Twenty-six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance…

                                                                    - The Four Preps

Catalina Island is the quintessential escape destination. Located off the coast of Southern California, Catalina Island has been a source of entertainment and refuge for Los Angeles and Hollywood denizens. It has also been a vacation spot for Patrick’s family for generations - a tradition our family has been fortunate to continue.

The four paintings in this group highlight several aspects of Avalon, the largest town on the island.
Avalon Bay, Ink, 18" x 24"

“Avalon Bay” presents a view of the bay, the Casino, the Pleasure Pier, the Chimes Tower, and numerous boats. The vantage point is from Wrigley Road, photographed some years ago while touring on a golf cart (the main source of transportation in Avalon).

“The Casino - Architectural Detail” (Ink, 13" x 19" $425) is an almost abstracted view of the Casino, Catalina’s most famous landmark. This building, generally recognizable by the round shape and orange roof, was built in the Art Deco style and opened in 1929. It has never been a gambling casino, but instead a theater and ballroom complex. This painting looks up at the architectural detail of the columns and the play of light and shadow.

“Lover’s Cove” (Ink, 11" x 14") depicts a rock formation which drops into the ocean. The cove itself is a marine sanctuary and site for snorkeling.

“Holly Hill House” (Ink, 11" x 14" ) is another island landmark identified by the unique green and orange roof. It is a Queen Anne style cottage dating back to 1890.



North Carolina is a perfect state for the weekend getaway with both the coast and the mountains.

Blue Ridge Mountains, Pastel, 16" x 20" $325

“Blue Ridge Mountains,” one of two pastel paintings, is intended to show the soft quiet solitude of the mountains. Unlike many of the busier ink paintings, “Blue Ridge” centers around peace and restfulness.

“Lake Crabtree” (Pastel, 8" x 10") is the other pastel. This painting was created plein-air while waiting for my children to complete their sailing lessons on this lake located near RDU airport. Lake Crabtree is an ideal location for beginning sailors (me included) as the instructions regarding what to do if your boat capsizes are “Get out of the boat and stand up.” The average depth of Lake Crabtree is less than six feet.

North Carolina also features a growing wine region. “Grove Vineyard Grape Vines” (Ink, 11" x 14" $195) depicts an inky tangle of grapes and leaves, created from photographs taken at Grove Winery and Vineyards in Gibsonville, north of Greensboro.

A collection of North Carolina paintings would be incomplete without a chicken painting. Here the requisite chicken is “Chicken Jord” (Ink, 8" x 10" $125) based on Chicken Chicken, a rooster who came visiting for a few weeks.

Lastly, “Coastal Grasses” shown with the Abstract landscapes represents the eastern reach of North Carolina - the coast.


Whether because of wonderful travel memories or intrinsically spectacular buildings and bridges, the architecture of Europe has been one of my favorite painting subjects. The four paintings in this series show London and Paris from less than usual vantage points.

St. Paul's Cathedral, Ink, 13" x 19" $425

“St. Paul’s Cathedral” is an off angle view of the London Cathedral designed by Sir Christopher Wren and built in the late 1600s. The reference photograph taken by our cousins, Chris and Daisy, reflects their artistic eye and interest in photography. The inky and colorful representation of the building and the lamp reflects my interest in the paradoxical combination of fluid, vibrant ink with the hard and linear qualities of stone.

Also from London, “Street Lamp” (Ink, 8" x 10" ) is intended to demonstrate ink in a very controlled form. Up close, the painting is clearly ink, but from a distance it is virtually indistinguishable from the reference photograph - a rare occurrence in ink!

“Under the Eiffel Tower” (Ink, 13" x 19" ) is a moody, rainy streetscape typical of Paris. The photo was taken on an anniversary trip in the fall. The inky treatment of the pavement, subdued color palette and use of silver metallic ink reflects the cool, wet, autumn weather.

In contrast, “Two Euros” (Ink, 17" x 19" $450) is a bright and cheery depiction of the Flower Market at La Madeline. This painting highlights one of the most appealing aspects of the inks - the beautiful, vibrant color.

The fluid nature of the inks bring an abstract quality to even the most representational ink paintings. The common quality of these four largely abstract paintings is a sense of motion.

Dancing Water Lilies, Ink, 13" x 19"

One of my most intriguing paintings is “Dancing Water Lilies.” This painting began as one half of an ink weave. While laying out the vertical component of the weave, I noticed an undulating pattern which evoked a strong visual feeling of moving water, as though a light breeze were coming across the water lily filled pond.

The directional quality of the ink  in “Poplars” (Ink, 11" x 14" $175) looks at wind blowing through an abstracted forest. The lighter patch at the bottom of the piece shows a damp, reflective  forest floor.

“Appalachian Winter” (Ink, 4" x 6") shows a contrasting lack of motion: the stillness and quiet which comes in a mountain snowfall.

“Coastal Grasses” may be my personal favorite. The simplicity in color and the movement of the grasses highlights the dynamic, subtle beauty of nature.

Coastal Grasses, Ink, 5" x 9" $145