Swisher Painting Prog.

Here's kinda the progression of the previous Swisher portrait post. A LOT of in between playing/searching steps are missing. That's what I like about painting in acrylic, it allows changes within minutes. No scraping or long dry times like oils. Shorter blending time, but that doesn't bother me.

Christmas Present to Oakland A's Outfielder Nick Swisher

Last year, I was commissioned to do a portrait of San Francisco Giant's pitcher Barry Zito (at that time, he was finishing his contract with the A's). It now hangs in his home. This year, the same publicist hired me to paint a portrait of Nick Swisher of the Oakland Athletics. He will get it this Friday before he travels to Western Virginia for the Holidays.
16"x20" acrylic on stretched canvas.

Getting On The Wagon

I sure am posting on my blog quite frequently of late. Am I getting a tad compulsive? I'm putting myself on the wagon until my next commission is completed! I started my blog in June of this year with a watercolor of Barry Zito who pitches for the San Francisco Giants. It was commissioned by his PR person. She had it beautifully framed ( painted on a full water color sheet- 22"x 30") and gave it to Mr. Z for a Christmas present. This year she has commissioned me to do another Holiday portrait for another of her clients, Nick Swisher, of the Oakland A's. Except this time, I'm doing an acrylic painting. I've got to get it done in a hurry before the fat man comes to town! So the next blog will be highlighting a Nick Swisher acrylic. Now it's time to get off the damn blog and onto that beautiful easel! Bye Bye.

David's@Paul's Jolly Green Giants

In my Dec.1 post, I wrote about how I was inspired to paint a helicopter (nicknamed "jolly Green Giant" during the Vietnam war era), simply because of an earlier and exquisite pencil sketch my good friend Paul Bianchini had rendered. Speaking of "green", one might say that when I saw his sketch, I was GREEN with envy! Anyway, here is my acrylic and his pencil. Kinda interesting seeing something rendered by two different people in two different mediums.

Dorian Grey In Reverse

This artist is aging, and he's not going to take it anymore! My birthday is Feb.1. When that day comes around this 2008, I'm going to DELETE one year off my age. Instead of being 61, I'll be 60! In another 50 years, I'll look close to my childhood photo. An idea (for us baby boomers) whose time has come!
OK,OK... enough tom foolery (that's how we aging boomers talk), the next post will bespeak (that's how we aging boomers talk) to art issues again.
Yes, I had braces put on my protruding teeth during my teens. I'll have them put on again and then taken off as I travel back to my miss spent youth. Reverse time travel can be complicated.

Good, Good Pals

Here I am with my good, good pal Barry Zito, pro ball player and winner of the Cy Young award! Notice his portrait in the background. DON'T notice my pot belly. DO notice the "Have You Hurled Today" on my T-shirt ( the word "hurl" is in reference to hurling a stone with a medievil siege machine called a Trebuchet. Maybe I'll save an explanation for a future blog). Barry makes millions of dollars a year. I make diddly squat a year! But if I practice as hard at throwing a baseball as I practice painting paintings, well, who knows? There may even be a "signing bonus" in my future.

My Good Buddies

The Maloof brothers own the Sacramento Kings (GO KINGS!). During the 2000/2001 season, they commissioned me to do their annual art print that is send out at the end of the season to all their season ticket holders. During the playoffs at Arco Arena, I went upstairs to the exec. offices to meet them. All of a sudden, the MBA commissioner walks in for a photo op. I'm left in the dust! One of the photographers says to me "why don't you get in the picture". Bless his little Fstop heart! Really looks like I'm buddy, buddy with the boys. Had to number and sign about 7000 prints. My good friend (and REAL buddy), Paul Bianchini (see previous post), helped me in this arduous task. He numbered, and I scrawled out my John Handcock. We started with 1/7000 plus sig. until we ended with 7000/7000 plus sig. Took about 3 days working about 2-3 hrs. a day! I added an extra $1000 to number and sign all those buggers. I'm posting this, because I can't figure out how to add a photo of me to my blog profile. Anyone out there know an EASY WAY to do this?