I'm not sure what has happened, but this last week I've been selling paintings like crazy.  Through McCormick Gallery, we have sold 5 paintings and lined up a commission piece.  My paintings typically don't sell this quickly, especially when they are not in a solo show.  My guess is the exposure from Expo Chicago at Navy Pier last weekend might have given my work a boost in popularity.  

I attended the Expo last Sunday and was overwhelmed at the amount of art displayed.  There was almost too much to see.  Interestingly enough, there was definitely a lack of paintings similar to mine.  The Expo did have some very good examples of realism, but nothing that would fit into the trompe l'oeil category.  I know I'm not the only artist who paints like this, so where are they?  

Anyway, I'm trying to stay humble in this post, but I will say, it feels good to sell.  At this point I have to start reserving paintings for my next solo show at McCormick Gallery which will be in November 2016.  It sounds far away, but detail is very time consuming and I'm beginning to worry about having enough work to display. 

Say goodbye to...   

I want to thank ReproRations for their kind words as well as displaying my recent painting "WWII Rations" on their website.  The site is owned by Disabled American Veterans and they recreate excellent reproductions of military rations.  It's an honor for me to show my painting on their home page.  As you may already know, this is where I found both the idea and items for the painting.   Click the image below to view the site.

It's finally complete!  I began planning for this piece back in February and it has taken 4 solid months of painting to render all the detail. 

These rations are some of the items that servicemen would have received during WWII.  This particular group of rations would be considered a "Smoker's Dinner Unit" because of the addition of the small 4 - pack of cigarettes.  The off labeled "Pork Luncheon Meat" produced by Hormel Foods is indeed re- labeled Spam.  It's probably not the most nutritious meal, but it's what they had in the 1940's.