Glow Worm

This painting started with a tennis ball rolling an orange acrylic path that proclaimed a glow worm. The texture came about from imprinting pine straw. The Metairie Art Guild was fascinated by the tricks I showed.


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

Blame It on the Comet

This piece was painted around the time of the Hale-Bop Comet passed us in the 90s . . . members of a cult killed themselves in the belief that they would catch a ride on a spaceship traveling with the comet . . . The smear became the comet occurred at the demo I did for the West Bank Art Guild. It was a "happy accident."


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

Algae in Bloom

At the demonstration where I began this piece, another artist pleaded with me to stop. She liked it the way it was at that stage. "Well, I'm not finished," I told her.


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

Cosmic Windshield

Again, this painting began a demonstration for the West Bank Art Guild. I used string dripped in acrylic paint. Also, I scraped som paint around. It was an expressive mess. All I could think about was how it looked like a messy windshield. But that bright yellow-green seemed more "not-of-this-world" - hence my title "Cosmic Windshield."


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

Splash of Pink

This one contains a lot of the experimental watermedia techniques I use, but I never felt like it worked out quite the way I had hoped. I just sort of had to say to myself "It is time to stop."


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

What the Hey?!?

This one resulted from scraping acrylic paint with a credit card. The technique takes advantage of the rough canvas texture. The art guild I demonstrated this one to enjoyed seeing me work.


acrylic on canvas, 18" x 36"

Are Those Dinosaur Eggs?

A local Catholic school had a special day when artists demonstrated at tables at the school. This is one of several I worked on as the girls came by to look. I had seen "Jurassic Park" around the time I worked on this piece - hence the dinosaur eggs. I played with stencils and sprayed acrylic with a toothbrush.


acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

Trinity

During a spring break from college, I went with a group to a mission in Mexico . . . one of the churches we visited used shamrocks symbolically in stained glass to represent the "Holy Trinity" This piece began as a demo for a group of students at a Catholic high school . . .


graphite on paper, 18.25" x 24.5"

Just Right

Some years back I was asked to demonstrate non-brush watercolor techniques to some kids who attended an art camp program. This is one of two pieces that were begun with a demonstration. I then worked back into them to finish.


watercolor on paper, 19" x 25.5"

Ink

My students did not understand the term "value" in art. I showed them these grids and had them look at the pieces at a distance. This was to let them see how to make grays by using lines and dots.







ink on paper, 8.5" x 11"

Smiley Burst

I wanted to do something "Pop" to inspire the students. Finishing was the hardest part. one student goaded me about seeing me finish this one in particular.


graphite on paper, 12" x 18"

Magic Ball

Here I was working with graphite dust. Also, I wanted to make a point about depicting a three-dimensional object with shadows and highlights.



graphite on paper, 8.5" x 11"

Ridge

This was an experiment to see how color pencil would work on some mat-board I had in my classroom. I was demonstrating drawing with color pencil to the students. Specifically I wanted them to understand the layering of color pencil and the use of warm and cool colors. Also, I wanted them to see an example of how to make a landscape from imagination.


colored pencil on illustration board, 6" x 12"

Range

This was an experiment to see how graphite would work on some mat-board I had in my classroom. I was demonstrating drawing with graphite to the students. Also, I wanted them to see an example of how to make a landscape from imagination.


graphite on illustration board, 9" x 12"