish.

My time in the Midwest is drawing to a close, but I am pleased to have completed 2.5 paintings while here. "Kerri, Aware", oil on canvas, 18"x36", is the second of the trio. 

While here I have felt calm and able to approach the easel with excitement and enthusiasm each day. Calm, yes, but still the quiet voices that whispers "create, work, paint" are always echoing in my ear. I listen to them.

I do not kill myself with painting 10-12 hours a day. I know some artists who love to do this, but I know myself and that would be too much. I would become myopic and my painting would suffer. Instead, I choose 6-8 hours a day of focused time and when I feel my technique is starting to slip, or my eyes get too heavy, I stop. Always, always strive to place the paint as accurately and thoughtfully upon the canvas as possible. Otherwise you will produce milquetoast paintings. 

Two of the three paintings I brought with me here to the Midwest revolve around my friend Kerri and her house. Kerri is complex. She is multi-layered and has many facets. Kerri's mind is always moving, and she is one of the most insightful souls I have the pleasure to know. She has an energy to her that skips and whisks from one place to another. You can hear the cogs turning in her mind. 

So I find it ironic that I am painting her in a pose of repose. She may be sleeping, or maybe she is pondering any number of things. I think of Kerri as movement, yet she appears static here.

When we sleep, our beds become our world. Whether you are on an air mattress in a sleeping bag amidst the quaking aspens in central Alaska, or surrounded by deep duvets and mountains of fabric in Burlington, Ontario, we must traversr the landscape of our mind when we rest. 

I removed some things from the reference as I worked on this painting. I removed them so as to add important to the bat in the corner. I wanted the bat to be quietly there in the shadows. At the time when I shot the reference, I didn't really see the bat. But later I did, and I thought it must either be for home defence, or perhaps belong to one of her children. 

The second painting inspired by Kerri is a portrait of her room. The bed is now empty, the window is curtain-less. The palette inside is muted. The colours outside are a bit more vibrant and yet seemingly seen through a veil. Granted, this painting is still in progress, but I wanted to include it here to show the relation between the pieces and how they are quite connected. I find beds without figures in them just as intriguing as those with a person under the covers. 

Lastly, I have new friends here in the Midwest. They are fireflies. We have them in Ontario but they are elusive in the area where I live. Here, they are ubiquitous. I love them...they are evening companions that tread water in the air. They land on my hand and visit, then continue their voyage through the garden. Photographing them is tricky, but I did manage to get one shot, shown here. Have a beautiful weekend, wherever you are and remember to move as much as possible.

"Diary Of A Supertramp"

"The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no

greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and

different sun. If you want to get more out of life Russ, you must lose your inclination for

monotonous security and adopt a helter skelter style of life that will at first appear to you 

to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning

and its incredible beauty."~Christopher McCandless

"Diary Of A Supertramp", oil on wood, 4"x72", is a painting of the leather belt that Chris McCandless painstakingly handcrafted in 1992 while staying with his friend Russell Fritz. The belt chronicles Chris's adventures from his departure from Atlanta following college graduation in 1990, all the way up to his intended destination, Alaska, marked with an "N" for north. The completion of his odyssey would be his final greatest adventure in the wilderness near Denali National Park. 

This painting was truly a labor of love. I first saw and held Chris's belt in 2009. It truly is an amazing work of art. His parents and good friends Walt and Billie generously let me use the belt as inspiration for a painting that would be 150% life size. I didn't want to miss a nuance of detail in my rendering of the belt.

I went to Home Depot in Burlington to find my "canvas". My canvas turned out to be a 2x4 piece of pine, 6 feet long, and cost $2.46. I thought Chris might appreciate that. I placed it in my car, ducking my head to avoid it, and went home to begin what would turn out to be a 100+ hour painting. 

I am currently traveling and working away from my studio, BUT I will post more close up photos of the belt painting when I return to Canada in a month. Until then you can see a smaller study of Chris's belt below. "Diary Of A Supertramp (study)", oil on panel, 8"x10", was completed as a test to see if I could paint leather in a satisfying way. The full belt and the study are unusual pieces. I tried to paint in a very detailed manner. I didn't want to lose any information. I wanted to go on the journey with Chris as I painted each piece. 

Each painting was completed starting on the left and moving to the right. I thought it would be interesting to paint it chronologically. I painted "July 1990", a No U-Turn sign, a skull and crossbones with CJM overtop, a two-lane blacktop, a thunderstorm with Chris's Datsun flooded and abandoned, the Pacific Crest Trail, The Sierras and on and on. Chris retells his odyssey on this belt and it is a very special artifact. 

I recently had an exhibition of my paintings inspired by Chris's life in Oakville, Ontario. You can see the belt painting here in the exhibition, "An Aesthetic Voyage: Paintings Inspired By The Journeys Of Christopher McCandless, held at Abbozzo Gallery in Oakville, Ontario." 

I sometimes marvel at the impact that Chris's life and journeys have had on countless people. His courage to explore the unknown with élan and his ideology of less is more really do reverberate on a global level. Even if we do not hitchhike and go as minimally towards the horizon as he did, it is what we distill, what we take away from his words and actions that matter most. Below is another photograph from the exhibition, as well as more paintings that were in the show...

Opening night at Abbozzo Gallery

"To The Sea", oil on canvas, 24"x36"

"Chris's Tent, Stampede Trail", oil on canvas, 18"x36"

The belt that Chris carved so meticulously and artistically, is like his photographs in that it is his unique vision. There are no other interpretations, it is simply his life as he lived it fully and completely, recording it for us to see. Look for those close-up photographs of the painting of the belt here in the coming weeks.

When I was in France last fall for a photo shoot, I bought a silver ring at the Rodin Museum in Paris. Inscribed in a pretty script on the ring are the words "Une vie a plein bord" or "A life lived to the brim". I have worn the ring ever since, even out to Bus 142 in Alaska, being pulled by a snowmobile for over 20 miles along The Stampede Trail in March, bundled up, the snow crunching and flying by. When I got off the sled attached to the snowmobile, the ring had been bent from the effort of holding on so tightly as I was pulled over moguls and around sharp curves. I love that it is bent. It is perfect now. A life lived to the brim. I would like to think that Chris would agree with its message too.

"Not all those who wander are lost."~J.R.R. Tolkien

"Erin, Choices"

"We must make the choices that enable us to fulfill the deepest capacities of our real selves."

~Thomas Merton

I have completed only two paintings away from my regular studio in Burlington, Ontario, Canada....ever. You gets attached to places of creation. The familiar routine, temperature, rituals and ability to fall into a groove of focus tend to be pretty constant in one's regular studio. That is why I came prepared to Omaha, Nebraska. A prolonged working vacation with three canvases in tow to finish while here. "Erin, Choices, oil on canvas, 24"x48" is the first of the three.

I have spoken before about people I paint. They range from new friends to old friends...but an alignment of time and place must work together for a successful photoshoot and painting to take place. Erin, a good friend and yoga instructor, is an old soul. She is one of those friends who possesses the gift of articulation, and that, combined with wisdom, makes for very good conversation. I was thrilled when she agreed to let me paint her and where else to paint her but where she loves to be: a yoga studio.

I have been taking classes at Moksha Yoga Burlington for a year and a half.  The first time I tried hot yoga I loved it. I knew as long as I could get out of bed every morning I would take classes as much as time and budget would allow. Erin teaches there, and Thommy, the owner of Moksha Burlington, let us do a little photoshoot in one of the studios.

I knew from the outset that mirrors and reflection were needed. I love the challenge that a reflected image places upon you, and the metaphorical significance is always enticing. I liked the idea that the mirror might not be instantly noticeable, that you might have to wonder momentarily if she had a twin. Or is it a different version of herself? Why is she looking away from herself and not towards herself? What is she thinking? The idea of a fork in a road, of a set of choices upon choices was the inspiration behind this piece.

I packed the canvas of Erin into my Subaru and headed to Omaha two weeks ago. The drive took me two days, with a brief stopover to visit my friend Joe in Chicago. What an amazing city. I'm more of a country mouse but I have always wanted to experience The Windy City. Though only a pit stop en route to the Midwest, I was impressed.

                                                          A first glimpse at Chicago...

Evening sun setting on West Fulton Market

A brief mention about the drive. The border officials at the Sarnia crossing into Michigan were super nice. I knew I'd have to go to Secondary Inspection given my high threat vocation of being a painter ;) but I duly pulled into a spot while a pair of guards with black latex gloves went through the car and queried me as to the specifics of my voyage. I complied (of course) and we were joking around together after a few minutes. Then I was on my way. Despite tonnes of road kill and highway tolls in Michigan, I was thrilled to be on another adventure. Adventure keeps you young, sharp and fully engaged with the world around you. I highly recommend it.

Joe on the rooftop of his warehouse loft. 

A great end to a great evening in the Windy City.

I will post another blog soon about my continued adventures towards Omaha, and paintings I am working on here. As a painter you need to keep moving, just as you move through your adventures that take you from place to place. But the point is, like a stone that skips across water, to keep grounding yourself with your work, or your passion, or your play. Ground yourself to things that define who you are and you will never become lost.

"Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by, 

and that has made all the difference."~Robert Frost

Studio life, Upcoming Art Exhibition and "Back To The Wild"

"My biggest influences were people like painters and poets.

 These are solitary workers."~Robert Wyatt

I think sometimes people might wonder what exactly goes on in a painter's studio? I mean, painting takes place obviously, but what else? I can only speak for myself, but daily life typically consists of the steady hum of artworks being developed, priming future works, snuggling with my cats, writing my blog and keeping up with the business aspects of this vocation such as talking with clients and emailing.

If I have time I bike and do yoga. It is all about balance. Exercising the body exercises the mind and helps oxygenate it. It fills you with ideas and energy to pour into your work. I know of some artists who paint every day, literally every day, for 10 hours. I can't do it...I would produce a whole bunch of weak paintings and drive myself crazy in the process...When you are producing your best work, striking while the iron is hot. Yet knowing when to step away so that you can again crave to return to the easel, is just as important.

I have included some photographs of my studio in the past few weeks, along with other activities or friends who make life truly fulfilling. Recently some people have asked to watch me paint. I have no problem with that, and frankly, am touched that folks would want to watch me work...but right now I have a tiny little dark studio in a basement...it wouldn't be a good space. One day however I aspire to have a studio away from the home where folks can come and peruse paintings in progress, talk about commissions, and buy works, should the spirit move them. I believe this will happen.

Here is a photograph of when I was sitting on the floor while working on the painting "Gayle, Waiting". The canvas is 60" high, and I have low ceilings. I had to improvise and so enjoyed a brief stint of painting while on the floor.

Improvisation is the name of the game.

"Gayle, Waiting" sold within 24 hours of being in Abbozzo Gallery. It is part of my upcoming exhibition "An Aesthetic Voyage: Paintings Inspired By The Life And Travels Of Christopher McCandless". Along with the McCandless-inspired works, I have a few other non-related works, such as "Gayle, Waiting". I was elated that this piece sold so quickly. I believe if the PAINTER enjoys the creation of a piece, there is an energy transference that others can discern.

Here is a shot of the advertisement promoting my show last weekend in the Globe And Mail's art section for the Saturday edition. I think the gallery did a nice job of designing the ad and hope it brings some people out this weekend to the opening on Friday night from 7-10pm at the gallery. Perhaps I shall see you there too! There are about twelve different paintings inspired by Chris and his journey, organized chronologically, as he embraced living life intensely from 1990-1992. The exhibition runs from June 3-18th and, among other pieces, will have a life-sized painting of Christopher's belt that he carved at the beginning of 1992, an amazing artifact.

Below are two photos of recent outings. Leaving the studio is so important so that you come back to it with a receptive heart. Here is a rainy run I was on at dusk a couple of weeks ago. Light and colour, provided with the mist of rain and falling light, produced some interesting effects.

 New Street on a run at night..

Although I have no Alaskan plans this summer like last year, these little shoes are the perfect solution to the hiker/runner who wants to feel connected to the earth. Vibram Five Fingers was developed for people who wanted to run barefoot, but they can be used for almost any outdoor pursuit. They are amphibious, comfortable and they make you feel like a superhero. I used them hiking in Yosemite National Park and Denali National Park last year. Most recently I used them hiking through Dundas Valley Conservation Area. I HIGHLY recommended them. 

My last photo from the studio is of my studio assistant, Sasha. Words cannot express how much I adore him and he carefully wends his way around my work, the paints and supplies. He's savvy. He is one of a kind. I am privileged to share a life with him :) 

"I love cats because I enjoy my home;

 and little by little, they become its visible soul."~Jean Cocteau

I will blog again soon about "Back To The Wild: The Photographs And Writings Of Christopher McCandless"...the release date for the book and DVD is June 15h! You can find out more information on the link provided. We are so excited and thank-you for your support and interest in this project. Happy painting/creating to you all!

"Gayle, Waiting"

"The world is all gates, all opportunities,

strings of tension waiting to be struck."~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have certain places and friends that I always enjoy painting. Places and energies that just bring out creativity and make for a successful reference-hunting trip. On this particular day I traveled to my dear friend Gayle's 1840's home to shoot reference. She was busy. We had 20 minutes. I had to act fast. I asked her to have a sheet and a step-ladder on hand. 

Gayle's house and property are a refuge from the hectic pace of metropolitan life and the constant thrum of suburbia. Her house is perched on a pretty hill north of Burlington. When I am there I forget the rest of the world. The fact that my mobile phone doesn't get reception there only adds to its Avalon-esque appeal. Gayle and I have our routine down almost to a science. I know the walls and corners of her house like I know her...trusted, dear, honest, and a pleasure to paint. I feel free there, and freedom is necessary for anyone, let alone a painter looking for new ideas.

And so "Gayle, Waiting", oil on canvas, 60"x30" came to be. She seems to be almost a spectre passing through the doorway. This painting haunts me. I liked the idea that she might be waiting for someone to return, someone dear, someone special. That she, in these moments, might pace the old floors waiting, with silence as her companion in those quiet hours. 

At first I found the size of the canvas intimidating. But then I reconsidered my perception and viewed it as a larger opportunity to tell a story. The small object near her feet is a sculpture of a rabbit. We laughed when I was there previously and asked about the rabbit. She said "That's Ken Hall". I thought she meant that was the name she had given the rabbit. No, that's the ARTIST's name she explained. I thought it would be fun to incorporate 'Ken Hall' into the painting.

I also enjoy the idea that Gayle will always be between two rooms, two places, two realities. It serves to scratch an existential itch for me. But again, it is all subjective, and in the eye of the beholder. The question is...what do you see? 

I hope that you will be able to see this painting in person during my upcoming exhibition at Abbozzo Gallery in Oakville Ontario.

Have a beautiful day!

Chris's Pack, Stampede Trail, oil on panel, 24"x36"

An Aesthetic Voyage:

Painting Inspired By The Life And Travels

 Of Christopher McCandless

June 3-18th, 2011

Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Opening Reception June 3rd, 7-10pm

June 4th, Artist in attendance from 2-4pm 

If you are interested in any of these paintings you can contact the gallery toll-free at 

1-866-844-4481 or at mail@abbozzogallery.com 

"Happiness depends upon ourselves."~Aristotle

"Self-Portrait, After" and Christopher McCandless Exhibition

"Sadness is but a wall between two gardens."~Kahlil Gibran

Every artist has their own manifesto, their own impetus that resides underneath the paint. Our reasons for painting are as varied as our techniques...and the beauty of it is there is no correct answer. It is ultimately subjective. Speaking of manifestos, and on a side note, my friend Conrad once suggested I read Pulitzer Prize Winner Mary Oliver's book "Blue Pastures". Within its pages there is an essay called "Of Power And Time." It resonated with me VERY strongly as a creative person. You should read it.

Periodically I do a self-portrait of myself, bereft. I call it, unofficially "The Crying Series". I never know when another piece will be added, which is part of their appeal I find. This painting, "Self-Portrait, After", oil on panel, 2011, 8"x10", is the third piece in the ongoing series. Pain and sadness are just as much a part of life as joy and fulfillment, the question is, what do we do with these ebbs of the spirit? I choose to paint them. By doing do it makes them a reality. It is cathartic. It enables me to work through the sadness, to try to capture a bit of that intensity of emotion. I am not wallowing in despair, but instead, literally, making the most out of a bad situation.

When you look at the painting, remember that it is not important why I was crying, but how it resonates with you. I paint these pieces for myself, but with the hope that others can understand and place themselves in a similar situation where they felt the same hand-wringing of the soul.

On a technical note, I had great interest in painting my eyes. I wanted to show that delicate translucency that one's lids have during and after the struggle.

"Self-Portrait, After" is available at Abbozzo Gallery, and is a part of an upcoming exhibition of my work. I will have a selection of new paintings which will be displayed in conjunction with paintings inspired by the life and travels of Christopher McCandless. Christopher's story was the subject of John Krakauer's book "Into The Wild", and the film "Into The Wild" directed by  Sean Penn. The exhibition will have its opening reception on June 3rd from 7-10pm. I will also be at the gallery on Saturday, June 4th from 2-4pm for guests who were not able to make the opening reception the night before. I hope to see you there! Have a beautiful day and weekend :)

Chris's Pack, Stampede Trail, oil on panel, 24"x36"

An Aesthetic Voyage:

Painting Inspired By The Life And Travels

 Of Christopher McCandless

June 3-18th, 2011

Abbozzo Gallery, Oakville, Ontario, Canada

Opening Reception June 3rd, 7-10pm

June 4th, Artist in attendance from 2-4pm 

If you are interested in any of these paintings you can contact the gallery toll-free at 

1-866-844-4481 or at mail@abbozzogallery.com 

"Diary Of A Supertramp (study)", oil on panel, 8"x10"

"To The Sea", oil on canvas, 24"x36"

"Chris's Tent, Stampede Trail", oil on canvas, 18"x36"

"Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth."~Henry David Thoreau