Dedication

The dates are set! My workshop and classes thru Boothbay Regional Art Foundation, here they are in their words. See their website HERE for more info or email me (found in my profile on the blog) JUNE 15 and 16... Dan Corey will be giving a Plein-air Painting Workshop. Hours would be 9 am to 3pm with a lunch break, and the price would be $150 for two days and if someone wants just one day, $100. Dan will also be conducting Beginning/intermediate Plein Air Painting classes on Monday mornings starting  on June 11--9am to 12 noon for $35. I am also super excited to announce my Workshop in the far away land of Wisconsin! This will be hosted by the "Chicken Coup" a you guessed it, old converted chicken coup, that is now a gallery/workshop space. The Chicken Coup is owned by my good friend (and excellent painter) Kyle Martin. The dates are July 19&20th. Yup, right before Door County Plein Air and about 3-4 hours drive away in Madison WI. The prices and one or two day option will be the same as above. Please email me (again, email can be found by viewing my profile here on the Blog. Or just comment. I would love to hear interests or concerns. Both workshops will have demos and assignments to help you see the information that's available to you in Plein air/from life and the decision process in putting it to use. Hope to see you there. The above piece "Dedication" 36x48" is a recent studio piece. I'm not sure where it's going yet, email if you have interest. A note of interest. There is over a large 5oz tube of white mixed into that sky. Many paint tubes gave there life for this one.

Banana Pancakes

 Time flies when your not watching the clock.. This painting was created in 2005 while I was here in the America and my wife was in Brasil. to keep the story somewhat short, my wife was born in Brasil and immigrated here legally and we got married. Once we were married we we headed off on a Caribbean cruise from the southern tip of Texas to the northern most tip of South America. Everything was great, I was (and still am) in love and lucky enough to be married to that love. Upon returning to Texas the passport inspecting officer questioned if my wife got on the boat while at port in South America... So in the interest of keeping this shorter then longer, we almost didn't make it back to our flight and had to report to a meeting at a homeland security office in the Northeast. We were told that while the paper work for this was going through she must return too Brasil for 30 days at the most while it processed. This was so she was not found guilty of being here illegally, which we later learned was a $495. fine an "apology" to the US government.
 So we were heart broken and I never knew a man could have so many tears. So we took about all of our wedding gift money and bought Raquele a ticket to Brasil within the seven days we had til we were gonna be guilty of something else..?.  One week short of two years later my wife returned home.

 Tomorrow is my eight year anniversary with Raquele. I am so thankful for her and all she brings to my life. Raquele, I love you! Happy Anniversary.
  This painting being shown "Banana Pancakes" 30x40" 2005 (because she loves it and its hers) was painted of us wearing old tyme clothes on my first visit to Brasil after she left. I know its not so great but we like it

Clove Oil, Keeping Oil Paint Fresh Since Sometime Three or Four Weeks Ago

 In all of the artist materials books out there that I have heard of and some that Ive had the pleasure of reading thru state that mixing Clove oil into your oil paints will keep them moist and usable. This usually is followed by the warning that if you mix too much in your paints will never dry. Well, I'm hear to tell you that from what I've heard and recently tested you do not need to mix the oil in, the fumes are what does the job. So if you look in the above images you will see my well used EasyL palette with a palette dipper cup that i glued into the corner (back when you could see the wood grain). well that orangeish chunk you see to the right is a small piece of sponge that was wedged in between the cup and the box wall then soaked with clove oil. This little soaked sponge chunk has been keeping fast dryers like Burnt Sienna skin free. I also have a small container that i drilled holes into the lid, placed a sponge inside and basically did the same thing. it works great! I should say that the container or paint box should be as sealed as possible to make it work as good as possible. Please,  let me know how it works for you.

  In your search for Clove Oil, you will and can find it at your local Pharmacy for a steep price in a small container. One of Clove oils most useful uses is as a temporary reliever of toothache pain. You can get it on Ebay for about $5 for a 4oz like the one pictured above. Good Luck!

Harpswell Harmony

This piece titled "Harpswell Harmony" 12x16" was one of my favorites that made it thru the winter, is now available and for sale. If your interested please contact me and I will let you know where it is and the details. This is one of only a hand full that I kept from this past winter, a lot of pieces just didn't cut the mustard.. So I am just putting the finishing touches on setting up some teaching for this year. Yes I know I probably should have had this set last years end but what can I say.. I'm the real deal folks, a bonafide, unorganized, right brained painter... Ill let you know exactly when and where ASAP just in case you want to experience the madness.. Ha! I'm kidding! I'm shooting for one workshop out in Wisconsin and one right here in Maine, should be a blast and also some lessons and angles on painting nobody else considers. I'll talk a little bit more about those angles here soon.