Happy paintings

The painting above (Study in Simplicity-Redux -Revisited) is the last painting that I have finished. It is a reduction, a study of complicated perspective, lighting and color reflection. I believe that one has to master THE defining shape and colors before choices about the details are made. As I told my students, it's easy to paint an eyelash (one little line):it's difficult to paint an eye.

I love this little series of simple yet bold shapes that are painted to exploring how flatness can be used to construct the illusion of space. You can feel the curved inside of the cup and feel the hard flat surface on which it sits yet individually each part of the painting (the shape of the shadow, the ellipse, the crescent of the bowl) would just look like a geometric floating shape. This piece is being shown in my 450 Harrison Ave studio.

We had a fabulously attended First Friday open studios (every First Friday of the month 450 Harrison Ave Boston artists open their studios from 5-9 PM) last night.
The comment that viewers consistently use when they walk into the studio is how "happy" my paintings make them. My paintings are called "Happy Paintings" by many visitors. I embrace that label. I can't deny it. And you know, I am happy when I am painting and exploring the joyous colors and shapes of objects that I come across in life. To make a BOLD painting from a humble object, makes me happy. It's a job and a responsibility that I take seriously. Walk in beauty.