Blogging:

“Art Journey: My Paintings and Perspectives On Art" 

Search blog for images or content via keywords like: Abstract, Landscapes, Sports, football, impressionistic, etc

When Landscape Painting Becomes a Meditation on Journey

When Landscape Painting Becomes a Meditation on Journey

For me, this painting isn't just about capturing a beautiful scene but about exploring our relationship with challenging transitions. Nature provides the perfect metaphor—constantly changing, enduring, and ultimately finding pathways forward, even through the most difficult terrain.

Read More
Harmony in the Tides.  My Tidepool Adventure

Harmony in the Tides. My Tidepool Adventure

Have you ever noticed how the ocean's tide cycles mimic life? Low tide brings solitude, when everything is calm and the tidepools sit quietly under the sun. High tide brings connection, as each pool is swept into the vast ocean again. And then there's the ever-comforting renewal when the waters retreat and leave behind a refreshed shoreline.

Read More
 Resilient Fields: My Paint vs. Real Life

Resilient Fields: My Paint vs. Real Life

Creating art is a profession of hope. Every time I set up my easel at the edge of these fields, I'm betting on something beautiful emerging. This landscape isn't static.  The fields are in constant change with the elements. The patterns show cultivation while the dramatic sky suggests nature's unpredictable response

Read More
Capturing the Rhythm of the Basketball Court: My "Venice Beach Street Players" Painting

Capturing the Rhythm of the Basketball Court: My "Venice Beach Street Players" Painting

Thinking  about and watching  the NCAA's Final Four during March Madness reminded me of this basketball painting I created for the NBA, Orlando Magic; Amway Sports Arena.  My painting "Venice Street Players" captures the raw energy and creativity of basketball games on Venice Beach's famous courts. These courts, known from the "White Men Can't Jump," movie are special to me.   I spent a lot of time around them when my girlfriend (now my wife) lived in Venice, California.

Read More
“Pathways Unseen”: When Landscape Art Becomes Environmental Advocacy

“Pathways Unseen”: When Landscape Art Becomes Environmental Advocacy

As budget cuts to environmental programs deepen and protection of public lands weakens, many precious ecosystems hover on the edge of irreversible change. "Pathways Unseen," a textured impasto landscape, serves as both artistic documentation and quiet protest against environmental uncertainty. The hidden trails referenced in the title "Pathways Unseen" take on double meaning—they represent both the subtle contours of the landscape itself and the increasingly limited opportunities for people to experience these spaces firsthand. Each impasto brushstroke preserves what budget constraints threaten to erase.

Read More
Rewilding Tidepools: A Reflection on Art and Nature

Rewilding Tidepools: A Reflection on Art and Nature

The thick impasto in "Rewilding Tidepools" mirrors nature's ruggedness and constant transformation. Just as the climate crisis demands a cultural shift, creating art is a negotiation with materials and message. Are we contributing to a stagnant artistic climate or actively bringing new perspectives to life?

Read More
Basketball NCAA March Madness Dunk Shot

Basketball NCAA March Madness Dunk Shot

The dunk shot is more than just two points on the scoreboard; it’s a surge of adrenaline. In my painting, I wanted to show how art can freeze that intensity. The splashes of paint mimic the energy fans feel when a player goes up for a dunk shot, and the ball explodes through the net.  This painting pays tribute to the spirit of college hoops. This is a spirit that embraces surprises, electrifying plays, and the drive to reach the ultimate prize: the NCAA championship.

Read More
March Madness: When Basketball Becomes Art

March Madness: When Basketball Becomes Art

There’s something about college basketball in March that feels downright electric. The NCAA tournament isn’t just a sports event; it’s a festival of underdog stories and buzzer-beating shots. I wanted my painting to reflect that excitement, imagining the roar of the crowd and the thrill of a last-second shot in every brushstroke. Basketball is more than just a sport; it’s a universal invitation. You can grab a friend or play solo. You don’t need a massive team. It’s that accessibility that sparks the imagination. As an artist, I love how the game mirrors the creative process—start simple, add layers, and let your passion run free.

Read More
"Invisible in the Haystacks" Impasto Landscape Painting

"Invisible in the Haystacks" Impasto Landscape Painting

Each layer of paint in 'Invisible in the Haystacks' tells a story of a moment spent under the open sky. The textured strokes convey the raw energy of the outdoors, inviting the viewer to feel the wind and warmth of the sun.  Using a palette knife, I shaped the land and sky, transforming color into tangible texture. The sunlight highlights every ridge, making the scene almost touchable.

Read More
Animating, Drawing George Forman: A Boxing Tribute

Animating, Drawing George Forman: A Boxing Tribute

Animation drawing of George Foreman.  Forman’s story is the stuff of legend. From his thunderous knockouts that echoed through arenas to the iconic "Rumble in the Jungle," his journey is a testament to resilience. Remember that phrase "Down goes Frazier! Down goes Frazier!"? I tried to capture that raw power in my drawing, that unstoppable force. But it's not just about the punches; it's about the man.

Read More
Plein Air Painting Impasto: Capturing Emotion

Plein Air Painting Impasto: Capturing Emotion

This piece isn't just about a landscape; it's about a feeling. It’s that moment when you're heading home, the light's fading, and everything feels… transient. Ever feel like you're caught between two worlds, light and dark, known and unknown? That's what I tried to capture. Just like the light changes, our feelings shift, our perspectives evolve. 'Half Dark on the Way Home' is a reminder to appreciate

Read More
Welcome to my storm painting, where emotion meets canvas
abstract seascape, abstract landscapes John Robertson abstract seascape, abstract landscapes John Robertson

Welcome to my storm painting, where emotion meets canvas

The thing about storms is they're not just weather events.  They are emotional experiences. When painting 'Daily Storm,' I was not trying to capture what a storm looks like, but what it feels like: that mixture of tension, beauty, and raw energy that comes with changing weather.  What really helps make the painting work is the heavy impasto technique you see here gives the clouds and terrain a three-dimensional quality.

Read More
The Art of Imperfection in my Abstract Landscape

The Art of Imperfection in my Abstract Landscape

The abstract landscape art, “Cracks and Crazes” is all about texture and how things break and change. The artist uses layers of paint and cracks to show a lot of energy and feeling. Those cracks aren't just mistakes; they represent challenges and changes, like how things can fall apart and then get rebuilt. The painting makes you think about how people deal with tough times and find hope. It's like an experiment, trying to balance things breaking with things getting better. Every detail in the painting encourages you to keep going and look for positive change, even when things seem bad.

Read More
Why I Paint the Same Sky Differently: My Textured Sky

Why I Paint the Same Sky Differently: My Textured Sky

So there I was, palette knife in hand, staring at a blank canvas. Again. The usual crisis - what to paint today? But then I remembered something I learned the hard way. Finding new stuff to paint is actually pretty boring. The real magic happens when you look at the same old thing but see it differently.  So every morning I wake up and I see that sky changing. And I say thanks.

Read More
Drawing Motion: My Black & White Skateboard Animation

Drawing Motion: My Black & White Skateboard Animation

Video animation. Living just blocks from their playground on the promenade gives me endless material for my skateboarding video animations. There's something about the contrast of dark figures against concrete that speaks truth. No fancy filters, no color distractions - just pure movement frozen then released through my fingertips

Read More
Why Nature is Already Abstract

Why Nature is Already Abstract

This blog post humorously chronicles the creation of “Autumn Flares,” an abstract landscape that mirrors the fiery energy of fall. Emphasizing color, texture, and the importance of not copying nature too literally, it highlights how abstract art can transcend the physical world and evoke profound emotional responses.

Read More