Three New Paintings for the Holiday Miniatures Show

Hello All! Thank you for your patience while I completed these new paintings. I’m very excited to share three brand new pieces with you that I’ve created for the 33rd Annual Holiday Miniatures Show at Abend Gallery! I worked on these paintings for several months and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Two out of the three pieces have already been sold so be sure to use the link below to see my available gallery paintings.

"Among the Stars"  |  8"x10"  Framed  |  Sold

If I am nothing but a tiny ripple in a vast ocean, a speck of light in an infinite sky of stars, how do I matter? And if my time on this pale blue dot is only a microscopic blip on the timeline of its existence, why should I live with purpose?

As she contemplated these thoughts the universe asked her to lay her head down. And as she did this she was shown the people that she loved and how her existence altered them, microscopically shifting their life path just by being herself and loving with her full heart. And then she saw how her influence in that person altered another person. And then her impact on that person influenced another. She was shown the spread of her impact again and again, a light that spread further than she could ever imagine, until it finally stopped and her presence in the world was not longer. Even though her impact was great eventually all memory of her would fade and her mark will eventually disappear.

The universe told her even though her wave would eventually return to the ocean as if it had never existed in the first place, it did exist in perfect beauty in the exact right moment and it will find its resting place back in the collective of the universe.

"Hunter's Gaze"  |  8"x10"  Framed  |  Sold

One of my favorite animals while growing up was the barn owl. I found their look and demeanor to be so unique and thought-provoking and I really loved reading about these creatures and discovering what made them unique. I especially enjoyed drawing them and trying to render their unique faces. And I always found their eyes to be incredibly mesmerizing and attention grabbing. These incredibly dark eyes hold so much expression and intensity which I hope that I captured in this piece. It gave me a lot of joy to capture this graceful creature in a painting.

"Witness to the Unknown"  |  8"x10"  Framed  |  $1500

Gazing up at the night sky in a time long before our own. We begin to see subtle green lights moving across the impossibly dark sky. The longer we look the more the colors seem to intensify and brighten as they form into amazingly long curtains reaching up to the heavens. In this time before scientific explanation this incomprehensible phenomenon ignites a spark of wonder in our hearts. A feeling of genuine humility while witnessing the absolute beauty of the planet that we live on.
And because we are human we choose to create beautiful stories and mythologies to explain this unimaginable wonder. Passing along these tales as a way to connect with one another and to find a semblance of understanding in vast unknown.

A Painting of My Wife

I started this piece two years ago but didn’t have time to photograph it and come up with a description until now. I posted this painting on February 17th to celebrate my wife’s birthday.

From the first moment that I met this person I could see that she was different from anyone I had ever met. Her level of self knowledge and confidence immediately drew me to her. From our first meeting I saw that she strongly knew who she was and not afraid to hide her values or identity from anyone.
Since our meeting I have had the pleasure of knowing this person and living life with her for 11 years and she has never ceased to impress and inspire me. Her relentless commitment to self-knowledge and self-improvement inspire me everyday to be a better person and to look out for the ones I love. And her excitement to learn about herself and the world around her makes me admire her even more. This person moves through the world with passion and vulnerability, while effortlessly encouraging others to do the same.
This is the strongest person I know and I am honored to share my life with her.
This piece is titled “Apricity” meaning the warmth of sun in the winter.

5x5 Project XI | Abend Gallery in Cherry Creek

Hello everyone! Here are three brand new 5x5s that I had for 5x5 Project XI with Abend Gallery for their Cherry Creek location grand opening! I had a great time at the opening and look forward to seeing more shows in this beautiful space. Click the button below to view the whole show.

"Above Tree Line" | 5"x5" Framed | $525

 
 

"Wide Open" | 5"x5" Framed | $525

 
 

"Fortis Avis" | 5"x5" Framed | SOLD

 
 

Terra Human | Six New Paintings!

Hi all! In case you missed it, I’ve compiled all of my new paintings from my solo show with Abend Gallery right here in this blog post! I worked INCREDIBLY hard on this show and it would mean the world to me if you checked out all of these paintings either here or on the Abend website. These six paintings took over six months to produce and each one has a special place in my heart. If you click on the full image of each painting you can view that piece on the Abend website and purchase it if you wish. Also prints of all of these paintings are available directly from me. All you have to do is click the button below to view them in my shop!

One Hundred Years

This painting explores a single moment expanded over a century . This woman has searched far and wide to find the perfect natural setting for her to sit and search for answers to her deepest questions. In her first few years sitting in this exact spot, she learns about herself, thinking about her uniqueness as an individual and coping with and later resolving past traumas that she let define her for so many years. 

While sitting a little longer, she is able to open her mind beyond herself, recognizing the people that she has hurt and the people she has loved, forgiving herself for past mistakes and accepting who she is at her core. After this step she begins to feel every rock and every blade of grass that surrounds her as they begin to grow up her form and embrace her stillness. After several more years of sitting she begins to feel the presences of every single life form around her. Every insect, bird, mouse and rabbit emits a pulse of life that gives her energy and a sense of belonging. After many more years, the concept of time begins to lose its meaning and the straight line from beginning to end starts to connect end to end forming a circle. After sitting for 100 years her past and future fade away and she finds the moment.

herself.Original Piece Size: 10”x15”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

Citadel

As she looks towards the setting sun, she thinks of the many people who tried to remove her from this exact spot. Their words trying to convince her that she was undeserving of love and too vulnerable to achieve her ambitions. She thinks of the many sacrifices that she made in order to forge her own path in a world trying to push her into mediocrity. No matter how much doubt manifested in her head and no matter how much negativity she received from others, she chose to hold her ground believing in her abilities. Poised and willing to grow, she learned from the cliffs around her to be confident and decisive while learning from the wild grass to flexible and move with the wind. As the ocean breeze blows through her hair and the waves embrace her feet, she reflects on the end of another day and she takes pride in trusting

herself.Original Piece Size: 14”x20”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

Coherence

This painting provides a visualization of the dichotomy between how we see ourselves and how others see us. When we do the intense work of learning about ourselves and consciously choose to grow we can feel lost and fragmented. Just like plants, as we grow our branches might split in order to reach in new facets of ourselves but they are still rooted to the same source. In our eyes this growing and splitting can make us feel fractured and undefined, lost because we are looking for purpose. But in the eyes of those who love us, they can step back and see us as a beautiful collage of intertwining and complex branches, growing towards the light of self-knowledge. When they look into our eyes they see all of our new and old facets defining us and guiding us to our true identity.

Original Piece Size: 12”x16”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

Light After Dark

This piece illustrates the morning after a prolonged darkness of pain and helplessness. When we hurt for the world we feel an unrelenting sadness to our core and it can be unbelievably difficult to see how the sun will rise again. There are so many aspects of this world that can make us feel powerless, to the point when we may even feel that have lost autonomy over our own bodies and minds. But on this particular morning, the sun rose with incredible power, casting warmth and light on all those people who try to do good in this world. The sunbeams illuminate these individuals showing their love and empathy and as you open your eyes you can see their drive to change our world for the better. Even knowing that the darkness will inevitably take over again, the intense light gives us a renewed sense of agency to fight for others and to fight for a better world.

Original Piece Size: 10”x15”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

Sower of Seeds

This painting shows a man in complete harmony with the nature that surrounds him. But this harmony hasn’t always existed, in the distant past this being thought  himself superior to the natural world and chose to exploit it for personal gain.  He completely lost his identity and his relationship with nature in the pursuit for power. Eventually this conflict reached a breaking point and the man was forced to confront his misdoings and reshape his relationship with the fading life that sounded him. This man spent years working to reverse his mistreatments to our world while closely studying how the smallest lifeforms live in cooperative harmony. Across these many years he has also done the work of self-reflection and personal growth to find a balance in his soul that gave him a renewed respect for nature. And once he found this balance and drastically changed his actions, the grass and trees around him began to feel safe to embrace him once again even while knowing his dark and selfish past. Even after all of the wrong he did, the most vulnerable life forms in our world embraced him with forgiveness and acceptance. This being who used to be a destroyer and conqueror has now became a true nurturer of life, serving as a protector of the planet that gave him everything he knows.

Original Piece Size: 10”x14”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

Protected Spirit

As we grow from children to adults our harsh and structured world does its best to conform us, placing us in categorized boxes of adulthood to keep our world organized. The first thing to be lost in this process is our childlike creativity that brings joy, wonder and excitement into our lives. The hands in this painting are protecting this pure and creative spirit even while the outside world attempts to extinguish it. This energetic spirit longs to dance, create with colors, sing songs and construct stories as a way to bring life into a sometimes colorless world. These hands are choosing to foster this spirit in order to encourage love and empathy in a world that needs it now more than ever.

Original Piece Size: 9”x12”

Medium: Oil on Panel (Framed)

10 New Paintings Available at the LA Art Show!

I am incredibly honored to have the following 10 paintings featured in the LA Art Show with Abend Gallery! All Abend artworks in this show are available both online and in person at the show. Click the button below to see all the artworks in the 5x5 Project Booth!

 

“Colorado Majesty” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | SOLD

 

“Diminutive” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $450

 

“First Steps” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500


“Giving Light” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500


“Kindred” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $450


“Last Glimmer” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500


“Lost in Fiction” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500


“Migration” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | SOLD


“Origins” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500


“Small Traveler” | 5”x5” oil on panel (Framed) | $500

 

Two New Paintings in the Animalia III Show | Abend Gallery Denver

Hello! I’m honored to be included in the Abend Gallery show Animalia III an animal themed show! Below you will find two brand new paintings that I created specifically for this show. I worked incredibly hard on each of these pieces so I really hope that you enjoy them. As of the writing of this blog post “Mutuality” has been sold but “Reflected Soul” is still available for purchase. Click the button below to view the whole show on the Abend Gallery website!

"Reflected Soul" | 16" Framed | $2000

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This piece illustrates the very special relationship that humans can have with animals. The animal kingdom is diverse and powerful and we aren’t as separate from it as much as we often think. This is made apparent when we have brief yet significant moments of connection with an animals out in their element.

When a person stumbles on the right animal it can reflect our souls back at us, revealing a new understanding of ourselves on how we relate to the world around us. These unique life forms can often bring out our best traits such as gratitude, understanding and empathy. Animals such as this starling can remind us of the strength and fragility of the natural world and the intricate patterns on its feathers serve as a reminder that all life on this earth is complex and valuable.

"Mutuality" | 11"x14" Framed | SOLD

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This piece depicts the fleeting moments of connection that we can experience with the animal kingdom. When we come across an animal such as this buck there is often an initial moment of fear that often grows into a form of mutual respect and admiration. There is no need for conflict or fear, both are simply existing in each other’s space for a brief moment while time passes slower than usual. Stumbling across such a strong and beautiful animal can be incredibly humbling in a way that makes one think of the vast world that surrounds us and how we are but one life form amongst billions.

This beautiful moment of eye contact can allow us to step outside of ourselves and appreciate the amazing and diverse life forms that surround us.

5X5 Project Opens Today!

I’m very honored to be featured in the 5x5 Project, a show with Abend Gallery! I have created three band new paintings for this show and I’m really excited to share them with you! All three of these paintings are officially available for purchase now. To purchase you can click the button below each painting image to take you to the Abend website or feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions.

If you would like to view the paintings with their respective descriptions click the button below!

 
 

"Behind Our Eyes" | 5"x5" Framed | $350

"Guiding Light" | 5"x5" Framed | $350

"Momentary Breath" | 5"x5" Framed | $300

New Prints are Available Now!

I’m happy to announce that 5 of my most popular landscape paintings are now available as prints! “Enchantment” “Silent Snow” “Hallett Peak” “Winchester View” and “Dancing Leaves” are all available in 11”x14” and 16”x20” print sizes from Like Minded Productions. You can view each the images for each painting below!

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Silent Snow Print.jpg
Hallett Peak Print.jpg
Dancing Leaves Print.jpg
 
Winchester View Print.jpg
 

New Process Videos!

Hi all! I’m excited to bring you two brand new process videos that show how I painted “Enchantment” and “Silent Snow”. Each of these videos has full audio commentary from me about how I created the piece and what concepts where behind it. Each of these original paintings has been sold but I’m in the process of getting prints available soon!

Newest Painting "Our Gentle Hands" has been SOLD!

I'm really excited to say that my painting "Our Gentle Hands" has been sold! I really appreciate all of your kind words and insights about this painting, I worked extremely hard on it so it makes me really happy to see it go to a new home! And thank you to everyone who expressed interest in this painting, I don't think Ive ever had so many inquires!

 
 
 

I will have a full process video for this painting soon plus I’m planning on doing a print release as well so stay tuned!

 

Two Landscape Paintings Sold!

I'm really happy to say that yesterday both "Silent Snow" and "Enchantment" were SOLD!
I want to give a special shout out to the Los Alamos community for embracing me and the art I love to create I really appreciate your support.
I only have a few landscape paintings left in my inventory and you can see them in my online store by clicking the button below!

Both of these paintings feature the beautiful Los Alamos landscape that I now get to call home. I feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place where I can explore and paint what I see!

Complete Process video for "Through the Leaves"

I hope you enjoy this process video for my painting “Through the Leaves” this piece not only required a lot of technical skill but also a lot of thought and reflection. This original painting is currently available from Abend Gallery in Denver if you are interested! You can click the button below to view this piece on the gallery website.

Full Process Video for "The Lost Traveler"

I hope you enjoy this process video for my painting “The Lost Traveler”. I worked very hard on this piece everyday for more than a month so I hope you enjoy seeing this process sped up to just a few minutes. This original painting is available from Abend Gallery in Denver, click the button below to view this piece on their website.

Three Paintings Sold to a New Collector!

 

Hi everyone! I'm really happy to say "Surrender" "Impending Storm" and "Ghost Ranch" have all sold to a new collector! I always feel so fortunate when someone new finds my work and decides that they just have to have some of it in their home.

I want to give a special shoutout to the Los Alamos community for engaging in my work on facebook and welcoming me as a new small business. Their kind and welcoming words really help me feel like my art is connecting with people. I feel very luck to be a part of such a well-connected and engaging community!

 

Brand New Terra Human Painting | "Interconnection"

My final brand new painting for the "Contemporary Figuration" show at Abend Gallery is here! Say hello to "Interconnection" This lovely original painting is available on Abend's website. Click the button below to view this piece on the Abend webstite.

Here is the painting description: The world contained within this painting shows us blending seamlessly with the environments that we love. Every memory, emotion and thought that is contained within us is interwoven with those of the earth to create a single beauty. The immense highs and lows in our lives directly mimic the mountains and valleys in a way that shows the earth understands us to the core. The mountains listen to our thoughts and feelings while the stars comprehend our dreams and aspirations. The trees plants and animals grow and live for decades only to lose their lives and begin again in another form.
As a viewer we are allowed only a momentary glance at this world through a window so that we may contemplate our existence and what we wish to do with our time.

Newest Terra Human | "Through the Leaves"

Hi everyone, could you do me a favor? Please read my full description for this painting below. I hope that this painting can communicate with you as it has communicated with me during its creation process. Honestly I don't think I have ever put this much thought into a single painting before so I really hope that you can listen to what I have to say and process it as you view the piece.

 
 

This painting shows a trapped man. Ever since he was born into the color of his skin he has only been seen in this way. We choose see him through the leaves, broken, unfinished, and most of all unlike us. We only see him in these leaves as a way to control him rather than trying to understand him. As a society we refuse to see this person and people who look like him in a different light and recognize that all people are complex and multifaceted individuals. Like all of us this man is striving to find success and meaning in his life but he lives in a world that feels the need to put him into a specific box. Even though he is a kind, sensitive and compassionate individual his intent is assumed to be malicious and selfish and so everyday he feels the need be extra accommodating to those who are threatened by him. As he looks out through the leaves he finds a world that is fearful of him and ready to challenge his every move due to the color of his skin rather than the content of his character. He sees a world that is ripe with opportunity for others but these opportunities have conditions and requirements that shut him out.

This man is looking us straight in the eyes and asking us to be better. He is asking to be set free from these leaves so that he can live a life untethered from where we put him.

 
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