Flooded Trunks, 9 x 12, oil on panel

Rain, rain go away. The excess water in the rivers has caused a lot of this, flooded trunks. These reflections appeared to move with the viewer. Very strange. The same phenomenon seems to happen with eyes on some museum portraits. The general rule with reflection is that dark values reflect lighter, lights reflect darker and middle tones reflect about the same.

This is one of the 60 newly posted paintings on my web site.

J&L Works, 36 x 60, oil on canvas

This is the fifth painting of my vintage series. It shows the J&L Works beside the parkway east. This image is seared into my memory because it was my first impression of Pittsburgh. During the 1960s my oldest brother was living in Hazelwood while attending Pitt Dental School. For fun he would drive my twin, Don, and I the 95 miles from Cambria county to see the "big city." Our entrance was always greeted with the smell of rotten eggs, thick smoke, and strange sounds–all coming from this dark, hulking mill. It was an ominous feeling for a couple 10 year old hayseeds. This painting visually recalls that experience over 40 years ago.

Steel Glow, 48 x 60, oil on canvas

These dusty steel mills become really exciting when molten metal is poured. The flames illuminate surfaces while the yellow green lights pierce the smoke from the ceiling. Cool blue light from outside streams through dirty glass panels. This creates three distinct light sources and a visual poetry that you wouldn't expect from such a dangerous and enormous space.

Buses, 9 x 12, oil on panel

These two buses are in a junk yard that I drive by almost everyday. They are tucked into the forest directly across from where I stop. As traffic whizzes by I find myself staring at these shapes, thinking about the thousands of hours spent on buses like this as a child. Yet I'm also intrigued by the bold, intense yellow against a field of non-color. The contrast and abstract shapes bring thoughts of Mark Rothko.  It has taken me four years of observation to make this painting–in 90 minutes.

Hazelwood, 16 x 20, oil on linen

This is the latest of my vintage series of paintings. It is from an image taken in the early 1900s from the Hazelwood section of Pittsburgh. I'm using Van Dyke brown, Portland gray and white to achieve a look similar to an aged photo. It really forces me to "feel the weight" of the buildings. I've told students for years that value trumps color every time. Now I'm getting a chance to practice what I preach.

Fences, 9 x 12, oil on panel

I've been using the idea of missing houses in recent work. The spaces remind me of a smile without a tooth. Most of the urban landscape work has been done within a few blocks of my studio. It just doesn't seem necessary to travel to "find" a good painting location when so many interesting options exist nearby.

Last Snow, 36 x 50, oil on canvas

Here is the finished version of Last Snow. The previously posted image was the 16 x 20 inch study. I didn't change much except there is a lot more information now that it is enlarged. It is hard to keep the spirit of the quickly painted smaller painting. Also you have to use 4 - 6 inch wide brushes to create the same look. I just can't bring myself to mix puddles of oil paint that would accommodate that size of brush stroke. It is a compromise, like a lot of things in life.