Winter Lace

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.  Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."  -Andrew Wyeth

This painting is 7" X 5" oil on canvas panel. Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

Charm City Warehouse

"Trade isn't about goods. Trade is about information. Goods sit in the warehouse until information moves them."  - C. J. Cherryh 

This painting is 6 x 8 oil on canvas panel. Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

I'm not sure what it is but I still get excited when my car's odometer clicks over every 100,000 miles. My 2005 Toyota Prius has now allowed me to enjoy that excitement twice. My Cadillac didn't quite make it and my Sebring was close at 197,000. Here's to you, Prius! Onward & upward to 300,000 miles.

January 2011

August 2008

I received my jurors' comments from my 2011 Delaware Arts Council grant decision today. Sadly, no grant, but I did get great comments and valuable feedback. I always love to know how people are responding to my work. Below are the comments...

- You are beginning to achieve the "poetic" quality you wrote about in your artist statement - especially in "House By The Road"


- Consider making some sustained, ambitions and larger paintings from observation, or in the studio from studies done on site.

Bldg. 16

"When it snows, you have two choices:  shovel or make snow angels."  

- Author Unknown

This painting is 7 x 5 oil on canvas panel Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

Pablo, our newest dog, is adapting to his surroundings. He's got a bit of separation anxiety so when we're out of sight he starts chewing and barking. We had to drive down to Rehoboth Beach on Saturday so when we came home, DISASTER! Cardboard & newspaper were all over. I also suspect he didn't have toys as a puppy so his bone just sits there untouched. He's learning. Yesterday was his 1st birthday so Pedro and Pablo celebrated, and by celebrated I mean they didn't try to attack each other.

Pedro & Pablo

Toys in the living room.

Birthday Boy

Snowy Sidewalk

 "A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water." -Carl Reiner

This painting is 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel. Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

Driving, Planning, Playing

This weekend is turning into a busy one. I'm driving to Lancaster, PA to pick up my painting The Neighbors' Boat from the LCAA and I'm considering dropping off another. Next week I have to pick up a painting from Rehoboth Beach, DE. My wife and I have been trying to nail down the 2011 show schedule. The current schedule is here but it will probably change during the course of the next two months. I've been so busy lately I haven't actually had much time to paint. I did, however, have time to play with this word cloud generation site. I analyzed the blog and came up with this...

Direct Mail

“If a fellow wants to be a nobody in the business world, let him neglect sending the mail man to somebody on his behalf.” - Charles F. Kettering

This painting is 7 x 5 oil on canvas panel. Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

When I woke up this morning I heard them, a yawn-like howl and a series of sneezes. Illness? No. The Ranney studio now has two long-haired Chihuahuas clamoring for attention and running us around like we're the pets. It was Daralynn's birthday on the 1st so I helped her bring her dream of having a Chihuahua gang to reality.

Pedro, our oldest dog, has been taught to sneeze on command. He's so good at it that if you're ignoring him (or painting) he'll sneeze until you give him attention. I know, it's adorable. Pablo, our newest dog, opens wide and yawns for attention. They don't play yet but today they sniffed at each other without showing their teeth. Progress and success with dogs, like with art, comes with patience and hard work.

Pedro

Pablo

Say cheese!

Playing in the Dark

“The world is a playground, and life is pushing my swing.” 

- Natalie Kocsis

This painting is 7 x 5 oil on canvas panel. Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

Colorful Sunset

 "As the sun colors flowers, so does art color life.” -John Lubbock

This painting is 8 x 6 oil on canvas panel.  Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

Closed Sunday

"Learn to love your work and you'll never have to 'work' again."
- S. Truett Cathy

This painting is 7" x 5" oil on canvas panel.
I have other paintings for sale, click here to see what's available.

This painting was a commission that I finished in August. I knew it was a Christmas present so I decided to keep it under wraps until I thought it was safe to reveal. The person that received this painting, I was told, loves the fact that Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays so that it's employees are able to spend some time with their families.

We celebrated with a little Chick-fil-A Christmas of our own. This is a few of the shots of us fooling around and enjoying the day.

Daralynn excited about Chick-fil-A Christmas!

Peaking at the nuggets.

Caught in the act of sneaking some cheese and crackers. I WAS FRAMED!

Festive Lights

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. - Chinese Proverb

This house in not to far from me here in Bear, DE. The house has become an annual attraction and has gained the attention of Christmas light seekers for years. The amazing thing, besides the amount of planning and work that I'm sure goes into it, is the electric bill. $82,000 per month. PER MONTH!!

I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday, whichever one you celebrate (or even none at all!). 

This painting is 8" x 6" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you'd like to buy this painting.

The Tree in the Backyard

“There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast.” - Charles Dickens

If you're thinking that this house looks familiar it's because I've painted it before. The tree in the backyard creates some amazing drama in both the evening and morning. During the summer a couple asked me where I lived and they were surprised that I lived in such a small suburban Delaware town. They commented "Bear doesn't seem like it would be an artist's hot spot." My response? "Beauty is found where you choose to look."

This painting is 8" x 6" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this piece.

Cleaning Up

I'm cleaning up before Saturday so I decided to get my brushes in order. I'm not exactly great at woodworking but I love to do it whenever I get the chance. I had some bird's eye maple leftover from the perpetual calendar I made last year and used it to hold the brushes I use most often. All it took was a few holes, a quick scribble with my Dremel, some Danish oil, wax and *voila* a brush holder was born. Now, to clean up the rest of the studio...

Waterfall

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight." 

- Benjamin Franklin

This painting is 14" x 10" oil on hardboard.
This was a commission so it is not available but prints may be available upon request.

Kiss Me

“Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other.” - Rene Yasenek

This painting is 8" x 6" oil on canvas panel.

Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

Threesome

"I'll try anything once, twice if I like it, three times to make sure." - Mae West

This painting is 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

Parting Ways

“In art and dream may you proceed with abandon. In life may you proceed with balance and stealth.” 

- Patti Smith

This painting is 8" x 6" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

I don't make it a secret that I use photographs as reference material for my paintings. Sometimes I get excited by a scene or photo but never quite figure out how to turn it into a painting. These are some of my favorite unused photos from my drive to & from work. Most of these are from the Baltimore, MD area. Enjoy!

 

To see all 24, click here.

Fallen

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." -Albert Camus

This painting is 6" x 8" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

Bulk Parking

"Those who cannot remember the past will spend a lot of time looking for their cars in mall parking lots." - Jay Trachman

This painting is 5" x 7" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

Last Hint of Summer

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."

- Elizabeth Lawrence

This painting is 6" x 8" oil on canvas panel.
Please call me, email me, or click here if you are interested in this painting.

The Rehoboth Art League's Holiday members' sale will begin tomorrow, Dec. 4. and there will also be an open house with a bunch of activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stuff like painting for kids, jewelry making, and pottery demonstrations. There will be some really nice locally made pottery, mixed media pieces, paintings (just sayin'!), jewelry, and glass art pieces.

Cool stuff like these Jeff Watson-made tea cups of mine will be there.

Any donations made tomorrow will support the Rehoboth Art League’s outreach programs, which provide art education and experiences for underprivileged children and senior citizens in Sussex County.

Here's a link to the flyer.

12 Dodds Lane
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
302-227-8408

www.rehobothartleague.org

All the Leaves are Gone

“To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring.” - George Santayana

This painting is 6" x 8" oil on canvas panel.