A painting for my twin brother Jim

1. dys*pho*ri*a---
2. eu*pho*ri*a---
3. u*to*pi*a---

 I was given three words by my twin brother Jim.  He asked me to take my time after reading the definitions to really think about what it all means to me, and then paint my thoughts.  There is a lot of symbolism, and there are many random things that just sort of happened as I was painting. (pretty normal)If you look at it and think it makes no sense, you're right.  Yet if it makes all kinds of sense, you're still right!

We Remember

16" x 20" acrylic on canvas

This picture was painted for my neighbors.  They lost their son a couple years ago unexpectedly.  I really like them.  Their son was always coming over to take care of their yard, and anything else they needed him to do.  While I did not know him very well other than in passing, I know his folks miss him greatly!  I wanted to do something nice for them, and so this painting is my gift to them.

Katie's Dream Catcher Net on Fishing Boat

24" x 36" Acrylic on Canvas 
My daughter is into Native American styles that are currently the "In thing", and of course that means dream catchers too.  Since that is not my thing or my style, I decided that I needed an option to present her with that gave both of us what we like.  Thus, beachy meets Native!

Baby Caddy

16"x20" Acrylic on Canvas
This painting is of a friends Grandson.  Seeing the picture of this baby on her desk, just about every day at work made me want to paint this.  His eyes are so full of glimmer, and light!

Great Wall of China

16"x24" water color, then acrylic, then gloss polyurethane on canvas.
The thick water color painted on first gives this painting a crackled texture which adds interest in an aged look.  This painting was given to a friend who has talked about the idea of some day living in an Asian country.

Grandma and Cali

12"x15" acrylic on canvas
This is My Dear Grandma with one of her great grandchildren at her feet.  They are both soaking in a basin of hot water.  My Grandma is no longer physically with us, but remains in our heart and minds.  The thought of this picture is fading from her dining room into a dream like ocean view background.

Way back when

16"x20" acrylic on canvas--I grew up in Des Moines Iowa, and in the basement of the OLD downtown library there were, what I referred to as, ghetto style painting on the walls.  They were huge, and painted directly on the walls.  They were awesome to gaze upon and they kind of reminded me of J.J. Walkers painting on "Good Times".  I absolutely love that style, and this is kind of a flash back to the good ole days via that style (at least to me it's kind of like that).  This painting actually takes place in a small town called Irvington, which is part of Indianapolis, Indiana.

In Jah's Hands

4'6"x7'  acrylic on material--I have about 3 large paintings that I've just found material still on a roll and thought it would look neat to paint on.  This is one of them.  The story behind the painting is that I decided to use an amazing homeless sax player who was playing under a bridge in Chicago as my model for this painting. He's barefoot, happy, and playing within the comfort of God's protective shield or umbrella if you will.  You'll see Jesus' hands "Jah's hands" holding it up and His shoulder on the left top. The real man had on shoes.  This man is barefoot.  I can do that.  I'm the painter. Hah!

Call It What You Want

30"x20" acrylic on canvas--This painting is exactly what it looks like.  War and tears.  Enough said.

Pain Unspoken

4'6"x6' acrylic on material--I wanted to do something really off the wall, so here it is.  It's kind of mechanical looking in a way.  I love to build things, and you'll find a few tools in this painting. My mom and dad thought maybe it was a modern day take on Jesus.  The beauty is that everyone sees a painting in a different light.  The reality is that I used my own face for a model and my mouth is silent, my eyes are blinded, and my heart is a broken machine, with red tears of blood in this crazy whirlwind we call life.

Flower Girls

18"x 24" acrylic on canvas--The 2 girls in this picture are the same two in the silly painting of the Brown girls.  This was also a requested painting made for a customer. 

loving sisters

This is an every day pillow case painted in acrylic--It's my friend and her little sister when they were much younger.  I gave this painting to their mother who is also my friend.

Ismilahs home in Africa

2 - 4'6"x 3' acrylic on canvas paintings. My brother took a trip to Africa with his friend Ismilah.  The first picture Jim took is outside at night, and the second is inside of Ismilah and his mom.  The wall painting is a picture of his mother when she was young.  I asked my brother if it was strange to be in such a different kind of culture than what we're used to, and he said no.  Not at all.  It felt normal to him.  I painted the outdoor one for my brother and the other for Ismilah.  When he saw them, he liked them so much that Jim went ahead and gave them both to him!  That's my twin though!  Always giving to others.

Put on your sunglasses!

16"x20" acrylic and water color on canvas with gloss coat of urethane--This painting was done for my brother in laws fiance.  She's really into some bright colors.  I took a few pictures while visiting them at  their school.  Her room had these shapes and colors.  It was a surprise gift.

Silly painting of the Brown girls

16"x20" acrylic on canvas--This was a customer requested painting of her daughters.   She had seen my painting of the Crowfoot American Indian, and wanted something similar in method and style.  She got exactly what she was wanting, and I had a whole lot of fun doing it!  These girls are really cute!

~~WINDY CITY~~

9'x6' acrylic and water color on vinyl canvas--This painting really makes me wish I were in Chicago right now!




10"x12" acrylic on canvas sheet--This is my wife's trip to England with her dad whom is in the picture of which she is taking  (p.s. I didn't get to go, and I'm not bitter)

The Golden Gate Bridge

• 7'6"x5' acrylic and water color on vinyl canvas--I just wanted to do something big and loud!  The lights on the bridge and water glow in the dark.  It was a lot of fun! 
• 16"x20"  acrylic on canvas.  Always take time to stop and smell the roses BEFORE you die.  Don't ask.  I don't know where this even came from.  I usually don't.  They just happen.

16"x20"  acrylic on canvas--I took this picture while driving through the streets of Chicago.  I just about wrecked my car to take this picture while driving the opposite direction.  It was well worth it to me.  There was a gentleman wheeling himself onto the bus heading to 36 BROADWAY.

16"x 20" acrylic on canvas--This picture was taken of my beautiful daughter a few years ago on a dolphin boat trip to Daufuski Island while vacation at Hiltonhead Island.  I chose to leave the boat out.  She hates the actual picture we took of her, but we love it anyway.
12"x18"  acrylic on canvas sheet--This is my mom and dad when they were very young, and I was just a gleam in their eyes.  Ahhh.  Young love!  I painted this picture for their 50th wedding anniversary in 2011.  Its a real picture which i duplicated in paint.

"Self portrait" and a whole bunch of other cool stuff!

16"x 20" acrylic on canvas--My daughter took this pic of me at the Indianapolis Arts garden.

16"x 20" acrylic on canvas--on left is a Crowfoot American Indian Chief.   I really wanted to find a beautiful picture of someone quite regal, and I believe it's exactly that!               

 16" x 20" acrylic on canvas.  Picture on the right is an African girl in her everyday look which is quite beautiful  and also is why I chose to paint this. She's hanging on my daughters bedroom wall, and her eyes follow you wherever you go.  It's really cool!!

16"x20"  acrylic and water color on canvas with glossy clear coat of urethane.  This painting is 5 in 1.   It started out as the creature that looks a bit like a wookie, then a cat like creature, then a native of who knows what or where, and then finally the mummy.  I really like the texture of the painting because it really looks and feels like medical wrappings with a bit of seeping.  Ewe!  It's quite dry of course.

Yet another progression of a painting by Paul

3'2"x4' acrylic, and some water color on vinyl canvas with a clear coat of  glossy urethane.  My wife's folks live in Md., and this dock and scenery is directly behind their house.  My wife was playing model for me that day, and I decided that this was the picture that I just had to paint for her.  She loves it, and wouldn't give it up for anything! (The sailboat on the right with blue covering was my father in laws and sadly it was crushed on the rocks on a very windy, wavy day.)

"Progression of painting" Thanks suz for your original picture!

16"x20" acrylic on canvas.  I was looking through some of my sister Suzie's professional pictures that she takes.  I found this of her daughter, and just loved the looks of it.  I decided to take several in between shots for the purpose of progress.  I went in to wash out my brushes, and water jar.  Since this is acrylic, I can do that.  When I came back to see it fresh in my sight, I decided that I didn't want to do anything else to it.  What i actually said to myself was "WOW", who painted that?!!   I had planned on doing much more, but I've tried to make myself know when it's time to just stop.  I'm glad I did!!