About Me

My photo
Paramus, New Jersey, United States
No, this in not a blog about gardening in any way, but a journal of my journey to become a professional landscape painting artist. For years, I’ve given my paintings as wedding gifts without thinking of profiting in some way from it. I worked for 18 years at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC as a computer programmer. I have been a painter since 1990, coincidentally, when I started working at the Met. I watched Bob Ross do his thing on Channel 13 in New York and decided I could do this, too. I have no formal training. I incorporate Bob's wet-on-wet technique for sky and water. My subject matter is covered bridges, lighthouses, fishing village scenes, barns, etc. Maine, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Nova Scotia and Spain are some of the places I have painted. My style is detailed and sometimes people think a photo of the painting is an actual photo of the scene. I hope to continue and grow in this medium. I also like to cook & dance. I am also a committed Christian. I am taking commissions - painting your landscapes style photos or your vacation home. Prices on request. contact me - Jackmck@juno.com my website is www.artofjackmckenzie.com

Monday, October 29, 2012

Google celebrates Bob Ross's 70th birthday

From my previous posts, you know I'm very partial to painter Bob Ross. Watching his painting show those many years ago was the push I needed to get my painting started. Well, he would have been 70 today and Google has a doodle celebrating that. You just know I had do a post about it. So here's to all the happy little trees and clouds  that have been painted by many people, thanks to him (and to his pet squirrel)


and a friend, Dave Muller (a fellow painter) posted this picture  on Facebook


Bob Ross Quotes :
Little raccoons and old possums 'n' stuff all live up in here. They've got to have a little place to sit.
We tell people sometimes: we're like drug dealers, come into town and get everybody absolutely addicted to painting. It doesn't take much to get you addicted.
When we teach people to paint this is the one they fall in love with. It works so well.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

New painting: Bradley Wharf - Rockport Mass II ( Motif #1)

This is a much painted building in the New England coastal fishing and tourist village of Rockport, Mass. Its officially called Bradley Wharf but its know by the local artist community as Motif #1. I have done 2 paintings of this building. The first one is the new one. As always, check my merchandising section
 to purchase items, such as Mugs and other items based on this image.




Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Another Library booking I forgot about - Paramus Library in November

I just got a call and an email from the Paramus Library. Apparently I was booked for January but the artist for November cancelled, so they called me to fill it. I'm going full circle here since my first library show was Paramus.  Gotta keep better records! Stay tuned

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Lego Bob Ross

A friend, Susan Joy Clark, passed this amusing picture of a Lego version of Bob Ross. As I said in my last post Bob Ross is a seminal figure in my art life. Speaking of that last post, another friend suggested I get a t-shirt made out of the Bob Ross poster, I may just do that. My friend Susan mentioned at the beginning is a writer of Christian novels and I posted links to her blog and her first book "And The Violin Cried". Gotta help each other as much as possible!


Susan's Blog
And The Violin Cried
Amazon

quote - At moments of great enthusiasm it seems to me that no one in the world has ever made something this beautiful and important. - M.C.Escher

Monday, October 15, 2012

Bob Ross for President poster - He's my choice

Some out there may think he's a joke, but Bob Ross is the one who got me started painting. He was a happy guy who enjoyed life. A favorite Far Side cartoon shows a house with a Bob Ross type on the TV saying "we can put this happy tree anywhere we want" and we see a tree has fallen thru the house and crushed the painter.So I saw this poster and just had to pass it along! We could do a lot worse, especially with the lot we have now!