Mickey's Diner - No. 2

Breakfast at Mickeys | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Eggs, toast and a good cup of joe. A great way to start the day. Hopefully you can tell these are cooked just the way I like 'em. Sunny side up. This is a breakfast I ate some time ago at Mickey's Diner.

I think the angle and the tight cropping adds to the visual interest. It creates some nice shapes.

And for some reason, there are few things that are as good looking or feeling as a thick. heavy, curvy diner mug.

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A Walk on the Road

A Walk on the Road | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

When you live in a small town, you think nothing of walking down the middle of the road. The definition of a small town here in Iowa is probably something under 500 people. Going to a bigger town for groceries (we don't have a grocery store in Maurice anymore) or to make a WalMart run means going to a town of 5,000-10,000 people. Going to the "city" is considered a population of 80,000-100,000+. Enough about that.

So walking down the street here in Maurice is one of the simple treasures we take for granted. Something I'm thankful for this week of Thanksgiving.

This is south of our house, about 3 blocks south of here...on the other side of town.

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Three Kernels

Three Kernels | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

This one's a little corny. I couldn't resist. I found these on the road, bright and yellow on the black asphalt. They jumped out at me. I took them home and photographed them on white in bright sunlight.

When you take something seemingly ordinary like a kernel of corn, and begin to study it closely you begin to appreciate its' attributes. Nothing else in the world that I can think of has this shape, and the shades of yellow range from rich deep golds to lemony bright.

I've included an extra detail image of one of the kernels to give you an extra close look. Click on the photo to see it even larger.



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Stoplight Bags

Stoplight Bags | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Here's a painting I did for a blog called Different Strokes from Different Folks. A photo is posted weekly and it is then painted by a wide variety of artists. I'm posting the original photo below. Check out that blog to see a wide array of styles and interpretations.

I liked the positive and negative space created by the three figures and changed the handbags a bit to add some interest and to echo the stoplight across the street.

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Red Berries

Red Berries | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Another result of my treks westward out of Maurice. I was walking out there on a particularly gorgeous late Sunday afternoon a couple weeks ago. The sun was illuminating everything with that warm golden color that is so wonderful. I noticed these berries growing in the ditch and decided I needed to run back to the house to grab my camera to capture these beauties.

I'm calling them red berries, only because I don't know their proper name. They were plump, red and looked good enough to eat (although I doubt they were). This week the plants are dark brown and the berries have shriveled up to nothing.

Beauty is fleeting.

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Reeses

Reeses | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Well, what did you expect today? It wouldn't be Halloween without some candy. I picked one of my favorites, the peanut butter cup. For the record, I'm also a fan of Snickers and M&Ms (plain or peanut).

Have a safe and happy Halloween.

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Chuck, Frank and Joe

Chuck, Frank and Joe | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

Here's a painting based on a photo from our trip to Minneapolis last month. While there, I dragged my family to the art museum. The Minneapolis Institute of Art. The painting on the wall in this painting is titled "Frank" and is by my favorite Photo-Realist painter, Chuck Close. It's my oldest son, Joe who is inspecting the painting. Thus the title.

It is my favorite painting in the museum's collection and I always look forward to seeing it when we go there. If you go, make sure you check it out.

I also need to give credit where credit is due. One of my favorite artist bloggers is Karin Jurick and she has painted many, many great museum paintings similar in a style to the one I created here. Thanks, Karin.

Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

It's exactly a year ago today that my wife and I arrived in New York City to celebrate our wedding anniversary, so I thought I'd paint something from that trip. We had such a great time. Saw all the sites and took in a couple Broadway shows.

I love life in small town Iowa, but the action and excitement of the world's greatest city is truly something to behold. I loved it.

This painting is based on a photo shot from the Chelsea Pier in Manhattan, looking toward Brooklyn. We ate pizza at Grimaldis under the Brooklyn Bridge and then had ice cream at the place with the red roof on the far right hand side of the painting. Then walked back into Manhattan on the Brooklyn bridge with the skyline stretched out before us.

It makes me want to go back.

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Carnes Elevator

Carnes Elevator | 5"x7" | oil on hardboard

The harvest is in full swing and so another elevator painting seems to be in order. As I look back, it is exactly a month ago today that I posted Shades of Gray, which features this same elevator from a different angle.

I think my favorite part of this one is the rusty roof.

Thanks to all of you who signed up this past week to receive e-mail updates. I appreciate it.

NFS

Golden Arches

So, in my last posting I mentioned my daily walks west of town and the "oblivious sheep". Well, I was walking the other day and saw this empty McDonald's french fry container lying along side the road. (Ironically not far from the grazing sheep) So I picked it up, carried it home and decided it might make an interesting subject to paint.

My family questioned my choice of subject matter, but upon completion it has received positive reviews from my in-house critics. I kinda like it too.

Remember when fries use to be served in a simple little white paper bag at McDonalds? This container is certainly more dramatic and beautiful I suppose... and your fries can stand up now.

Progress.

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