"Boarded Up on Filmore"

watercolor, 11 x 14 inches

"Sunday Morning" chosen for Synovate Auction

watercolor, 21 x 14.5 inches

My watercolor, "Sunday Morning", is one of the 40 pieces by New Orleans artists commissioned by Synovate. The Synovate auction on eBay begins May 23rd for 7 days. Today, a press release was featured on Forbes.com. As Yoda might say, "Thrilled, I am!"

For more information and to see the entire collection online, go to Synovate.com.

Blue Tarp, Uptown"

watercolor, 10 x 12 inches

email artist for more info

"A Street, Uptown", watercolor, NFS

"Late Afternoon, Louisville St., Lakeview"

watercolor, 11 x 14 inches

"White House, Gray Day, Lakeview"

watercolor, 11 x 14

The One that got away.....

"Corner of Colbert and Filmore"

watercolor, 11 x 14 inches

I've become obsessed with this house. Don't know anything about who lived there, but I've painted it at least a dozen times in the last two weeks.

The first watercolor of this house was satisfying, and possibly would have been enough.

Atypically, I was very happy with the result, using a limited palette.

As I packed up, evidently the painting remained behind; I never saw it again. Maybe it was left it on top of the car as I drove off. When I realized it was missing, back I went, driving all over the neighborhood, but to no avail.

Like the fish that got away, in my mind's eye, the painting just kept getting better and better.

Since then, I keep trying to reach that bar again. Sooner or later, if the house doesn't get knocked down first, I'll stop, hopefully after a successful painting experience.

"Foss House Sunlight Sketch"

Watercolor, 11 x 14 inches

Click on title for auction.

Ah, Love.....

"Behind Reginelli's, Gray Day, 2004", watercolor, 14 x 22

Love is a funny thing; you miss it when it's not there, and maybe, take it just a bit for granted when it is.

Years ago, I began playing with watercolor. Played with it here and there, for a few months at a time....and years went by as I pursued a livelihood with pastel portraits and oil paintings.

Every now and then I'd pick watercolor up again, only to be greatly frustrated; it takes several months of daily practice to "hit my stride", feel comfortable enough that I can paint without being self conscious about every stroke.

Invariably though, after a few days of practice, the entire world looks different, luminous. I start seeing with eyes that imagine how to paint everything in watercolor and, amazingly, even McDonald's looks beautiful! At times, watercolor seems like the most impossible of mediums; every small accomplishment makes me want to sing!

On the next rainy morning, I'll photograph recent starts. When the light's up, I'm rushing out to paint....and results are slow. I'm again playing with watercolor. Experimenting. I know that I don't want colored drawings as much as I want watercolor paintings.....but I need to be patient, it will come.

I'm working primarily in a section of New Orleans, Lakeview, that was severely damaged by the storm. For a full two years after Katrina, I couldn't paint there. Every block looked like a wasteland, with doors open swinging in the breeze, like a stage set for a spaghetti Western. Only Clint was missing.... Copper theft [plumbing, fixtures, gutters] was a huge problem for quite some time in the area. Now the neighborhood looks so good, it's amazing to see the few houses on each block that have not yet been re-done or knocked down. And those are the houses which have captured my eye.

Matassa's Grocery: in the French Quarter

watercolor, 14 x 20 inches

Painted plein air in the Quarter.