Artwork

Chromatic Water Theory XIII: Abstract Jazz

Live art for the Redwood Coast Music Festival
Painted partially live at the Basement in Arcata, then finished recently for the Redwood Coast Music Festival. It’s been a ton of fun creating artwork for the festival, and at the festival as well. This Chromatic Water Theory series was literally born in the presence of world class jazz musicians performing in the Morris Graves […]…

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A Man Among Giants… and Also His Cat

Plein air painting of Ken Jarvela painting in the redwoods at Prairie Creek National Park in Humboldt County, California
Over 20 years ago I read a story in the local press about an artist that would spend weeks on end out in the high mountain backcountry, living out of tent and cave, painting daily. Surviving snow and rock and ice and fire. On his return he’d see civilization’s blur of concrete and impatience through […]…

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Between the Music and the Beer

Live art of sand dunes on the Samoa peninsula on the Humboldt coast of northern California

This was also a live painting done just recently at a benefit for a local nonprofit called Friends of the Dunes. I’ve been painting at their annual wine-sipping event for the last 6 years or so and always have a good time. This day was no different, but it was a bright sunny day, unlike […]


A Fresh Perspective

Plein air painting overlooking Highway 101 at Freshwater lagoon on the Humboldt coast of Northern California

Long straight sandy beaches are a lifelong nemesis when it comes to composing a scene that holds my interest long enough to see a painting through. Down on the beach it’s all just sand and sky with that little strip of compressed sea level ocean. Aargh. Get me up on a hill. Give me a […]


Deep Calls to Deep

Plein air painting of mural on a church wall by Chris Del Moro and graffiti that say to Read Kerouac in Marina Di Pisa, Italy
“The only people for me are the mad ones: the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who… burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow Roman candles.” ⠀-Jack Kerouac, American Poet and Novelist (1922-1969)⠀Printed and taped on my father’s fridge by […]…

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The Dining Room

A plein air oil painting of stonework overlooking Camel Rock at Houda Point on the Trinidad coast of Humboldt California
It can be anything you want. Stone stairs lead down to an empty room that couldn’t contain the view so they left the walls and roof off altogether.It can be a community kitchen where breakfast burritos are served to surfers exiting the water on a cold clear morning.It can be a music hall.It can be […]…

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