In The Name of Love

What's a poor guy to do on Valentine's day when he has three lovely swooning sisters, but they already own a candy store?

Make them personalized music idol valentines, of course.







Yeah, sorry about all that. Just had to share.

Days Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten

Well, I've been so very busy between painting and shoveling snow that I've neglected my duties as a blogger. But, having burned myself out, I present to you, the reader, my finished painting. I am varnishing it in between typing, and have just finished submitting in time for the Pensacola show. Now I bite my nails for three weeks while I wait for the letter.

Curtain Call, Acrylic, 18 X 32"

Detail of U-853

Detail of Bradley

The brief description submitted, which will hang on the wall next to the painting if I'm juried in:

Curtain Call
On 5 May 1945, just days after Germany's capitulation, Ensign John Bradley was flying a TBM-3E Avenger at low level on a training mission over Block Island Sound when his radioman, ARM-2 Clifford Brinson, spotted the distinctive "laundry-basket" conning tower and angular hull of a type IX-C U-boat, U-853, as it breached the flats off of Montauk Point. Observing strict radio silence, Bradley turned and sped at wavetop height to Quonset Point NAS, where he reported the sighting. It is unclear why no immediate action was taken, but late that afternoon the collier Black Point was torpedoed in shallow water. Three destroyers in the area quickly responded and intercepted U-853, dropping over 200 depth charges and sinking it with all hands. It was the last U-boat sunk in American waters. Today it lies in 120 feet of water just off of Point Judith, RI, and is a popular but treacherous dive site. Bradley went on to fly Mariners and Marlins for the Navy, retiring as a Commander, and resides in Rhode Island.

Onward! I've got a surprise project laid down and lined up for painting, and then two or three really good ideas to be developed. Stay tuned.

Days Five and Six

Well, yesterday was a bust. Which is fine, really since I had a lot of other things to do. If I were to paint every single day, I might wind up getting really good, and we can't have that now, can we?


Today was not so much of a disaster, and although I only got in slightly less than a half-day I'm pleased with the amount of work done. Form continues to be turned, and detail work continues. I made some small corrections to Ens. Bradley's headgear. Hoping to have the whole form turned on the plane tomorrow and most of the detail work done so that I can let it sit for a couple of days before I scan it.

Painting days left: 4.

Day Four

Finished the second pass on the water today, though it needs at least another to really bring it into line. After that was done I blocked in the major areas of the plane.


Once the blocking was done I moved on to the beginnings of form, and went much further than that with our man Bradley. The area needs some cleaning up but is mostly where it needs to be, with the intrepid ensign leaning over the top to keep U-853 in sight.


Should I have started into small work so early? Probably not. But I needed to turn my attention off of the big areas for a while to satisfy my impatience. To that end, I've put the sub tentatively where I want it, judgment pending.

Day Three

Second pass nearly finished on the water, and some found edges on the plane. Blocking-in of the Avenger comes next.

Day Two

Late start again (not my fault this time). I've finished the second pass on the sky, and laid down undertones for the water. Tomorrow looks better, as usual....

Day One

Got a late start today, mostly on account of my late finish last night. I've blocked in the whole sky and am now doing the second pass, working left to right. Tomorrow after I finish that I move on to the water, which takes up most of the canvas.


I did get a bit of the water blocked in, right where the U-boat sits. It's the brightest area of the painting, so I put it in for reference. It's much easier to keep the mids in control this way.

Earlier start and more productivity tomorrow. Stay tuned!