Some Recent Paintings

Oil on linen, 34 by 26 inches

Maris is a beautiful young lady who will soon graduate from high school and be on her way to the University of North Carolina. I want to commend her for being a great sitter through five sessions of about three hours each time. No, she did not sit continuously for three hours, but I had to make her take a rest periodically. "Maris, it has been forty-five minutes, do you need to rest?" I asked. "No, I'm fine," would be her reply.




My aunt sat for what I call a sketch, which I try to do in one sitting. This sitting lasted for five hours. She told me stories and I did not have her hold still the whole time. In fact, I never make a sitting hold perfectly still at any time. It is impossible. I will have them turn this way or that. After a time, their image is bruned into my memory and as will all painters, that is what you paint, even with the sitter in front of you.


Oil on linen, 26 by 22



There is an old dairy farm near where I live. It us nestled in the rolling landscape of western Stanly county, some of the most beautiful countryside you will ever see. I have spent hours exploring this farm at different times of the day and in changing weather. Below you will see three pieces. The first two are 5 by 7 sketches on masonite made at high noon in February. The lower painting was made on a rainy day in November. In fact, I think there were a few flakes of snow in the drizzle.






oil on linen 14 by 18

Please check in soon for more paintings and thank you for visiting my site. You may reach me at

mark@wornbristles.com