Over the years I have painted over 75 paintings of Pittsburgh and the surrounding area. What you may not know is that before I started painting Pittsburgh, my first love was painting portraits. There’s so much to love about being a portraitist. I love the challenge of bringing the subject’s personality to life in the painting… the connection with the family… and furry friends are also a lot of fun to paint! I enjoy every step of the process, from the pencil sketches and charcoal to painting with rich, vibrant pastels. This year, I made the decision to begin accepting…

The New Pittsburgh Collection “The Grand View of Pittsburgh” “Ice Ball Treats with Gus and YiaYia” “Sharing the Season at Market Square” The New Kennywood Collection “Laughing through Kennywood’s Le Cachot” “Riding Kennywood’s Auto Race and Train” “The Phantom of Lost Kennywood” There’s a chill in the air this week, and you know what that means… the holidays are coming! This year’s new pewter Christmas ornaments are in from Wendell August Forge, and they look fantastic! It’s hard to believe it’s been five years since I partnered with the Forge to create handmade, uniquely crafted ornaments of my Pittsburgh and…

I was surprised and pleased to see how many of my readers had guesses about the last-minute changes I made on my latest painting, “Winter’s Glow on Grant Street,”. The answers may not be what you expected! The first change I made is that I “turned off the lights” on the second floor of the City-County Building. I felt that the lights drew the viewer’s eye away from the Courthouse, and because the painting is really all about the 125th anniversary of this remarkable building, I decided to exercise a little “artistic license!” Number Two: The streetcars. The painting is…

It really took a lot of concentration and hard work, but I have good news for you today! I just put down my last pastel stick and signed my new painting with a charcoal pencil, and tomorrow “Winter’s Glow on Grant Street” goes off to the printer. For the last several days, I’ve spent just about every waking minute in my studio putting the finishing touches on this painting, the latest in my Pittsburgh collection. And one of the things I’ve enjoyed the most in the creative process is having you with me throughout its evolution. If you’re a true…