Early morning in Venice, the calm before the mad dash of tourists invade the Queen of the Adriatic.

Colorful buildings of Venice align the canals

A building sits in the Italian Alps, neglected and alone, apparently no longer fit for use.  Time takes its toll as this building slowly blends and fades into its Alpine setting.

A big gerbera daisy

A storm rolls in at the Cetatuia Monastery.

The lights come on early as evening starts to set in downtown Chicago. Soon the skies will be dark, but the streets will be awash with light from the multitude of street lights.

Autumn in the mountains of Colorado, somewhere outside Telluride. The fields and trees are a golden hue

A small cabin in the mountains, on one side the leaves of the aspen turn golden in the autumn weather, on the other side a mountain off in the distance.  You can see the reflection of the mountain in the closest window as you can see the aspen through the far window.

Stone steps, covered in snow, lead up into the forest.  Where do they go?

A lone cabin sits on the a hill in splendid isolation.

Autumn in Durango, the colors change with the seasons. This is a part of Main Street, downtown Durango, as the shops are open and tourists flock to discover what each vendor sells. A day in the life of Durango, Colorado

The sun sets on the mountains near Telluride. The calm Alta Lakes reflect clearly the new fallen snow on the mountains.

The sun sets near Durango, Colorado as the rain pours off in the distance.

The sun shines through a stand of aspen in the mountains of Colorado. As the sun rises, the rays of light barely make it through.

Fall is on the way. Snow is on the mountains and the aspen are changing colors. Fall is coming to Colorado.

The stars are out in the night sky of Colorado. The Milky Way is visible when there are no other lights to cloud the eyes.

The Grand Imperial Hotel of Silverton Colorado.

The Chiesa del Santissimo Redentore (also known as Il Redentore) is a Roman Catholic Church located in the city of Venice, Italy. In English, it means "Church of the Holy Redeemer" and is actually on the small island of Giudecca, and not the main island where most visitors go.

A lonely ranch in the mountains of New Mexico sits isolated from the world during winter.  Not much moves in the cold and snow, everything silently waiting for the thaw of the coming Spring.

Jeff's Art Shop is open for business.  Based on a Taos, New Mexico location, the art shop of Jeff is a figment of my imagination.

The Mayan pyramid at Chichen Itza on the Yucitan Penensula of Mexico

The bell tower of Bergamo, Citta Alta, known to the locals as Campanone.  Bergamo is located in northern Italy at the start of the Italian Alps.  At 10 PM every night, the bell rings 100 times, marking the ancient cerfew.  However, Catalina and I, along with Cat's mom and sister were visiting Bergamo during the day.  I wanted to go to the top of the tower, and so did Laura (Cat's sister...aka "Sis").  Cat and her mom decided to stay below.  Sis and I wanted to go up and take pictures, so we paid our admission fee, read some of the notices and went on up.  One of the notices said that the bell would ring every half hour.   After taking pictures for a while, I looked at my watch, it said "4 PM".  I was on the opposite side from the staircase when I half whispered, half yelled "Sis... the time."  She ran to the stairs, and so did all the others up with us and Bell.  I was the last to hit the staircase, and as I stepped on the first stair, the bell rang.  Ow....loud.  Felt like a shot to my ear, and the force of it knocked me against the wall.  A bit dazed, I when down a few more stairs and sat down.   Waited for the bell to finish ringing, and went back up to take more picture.  After all, I now had another 30 minutes.

It's hot...too hot. The sun burns the Oklahoma evening sky and everything that its unforgiving rays touch. It seems that the world is on fire, and that even the lake before me could burst into flame at any moment. This day the high reached 107 F...even the ducks on the lake swim in the shade of the trees along the bank. Small comfort I'm sure, but protection enough from the sun's onslaught.

Exploring the back Forest Service roads that criss-cross the mountains near Durango, Colorado, this is representative of what can be found.  It was mid-May, and Spring was just arriving to the higher elevations.  The Aspen hadn't yet bloomed, but were standing, waiting, for the warmer weather to finally arrive.

This is a church in a small village in Northeastern Romania.  I can't remember the name of the village, but in it was one of the Painted Monasteries that are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.  The closest big city was Suceava.  We spent one day driving and seeing these monasteries, but I was also taken by the churches in each of the villages.  Every small village seemed to have a church, much like this one.  I wondered how old they were, but I couldn't tell if they were brand new (not likely) or hundreds of years old.  The syle hasn't changed a lot over the last few centuries, but I suspect that because of political and financial issues, new construction on small village churches wasn't a top priority, so the churches were probably older than newer.   I tried to give this piece an old time feel to it.  Basically, it's a drawing that started with a blank black background and drew in the color.

Dedicated to my Grandmother
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My grandmother has recently moved to an assisted living center.  This center, St. Simeon's in Tulsa (one of the best in the city), is quite large and has all types of senior living from independent to continuous nursing care.  Also residing at this center are several peacocks...5 adults and at least 5 recently hatched chicks.  My grandmother loves to watch these birds, and finds them quite fascinating.  Unfortunately, she is suffering somewhat from dementia.   So when she talks about these birds, for some reason calls them penguins.  At first, we would try to correct her, telling her that no..these are peacocks.  She would look at us, nod, smile, and then proceed to call them penguins again.  The funny thing is, now whenever I, or anyone else now refers to these birds, we inadvertently call them penguins as well.  We no longer try to change it... they are now ..."the penguins."  I plan to give her a copy of this work on her 94th birthday in November.  So, here is to my Grandmother and her beautiful Penguins.

Driving through the Carpathian Mountains in northern Romania, somewhat close to Ukrainian border, I was a bit lost.  Well, not really lost, but couldn't find the back road I needed to take me to the city I was going to.  The road was on the map, but in actuality, I couldn't see it.  After driving and looking for some time, we came upon this gentleman in a tiny mountain village.  We rolled down the window to ask for directions, and he seemed more than happy to oblige.  Catalina asked him for the directions, which he gave from my side of the car, reaching in to point at the map.  Speaking in a mix of Romanian and Ukrainian, he pointed out some things (I think...I don't speak either) on the map.  Catalina looked confused, but that may have been because his breath smelled of alcohol (my eyes were watering) and not sure he knew exactly what he was talking about.  After this conversation, we gave up and turned back the way we came....  This work is not for sale, as I don't have a model release.  Odds are, I never will find this guy to get one either.  The way he looked and the way he dressed made him the archetypal mountain dweller.

In a field of sunflowers, it's as if one turn toward me to pose for the painting.

An adobe church with a bright blue door in New Mexico

Snow covers a branch of an evergreen tree.

Looking east, from Mancos State Park, clouds cover the distant San Jaun Mountains of southwestern Colorado.

A view from a gondola in one of Venice's many canals. People on the bridge stop and watch as the gondola passes underneath. The gondola, currently in shadow from the tall buildings lining the canal, will soon be in the sun after the next turn. Venice is a city where light and shadow meet in many interesting ways. This piece is a subset of another work, called "Crossing the Canal" which I finished last year. After completing that work, I thought a more close up view would also be interesting. While based on that previous work, this is a complete repainting.

At night, the rich and famous (and on occassion a poor humble artist) come out to play at the Casino Monte-Carlo in beautiful Monaco. The building is alight as the limo's, sports and luxury cars pull up to the front door, dropping off their passengers for an evening of fun ....

It's night in the forest, the stone steps lead in deeper into the darkness. Where do they go?

The color of the sky is what color the blossoms of the tree should be.

Venice with a red tint.

Red leaf on the rocks of a streambed.

I love nights in a big city.  Tall buildings, tons of lights, and lots to do.  And Chicago is one of my favorite cities to visit.  I do love the pizza.... ;)  This is Michigan Avenue where it crosses the Chicago River.

While this may look like the entrance to some important or historical landmark, it is actually the entrance to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a shopping mall in Milan Italy.  The entrance to the mall is open, but the walkways inside are covered but glass supported by an arching network of cast iron.  Located in central Milan, the mall was busy and crowded on the hot summer day I was there.

High up in the Alps of Switzerland

The Colleoni Chapel, dating back to 1470, is considered one of the prime examples of Renaissance art in the north of Italy.  The chapel is located in the Upper City (Citta Alta) of Bergamo, Italy.

Springtime in the desert of Arizona.

All have gone ashore at the Port de Fontvieille, near Monte-Carlo, in Monaco.

Early morning on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, lobster traps await for their time at sea

The Citadel is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada and was built, believe it or not, to protect the city and surrounding area from an attack from the United States.  At least that's what the Parks Canada website says (and so do the tour guides).  It was never attacked.  The Citadel was built into a hill, so that basically the entire fort is below ground level.  Made it very difficult to attack when this, the fourth rendition of the fort, was completed in 1856.

A small church in the mist located in the Bucovina region of Romania.

A crisp cool autumn day at the Jane Addams Memorial Park in Chicago, Illinois.  Part of the Lakefront Trail, the walkway leads to the Ohio Street Beach and Lake Michigan

Summertime at Spavinaw Creek, located in Northeastern Oklahoma in the Ozark Mountains.  The creek connects Lake Spavinaw to Lake Hudson and runs through (appropriately named) Spavinaw State Park.

It's break time for the gondoliers of Venice, Italy.

Love is lighter than air.  You had better hold onto it, lest it float away.  Oh, and try to stay grounded at the same time....

My heart is no longer mine, but now belongs to you.  It even says so.....

The look of a heart that has been captured by love, gladly wearing the chains that bind it.

Frumoasa Monastery lit in the evening moonlight in Iasi, Romania

A squirrel in the park, searching diligently for food.

It's warm, it's summer, and it's the perfect day to go sailing on the Mediterranean Sea.  Many ships are at the Port de Fontvieille in Monaco to enjoy a wonderful sailing day.

Early on a winter's morning, the sun shone brightly.  The temperature was below freezing, snow on the ground, but the light of the sun was so intense I couldn't see the tree limbs directly in front of the low lying sun.  Probably shouldn't be looking directly at the sun anyway....

A red and white amaryllis lily in full bloom.

A brightly colored Cardinal of red stands out against the drab colors of a winter's evening.

A small bridge crossing one of the many canals in Venice, Italy.

An abstract digital design

An abstract digital design.

Red roofs of the Upper City, Bergamo Italy.  This is one of the views from the Bell Tower.

The Cathedral in Milan, which took five centuries to complete. Within the church, there is a place where one of the nails supposedly from the Crucifixion of Christ is kept.  A cross is lowered from within during certain festivals and celebration by machinery designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

The way home in Bergamo, Italy

A flock of flamingos

An American Bald Eagle

A scarlet hibiscus in full bloom.

aka Old and New - Governments come and go. People last only a short time in this world. Modern buildings are constructed and often later razed. The monestary has stood for centuries as a silent, pious witness to the progression of time. The city of Iasi, Romania grows and expands below the everwatching Cetatuia Monastery.

A wind surfer sails a pristine lake in Switzerland.

Day in the life at the Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II.  The shopping center was built between 1865 and 1877 in the heart of Milan Italy.  The roof is made or arching cast iron and glass and the mall itself has dozens of shops.

An old flour mill

Birds swimming on a sunny afternoon on Lake Hefner, in Oklahoma City. A duck, a goose, and a swan slowly drift as they enjoy the day and look for food.

A still life of lemons and spicy orange habanero peppers.

For Nicole

You can see the skyline of Chicago reflected in the Cloud Gate, otherwise known as "the Bean", located in Millennium Park.

The home of the first ruler of Romania, Alexander John Cuza. He was responsible for the unification of Wallachia and Moldavia, of which he was Prince of both. As ruler of Romania, he relieve (confiscated) much of the land holdings of the Church as much of the best farmland was owned by the Church and not subject to taxation. He also freed the serfs. This last move caused the wealthy to eventually rise up against him and sent him into exile in 1866

Shopping for fresh fruit at an outdoor market in Iasi, Romania.

My daughter and her new husband during their European honeymoon. Obviously this is in Paris

A gondolier in Venice

A warm summer day with no wind, the water on Chimney Rock Lake is perfectly still. The reflections in the water are so smooth it was hard to tell where the original ended and the reflection began.

A butterfly on a thistle in full bloom

A gondola in a canal of Venice

A gerbera daisy as part of a flower arrangement.

A team of work horses that are used to pull a trailer full of wood in Romania

The sun sets in downtown Chicago on a crisp fall afternoon.

One of the Painted Monasteries in the Bucovina region of northeast Romania. These monasteries are on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List. The outside and inside of these buildings were covered in paintings depicting Bible scenes and stories. A few of the monasteries are still covered in the same paint, some have only traces remaining.

A view from the base of the waterfall at Natural Falls State Park, which is located in eastern Oklahoma

I was wandering through Venice when the street I was on ended abruptly at the back of some buildings. I noticed all the windows, some kept up better than others, and thought that while Venice is an amazing tourist attraction, one can easily forget that many, many people call Venezia home.

A sailboat slowly moves across Lake St. Moritz on a warm summer day.

A remote mountain home somewhere in Switzerland.

St. Martin of Tours Episcopal Church in Pryor Oklahoma

A view of Port de Fontvieille and the Palais Princier de Monaco (the Royal Palace).

A view of rooftops in the upper city (Citta Alta) of Bergamo, Italy. Bergamo is in northern Italy at the start of the Alps.

I was driving through the mountains near the French and Italian border (close to the Mediterranean) when I saw a peak off in the distance with a single solitary tree.  The scraggly tree looked as if it had a hard life, barely managing to survive, but at least it was there.  However, a storm was brewing off in the distance, giving this lone tree another test of its ability to keep standing.

The idea came from looking out a "window" from the fortified walls of the Cetatuia Monastery in Iasi Romania. While this view now consists of parking lots, electric and telephone poles with the lines that go with them. etc., I tried to imagine what it would be like without all those modern additions, and as it may have been when the monastery was constructed around 1670.

A sunflower portrait

A field of bright yellow sunflowers.

A scene along the shores of Newfoundland

A Spring day view of Granville Street, in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The first building contains the Split Crow Pub, which dates back to 1749.

A cannon, probably never used, sits at the Citadel in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Citadel is a fortress built by the British into a hilltop near downtown Halfiax and was the primary defense of the region.

A cat (statue) stands guard over the townhouse in Washington DC to which it's affixed. Even in the winter, the cat stands ever vigilant.

Columns in a pool of water at Natural Falls State Park. The park is located in eastern Oklahoma.

Digital design - Pathway to Knowledge

Digital design, kaleidoscope - Floral Flare

A somewhat kaleidoscope digital design - the Green Planet.

So many tulips at the Public Gardens in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Rooftops of Aarhus, Denmark

Sometimes things just fall apart... or so they seem.

The sun sets on an Oklahoma evening.

Flowers on the balcony of an apartment in Aarhus Denmark.

A gazebo with wooden chairs beckons the weary wanderer, inviting them to take a seat, in a quiet part of downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada. However, as the chains would suggest, please don't take the chairs with you when you're ready to leave. One would think that this has been a problem in the past....

My daughters...

Okay..yes, a play on the Flaming Lips band name (from Oklahoma I might add). A digital painting based on flowers growing in the Public Gardens of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Standing ashore, waiting......

Frederick's (Marble) Church located in Copenhagen Denmark

One of each - a blond, brunette and a redhead. Three lovely young ladies from Romania out for a night on the town.

A lonely home in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.

Purple Hyacinth

Pink Hyacinth flowers

A top view of the waterfall at Natural Falls State Park in eastern Oklahoma. The park, with it's 77 foot waterfall, was a location for the movie "Where the Red Fern Grows"

Ivy grows up the side of a building made of stone and wood.

Fireworks for the 4th of July....

A fast moving river deep within the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.

Fly fishing on Lake Taneycomo, near Branson Missouri

Afternoon at historical Faneuil Hall, in Boston Massachusetts

"Bee to the blossom, moth to the flame; Each to his passion; what's in a name?" --Helen Hunt Jackson

A carriage awaits a horse at Prince Edward Island, Canada

A daffodil for Spring

A view of the Danish Coast near Aarhus

A view from my back porch in Oklahoma.

Magnolia Blossom in full bloom. A highly modified photograph.

Rose.... without thorns. A highly modified photograph

A blue rose for feeling blue.... A highly modified photograph

Waiting patiently for the photographer to finish his picture taking.....

Part of the cemetery at Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Brasov, Romania.

Deep in the Sequoia National Forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the afternoon shadows growing longer and longer.

The Historic Green Dragon Tavern in Boston Massachusetts

Venice, Italy

A Red Bird of Winter, its color standing out against the stark white of a snowy background.

A squirrel doing what squirrels do.

Meet Izzy (short for Isabelle), my daughters little kitten. I was her caretaker for several years while my child was away at college, but now that she is out on her own (married, etc) she now has the cat.

A leaf tries to distinguish itself from the crowd, apparently going "punk" and dying itself purple.  (kidding!)

A day in the life of people in Brasov Romania. This painting is of Council Square, with the Black Church in the background.

The sun slowly sets in the city of Chicago, its tenuous grip on the day coming to a close. Yet the sun still manages to brilliantly brighten the top of this building before ducking below the horizon.

This one is for Cat. Unless you are her, or perhaps my mother, buying this would seem a bit odd, don't you think??

Take a seat, have a rest. Park yourself right here!

A winter scene with a waterfall frozen solid.

My wife... that should say it all.

Sunset over the water, and under the clouds

**Merry Christmas** A reflected view of Christmas from my own Christmas tree. As a kid, I could spend hours next to the tree, looking at how the lights and other decorations reflected from the glass balls. Now, I had the idea to paint a ball such as this, and all its reflected items. I found that painting in monochromatic red isn't as easy as I thought it would be. You can see me in the middle ... taking the photograph. Not my best...but I hope you enjoy anyway!

A horse wishing for the fence to be gone.

Looking down at a harbor in Newfoundland Canada

Christmas decorations on a tree.

A solitary house in northern Newfoundland, Canada.

Fiery fall foliage from Oklahoma

Here comes the sun, peeking through the limbs of a tree on a crisp autumn morning. (It's alright)

A leopard at the Tulsa Zoo. Though caged, it still has the spirit of the wild within.

Chicago at Night

Nighttime in the city of Chicago. This is where Michigan Avenue (Magnificent Mile) crosses the Chicago River.

A Macaw at the Tulsa Zoo

My daughter Nicole before her wedding

My daughter Krista as she finishes getting ready for Nicole's (my other daughter) wedding

Autumn decor found in our back yard

A lone leaf at the street's edge in front of my house

Fall Leaves in Oklahoma

Colosseo - Italian for Colosseum (at least I hope that's right). Other than that, I don't think it needs any other explanation. Its a digital painting based on a photograph one of my daughters took while working as a flight attendant on Nicolas Cage's airplane.

A view from above of Nice, France

The Empire State Building, up close and personal.

Taking a shortcut home through alleys and back streets in Almenno San Salvatore, Italy.

Rasnov Fortress located in the Transylvania region of Romania. Built in the 1200's, it has a very interesting history. It was only conquered once in its entire 600+ years of use.

Traveling through the Carpathian Mountains in eastern Romania, I wasn't lost, but not exactly sure where on the map I was. The road was taking me to the right place (I hoped) when I came across this lovely scene. Actually, the mountains were full of scenes like this. I've been working on this for a while now, trying to do it justice.....

A beautiful sunflower, even with its obvious flaws. Somewhat a metaphore for life....

This is the view I had of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iasi, Romania from just outside the courtyard of where I was staying. It's actually the back of the church, but I like this view.

A quiet street in Almenno San Salvatore, Italy.

A view of the Fort Amherst Lighthouse from Signal Hill in St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada

Red Leaves for Autumn

The capital building of Oklahoma, located in Oklahoma City.

Field of tulips in Nova Scotia Canada

Fruit at a fresh market in Nova Scotia, Canada

My grandmother.

This is an abandoned and forgotten building in the woods somewhere near Spavinaw, Oklahoma.

A church located in the high desert of either New Mexico or Arizona. It was located in the middle of nowhere, so I wasn't exactly sure where I was.

This water lily was found in a hotel green area in Phoenix, Arizona. The temperature that day had to have been around 115 F. I'm a bit surprised that the plants don't boil in that temperature.

A boat tied up at dock, waiting to be sailed. The location is in Nova Scotia, Canada

This is the Mayan Observatory at Chichen Itza, Mexico.

This is a building in Boston's North End.

Female in Newfoundland, Canada

A street and canal in Copenhagen, Denmark

Kim's Flowers

Portrait of Miriam by the glowing light of her computer monitor.

A clematis flower in full bloom

A close up of the clock tower in Sibiu, Romania. Sibiu is located in the heart of the Transylvania region of Romania.

Flowers growing wild in the field across from my house.

I climbed to the top of the pyramid at Chichen Itza, Mexico. This is one of the views from the top.

Lighthouse at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

This flower was in full bloom at the Tulsa Zoo in July. Not sure the type, but loved the look of it so here it is.

A friend of mine named Kate asked me to paint a picture of her sunflower. This is the result.

The Cliff Dwellings of the Anasazi, at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado

This is a view of Dunn River Falls, in Jamaica.

The one laned Strang Bridge in Northeastern Oklahoma, crossing Lake Hudson. The bridge still stands, but has been replaced by a newer and wider one.

These are vases that I bought on a trip to Romania, which are now sitting on my fireplace mantle. Please note the colors (red, yellow and blue) which are the three colors of the Romanian flag.

A field of lupine flowers in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Fishing wharf at Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada

Sister at the Public Gardens in Iasi, Romania. I tried to capture the unspoken conversation between the two. Sometimes words aren't necessary.

Painting of a mock 1400's village in Aarhus, Denmark.

The pyramid at the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, Mexico.

The Palace of Culture and the Church of St. Nicholas, in Iasi Romania

This is the City Hall in Brasov Romania, on a warm Spring day. Located in the main square in the heart of the city, the area thronged with people going about their business.

A cactus near Phoenix Arizona

This is a a view from somewhere in Arizona.