2015 was so huge, it took me until mid-January to post the year-in-review! The game changer? On February 5th, at 7:45AM, Vega arrived aquatically in our Manhattan living room… joining Erin, Coraline and me. One month later, she had a passport and was living in The Bahamas… we then left Manhattan, moved to Minnesota, then to Jackson Hole, and back to Minnesota…

I made 20 paintings, and began writing about art business for Forbes… so buckle up, grab a coffee, perhaps a scotch, and enjoy a walk through the year on canvas and beyond.

Oh, and this year, friend and fellow artist Jeremy Penn challenged my to step-up my Instagram game… good advice is worth taking, so I did. This being the case, I’ll be weaving in a few hits from 2015 throughout.

My first piece of 2015 was patriotic… a collage-painting of the Lincoln Memorial. This piece now resides in DC… I’ll have to check with the collectors to see if the painting and the statue have met in-person.

The addition of Vega to our family was major… this was the first painting I created after her arrival. Titled “Mindscape Vega“, I painted this baby in the kitchen of our 1-bedroom apartment on East 20th street. I fondly recall one night, vibing with some excellent scotch, reveling in my passion as a newly minted father of two.

In other media news… I became a Forbes contributing writer in 2015…

Several portraits were created… and this was one of the first — Bill Shelton, in full stride, riding the super hero wave.

Following Vega’s arrival, I landed a two-month residency in gorgeous Exuma… the impact on my palette is evident… here is a painting of Santana’s, one of Johnny Depp’s hangouts.

While looking at one of my other Mindscapes, I noticed the dramatic impact caused by the shadows… so I painted one into this canvas.

Blue on blue on blue… all you see in The Bahamas.

I began experimenting with the introduction of Mindscapes into an existing landscape.

Capturing the colors of the island in an abstract form.

It was after this adventure we did what I always considered the impossible — we left Manhattan to become nomadic. This post, by the way, was the most viewed in the history of Borbay.com — that’s 13 years.

In a quiet year for exhibitions — I was featured in one group show, courtesy of the talented Joseph Meloy. This was the first year of my professional career where I didn’t have a solo show… but with so many moving parts, and the fortunate inability to retain a series long enough to show it… it was a procedural imperative.

My final painting created in Manhattan before I hit the road was of Jagger, the beloved Wheaton Terrier.

During a live painting event with MH the Verb at the Wix Lounge, I was interviewed by Abigail from Slant about appropriating hip-hop as a dude from the Long Island burbs.

I penned three featured artist interviews for Forbes… here was the first — Domingo Zapata. I also interviewed Paolo Troilo, and Michael Birawer…

Then, we did something nobody, including myself, thought we would ever do — leave Manhattan. I’ll never be one to bash the great city… I’ve already been back twice, and will visit multiple times a year forever, or as long as I live (whichever comes first). My Dad joined me for the drive to Minnetonka, whipping me at pool handily along the way.

My Guggenheim-For-20-Years series rolled on with Mindscape Guggenheim. Fitting, this was the first work I completed in Minnesota (it began on 5th Avenue, which makes it the most distance traveled in one painting process).

The Minnetonka studio came to life with this commissioned painting of a gorgeous Upper East Side Town Home. It was doubly fitting, as I spent 8 years living down the street.

I love the Trailer Park Boys… I’ve watched the series eight times, and frankly, I couldn’t wait to paint this portrait of Bubbles. He won’t be heading to Nova Scotia, however, as he found a home in the UK. The boys found this painting deeeeeeecent.

My streak of painting favorites continued with this ditty of The Dude… fairly stoked with the lighting on this bad boy.

Our adventurous 2015 continued with a three-month sojourn in Jackson Hole… a place I am seriously considering calling home.

The Western inspiration ran deep… I  kicked things off with a painting of the famed Cowboy Bar, which then did the reverse-commute to a collection in New York (cheers Mike).

As they say, when in Jackson Hole, paint a portrait of Harrison Ford.

You might not think neon out Weest, but I assure you, the Rawhide Motel is very real and quite vibrant.

As is the Antler Inn. The neons found their way into the Explore Big Sky Magazine gift guide… thank you for that (and the coozie) Tyler!

I painted this spectacular view from the Four Seasons as their Artist-In-Residence (thank you Nina).

My final painting in Jackson was in memory of Kenneth Begasse Senior…

Let’s talk art marketing, eh?

Upon returning to Minnesota, I painted this picture of Coraline And The Mighty Tetons as a gift from my Mom to my Dad…

My unofficial Jackson Hole “exit interview” was published by JHStyle… will we be back soon? Probably.

2016 is already off to a bang… my first self-portrait since 2010 is nearing completion… The commissions are lining up… and I’m back at the lanes, bowling my face off with the new MN crew.

Friends, you can expect many exciting announcements in the new year. For now, I deeply and truly thank you for everything. An artist creates, because they must… but an artist only makes a living if they sell work, and without my patrons, I wouldn’t do what I love every day. Thank you.