Work in Progress/New Work - September 2024

Gifts

Taking a break from my major painting series, I decided to create a few paintings as gifts for friends, experimenting with different materials and styles for a fun change of pace.

The strings that bind a friendship: Bobbins 6x12 Acrylic on board, 2024. David, a neighbor and friend, is an avid collector of handmade Middle Eastern rugs. His apartment floor is adorned with beautiful rugs of various sizes and designs. A few years

The strings that bind a friendship: Bobbins 6x12 Acrylic on board, 2024. David, a neighbor and friend, is an avid collector of handmade Middle Eastern rugs. His apartment floor is adorned with beautiful rugs of various sizes and designs. A few years ago, he decided to learn how to weave rugs and built his own small weaving loom. He began gathering plant materials to create natural dyes, which he used to hand-dye the yarn. David and I often have breakfast together to discuss our creative endeavors, and we frequently help each other out as friends and neighbors do. One morning, while visiting him, I noticed a colorful bundle of yarn and asked about it. He explained that it was for one of his projects—making me a bookmark. I was captivated by the beauty of the bundle and was inspired to do a painting of the bobbins for David.

Bellatrix, 9x12 Acrylic on board. 2024 (For Bruce and Andy). During a visit with friends Bruce and Andy, they shared images of their picnic boat, Bellatrix, in Bar Harbor, Maine. I was captivated by the boat’s simple yet refined elegance and its beau

Bellatrix, 9x12 Acrylic on board. 2024 (For Bruce and Andy). During a visit with friends Bruce and Andy, they shared images of their picnic boat, Bellatrix, in Bar Harbor, Maine. I was captivated by the boat’s simple yet refined elegance and its beautiful finishes. The image lingered with me for months, inspiring me to create a painting as a gift. I aimed to make the painting playfully lyrical, capturing the boat’s beauty and purpose through a variety of styles, and as a memento of the memories Bruce and Andy had with Bellatrix.

Lovers, 6x12 Acrylic on board. 2024 (For Jeff and Jose). During a visit to my friend Jeff, whom I hadn’t seen in many years, I had the pleasure of meeting him and his husband in Orlando, FL. Their kindness and evident love for each other inspired me

Lovers, 6x12 Acrylic on board. 2024 (For Jeff and Jose). During a visit to my friend Jeff, whom I hadn’t seen in many years, I had the pleasure of meeting him and his husband in Orlando, FL. Their kindness and evident love for each other inspired me to create a thank-you painting. The painting features two Barn Swallow birds, which migrate south through Orlando during the summer, and a cherry blossom branch, symbolizing love and beauty in some cultures and the importance of enjoying life.