Fine Art Blog
Mountain Majesty Demo
Mountain Majesty, 16 x 20" oil on canvas, framed by the artist Here's the latest demo from a really fun painting party. I worked on it after everyone left, experimenting with some crazy colors to create a bit more vibration. I may have gone too far with crazy color,...
Double-Speak
Fight for Peace! There is an insane culture of Double-speak in this country. Following is by no means a complete list: We must . . . tolerate others’ intolerance. protect our freedom by curtailing others’ freedoms. protect our right to impede others’ rights. execute...
Folly Beach Floral Demo
Painting a Beach Demo Last night was another magical painting party. Cate and I are becoming quite a team, getting great results from people who've never picked up a paint brush. Everybody's having a great time and going home with something they are proud to hang in...
Why, oh Why do we do it?
Sometimes we wonder why we make art, against all odds. We fail. We fail to connect. We fail to see. We fail to be seen. Even our triumphs seem so short-lived. It seems so meaningless, so empty. We feel like giving up. Others do what we do so much better, so much...
Portrait Portrait
A Tale of Two Portraits "Great defect leads to great affect." unknown One of the things I enjoy most about teaching portrait workshops is that even though we are all working with the same method, the same palette, sometimes even the same POV, the paintings always turn...
Three Muses Demo
A step by step Process combing figure painting with landscape For those of you wanting to know more about alla prima methods and value based painting, here is a little demo of my most recent painting, "The Three Muses." This is the finished work is sold, but...
Progress
When nations grow old the Arts grow cold And commerce settles on every tree. William Blake Is this not happening right now? As individuality is being absorbed by the corporate behemoth, we find ourselves wondering why society is becoming more cynical, rather than...
Going to the Dogs
Finn has his day in the sun Another Holiday portrait gift, this time to the sister of her favorite friend, Finn. I always enjoy painting animals, to capture their personality and energy in paint is kind of a miracle. I love it when my sitter's caretaker says, "Yes,...
The Gift of Love
Portrait Capture's Morgan's Exuberance Just before Christmas, 2013, Morgan was presented with a very special gift. Her childhood will be remembered not only by her mom and dad, who treasured her enough to have an oil portrait, but by her children and her children's...
Being in the Zone vs. Zoning Out
If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness. Les Brown Being in the Zone The term is used quite loosely to express that feeling of freedom, when time seems to stop and we do...
Maniscalco Gallery on Facebook
The grand arbiter of taste, who definitely would not recognize a Van Gogh if it hit them in the face. Apologies to all those who've awarded me over the years, and to those who didn't. One reason I detest authority. When I've played the role of juror, I always feel it necessary to write about each of the works, something kind and something to work on. I see the role of juror is not to judge, but uplift and encourage people who've put their heart and soul on the line.i usually pick the piece most reasonable people would agree is award worthy. I think contests should be there to support deep study and commitment to the purpose of art, which is to open our eyes to something heretofore unseen. It is the jurors job to see the artists' work, so the artists know they have been seen. ...
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Evil's Place, another collaboration with Nick Cerrato. I know you can't zoom in on insta so I will tell you God is pressing the devil into his place, while multiple figures reacts to the battle of good vs evil. NFS ...
Brando as Col. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, from an iconic photo, just for fun. ...
What is talent? ...
Do check out this podcast. There may be just what you need to hear right now. ...
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This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.