Throughout the months of the pandemic, I have been painting. And painting. Painting is tremendously relaxing, enjoyable and oftentimes challenging. I have enjoyed the challenges.

Today starts the first day of my two-month show. I’ve more than 30 paintings, mostly in oils to show on the walls of a great Gainesville restaurant — Satchel’s.

Most of these paintings were indeed completed during the pandemic months starting in March, 2020.  While I prefer to paint outside — sometimes moving my studio outside — the weather grew incredibly hot and humid in the Florida summer. This sent me back inside to my studio.

All of the paintings are based on places I have been in both Florida and Barcelona.  I have sat in some of the locations and created watercolor sketches to become larger paintings later.

My oil paints of choice are Cobra’s water-miscible oils.  There is no odor (for which I am most grateful) associated with painting with Cobra paints. Sometimes I add cold wax. 

Mostly I paint using what is called a split primary palette.  My preferred brushes, when I am not using palette knives of many shapes, are Escoda (made in Barcelona) and Rosemary (made in England) brushes.  

Shortages in supplies and slow delivery times led me to build my own frames and this has proved to be a delightful, unexpected turn.  I am able to create frames of “not-regular” sizes for paintings of the same.  Currently I am enjoying the compositions that result from the long narrow views of a place.  All of the paintings in this show are framed — either with white floater frames or natural wood frames.

I’m grateful to Satchel, who contacted me on Instagram, and asked when I would show my paintings at his place again. 

If you’re in Gainesville, grab a pizza (they’re fantastic!) and savor the food, the mood and the art show on the walls. These are paintings that would make great gifts or uplift a room with color and reminders of beauty in Florida and Barcelona.