Silver Lining 3

I saw another amazing silver lining cloud. This will make the third in my portfolio. I was leaving my allergist's office on Wednesday evening and was driving through the parking lot. I saw this and parked the car again and got out with my camera. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. 

Chadds Ford Days Wrap-Up

Well, after being rained out on Saturday (thanks to Tropical Depression Hanna), we finally made it out to the show on Sunday. It was a seriously cool, but humbling experience. It was a beautiful day. We had a great spot, my setup looked great as you can see in the attached pics.

The humbling part was to be in the presence of so many highly talented artists. There were all types and sizes and styles. It was an impressive display of talent. In a way, I think it was artistic overload. There was so much to see and take in, that I don't know how any one patron could focus on any one artist. Only a few artists seemed to be selling alot of work. I didn't sell barely anything. I sold 1 4x6 print, and 1 5x7 print for a whopping $20. Thankfully I wasn't really there for the profit. I didn't win any of the awards, either. The folks that won were very deserving. Their work was amazing.

But I take solace in the fact that I was there. I showed at Chadds Ford. I got to sit there in my booth all day long and talk to strangers about my art. I got to listen to live music and enjoy the sunshine all day long. I got to meet new people. I got to hand out dozens of business cards. I was there. It really was a great day. I can't wait to go again next year!

Getting Ready

I haven't posted in a long time, so I'm here now to rectify that mistake.  Tonight is the night before the night before my big break. On Saturday, I'm competing in the Chadds Ford Days Art Show, and I couldn't be more excited. I'll post some things from the show and, of course, some pictures of the goings-on down there. Stay tuned!

Let it Snow

We had our first (and hopefully only) major snowstorm here last week. The day started with a 5:30 a.m. call from the school letting me know that my daughter's class was cancelled for the day. I went outside in the snow around 7 a.m. to walk the dog and when he was through, I came back in and got my camera and went back out. I knew that there was a nice spot on French Creek just behind our home, and I wanted to hike down there and see what there was to see down there. Boy was I surprised! Not only did I find an amazing view of French Creek, but I also found this amazing old railroad tressle. Well, see for yourself:

Winter Doldrums

A few weeks ago, on a cold weekday morning, the alarm clock jarred me from a sound sleep. I usually wake up on my own just before the alarm, and on this particular day it was probably the 5th time in a row that I had been really sound asleep at 6:10 a.m. And in all of those cases, I was asleep before 10 p.m. the night before. I realized on that day, that I was having a case of Winter Blahs. Winter in Pennsylvania can be more than a little depressing. Not only was it making me want to sleep all the time, but I realized that it was making my artwork suffer as well. I hadn't even bothered taking my camera with me anywhere lately. So my wife and I decided to do something about it. We decided to take a nice day trip to Longwood Gardens. If you are unfamilar with Longwood, it's a slice of botanical heaven on earth. On a huge property left to the community by the DuPont family now sits acres of gardens, fountains, and a huge conservatory filled with eternal springtime. I remember always going as a child. My parents would take us in the winter time, and inside it's warm, the grass is green and there is always some sort of flower in bloom. It's an amazing place. And today, since its so close to Valentine's Day, they had some special romantic type events. They had a strolling violinist, 2 piano concerts, and a cooking class/demonstration. After a few hours in the warmth I felt absolutely recharged. And, of course, I dusted off my camera and snapped almost 200 shots.

First Show a Success

I had my first show yesterday at Barleysheaf Players annual art and craft fair. It was a 6-hour event, and in that time I sold 7 prints of various sizes. Not bad at all for my first time out. Everyone who stopped by had very nice things to say about my work. I was so happy to be able to talk with everyone. It's amazing how a picture can spark a conversation with a stranger. Many folks stopped to share their own travel stories, or had something to say about a particular piece. It was so rewarding and gratifying as an artist to see my work connect with so many people. I truly appreciate the support of everyone who purchased a print of mine yesterday. I hope it brings you many years of enjoyment.

Ellis Island

My wife graduated from Cabrini College in Radnor, PA. Last month they celebrated their 50th Anniversary. To celebrate, we were invited to a black-tie event hosted on Ellis Island in New York to honor their patron Saint, Francesca Cabrini, the first immigrant saint. It was a marvelous night. It was my first visit ever to Ellis Island, and the first time I ever laid eyes on the Statue of Liberty.


Although it may sound boring, I found one of the most interesting parts of the evening waiting in line to go through security and board our private ferry to the island. There were so many sights to see, and we were there right as the sun was starting to set. The lights being cast around were breathtaking, and to be in the presence of such rich American history... well, you do the math. What came out were some amazing photos. Including the one I've chosen as the header for this Blog (which I also use on my business cards now).


Here are a few of the pictures I took: