In the fall of 2020, I strategically avoided many of the things I love… beer league hockey, dining out, being social. Why? Uncle VID of course… I didn’t want to meet that dastardly villain. Despite these efforts, I became acquainted with Mr. Dash19 — and so, the year began in a haze of body aches and mind fog (no, never lost smell and taste).

Global pandemic aside… as seems to be the recent trend, I ushered in the new with a nearly completed painting. In 2021? That work was The Western Motel — a 48″X60″ painting of a Route 66 icon. Nothing beats a big start… and this, friends, was it. 

While I did finish Felix in 2020, it wasn’t posted until February… so here, we celebrate this 30″X30″ neon. This baby resides in Los Angeles in a very special collection. Oh, yes, and by February, I was on the mend, and ready to roll.

At this point, I’m sure you recognize my obsession with golf. Here is my second Masters painting — Azalea… two holes down, 16-to-go.

If you can’t brag about yourself on your own blog, what has the world come to? Yes, golf is maddening. Like when you are crushing your irons all summer, and suddenly forget how they work come Club Championships. Nevertheless, despite winning NET in my flight, I have accepted the reality that I will never be a good golfer. So, I enjoy being a mid-teen handicap with a day job — which is, admittedly, spectacular and most fortunate. I digress.

My tether to New York remains strong, and I was able to flex that connection with this commissioned painting of Zabar’s. Ah, so many memories… beginning with a coffee on the Upper East Side, walking across Central Park, stopping at Zabar’s for a coffee and a black-and-white. Jerry will tell you all about the black-and-white.

Twenty Twenty (Non) Fun(gible Tokens). Say what? Yes, NFT’s. I dove in, with a date series… inspired by On Kawara. While my first foray into the space didn’t make it a year, it did open a legion of doors I couldn’t have expected. Big things await in this arena for 2022.

Artist’s Magazines’ Jennifer Rein was kind enough to pen a ten page spread about yours truly and my work. It’s a real beauty of a feature, and for this, I am grateful.

The colors did fly in this special golf painting, created as a surprise gift for my friend Stan. Here, he celebrates the solitude of late night putting at the Biltmore Country Club. Added bonus? Stan had a hole-in-one this year!

For the fourth year, I participated in the Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival Quickdraw event in downtown Jackson, Wyoming. This year, my 30″X40″ homage to Ansel Adams (nearly) stole the show… securing the second highest bid out of 40 plus artists. My friend Creighton Stevenson rode shotgun, capturing the action on film.

Ah yes… the Guggenheim. Which year? #13 of 20… this particular iteration was created based on a spectacular photograph taken by the talented @NYCLOVESNYC — aka, Noel Y. Calingasan. Light streaks, action, day up top, night on the bottom… day man, ahh ahh ahhhh. Master of the night man!

Good business is the best art, said Andy Warhol. And so, I enjoyed sharing this transparent overview of my market, pricing strategy and business mechanisms. The long and short of it? Art work should never go on sale.

I got to speak with Tabitha Burke and the team at the University of Texas Austin in their “Conversations with Creative Founders” series.

I’ve not yet finished the blog post, but I did want to share this portrait I painted of my dear friend Shane.

For the second time in three years, I played Fred in our local production of “A Christmas Carol”. It was delightful to have the gang back together for this special holiday tradition. If you wish to experience my Boston/Long Island/British-ish hybrid accent, you can find me from 3:40-6:55; 47:25-52:15; 60:28-61:24.

But wait! I wasn’t done with theatre. Up next, I had the honor of playing the not-at-all-creepy ‘Mother Ginger’ in “The Nutcracker” alongside my incredibly talented daughter, Coraline. And yes, while it seems like I spent a great deal of time on stage, akin to the PGA, I’m not expecting a call from Broadway any time soon.

There’s a time and place for experimentation, and that time is college… I mean, winter break. And so, I dove into the collage arena to create this 18″X18″ entitled, “Gateway Drug”. If you don’t continue to explore, you lose your forward momentum… and, until they revoke the ol’ creative license, you must run amok.

Sharks are like ones art career — either you keep moving or you’re finished. And so, I leave you with a parting image from 2021 — the family, in Vegas, scurrred of a Great White. Thank you for everything, this was a crazy, but incredibly special year — and for that… and for you… I am grateful.