Elle 8x10, Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

I draw a great number of people when they are young, partially when their parents want a piece of art in their home with someone that has great meaning to them, and partially because people don't realize their own beauty when they are adults, and they think about old photos of themselves.  I love drawing ALL people! All people are beautiful at any stage of life.

Leif 8x10, Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

This is the brother of Elle, taken around the time he was her age in the portrait of her.  Sorry the scanner I used was not cooperating, or maybe I took a picture with a faulty camera.  That means, I didn't know how, exactly to use either one.  Or perhaps I was really rushed.  The portrait was gone before I could scan/photo it again.  It still looks fine, but not a lot of those subtle medium or light tones and too dark the darks in her portrait.  Oh well.  C'est la vie!

Miss Harris 8 x 10, Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

I've done a whole series of their children, but I haven't put all of them up yet.  I have to have all of the scans first, which I can't seem to find!  I enjoyed capturing a likeness of each one of the family, although I haven't put their first names up! I'll need to hire a secretary just to remember to scan and name everyone that I've done, and tell me where they are.  Sheesh!

Miss Harris 8 x 10, Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

KYLE 8 x 10 Charcoal on Bristol.

Doesn't he remind you of Ron Howard in that Andy Griffith series? Except Ron is a redhead.  This boy has sandy brown hair.  And he doesn't direct movies.  Yet.

Dasha (isn't the name unique, and beautiful?) 8 x 10 Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

She's his sister, which is usually the case with commissions.  Her name is Russian, as are most of the names for her siblings, who I have had the privilege of drawing in charcoal.  I don't know why, but I find that her hair was particularly fun to draw.  It shows off the variety of color or shades in this case. She is rightfully strawberry blonde, but her hair has changed now.

Mara 8x10 Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

This family has some of the most beautiful children, and this is one! I actually find any person has some unique gift of looking the way they do.  I've never drawn (or penned) a person that was less than handsome.  Do I use exclamation points too liberally? It's because I truly feel that way.  I text people all with exclamation points all the time, and they probably want to shoot me.

Unknown.  8 x 10 Pencil, on Srathmore Bristol.

I say unknown, because I really can't remember who I did this for, or who the portrait was of.  I'm not having an Alzheimer's moment, I just scanned it and didn't have time to give it a name at the time. I've done so many 8 x 10s that frequently I don't scan it at all.  Bad Neal.

This was pencil, because I think that was the wish of the person who commissioned me.  I do like the ethereal look that pencil can be.  And, of course, the young lady is beautiful! I must have done it in Arizona when we lived there.

DIANE AND ROBERT

8 x 10" Graphite on Bristol.  6700 Ivory Black Pencil from Derwent, to bring out more of the values. This was taken from an old photo as a birthday present from Robert to Diane.  Of course she loved it, but I loved the timeless beauty of that tiny snapshot.  The photo was shot in the 1940s, and I would have loved being there with them at that time.

He wanted another, because they loved the first one.  This is an even younger Robert, in the standard sailor's uniform! He later became did service in the United States Navy as a commander.

ROBERT

8 x 10" Pencil on Strathmore Bristol Smooth paper.  I did this with a number 2B Staedtler Mars Lumograph pencil, of which I'm kind of particular about.

Haley.  8 x 10" Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

I've gotten a lot of comments on this particular portrait, all of them greatly appreciated.

Emily 8 x 10 Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

I did this quite a while ago, but I included this because I love the dark black in the background.  I also love this brand of paper.

MADI 8 x 10, charcoal on bristol.

This is one of my earlier charcoal portraits.  You can see how I progressed (or regressed) by looking at the middle tones.  Not nearly enough light tones either, in my mind.  Maybe I'll change my mind again after a few years.  But I can't capture what I DID do.

DON

8 x 10" Pencil on Bristol Vellum.  This was taken from one of the brochures.

SUMMER AFTERNOON

This was also picked as an Honorable Mention in my local art guild exhibition.  I took the picture of two neighbor girls, dressed in my wife's dresses in the neighboring lot, which we also owned.  It brings back a lot of good memories for me. I wish we lived there again!

Allien

This was taken from a photo after the 20th century started.  The photo was, of course, black and white, and I did this picture in oil with burnt sepia and a little dark umber on board.  I lifted the white areas with paint thinner.

David Ssenjinja

David 8 x 10, Charcoal on Strathmore Bristol

This is one I just finished for a client. You have to check out David Ssenjinja's organization at http://www.ssenjinja.org. His story is amazing. He is from Uganda, and he helps the children that lost their parents either from civil war violence, or AIDS ravaging the country. Anyone can help with a donation of whatever you think is reasonable.  David is a very warm, loving and humorous person.  His country of birth needs more people like him!

David and Julie 10 x 10, Charcoal on Bistol

David and his wife Julie, who is a phenomenal school teacher.

My Beautiful Wife

This is a portrait of my wife. This is probably the portrait I like most of all, after many years of painting or drawing beautiful people. Maybe I'm biased. This will be in my possession until I'm dead. This is 18 x 24, oil on canvas.  It won third place in the local art guild competition.