John Dalton - gently does it . . .

I had a wonderful chat with Jane Filer in North Carolina. Jane paints the world through her own distinctive lens. Nature spirits with cars, wood elves and steam ships, horses and high-rises. Her paintings are deep and dreamy. She has won many awards and high profile commissions in her 40+ year career as a painter. […]

Patreon and Paypal link I had a lovely conversation with Adrienne Stein in Colorado. Adrienne paints dreamy visions of a beautiful world, classically realist in style, highly detailed in execution. She has won numerous awards and participated in many group and solo shows. Her work is much sought after and collected within America and around […]

I had a great chat with artist Dave Lebow in California. Dave paints retro pulp subject matter in a classical style. Aliens, robots, vampires, winged eyeballs and pinup girls. He has had a long association with the entertainment industry and his work is collected by celebrities like Mel Brooks, Jason Segel and Jack Black. He […]

I had a brilliant chat with Alexandra Manukyan in California. Originally from Armenia, Alexandra paints surreal figurative paintings that are technically brilliant, full of symbolism and depth. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions both in America and overseas, and her paintings are collected all around the world. We talk about the Eurovision song […]

I had a great conversation with Felicia Forte in Detroit. Felicia paints intimate paintings that highlight the wonder of the easily overlooked, a sandwich, an ashtray or an unguarded moment. She has shown her work in numerous group and solo exhibitions. In 2015 and 16 her portraiture was exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in […]

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.2″] Patreon and Paypal link I had an epic conversation with American artist Vincent Desiderio. Vincent has been painting for 40+ years – and it shows. He paints big pictures of recognisable things like people and places and things. His work is complex, nuanced and packs an emotional punch. His paintings have […]

I had a great chat with Pamela Wilson in California. Pamela paints evocative, narrative, figurative paintings, technically brilliant and packed with atmosphere and questions. She has had numerous solo exhibitions and her work is collected widely. She was recently named one of the top 100 oil painters working today. We talked about lucid dreaming, bossy […]

Patreon and Paypal link I had a lovely conversation with Andrea Kowch in Michigan. Andrea paints figurative paintings with a kind of magical realism. She has received numerous Best of Show awards, and her work has been showcased in Museums and galleries across America. In 2012 Scope NYC named her one of the top 100 […]

It was a riot chatting with Scottish American artist Katie O’Hagan in Upstate New York. Katie paints compelling figurative paintings that are technically brilliant and deeply personal – full of symbols and mystery. Her work is shown in galleries and museums across America and the rest of the world. She has received many awards from […]

I had a great conversation with American artist Alex Gross in Los Angeles. His paintings are figurative, surreal and are filled with his personal reflections on contemporary culture. He has had numerous solo exhibitions and has shown in dozens of museum and gallery exhibitions around the world. And he’s published four books of his work. […]

  I spoke with American artist Jane Radstrom in Berlin. Jane is a contemporary figurative painter. She is technically brilliant across a number of mediums, including pastels, oils, digital painting and collage. She is also highly regarded by her fellow painters. Her work is in demand with sold out print runs, solo gallery shows and […]

I laughed a lot in my chat with artist Alicia Armstrong in North Carolina. Alicia paints figurative and abstract paintings about memories, longings, dreams and inconsistencies. She has had numerous solo exhibitions and her work is collected throughout America and the rest of the world. We talked about the winter blues, talking to yourself out […]

I had a great chat with San Francisco based artist Jacob Dhein. Jacob’s work balances on the edge of realism and abstraction. He paints beautiful figures and cityscapes, and he’s also a fan of plein air painting. We talked about rollerblading, distinguishing yourself as an artist, letting go of things that hold you back, Irish […]

I had a great conversation with American figurative artist Bo Bartlett. Bo’s paintings have a deep emotional and spiritual impact. He’s been painting for the last 40 years and it shows. Bo is highly revered and his work is collected around the world in private collections and museums. This is a long conversation and as […]

Patreon and Paypal link I had a great time chatting with artist Natalia Fabia in California. Natalia paints realist oil paintings with a high level of technical skill. Her subject matter is predominantly strong women viewed through the lens of punk rock glam. She has been featured in magazines like Juxtapoz, New York Arts magazine, […]

I had a great conversation with artist Dorian Vallejo. Son of artists Boris and Doris Vallejo, Dorian grew up surrounded by creativity and inquiry, and it shows. His work is technically brilliant, his paintings, otherworldly. Floating figures in beautiful, natural, dreamlike worlds. We talk about sewing, tennis, the wild ones, bodybuilding, holding your breath underwater, […]

  I had a great chat with Mike Leavitt in Seattle. Mike is a pop artist and sculptor. His work includes painting, sculpture, design and satire, lots of Satire. He has had more than 126 exhibitions around the world and sculpted over 400 figures. In his own words he is a, “38-year-old making dolls in […]

Patreon and Paypal link Teresa Oaxaca’s paintings look like a Ringling Circus, a Flower Show, and a Vintage Clothing festival all mashed into one. (I’m quoting her twitter profile.) Classically trained and technically brilliant her work brings you powerfully into her world. Normally based in Washington, she chatted with me from the Hague in Holland […]

I had a great conversation with figurative artist Jennifer Gennari in Brooklyn. Jennifer’s work is beautiful, powerful, technically brilliant, full of symbolism, and kind of throbs with vitality, for me at least. We talked about her time at Hallmark cards, her classical training in Florence, her love of video games, Jeff Koon’s ninja stealth skills […]

I had a great time with Canadian artist Danielle Krysa. As well as an artist Danielle is also a writer, a curator, a podcaster and a public speaker. She is probably best known for, “The Jealous Curator,” the art blog and podcast she hosts. In her art practice she works mostly in collage. Her work […]

I had a great conversation with Australian artist Lucy Hardie. Lucy specialises in highly detailed pen and ink drawings. Her pictures are sensual, mysterious, evocative and made with a very high level of skill. Her work has appeared in numerous solo and group shows and her work is collected around the world. She talked about […]

I had a great conversation with artist and writer Daniel Maidman in New York. Daniel’s art practice consists of striking representational paintings, mostly of figures – and drawings – lots of drawings. His writings on art have been featured in ARTnews, American Art Collector, and International Artist, among others, and he writes a regular column on […]

Canadian artist Kristy Gordon was so enjoyable to chat with. She is based in New York and her paintings are figurative, contemporary and arresting. She has won numerous awards, including the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant (3 times!), and an exceptional merit award from the American portrait society. She has been in numerous solo and group […]

I had a thoroughly enjoyable conversation with iconic pop artist Ron English. Ron has been painting for the last 35 years. He was making street art before it was hip or cool, before that term had even been coined. Back in the 80’s he was liberating billboards by altering their ads to highlight what the […]

I had a great conversation with artist Vanessa Prager in California. Vanessa paints, “dripping, melting, fading out portraits. ” Some of her portraits are big, 10 foot square while others are much smaller. Big or small they are all oil and the paint is thick, really thick. Vanessa has had solo shows in California and […]

I had a lovely chat with artist Joseph Lorusso in Kansas. His warm, romantic paintings of people in everyday situations are expertly crafted and atmospheric. His ten years working in the greeting card company Hallmark have give him an impressive command of emotional evocation. He talked about his Italian heritage, the art business, watercolor painting, […]

I had a great chat with fellow Irishman and abstract artist Richard Hearns. Richard has been described as one of the best-kept secrets in Irish contemporary art. He is represented by galleries in New York, Paris, Beirut, San Francisco, London, and Dublin. He is collected around the world and he has had regular solo exhibitions […]

In this episode I’m chatting with Colin Davidson in Belfast, Ireland. Colin is known for his portraits, particularly of celebrities like Liam Neeson, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Ed Sheeran, and Brad Pitt. He was recently asked by Time magazine to paint a portrait of Chancellor Angela Merkel for the cover of their person of the year […]

Fintan Magee paints epic figurative murals all over the world from America, to Russia, to China, Europe and even Ireland. Growing up in Brisbane in Australia, a place I know well, Fintan cut his artistic teeth in the graffiti world, then went on to art college and has managed to bring the two together in […]

Patreon and Paypal link David Cheifetz is an exceptional representational artist. Based in Seattle he paints people and cityscapes, and still lifes. Lots of still lifes. During the course of our conversation he gives some great tips and insights about his process, working with intent and the excitement of still life painting. I know! I’m […]

In this episode I’m talking with Brooklyn based artist Jenny Morgan. Jenny’s paintings are figurative and contemporary. She brings a light intensity to her subjects that is really compelling. Her work has been shown in numerous group and solo shows all over America and Europe. We have a great conversation about her process both internal […]

  Richard Baker is a Californian artist. His paintings are representational yet minimal. His subject matter has been described as fresh and uplifting and I think that’s a pretty good description. Like myself, Richard comes to his art practice on the back of a long and successful other career. In Richard’s case it is being […]

  I had a great conversation with Australian contemporary artist James Guppy. His paintings are figurative and surreal and his subject matter is life mortality, animals, flowers, fairies and recently men in suits — on stilts. Here is what we talk about: Creative heroes, “Good art is a virus that affects the way we see […]

I had a great chat with Cuban American artist Cesar Santos in his studio in Miami. Cesar was first exposed to art through his uncle in Cuba who is an abstract painter. Migrating to America at the age of 12, Cesar embarked on a long training in art culminating in Florence where he studied with […]

Patreon and Paypal link Candice Bohannon and Julio Reyes are award winning figurative artists. They are also married to each other. Candice’s paintings are intense, compelling, and pulsing with strength. Julio’s paintings have that double take quality that Edward Hopper talked about where you see something fleetingly and it conveys a lot. It’s like a […]

  Michael Shane Neal is one of the most sought after portrait artists in America. He has painted Supreme Court Justices, U.S. Senators, State Governors, University Presidents, CEO’s, Business Tycoons, Hollywood actors and celebrities, and hundreds of private portraits for collections around the world. He is also a style icon and a self professed dandy. […]

Brad Kunkle is a Brooklyn based artist who uses gold and silver leaf to paint figurative pictures that are both symbolic and surreal. Originally from rural Pennsylvania his appreciation for nature and the feminine principle are evident in his work. We had a great chat. Here is what we talk about: Creative heroes, The significance […]

Stephen Bauman is an award winning artist and principal instructor with the Florence Academy of art in their Swedish campus. Last year I wrote an article about living masters working today and Stephen was in that list of artists. We had a great conversation covering everything from his beginnings as a graffiti artist, to his […]

Adam Miller is an artist on a grand scale. He paints big figurative paintings with lots of characters. They look like classical paintings but the characters are all contemporary, except for the odd mythical creature. Last year I wrote an article about living masters working today and Adam was in that list of artists. Here […]

  Daryl Shute is a filmmaker working predominantly in animation. He is an associate producer with Magic Light Pictures which made award winning film The Gruffalo and have just released their latest film, Stick Man. Daryl give a great insight into the nuts and bolts of animation and film making. Here is what we talk […]

Crazy, savvy, and irreverent, Ashley Longshore is a positive force of nature. She is an American artist who refuses to sell in galleries and instead sells directly to her high profile collectors straight from her Instagram account. Her prices start at around $30,000. She has made herself a millionaire through this approach. In this special […]

  This is part two of my chat with Gregory Mortensen. Greg spent 12 years studying painting. It shows. His work has been on the cover of American art Collector magazine a couple of times. He has been in numerous group and solo shows. He has just finished his latest one man show at the […]

Gregory Mortensen spent 12 years studying painting. It shows. His work has been on the cover of American art Collector magazine a couple of times. He has been in numerous group and solo shows. He has just finished his latest one man show at the Arcadia gallery in New York called – Zion’s Children – […]

  Karl James is an Australian artist. For the last 30 years he has been tucked away in regional Whyalla quietly building an impressive body of work. He paints dreamy pictures of gritty subjects like the Ned Kelly story or the Australian soldiers in Gallipoli. He has a strong following in Australia and overseas. He […]

  Steven Mannion is an Irish artist and one of the happiest people I know. His work is collected internationally by Hollywood A-listers and musicians. He is also the favorite artist of the current Irish minister of the arts. More importantly than all that, he used to be my neighbor in Dublin. Here is what […]

  Alpay Efe is a self taught German artist of Turkish origin. He is a figurative painter and is influenced by the contemporary zeitgeist and pop culture. He is particularly interested in making the process of painting as visible as the end result. He does this using a number of devices including painting photo realistic […]

  Dan Price lives in a house the size of a hot tub. His, “Hobbit Hole,” is part of his carefully orchestrated simple lifestyle. He is a pioneer of minimalism and tiny homes. He was blogging before the internet was invented. He is a conservationist, a horticulturist, a musician, a photographer and an artist. Driving […]

  The way American artist Mario Robinson treats the people he paints reminds me of Vincent Van Gogh. He highlights the nobility of ordinary people. It’s as if he is saying, “Take a second look, take a third. Can you see how remarkable these people are?” Mario has been named by The Artist’s Magazine, as […]

  If you’re involved in creativity you’ll want to listen to this one. Robert Fritz is a best selling author, award-winning filmmaker, composer, and an organizational consultant. He has been developing and leading training’s for the past 25 years. More than 80,000 people in 27 countries have participated in his training’s. Here is what we […]

  Michael Foulkrod paints portraits of the pre-Blade Runner era. They are arresting and distinctive. He has also worked as a master decorative and muralist painter to the stars of Hollywood for the last 30 years. His exposure to celebrity and his journey back to figurative painting make for a great conversation. Here is what […]