S.P. Goodman

Italy: View from a train (3)

2012-01-14T06:14:00.000-05:00

Italy: View from a train (3)
Oil on canvas
12"x12"

SOLD

I've done this composition a couple of times before but wanted to give it one more try in a new size. I like the more muscular feel of this one and was especially happy about the sense of atmosphere (difficult to capture in a photograph) that helps create depth. My favorite part is where the mountains meet the sky.

Variations in Abstraction... Steven P. Goodman, Beth Pearson, and Gail Salzman

2012-01-04T08:22:00.000-05:00

Variations in Abstraction:
Steven P. Goodman, Beth Pearson, and Gail Salzman
December 27- February 17, 2012

Please join us at Select Design for an opening reception
Tuesday, January 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Select Design
208 Flynn Ave.
Burlington, VT
Mon-Fri 8:30-6:00

An exhibit at Select Design in collaboration
with Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery

For more information call Select Design at 864-9075
or contact FS Gallery at 985-3848, mail@fsgallery.com

Light at the bend (2)

2011-12-18T06:53:00.002-05:00

Light at the bend (2)
Oil on panel
8"x8"
SOLD

This is a second version of the previous painting but while that one seemed to flow off the brush all by itself this one was a struggle from beginning to end. I can always tell how hard I've worked on a painting by how much exercise I get while painting it. I paint in my studio in the basement of my house and when a painting is close to be finished I bring it up to my kitchen where I hang it in my favorite spot for viewing. I then trudge up and down the stairs, making minute changes, a brushstroke here, a dab there until I can't figure out anything else to do to improve it. With this one, I climbed those stairs enough times to get most of the way up the tallest mountain in Vermont.

Light at the bend

2011-12-11T06:59:00.001-05:00

Light at the bend

Oil on canvas

6"x6"

$125

SOLD

As the shortest day of the year approaches it seems only fitting that this painting is all about light. I simplified the composition and eliminated details so that all the emphasis is on the light that falls on the bend in the road.

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence."

Thoreau

Marshland with a touch of blue

2011-11-20T10:46:00.002-05:00

Marshland with a touch of blue
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
$125
Inquire about availability

I started this painting with big, bold strokes but just when I was almost finished I scraped it down and left it with its bare bones showing. I like the raw, distressed (here I use the dictionary definition: made or processed to appear faded, as if from long, steady use) mood, perhaps because it's in keeping with the feel of November.

The causeway (2)

2011-11-16T06:18:00.000-05:00

The causeway (2)
Oil on panel
8"x8"

SOLD

I don't usually accept commissions but when I got a phone call last week asking for a painting that had already sold I offered to revisit the subject. That's because I don't mind doing a painting similar to one I've already done. In fact, I think it's beneficial for several reasons. There's always something new to learn and new discoveries to make. Also, paintings always have there own internal logic and even if you start out with a similar piece it will end up a unique entity. Finally, I believe that the more familiar you are with a subject, the more you internalize it's outward properties (color, values, line, proportions, etc.) the easier it is to create a loose, spontaneous image. It's like practicing your scales if you are a musician to the point where they become intuitive and you can concentrate on other aspects of the music.

Flooded Vermont road, 8/29/11

2011-11-07T18:44:00.002-05:00

Flooded Vermont road, 8/29/11
Oil on canvas
6"x12"

Tropical storm Irene packed quite a punch, flooding roads and fields and practically wiping out entire towns. In this painting I tried to capture the raw power of mother nature, a force to be reckoned with. Credit for the original photo goes to my sister-in-law, Linda, who snapped it while on her way to work.

MV marshes

2011-10-29T19:32:00.008-04:00

MV marshes

Oil on canvas

6"x12"

Sorry it's been so long between posts. I've been involved with several large projects and now I'm preparing for a three person show that's coming up soon. In addition to doing some new work I've also been revisiting some of my older pieces, sometimes with dramatic results. The daily painting movement, where you paint one painting a day, is excellent practice but there is something to be said for creating a body of work that hangs together as a whole with the individual pieces in dialog with each other. In the next few weeks I'll post the new and the reworked paintings.

$250 plus $10 shipping and handling

Last snow on the fields #2

2011-09-24T07:37:00.000-04:00

Last snow on the fields #2
Oil on canvas
6"x12"
SOLD

I did this painting as a companion piece to my painting, "Hardscrabble landscape." Both depict Shelburne Farms in late winter on the verge of spring.

Still time to sign up for my six-week painting class

2011-09-15T13:49:00.000-04:00

There's still time to sign up for my Fall Painting Class in Burlington. You can sign up below with a $50, refundable deposit (button below) or on the full description page.

6 week class in Burlington, VT area

Cost: $220
Time: Six 3-hour sessions, Mondays, Oct. 3-Nov. 7
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Interested students can stay until 2:00 pm with no additional cost.
Location: Burlington area
Materials list will be supplied
For more information and to sign up, click here.
Email me with questions here.

To sign up for the class, please use the button below to pay a $50 refundable deposit.
The remainder of the fee is due the first day by check.

Online auction to benefit Northern VT ARC Chapter

2011-08-31T13:47:00.003-04:00

I am auctioning off my most recent painting, "Vermont hill with curved path" with 100% of the proceeds going to the Disaster Relief Fund, VT & NH Valley region. Here in Vermont we have been hit hard but it is inspiring to see how neighbors and strangers are coming together to help each other.

The painting is 8"x8", oil on canvas and you can bid on the painting here.

Feel free to spread the word.

Vermont hill with curved path

2011-08-29T19:51:00.004-04:00

Vermont hill with curved path

Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

I spent far more hours than I cared to on this one and in the end I repainted every square inch of it in a frenzy, covering up all my previous work. It's hard to capture with a photo but there's a lazy, hazy feeling I liked when all was said and done.

Sign up for my 6 week painting class, starting October 3

2011-08-29T14:40:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that you can now sign up for my Fall Painting Class in Burlington. You can sign up below with a $50, refundable deposit (button below) or on the full description page.

6 week class in Burlington, VT area

Martha's Vineyard marsh study #2

2011-08-12T17:41:00.005-04:00

Martha's Vineyard marsh study #2
Oil on canvas
8"x8"

We have beautiful, tranquil summers here in Vermont, punctuated by an occasional thunderstorm, but stepping off the ferry onto Martha's Vineyard we were hit by a cacophony of sounds, sights and smells that just screamed summer. The colors in this painting are stronger than usual for me but who can resist the siren song of summer.

Workshops and classes

2011-08-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that there's still space available in my workshops and classes. You'll find details about each one below. Feel free to email me with questions.

Two-day workshop on the shores of Lake Champlain

Cost: $175
Dates: August 21-22
Location: Thompson's Point in Charlotte and Shelburne Farms in Shelburne, VT
Material list will be supplied
For more information and to sign up, click here.

6 week class in Burlington, VT area

Cost: $220
Time: Six 3-hour sessions, Mondays, Oct. 3-Nov. 7
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Burlington area
Materials list will be supplied
For more information, click here.
Or email me here.

5 day workshop in Sedona, AZ
Sedona Art Center, September 26-30, 2011

Martha's Vineyard marsh study

2011-08-04T20:47:00.004-04:00

Martha's Vineyard marsh study

Oil on panel

7"x10"

I spent a few days on Martha's Vineyard last week, visiting with friends, biking, and walking the beach. Here's the first of several paintings I'll be doing, based on photos I took. I'm happy with the looseness and spontaneity of this one but, truth be told, it was born after much painful labor. At first you don't succeed try, try again... sigh.

While on Martha's Vineyard I met Page Railback, a talented artist whose work is worth checking out. I really like her loose, colorful, spontaneous approach.

$150 plus $15 (U.S) or $25 (International) shipping and handling

New Two-Day Workshop!

2011-07-23T06:01:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to announce that I will be teaching a new two-day workshop on August 21 and 22 here in Vermont. Based on my "Surface and Space" class, it is designed for novice to intermediate artists and will begin with the basics of representational painting and lead the participant to more advanced techniques. The emphasis will be on plein air painting with an option to do studio work.

Starting with an introduction to the fundamentals of representational painting: strong drawing skills, composition, color, value, and edges, we'll then advance to working in a loose, painterly style, paying special attention to expressive brushwork while maintaining descriptive detail. We'll also explore the interplay between the surface of a painting and the representational space depicted. The end result will be a deeper understanding of your own visual language within the context of representational painting.

This workshop will consist of demos, short exercises, gentle group critiques, and plenty of free time to paint with personal attention from the instructor. It will be held at two of Vermont's most beautiful lakefront locations, Thompson's Point in Charlotte and Shelburne Farms in Shelburne.

Basic information:
Dates: August 21 and 22, 2011
Hours: 9:00 am - 4:00 with an hour lunch break
Cost: $175
Mediums: Water and oil based oils, acrylic
Maximum class size: 10

Contact me if you have questions.

A $50 deposit is required to reserve a space in the workshop with final payment due by August 14. Please use the button below to sign up.
Cancellation policy:
You can cancel up to August 7 for a full refund of your deposit.

L.I. farm revisited

2011-07-12T22:10:00.003-04:00

L.I. farm revisited
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

I did this scene a couple of years ago but decided to do a new version of it. I thought it would go quickly but in the end I spent far more time on it than I had intended. It's interesting to see just how different it is from my previous version.

I have decided to try selling some of my work using the auction system set up by Daily Paintworks. Each painting will start with a $100 minimum bid and the auction will go for 7 days.

Waiting game #2

2011-07-04T18:21:00.000-04:00

Waiting game #2
Oil on canvas
16"x16"

This is one of two paintings I'll be exhibiting in a group show at the Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery in Shelburne VT. If you're in the area, join us at the opening this Friday, July 8th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The gallery is celebrating 20 years of artistic vision by showcasing the work of 20 artists. Should be a great time.

Inquire about price and availability

Italy: View from a train

2011-06-26T20:35:00.005-04:00

Italy: View from a train
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
$225 Click here to purchase through paypal

About a year ago I was sitting in a train, racing through the beautiful Tuscany countryside, snapping pictures through the window. I painted this one yesterday in Vermont while it rained all day.

Waiting game

2011-06-22T21:36:00.006-04:00

Waiting game

Oil on canvas

8"x8"

Summer is finally here in Vermont but we had a cool and rainy spring. As a result, many of the fields were flooded and the farmers had to wait to plant. One local farmer was quoted in the news as saying, "When it is 45 degrees and it should be 65, and when it has rained every day for a week you start to get a little weary." I'm no farmer but I know how he feels.

$225 plus $15 shipping and handling

Curve

2011-06-15T21:26:00.002-04:00

Curve
Oil on canvas
8"x8"

I did this painting a while ago but decided to rework it this week. I brought the values of the road and field closer, reworked the sky, and blended the edges. In other words, I repainted it.

Utah lake: fall

2011-06-12T22:51:00.000-04:00

Utah lake: fall
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
It's been so rainy here in Vermont that I turned to a photo I snapped last fall in Utah

$125 plus $10 shipping and handling

Country road study

2011-06-09T05:47:00.002-04:00

Country road study

Oil on canvas

6"x8"

Click here to bid

I did this one as a demo for a class I'm teaching. The idea was to demonstrate how I do a value study first and then add color to it but I ended up liking it so much that I decided to leave it as is. I encourage my students to do a value study first for several reasons...

1. It quickly shows you whether the composition is interesting.

2. It helps you get the drawing right so you don't have to make major adjustments later.

3. I believe it's more important to get the values right than the colors.

4. By getting the underlying drawing correct from the begining you can be more spontaneous and expressive with your color and brushstrokes and still create a believable representation.

5. It helps you simplify the subject matter and create large value masses.

If you're interested in learning more about my approach to painting, I have a workshop coming up in Sedona this Fall.

Colorado: foothills #2

2011-06-01T20:18:00.003-04:00

Colorado: foothills #2
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
NFS

Another landscape from my trip to Colorado, this one with a very different sky. They say Boulder gets over 300 days of sunshine but it was cloudy when we took this hike.

Colorado: foothills

2011-05-22T20:42:00.004-04:00

Colorado: foothills
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
SOLD

A couple of weeks ago I was out in Colorado and took a hike in the foothills near Boulder. While the Colorado landscape shares many of the same characteristics as Vermont, there are major differences. It was a real challenge to capture the wide-open blueness of the sky and piercing clarity of the light.

Vermont: field and stream

2011-05-14T06:42:00.001-04:00

Vermont: field and stream
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
SOLD

Spring is in full force now but the vivid greens of the fields are still contrasted by the greys and browns of the hills. Give it a few more weeks and the trees will be bright green also.

Pond colors

2011-05-03T09:46:00.001-04:00

Pond colors

Oil on canvas

6"x6"

Taking a bike ride last summer I came across this pond beside the road. Couldn't resist attempting to capture the many colors.

$125 plus $10 shipping and handling
Click here to purchase.

Utah haze

2011-05-01T05:55:00.005-04:00

Utah haze

Oil on canvas

6"x8"

Click here to bid.

Last fall I was driving from Helper, Utah to Salt Lake City and as I got closer to Provo the sky became very hazy. Didn't know if it was from dust or pollution or some other source. Never did find out. Anyway, I snapped the reference photo while driving.

Vermont: April landscape

2011-04-25T20:30:00.001-04:00

Vermont: April landscape
Oil on canvas
6"x8"

All the snow is definitely gone now from the lower fields. Hints of green are starting to appear but there's a tawny feel to the exposed land.

$175 plus $10 shipping and handling

New 5-week painting class!

2011-04-22T07:58:00.001-04:00

I am very pleased to announce a new five week painting class that I will be teaching this spring in the Burlington, VT area. Here's a class description and other details.

Surface and Space
This 5-week class, designed for novice to intermediate artists, will begin with the basics of representational painting and lead the participant to more advanced techniques. The emphasis will be on studio work, painting still life from direct observation and using photographs as reference material for landscapes.
Starting with an introduction to the fundamentals of representational painting: strong drawing skills, composition, color, value, and edges, we'll then advance to working in a loose, painterly style, paying special attention to expressive brushwork and interesting texture while maintaining descriptive detail. We'll also explore the interplay between the surface of a painting and the representational space depicted. The end result will be a deeper understanding of your own visual language within the context of representational painting.

This workshop will consist of demos, short exercises, gentle group critiques, and plenty of free time to paint with personal attention from the instructor.

Details
Cost: $200
Time: Five 3-hour sessions on the following Mondays... 5/23, 6/6, 6/13/ 6/20, 6/27
Exact time of day to be determined
Location: The studio of Lyn Wakefield in St. George, VT
Materials list will be supplied

If you are interested in learning more or to be put on a participant list, please email me at spgoodman31@gmail.com

Vermont: flooded fields

2011-04-20T21:39:00.003-04:00

Vermont: flooded fields
Oil on canvas
6"x8"

APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
T.S. Eliot

Patagonia: river scene

2011-04-14T21:47:00.002-04:00

Patagonia: river scene
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
$225

Continuing with my Patagonia theme, here's another one from Torres del Paine National Park in Chile. There's a lot of things I like about it... the broken color, the atmospheric perspective, the feel of the earth but what I like the most is the barest suggestion of snow covered mountains looming at the top left corner of the painting. I wish I could say they were the result of skilled craftsmanship but I can't... just a lucky accident. My only virtue was to recognize them and leave them alone.

$225 plus $10 shipping and handling

Road challenge

2011-04-08T21:28:00.002-04:00

Road challenge

Oil on canvas

6"x6"

SOLD

I usually don't work from other people's photographs but when I saw this week's Daily Paintworks Challenge I couldn't resist. I've done so many road paintings that I could almost convince myself that I had taken the original photograph instead of Carol Marine. Anyway, it's fun to see all the different versions that artists have submitted.

Last snow (on the fields)

2011-04-06T19:54:00.002-04:00

Last snow (on the fields)
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
SOLD

This time of year the landscape is a muted patchwork of earth tone greys and browns, starkly set off by a few remaining fields of snow. Last weekend you could still find whole fields covered by snow but they are in rapid retreat, giving way to the inevitable progress of Spring.

Vermont ledge: Spring

2011-04-04T20:27:00.004-04:00

Vermont ledge: Spring
Oil on canvas
6"x8"
SOLD

The snow on the ground here in Vermont is gradually retreating, surrendering to warmer temperatures and bouts of rain, leaving only patches in the shadows. Here I was trying to capture some of the last snow on a tree lined ledge.

Heading north 3.11

2011-03-29T19:53:00.000-04:00

Heading north 3.11
Oil on canvas
6"x6"

Paint a particular subject often enough and soon it takes on a life of its own with its own meaning. That's the case with this one, a simple tree silhouetted against the sky. I took the original photo while driving north toward Montreal but over time, after several earlier paintings, it's come to represent something larger... our own personal journey forward. The original rendering of the tree was much more cut and dry, a dark tree against a light background, but gradually it morphed into something less definitive, more ambiguous. That's only fitting. After all, who knows what the future holds for us.

$150 plus $10 shipping and handling

Patagonia: fields

2011-03-26T05:33:00.002-04:00

Patagonia: fields
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
$125

On the way to the national park Torres del Paine we drove very close to the Chile-Argentina border. Not much there except open, sweeping fields. Not much that is until you learn that in the 1970's, fearing an invasion by its neighbor, the Chilean government planted land mines that still haven't been removed. It makes you wonder, as a naive traveller, what else lurks below the surface of appearances.

Grey Lake, #2

2011-03-15T21:01:00.002-04:00

Grey Lake #2
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
SOLD

Here's another take on Grey Lake. With the previous version I was attempting to capture one particular moment as efficiently and cleanly as possible. With this one, the real subject was the changing weather. Within the space of a few minutes clouds rolled in and out, covering and revealing vast mountains, playing hide and seek with us. Rain stung our faces and fierce winds made walking difficult. And then patches of blue sky as if to reward us for our efforts.

Grey Lake, Chile

2011-03-10T20:44:00.002-05:00

Grey Lake, Chile
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
SOLD

While in Chile we visited Torres del Paine, one of the most beautiful national parks on earth. We took a short walk to Lake Grey to see a glacier but most of the time we were battling rain and wind and didn't see much. Just as we were leaving the sun came out, the sky turned blue (in spots) and we caught a glimpse of the glacier. Here's a quick view of the lake and the spit of land we walked across.

Return trip

2011-03-07T19:21:00.005-05:00

Return Trip
Oil on canvas
6"x12"

I just got back from a three week trip to Chile, where we traveled as far south as Puerto Arenas in Patagonia and as far north as San Pedro de Atacama in the Atacama desert. Everywhere we went we were amazed and awed by the landscape... the mountains, volcanos, glaciers, lakes, geysers, rock formations, and sand dunes. I took over 750 photographs and hope to turn at least a few of them into paintings.

In Patagonia we took an excursion to see the Balmaceda and Serrano glaciers. On the way home we sat on deck and watched as the rugged landscape receded into memory. This was the view as evening approached.

Inquire about price and availability.

Stand of trees #2

2011-02-09T06:52:00.004-05:00

Stand of trees #2
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

Usually when I do a second version of a painting it's because I'm not satisfied with the first one but in this case I liked the previous painting so much I decided to do a cropped version of it. Because the composition is fairly static I spent a lot of time on the shadows on the snow. The challenge was to make them realistic while at the same time have them serve as a compositional device to lead the eye back into the distance.

Stand of trees

2011-01-27T19:35:00.006-05:00

Stand of trees

Oil on canvas

6"x12"

SOld

I've been cross country skiing on the local golf course for almost 40 years. I suppose you could say it's a disney version of the great outdoors but I never get tired of the sweeping vistas with trees against snow.

Snowy landscape 1/11

2011-01-23T20:34:00.005-05:00

Snowy landscape 1/11
Oil on canvas
6"x12"
SOLD

With all the recent snow here in Vermont I couldn't resist doing a winter scene. It's cold here, though, -9F right now which helps explain why I'm not a plein air painter.

Hardscrabble landscape

2011-01-20T21:12:00.003-05:00

Hardscrabble landscape
Oil on canvas
6"x12"
SOLD

Vermont in the winter can be a hardscrabble place. Strip away the soft outer layer of snow and the earth is frozen and unforgiving, sticks and stones jutting out like twisted bones. In this painting, I tried to create a portrait of a harsh landscape laid bare and left behind after the last snowfall and before the next.

Italian farmhouse

2011-01-10T19:32:00.004-05:00

Italian farmhouse
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
NFS

Another one done with a palette knife. This time I used it to do a lot of scraping as well as applying the paint. I like the textures, the irregular edges, and the broken color that occur when you work with a knife.

Milna harbor

2011-01-08T08:13:00.004-05:00

Milna harbor
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

Another summer scene to dispel the winter gloom. This past summer we vacationed on the small island of Brac off the coast of Croatia and often visited the harbor at Milna. It's a beautiful spot, ideal for sailors.

Regarding technique, most of the paint was applied with a palette knife, the perfect tool for capturing the shimmering effects of light on water. I also like the balance between abstraction and representation that unfolds naturally when you use a knife.

I want to thank all of you who have offered me your support, your comments, and your encouragement over the past year and wish you all a healthy and rewarding new year. Thanks for making 2010 a great year for me!

Farm field with road

2010-12-21T20:03:00.003-05:00

Farm field with road
Oil on canvas
6"x6"

A very simple composition but the juxtaposition of opposites gives it some energy. I like the way there's a feeling of peace and serenity in the distance but the paint in the foreground is applied in a slapdash, almost violent way. Also, the road in the foreground forms a strong diagonal to the right which is offset by the final curve back to the center and by the light in the sky that also forms a diagonal.

Italian vineyard

2010-12-18T17:52:00.002-05:00

Italian vineyard
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
SOLD

The days have grown short and cold and snowy so what better time to revisit the verdant days of summer. Hard to believe that just a few months ago I was sitting on a high speed train, snapping photos through the window as the Italian landscape streaked by. With this painting I tried to work in a loose and spontaneous way to capture the lushness of summer.

Open road 12/10

2010-12-14T17:29:00.002-05:00

Open road 12/10
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
SOLD

My son, Paul, is a talented photographer and enthusiastic motorcycle rider. This summer he rode from Washington, DC to Berkeley, CA, covering 6700 miles in 39 days. Along the way, he took photos of his journey and has posted a short video here. When I watched it a few days ago I was inspired to do another road painting. Here's to the open road.

Chambly Canal #6

2010-12-08T19:45:00.002-05:00

Chambly Canal #6
Oil on canvas
8"x16"

Another of my Chambly Canal series. This one is a little different in a couple of ways. First, it's a diptych, made up of two 8" square canvases. But more importantly, it's one of the first paintings I've done recently where I've relied heavily on a palette knife to apply the paint. The result is that the paint is thicker than usual and there are some interesting textures and edges. I like it because it has a real solidity to it, it's almost an object in and of itself.

The waiting season

2010-11-23T23:10:00.000-05:00

The waiting season
Oil on canvas
6"x6"

This is the time of waiting in Vermont. The lush greens of summer and the extravagant colors of fall are both gone, faded into greys and browns. There is a stark beauty to the landscape but mostly we await the pristine purity of winter.

$125 plus $10 shipping/handling

Autumn skies 10/10

2010-11-09T18:56:00.003-05:00

Autumn skies 10/10
Oil on canvas
8"x8"

This time of year we get some incredible skies here in Vermont especially near dusk. I snapped the reference photo for this one while driving north from Boston to Burlington. Dark clouds hung low but with blue skies straight ahead.

For those of you interested in technique, I rarely use a palette knife but with this painting my new knife came in handy. A friend of mine (and fellow painter) had advised me to go out and buy the best knife I could afford so I bought one from the Holbein MX series. Its blade is hand-forged stainless steel and every time I pick it up I feel like a samurai warrior!

Ridgetop 10/10

2010-10-28T10:07:00.000-04:00

Ridgetop 10/10
Oil on canvas
18"x18"

This image has almost become iconic for me, I never get tired of painting it. I've done several smaller versions but this is the first one in a larger format. I suppose some people will only see an abstract design but for me it's the quintessential Vermont scene... hill and valley, land and sky.

Inquire about price and availabilty

Driving into a storm (3)

2010-10-25T22:05:00.000-04:00

Driving into a storm (3)
Oil on canvas
14"x14"

Again a subject I've done several times before but a bit larger and bolder. Sorry about the glare in the photo and the poor quality, I'll take another shot when it's dry. I'm getting close to the deadline for my show and and even though I thought I was finished a couple of days ago I keep tweaking the larger pieces and making more work for myself. I have to deliver everything by Wednesday so that will put an end to the constant adjustments.

Inquire about price and availability.

Heading east (3)

2010-10-24T22:48:00.001-04:00

Heading east (3)

Oil on canvas

18"x18"

Here's another piece for the Furchgott Sourdiffe show. I've done this subject a couple of times before but always in a smaller size. This is probably the largest painting I've done in almost 20 years and I've enjoyed the chance to work at this scale. The challenge was to keep the gestural brushwork and spontaneity of the smaller pieces while adding a little more gravitas.

Many years ago I did paintings as large as 72"x72" but when I started painting again a few years ago I felt it best to start small so no single painting would take on too much of a life of its own. Not to mention where do you store them? I plan on doing a few more pieces this size and will post them as they come along.

Inquire about price and availability

Paintings in the Furchgott Sourdiffe Gallery show

2010-10-21T17:01:00.001-04:00

Italian fields with road (2)
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

I've mentioned before that I'm having a show at the Furchgott Sourdiffe gallery in Shelburne, VT starting next week and that the theme is "Highways and Byways." Over the next few posts I'll feature work that will be in the show.

I've posted a small version of this painting but this one's a little larger and more detailed. I took the photo out of a train window north of Rome and changed the actual scene quite a bit. What interested me most was leading the eye back into space and depicting atmospheric perspective.

You can see more of the work here.

Utah trail

2010-10-10T19:33:00.004-04:00

Utah trail
Oil on canvas
6"x6"

Two weeks ago I went out to Utah to taking a plein air workshop with Doug Braithwaite in Helper, UT. I'm not used to painting outdoors so that part of the workshop was challenging but Doug proved to be the perfect teacher, providing just the right amount of instruction, encouragement and free time to paint. Doug emphasizes good drawing and accurate values and colors and demonstrated his working process in easy to understand steps. I would encourage any representational painter to take a workshop with him. You will definitely learn important lessons that will be transferable to your style of painting. This painting is based on a photo I took while hiking in a nearby canyon.

Late winter, Route 89

2010-10-06T20:23:00.003-04:00

Late winter, Route 89
Oil on canvas
6"x6"
SOLD

No, it hasn't started snowing here in Vermont... yet. But I'm working on a series of road paintings and wanted to do a small one based on a photo I took while driving last winter. The painting came together quickly and I like the way it seems to depict that precise moment in time when winter is almost over and mud season is waiting in the on-deck circle. You know the weather's still miserable, but better days are just around the corner. If I had to pick the time of day I'd say just before dusk.

Italian fields with road

2010-09-20T20:51:00.005-04:00

Italian fields with road
Oil on canvas

6"x6"x1.5"
SOLD

This small piece is a study for a slightly larger version that I plan to include in my one person show next month. The theme of the exhibit will be highways and byways and all the pieces will include a road, a river, or some other conduit for travel. In additon to the obvious metaphors, I am interested in how roads and rivers function as ribbons in the landscape that lead your eye forward to the unknown or perhaps back to home.

Shelburne Farms- early evening (2)

2010-09-13T19:46:00.002-04:00

Shelburne Farms- early evening (2)

Oil on panel

6.5"x8.5"

SOLD

Here's another version of a painting I've posted before. My goal this time was to paint it as simply and abstractly as possible with broad strokes, minimum detail, and strong colors. I ended up painting the sky a few times and adjusted the green in the foreground but otherwise left it as it first developed.

Vermont farm scene

2010-09-09T20:47:00.003-04:00

Vermont farm scene
Oil on stretched canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

I started this painting a while ago but it hung on my studio wall untouched for over a year. Then this morning I suddenly saw how to finish it and it only took a few minutes to wrap it up. I like its rough, unfinished quality, the play of light in the sky, and the simple geometric composition.

Summer fields

2010-08-23T19:35:00.005-04:00

Summer fields

Oil on panel

6.25"x8.5"x2"

I love the bold colors and geometric patterns of Vermont fields in summer. I exaggerated the colors to emphasize the vividness of the Vermont landscape in all its glory.

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Shelburne Farms- early evening

2010-08-16T22:22:00.005-04:00

spgoodman31@google.com

Shelburne Farms- early evening

Oil on panel
6.25"x8.375"

Every summer for more than 35 years Shelburne Farms has played host to the Mozart Festival here in Vermont. It's a chance to hear great music in one of the most beautiful spots in the world. I loved this long view over a sloping lawn to the lake in the background and the curving road on the right.

This is one of my favorite types of paintings... loose, gestural with just enough detail to ground it. It's really just a study and proudly so. The whole trick is knowing when to stop.

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Italian wheat field

2010-08-12T08:44:00.004-04:00

Italian wheat field (view from a train)

Oil on panel
7"x10"x2"

When I was in Italy we took a high speed train from Vicenza to Rome. I loved watching the landscape speed by and took photographs out the window. With this piece, I tried to capture the fleeting nature of movement. Thinned out washes and blurred edges contribute to the effect.

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Along the Adriatic (2)

2010-07-28T13:13:00.006-04:00

Along the Adriatic (2)
Oil on panel
8"x8"

Here's a second version of the previous painting. I was happy with that one but wanted to give it one more try, going for more spontaneous brushwork and hightenned color. Sometimes I have to paint a subject many times before I know it well enough to paint freely. Anyone have a preference between the two?

$150 plus $10 shipping/handling

Along the Adriatic

2010-07-15T20:27:00.001-04:00

Along the Adriatic
Oil on gessobord
8"x8"

I recently spent a week on vacation on the island of Brac in Croatia. I was expecting a lush landscape with gentle hills and valleys. Instead, it turned out to be hilly, rocky, dry, and windswept... with a harsh beauty all its own. For reasons I don't quite understand, it took a whole lot of painting to get this piece to a point where I'm comfortable showing it. I started it (and finished it) at least five times before deciding I was finally done.

$150 plus $10 shipping and handling

Shelburne Farms #2

2010-07-05T20:06:00.005-04:00

Shelburne Farms #2

Oil on panel

7"x10"x2"
SOLD

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted but I was away on vacation for a couple of weeks in Italy and Croatia. I took a lot of pictures and hopefully will be turning them into paintings soon. I started this one before the vacation and finished it up when I got back.

Shelburne Farms road

2010-06-08T21:28:00.003-04:00

Shelburne Farms road

Oil on panel

7"x10"x2"

One of my favorite places in Vermont is Shelburne Farms. Originally the estate of William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb, it is now "a membership-supported, nonprofit environmental education center and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont." It has to be one of the most beautiful working farms in all of Vermont. With this painting, I used light washes of color to create a spontaneous feeling and did very little reworking.

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Open road

2010-06-02T21:25:00.007-04:00

Open road

Oil on panel

7"x10"x2"

SOLD

Some paintings fight you every step of the way. Others grab you by the arm and pull you along, whether you're ready to follow or not. That was the case with this one. If you ask me how long it took to paint it, I'd have to say a couple of hours and more than three years and countless hours of frustration, mistakes, and wipeouts. I left the paint fairly thin, partially because I liked the zig-zag brushstrokes of the road and partially because I didn't think I could improve it with thicker paint. I did add a couple of coats of glossy varnish to give it a glass-like finish.

Driving home - evening

2010-05-26T22:12:00.003-04:00

Driving home - evening
Oil on linen panel
7"x7"
SOLD

I initially chose this subject because of the wide range of values it offered but as I worked I became more intrigued by the mystery of the twilight hour on an open road. The trees began to take on a life of their own and in the distance the last of the fading light appeared on the horizon.

Crossing the road

2010-05-13T19:52:00.003-04:00

Crossing the road

Oil on cradled panel

7"x10"x2"

SOLD

Another of my road series. I was initially drawn to the shadow of the telephone pole in the middle of the road but as I worked I became more interested in setting up pulses of light that could streak across the surface of the painting and across the road.

Bend in the road

2010-05-09T22:47:00.003-04:00

Bend in the road
Oil on masonite
7"x11.75"
SOLD

I never get tired of driving the backroads of Vermont. I love the combination of elements... the farmland and forest, the mountains and valleys, the wilderness areas and the cultivated fields. And let's not forget the constantly changing weather.

Morning- river

2010-05-01T19:25:00.002-04:00

Morning- river
Oil on cradled panel
8"x8"x.75"
SOLD

If people ask for painting tips (and only if they ask) I always tell them to use the largest brush possible to get the job done. Nothing new there but the operative word is "possible." With this painting I used smaller brushes than usual because I wanted to get a more impressionistic, broken stroke look. What I like about the end result is that the scene goes back in space while at the same time the surface has a certain tension. I'm not sure how to explain it but I like an image that feels stretched tight like a drum. Anyone have a better way of saying this?

April storm

2010-04-29T21:16:00.001-04:00

April storm

Oil on cradled panel

6"x6"x.75"

A couple of days ago Vermonters awoke to a freak snowstorm. Trees snapped, power went out, and the snow piled up, much to the dismay of most of us. To mark the the storms's unpredictable nature, I dashed off this landscape painting, attempting to be as spontaneous on the canvas as the weather was outside.

Sedona #5

2010-04-26T05:27:00.003-04:00

Sedona #5
Oil on panel
7"x7"

I'm constantly trying to find the right balance between abstraction and representation and with this one I think I found it. Up close the brushstrokes have a life of their own. Step back and they blend into the scene. Sometimes you get lucky.

Sedona series #4

2010-04-21T20:19:00.000-04:00

Sedona series #4

Oil on panel

7"x7"

I recently read Mark Christopher Weber's book, "Brushwork Essentials." It's packed with helpful hints about "how to render expressive forms and textures with every stroke." But for me the real take home message was to treat your brushes with tender loving care. Handle them carefully, clean them after using them and shape them to dry. They are your surgical instruments, to be kept sharp and in perfect condition. In short, treat them in exactly the opposite way in which I actually treat my brushes. But I have seen the light and I am a new man. From now on I'll clean my brushes after every use instead of neglecting them for weeks and weeks. I will gently caress them back into their original shape instead of jamming them into a coffee can packed with other abused brushes. I will treat them with the love and respect they deserve. And in return, I hope they will sing for me.

$135 plus $10 shipping and handling

Sedona series #3

2010-04-12T21:26:00.003-04:00

Sedona series #3

Oil on panel

7"x7"

SOLD

After praising the dazzling colors of the Sedona landscape I decided it was time to come back to earth and do a more restrained version of the previous painting. Here the paint is thinner, the colors more muted, and the brushstrokes are more delicately rendered. It's a much quieter painting but it has an inner strength I like. I'd love to hear whether you prefer this one or the previous version. Feel free to comment.

Sedona series #2

2010-04-09T06:49:00.001-04:00

Sedona series #2
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

Living in the east, the skies out west seem unbelievably blue. That blue, along with the green foliage and red rocks of Sedona left me with a strong impression of a heightened reality, a landscape too vivid to be true. I may have exaggerated the colors in this painting but please forgive me, I was dazzled by what I saw.

New Workshop!

2010-04-01T09:45:00.004-04:00

I am very excited to announce my new workshop, Surface and Space. Designed for novice to intermediate artists, it will begin with the basics of representational painting and lead the participant to more advanced techniques. The emphasis will be on studio work, painting still life from direct observation and using photographs as reference material for landscapes.

Starting with an introduction to the fundamentals of representational painting: strong drawing skills, composition, color, value, and edges, we'll then advance to working in a loose, painterly style, paying special attention to expressive brushwork while maintaining descriptive detail. We'll also explore the interplay between the surface of a painting and the representational space depicted. The end result will be a deeper understanding of your own visual language within the context of representational painting.

This workshop will consist of demos, short exercises, gentle group critiques, and plenty of free time to paint with personal attention from the instructor. Participants should bring photos to use as source material as well as a digital camera to capture Sedona's stunning setting.

SCHEDULE
Sedona Art Center, September 26-30, 2011

Sedona series #1

2010-03-29T05:58:00.009-04:00

Sedona series #1

Oil on canvas

8"x8"

I spent five days in Sedona, AZ a few weeks ago. The first three days it rained and SNOWED, something very unusual according to the locals. But the last two days the sun came out and we were treated to some of the most beautiful hiking conditions I've ever experienced. I don't know much about vortexes and auras but I tried to fill this painting with the magic and energy of the Sedona landscape. While working on this piece I kept telling myself, "Don't paint the landscape, paint your reaction to the landscape."

Open field by a pond

2010-03-03T20:07:00.003-05:00

Open field by a pond

Oil on panel

6"x6"

With this one I wanted to return to the more abstract, flowing brushwork of some of my earlier pieces. I used bigger brushes to avoid details and squinted a lot when looking at the subject. One thing I especially like is that it feels like a companion piece to this one.

After giving it a rest for awhile I decided to touch it up with some oil pastels. I especially like the way the edges dissolve into each other.
$125 plus $10 shipping and handling

Water lily

2010-03-01T18:42:00.002-05:00

Water lily
Oil on panel
7"x7"

A simple water lily, a subject I definitely wouldn’t have attempted when I was younger. I would have considered it too trite, too superficial, too shallow, too accessible, too regressive. In a word, not serious enough. But as I get older I find that I cling more and more to the quiet moments of beauty one finds in nature and the serenity they provide. Or maybe I’m just more willing to share my appreciation with others.

$135 plus $10 shipping/handling

Winter light through trees

2010-02-19T19:40:00.003-05:00

Winter light through trees

Oil on panel

7"x7"

As an artist, how do you know when a painting is finished? For me, it's when I can't think of anything else to do to improve it, short of starting over. That's not to say that I'm always satisfied with the finished piece, just that I've run out of options from my bag of tricks.

The inital goal with this one was to capture the effect of light filtered through trees. I thought I was finished several times, only to go back and rework it. Each time I tended to simplify the complex patterns of shadows, making the scene more comprehensible but also flatter and simpler. I think I've gone as far as I can in that direction but don't be surprised if I paint this scene again. There is so much to learn.

Snow covered trail

2010-02-04T19:59:00.011-05:00

Snow covered trail

Oil on panel

7"x7"

SOLD

Another sun dappled path. Makes me wonder if I'm trying to paint myself to a different place, subconciously wishing to change my present path in life. In any case, I experimented with using different colors to convey values, especially with the blueish purple area in the lower right hand corner.

The Causeway

2010-01-24T19:23:00.006-05:00

The Causeway

Oil on panel

7"x7"
SOLD

After these dark days in Haiti I wanted to do a painting filled with light and hope. We never know what the future has in store for us and the path is unclear but I like to think that there will be moments of grace and clarity, patches of sunlight amidst the shadows.

The Causeway Park Rail Trail here in Vermont is an old railroad line that has been converted into a bike path. It extends into Lake Champlain for about three miles, going through woods before narrowing into a gravel path on a man-made jetty, a ride you shouldn't miss if you're in the area.

Benefit Sale for Haiti!

2010-01-19T17:03:00.005-05:00

Early snow
Oil on panel
7"x7"
SOLD

100% of Proceeds to Be
Donated to Benefit Haiti

At this point, all of us have seen the horrendous scenes from Haiti and heard the heartbreaking stories of the victims. Like many of you, I've donated to the cause but I was left wondering what else I could do. After some thought, I've decided to donate 100% of the proceeds of this painting to an organization recommended by someone I trust. The name of the institution is Fonkoze and this description comes from their website...

Fonkoze is Haiti’s Alternative Bank for the Organized Poor. We are the largest micro-finance institution offering a full range of financial services to the rural-based poor in Haiti. Fonkoze is committed to the economic and social improvement of the people and communities of Haiti and to the reduction of poverty in the country.

Purchase this painting and you won't just get a nice painting, you'll also get the good feelings associated with knowing that you have done a good deed.

So that there's no doubt of my intentions, I'll email you a receipt showing the donation date and amount.

Open field- 6:36 pm

2010-01-06T09:16:00.000-05:00

Open field- 6:36 pm

Oil and pastel on panel

6"x12"

Another one from my show last summer. Here I was trying to capture a particular time of day, with sunlight slicing through a field just below the horizon line. I was on my bicycle when I first saw the scene and I tried to paint it with the same sense of motion one gets when riding. The linear elements add movement and excitement to the surface.

$250 plus $10 s/h

Bennington

2009-12-28T15:58:00.002-05:00

Bennington
Oil on panel
6"x6"
SOLD

As the year draws to a close I want to thank all of you for your support this past year and wish you a great new year. I know it's been a tough year for many of you and I sincerely hope that 2010 turns out to be a lot better. And to all you artists out there, happy painting!

Dead Creek: reflection

2009-12-21T20:52:00.004-05:00

Dead Creek: reflection

Oil on canvas

8"x8"
SOLD

The challenge with this one was to keep it interesting despite the fairly monochromatic color scheme and symmetrical composition. To do that I varied the shades of greens, balanced abstract strokes with more descriptive ones and created surface tension at the bottom of the image by showing the white of the canvas. I worked from a photo I took but the general look and feel owes a lot to the work of Peter Hoffer, one of my favorite landscape painters.

Snowy fields

2009-12-16T16:33:00.001-05:00

Snowy fields
Acrylic on canvas
8"x8"

This is one of the more abstract pieces I've posted so far. It started as a quick wash to prepare the canvas surface but when I took a look at it after it dried it reminded me of fields in a snow storm and I decided it was finished. Basic advice to every beginning painter is to squint when looking at the subject you're painting but with this one it helps to squint while looking at it and imagine the fields in front of you and the snow flying all around you.

Road with cone

2009-12-13T18:25:00.002-05:00

Road with cone
Acrylic on panel
8"x8"
SOLD

If you look at the last five or six posts you'll see a wide variety of abstraction, mainly due to the size of the brushes that I used. It's fairly simple, the larger the brush, the less detail. But even with smaller brushstrokes some serve to describe the subject and others exist on the picture plane, a sort of decoration or ornament to the main subject. Working small allows me to explore these issues with the end goal being a consistent style but knowing how I work, how I swing from one challenge to another, I suspect it will be a while before I can say I have anything like a consistent approach. And anyway, how important is it to be consistent? I think it's more important to be learning, to be growing, rather than just doing what's worked in the past.

Dead Creek at dusk

2009-12-09T14:55:00.004-05:00

Dead Creek at dusk
Oil on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area is a bit south of Burlington, Vt and in the summer parts of it are accessible to kayakers. According to Audubon Vermont, "In winter Dead Creek hosts resident and northern raptors including Snowy and Short-eared Owls, Peregrine and Gyrfalcon, Bald Ealges, Northern Harriers, Rough-legged hawks and mixed flocks of Snow Buntings, Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs. In summer the marsh supports populations of waterfowl, rails, waders, and representative songbirds. The grasslands support Grasshopper Sparrows and Upland Sandpipers."

I took reference photos one morning this summer while kayaking but ended up turning the final painting into an evening scene.

Colorado Trail #2

2009-12-06T16:38:00.003-05:00

Colorado trail #2
Oil on panel
7"x7"
SOLD

I post this one with apologies to someone who will recognize herself but who shall go unnamed. I was showing her some of my new work recently and she liked them all, saying all the right things until I revealed the last one. Turning to me quickly, she said, "You know how I feel about pink."
"No," I replied. "How do you feel about pink?"
"I don't like it!" was her instant answer.

Well, I'm not sure I'd call the foreground in this one pink although some people might think so. I prefer to call it coral.

Heading east

2009-12-02T11:10:00.001-05:00

Heading east
Oil on cradled panel
8"x8"

Another one from my summer show. When I did it I thought about calling it "the road to perdition" because I was taking my son to his summer job as trail crew in the White Mountains when I snapped the photo. But one man’s hell is another man’s heaven and he seemed to enjoy his summer in New Hampshire. Or so I gather from what he's revealed of his adventures.

Colorado trail #3

2009-11-28T21:38:00.006-05:00

Colorado trail #3

Oil on panel

7"x7"

SOLD

Another in my Colorado series. I've already posted this one on my Facebook page so apologies if you've already seen it. I'm working on a larger version (14"x14") which I'll post soon.

Colorado trail #1

2009-11-22T16:38:00.004-05:00

Colorado trail #1

Oil on panel

7"x7"

SOLD

Another in my Colorado series. I believe we were hiking near Crested Butte on a trail off Gothic Road. We had intended to hike to a lake but after almost two hours we realized we weren't even half way there so we gave up and turned around. The leaves were turning and the Aspens were a beautiful shade of yellow.

Mid-day barn

2009-11-19T09:38:00.001-05:00

Mid-day barn
Acrylic on panel
8"x8"
SOLD

Here's another one from my 81 Days show. If you are interested in a painting from the show, drop me a line and I'll let you know if it's still available. The show is over now but I'll continue to post paintings from it so you'll know what I was up to for the almost five months that I didn't post here.

This is one of those paintings that came together quickly with little revision. I liked its simplicity and geometry. Looking at it now, it almost has a textile feel, like it was sewn from fabric.

Frozen river

2009-11-16T15:03:00.002-05:00

Frozen river
Acrylic on linen panel
8"x8"
SOLD

Working on this piece, I was exploring the balance between marks on the surface and descriptive marks (or brushstrokes) at the service of the content. Another way to look at it... you're looking out the window at a scene. Some of the brushstrokes depict the scene in the distance while other strokes are on the window glass, sitting on the two dimensional plane. For me, finding the right balance between the two sets of marks is what makes a painting really sing.

By the woods

2009-11-11T10:30:00.001-05:00

By the woods
Acrylic on canvas
8"x8"
SOLD

This one is a bit more abstract than some of my previous posts but I like it because of the surface tension... the marks, drips, and broad flat areas. I can't explain it very well but I often like a painting where the surface feels tight, like the surface of a drum. For me, this painting works because it depicts three dimensional space while remaining true to its two dimension nature.