Sketchbook

The Rivalry

2012-01-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

A few months ago some friends and I went to a small cabin to work on some art. I decided I wanted to do a painting of a University of Utah football. That is the subject matter I focused on as a child so I thought I would re-visit those moments of my childhood. A sort of a "what would your 8 year old self paint" if you could travel through time moment.

If you have been to or spent some time here in Utah you are familiar with one of the most heated rivalries in the nation. Growing up here we were consumed by it. Byu was, "the big brother"(as they put it) for a long time but as of late Utah has emerged as the better program winning 7 of the last 10. Go Utes!!! Thanks for a great season.

# 48 Angel Eyes

2012-01-07T19:15:00.000-08:00

If it is an artist's job to search for beauty, then painting these eyes should be the prerequisite.

# 47 Saint Christopher

2012-01-07T19:03:00.001-08:00

This one was the last of a four part series. The Mitchell family is truly amazing. I felt it a real blessing to get to know them while working on this project.

Garrett Smith

2012-01-05T11:47:00.000-08:00

I painted this for the Smith family, who are some of the kindest and most inspiring people I have met. There are certain people in this world who live with SO much passion that all we can do is sit back and take a moment to admire them. Oil on Canvas, 16" x 20".

# 46 Scarlet

2011-10-21T14:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a painting almost just paints itself.

#45 The Most Remarkable Eliza Jane

2011-07-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

This little gal is the daughter of one of my best friends. She has hinted that she would like to be painted. Her father and I teamed up to paint her portrait for her sixth birthday. Happy Birthday Eliza Jane!!!

Recent Commission

2011-07-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a recent commission I did. 48"x 48" oil on canvas.

The Painter in Studio 2009

2011-06-14T01:47:00.000-07:00

This painting is the companion piece to the one of Dave Dornan below. This one is quite a bit smaller. I wanted to not only do a portrait of Dave but a painting of him working. If you have ever watched him make a painting you are well aware of how entertaining and effective his approach is. I finished these two up about 2 years ago.

"Will you donate a painting?"

2011-06-08T16:59:00.001-07:00

I did this little painting(along with another) for a fundraiser last summer it is 12"x12" oil on panel. For some reason this one did not sell. The other one was gone before I could take a picture of it. I really like this one and find it really fun. I think I am going to do a larger version.

# 44 Officer

2011-05-31T20:09:00.001-07:00

This is one great guy. Not only is he out serving and protecting, but he just got back from a tour in the middle east. After painting someone and their siblings you get a feeling for a family, the Mitchell family is amazing and has all my respect. I tried some new things with the chemistry of this painting and I really like how the paint flowed.

# 43 Pig Tails

2011-05-14T14:21:00.000-07:00

This little gal is incredible. She is a force and she will definitely make her mark on the world. Rarely do you meet someone with so much personality. At the ripe old age of 5 she is and expert at reading, writing, playing the violin and pretty much anything you can do she can do better.

The Artist in his Studio

2011-04-30T01:02:00.001-07:00

This is a painting I did a couple years ago. The painting is of my professor David Dornan who I ended up apprenticing for after graduating from the University of Utah. He is a prolific painter. Dave is also one of the most generous people I know. So much of what I have learned over the years about painting is connected to something Dave taught me. This painting is 5 x 5 feet and is currently hanging in the Spring Salon in Springville, Utah. Go check it out.

New Blog Coming Soon....

2011-04-22T17:03:00.000-07:00

I am going to start another blog here soon and fill it with the work I have done recently. I thought it would be fun to document the journey of a Grad Student trying to find himself. The work will be all over the place, however it will illustrate how I came to find what I want to paint.

# 42 Samo

2011-04-15T17:26:00.000-07:00

I admire this man's artistic approach. He painted without inhibition and wish I could do the same. He felt so at home with a brush in his hand and some good jazz music playing. "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

# 41 James

2011-04-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

I never realized how complicated flannel would be to paint. This is one fascinating guy. Rarely does one meet someone so genuine and sincere.

# 40 Grace

2011-04-05T17:42:00.001-07:00

This commission was a fun one. Her name does an excellent job of describing who she is. I am sure she will grow up to do amazing things. What an honor to paint her portrait.

Steve

2011-03-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

This is the lovable dog of the renown painter Erin Westenskow Berret. We did a trade last year and I could not be happier with the Triumph Motorcycle I got in return. She is a great painter, check out her link in the upper right corner. Every painter needs a great dog. From what I have heard Steve was an amazing companion. Thanks Erin!

Portrait

2011-03-19T13:41:00.000-07:00

This was a fun portrait of some kids from a great family. Oil on canvas 30"x 40".

# 39

2010-11-30T16:02:00.000-08:00

This kid is amazing.

# 38 Swim Coach

2010-11-16T02:33:00.000-08:00

I loved painting this one. The fun part about this project is getting to know people and then reflect on that interaction as you paint them. Phyllis is a great person who lives life in admirable fashion. You have to love her expression.

# 37 Fedora

2010-11-16T02:25:00.001-08:00

Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, the Blues Brothers, Tom Laundry, Michael Jackson and obviously Indiana Jones. Possibly the most embarrassing moment of my life involves such a stylish hat. "...I tip my hat like Willie Nelson..."

# 36 The Aqua-not

2010-11-08T19:02:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while it is fun to do a painting of yourself and have a little fun with it.

#35 Parker Rae

2010-11-05T00:34:00.001-07:00

Beauty, Happiness, Love, and Peace. Not often do you find someone so young, yet so passionate and aware of what is occurring in the world. When I paint these portrait sketches I always wonder to myself what is to come from each person. This young woman is someone with huge potential.

#34 Heath

2010-11-05T00:29:00.000-07:00

This little guy has some serious dance moves. He was volunteered by his older sibling to go first on the photo front and he stepped up with no fear. His favorite color is obviously orange, I love the way his blue shirt contrasts with the background.

#31-33 Firmage Commissions Through the SL Art Center

2010-11-05T00:23:00.001-07:00

I was commissioned to paint these three guys through the Salt Lake Art Center's "Not Just Another Pretty Face". Great family! Lots of brotherly comradery. Always fun to watch brothers razz each other a bit.

# 30 The Scream

2010-08-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Some have seen this before and perhaps even watched it painted via youtube.

#29 "...personality goes along way..."

2010-08-10T19:25:00.001-07:00

I was commissioned to paint this guy and his two siblings. He had a killer sense of humor and a lot of personality. His sister and brother will soon join him on here.

#28 Brooke

2010-08-06T14:17:00.001-07:00

This is my new sister in law Brooke. I thought for their wedding gift it would be fun for them to have paintings for their new place. So I decided to do a modern sketch of American Gothic. Welcome to the family Brooke. We are so blessed to have you.

#27 Satchmo

2010-08-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

I recently read about Louis Armstrong. He grew up in New Orleans in extreme poverty. He is the grandson of slaves and the child of a prostitute. He overcame the harshest of circumstances as a child to become one of the greatest musicians this country has known. It amazes me to think that someone who dealt with such struggles would grow up to sing "What a Wonderful". His influence is incalculable and for that reason I wanted to sketch his face.

#26 Commissions

2010-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

I guess I should have mentioned I am doing commissions similar to the heads I am painting. Here is an example of one done since this project began. They are all the same size(24"x 24") and cost $2200. I approach them as a sketch but they seem to come out more refined than a sketch. Shoot me an email if you are interested. This adorable little gal has a great name and a personality to match.

#22-#25 The Schenks

2010-08-03T20:04:00.001-07:00

I was privileged to paint the Schenk family. A great family I met through third child Summer who was just recently married. Congrats Summer!!! All the best.

For Sale

2010-07-12T22:56:00.000-07:00

I recently parted ways with a gallery and now I have a few older paintings in the studio. They are all smaller paintings between 11"x 14" and 18"x 24". I am not going to take them to another gallery so if you are interested in buying a great little painting shoot me an email for prices and I will email you some of the images. This small painting is 11"x 14" and titled, "The Surface of Things". It was a Jr. High drama I witnessed in Helper, Utah between a boy, girl, and her new gorilla boyfriend. We have all witnessed a love triangle but nothing this strange.

# 21

2010-06-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

This head was a fun one. A human head in green tones was something I have never tried before.

# 20

2010-06-22T17:53:00.000-07:00

I met this friend at a dinner party. She has a wicked cool sense of humor and when we met up to under take this project she introduced me to a killer band, Coconut Records. We went with a black coat which I thought I was hearing in the song, turns out I was wrong...

I'm going back home to the west coast
I wish you would put yourself in my suitcase
I love you
Standin' all alone in a black coast

#19

2010-06-03T14:42:00.000-07:00

It is hard to find people who are willing to poke fun at themselves in a painting. I guess that is why I do various self-portraits. Shoot me an email if you are interested in being in a fun, strange, and/or interesting painting.

# 18

2010-06-02T15:51:00.001-07:00

My apologies for not posting in a while. I will do much better. I just finished #33, so I will be posting all of those over the next few weeks. This one is an icon posed as an icon. They are two of the most elegant and beautiful women I can think of.

#17

2009-12-17T16:07:00.001-08:00

My apologies for such a time lapse, I had to put the heads on hold to do a show. This is a good friend of mine who recently won a few awards for his spray can abilities. I will be better in the future at putting work online. I hope you enjoy.

#16 The Flower Girl

2009-08-27T01:05:00.000-07:00

I recently went to Lake Powell with family and friends, on the ride down I rode with little Josie and her father Charles. Josie spent most of the ride drawing and telling us about animals. She is one special kid with lots of personality.

#15 The Art Critic

2009-08-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

A painting of women critiquing the viewer. Love the red.

#14 The Saint

2009-08-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

The project continues... My friend Michael is a Therapist who works with at risk youth. He is one of the kindest most thoughtful people I have ever met. So... I thought I would paint him as San Miguel.

The Painter

2009-07-29T10:24:00.001-07:00

This is a painting I thought about while I was roaming art museums in Europe. When I got home I kept the hair and beard and dressed as all the painters of old. It is hard to see but the background is a corkboard with a lot of postcards of the painting I was there to study. Great trips lead to good paintings. 30"x 40" oil on canvas.

Mother and Child

2009-07-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

This is a painting I did a few months ago. It is 30"x 40" oil on canvas. I have always wondered what it would be like to love someone that intensely, so I thought I would do a painting to ponder on it. Thanks Chris and Charly for your willingness to pose.

Drew

2009-07-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

My little buddy Drew. 18" x 24" oil on canvas.

#13 The Leader

2009-07-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

Number 13 in my side project. 24" x 24" oil on canvas.

7-12

2009-07-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

I apologize it took so long to get these posted. I am going to post them one at a time from now on so it is worth your time to come back and check this blog.

New Series/ New Side Project

2009-05-11T14:24:00.001-07:00

These paintings(sketches) are all 24"x 24" and are completed for the most part in one session. My goal is to do 100 and have a show with all of them. I figure it will be interesting to see the 100 people painted on the same size canvas all hanging in the same place. If you want to be a part of it email me.

Embracing Repose

2009-03-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

This painting is 36"x 60". Similar to one I did about eighteen months ago and carries the same theme that links a number of recent paintings together.

Oldie but Goodie

2009-03-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

This is a Painting I did about three years ago. I was looking through some older paintings and this one caught my eye so I decided to post it. Little Red Riding Hood, 18"x 24". I loved trying to capture motion in paint, got to love the red.

That Their Eyes May Open

2009-03-19T04:52:00.000-07:00

This is a recent painting I did that connects to two paintings done last year, sort of the next step in their evolution. They are the same models and stand in a similar dark space for a reason. This is a diptych that measures 30"x 48".

Molli-Anna

2009-03-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

Inspired by many trips to the photo booth with old girlfriends and Amelie. The painting is 102"x 20", oil on canvas.

Back at it...

2008-10-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

I apologize for a long absence. I was over in Europe studying some of the greatest paintings in the world. I am now back, and getting back to painting. Here are three portraits(16"x 20"). Three brothers all in their element, kids being kids. So much more interesting than the formal versions would be.

"The Whole is Equal to the Sum of it's Parts"

2008-08-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

After looking through a bundle of old photo albums I wanted to do a ton of paintings of my youth, but rather than doing all those paintings I decided to do a painting about wanting to reflect back on all those visual reminders. I find it interesting to contemplate on all the influences that come into our lives and I loved putting some of those figures(literal and symbolic) into the same painting. Any painting that has Honest Abe and superman is my kind of painting. There is about 30 references here, I came across so many others but it was getting out of hand. This on is Oil on Canvas and 55"x55".

Saturday Morning Soccer Self-Portrait

2008-08-01T14:13:00.001-07:00

While painting a large Self-Portrait I came across this old Photo and I felt compelled to do a painting of it. I imagine I was about 5 or 6 when it was taken. Notice the Spiderman shoes, no cleats or shin guards needed. And I believe I had shorts on but hard to tell. The Eighties... no car seats, lead paint and who had ever heard of a bike helmet. How did we ever survive?

Contrasting Expectations 2

2008-07-11T12:38:00.000-07:00

The title of this painting is Contrasting Expectations 2, oil on canvas, 42"x 48".

Studies for New Painting

2008-06-25T12:34:00.001-07:00

Here is a study(18"x 24") for the current painting I am working on. It is in a way a companion piece to the last one, and is a obvious that I was influenced by Whistler on this one. White on white. The larger one will come soon.

Por Fin...

2008-06-14T13:39:00.001-07:00

Still searching for a title for this piece. Lots of contrast to the painting. It is 48" x 60" on canvas. I tip my hat to Tyrell for being willing to be in this painting. "Takes a real man to wear pink"

Small Study

2008-05-13T12:16:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a painting trip in Central Utah. While there I was working on some ideas for some paintings, here a oil sketch (18" x 24") that I did there. The real painting is underway and is life size(48" x 60"). Some of you know what the painting is about, to those who don't I would love your insight. I enjoy doing a sketch to work out the kinks, composition, color schemes, etc. Also, I have yet to determine a title, if anyone has ideas I would love to hear them.

"...That They May See..."

2008-04-16T13:14:00.001-07:00

This is a small painting(sketch) that I had to do along with the latest painting. It was so much fun to do. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks to Craig for modeling.

Finished Product

2008-04-15T12:19:00.001-07:00

Here is the finished painting. I wish I would have taken some pictures throughout the process to see its evolution. It is so easy to become slightly myopic and too focused on a painting. This painting is titled "... to be Trodden..." and it is oil on canvas, 36"x 40". Any comments are appreciated, I would love to hear what people think this is about.

The Underpainting

2008-03-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

The Under-painting has been a reoccuring theme in conversations lately. So I thought I would post a painting prior to moving into thicker paint. The "rough draft" version, I will post the finished painting and then you can compare the before and after. ...to be Trodden... (36"x40")

2008-03-25T14:19:00.001-07:00

This is a small little Sketch (18"x24") I just did for a show at the UMFA this summer.
Similar to one I did before, I enjoyed looking at the same subject and approaching it differently.

Start of New Direction

2008-03-18T16:17:00.001-07:00

These two paintings are the beginnings of a new series.
They are 46"x40". Thanks to Romm and Katie for posing.

2008-03-14T15:08:00.001-07:00

Another recent commission. This is Steve Tate from the University of Utah. It was so much fun to paint. This painting is 40"x 45". Go Utes!

Recent Portrait

2008-03-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

Recent portrait commissions of the Plumb boys. The bottom one is smaller (24"x30"), the top one is life size.