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

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

New Painting: Barn - Albion Maine

This is 11 x 14 oil on canvas board
My brother and his family have a small farm in Albion Maine and I like to go exploring the area, trying to find subjects to paint.  This is a old barn on the back roads of Albion. The painting is done from a photo I took as we passed by in the car. I have gotten several good paintings using this method, the old point and shoot and see what you get later. My best painting using this is my Spanish Cafe - Gaucin Spain work. We were passing thru Gaucin on the way to Ronda and as were were passing this cafe, I shot a picture out the side window,

The barn here looks like it had been damaged in some way, by fire or some other accident, I'm not sure, but give some nice texture and visual grab to it.


If you'd like a mug with this image on in go here - Barn- Albion Maine Mug

Monday, July 22, 2013

First Baptist Hackensack Summer Art Gallery - 2nd exhibition

In a previous post I described how I set up the First Baptist Hackensack Summer Art Gallery at my church with me and Walter Glemnan as the first exhibitors. We got a lot of good feed back and it was posted on the church's FB page and on Twitter.
Well, there's is now a second exhibition with two new exhibitors and I've decided to have a little fun with it. I appointed myself  "The Curator"! I wrote up a faux "press release" to be posted on the church's FB, Twitter and web sites that describes the exhibitions.

First Baptist Hackensack Summer Art Gallery
Press Release – 7/22/13
Subject – New exhibitions!
From – The Curator, Jack McKenzie

The Curator is pleased to announce 2 new exhibitions on the FBHSAG wall, and is looking forward to more hidden talents stepping forward to display in the next cycle in two weeks.

The Photography of Wayne and Meghan Cahilly
Wayne Cahilly is an experienced photographer having used his camera in his work at the New York Botanical Gardens, in tree consultation and as a guide thru the New Jersey Pine Barrens
Meghan Cahilly is an up-and-coming talent seeking her footing in the photography world under the guidance of her father. She will be getting further training through opportunities at Cedarville University in the Fall. Both have a pleasing sense of composition and subject matter.
The centerpiece of their display is a large picture of an old mill by Wayne surrounded by smaller works. Wayne’s are backed in white and Meghan’s are backed in black

The Computer Graphics of Rosalie Glemann
Rosalie is the wife of previous exhibitor Walter Glemann. She has used her computer graphic designs as well as video and singer/songwriter talents to greatly enhance the worship at FBH. Her works here have a Christian theme, using a collage of images and a word phrase to tie them together.

Off to the side is a display on an easel of the crayon work of the campers of Cornerstone Day Camp. While these are your standard pre-printed forms with a Creationist theme for the children to color in, it is a fine example of each child’s Individual Color Sense and a must to see. This is under the guidance of The Camp Director Genna Molitor.

Examples of the work of the previous exhibitors Jack McKenzie and Walter Glemann can be found in the church sanctuary sitting on top of the heat registers.




Friday, July 19, 2013

Artist Dilemma - someone bought 15 paintings, but...

An artist asked the gallery owner if there had been any interest in his paintings on display at that time. "I have good news and bad news," the owner replied. "The good news is that a gentleman enquired about your work and wondered if it would appreciate in value after your death. When I told him it would, he bought all 15 of your paintings."

"That's wonderful," the artist exclaimed. "What's the bad news?" "The guy was your doctor..."

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

My church's ( First Baptist Hackensack ) Summer Art Gallery

This is a bit of a long one, so get a cup of coffee and a pastry and sit down and enjoy!

My church, First Baptist Hackensack, has a lot of talented people in the visual; arts, but their identity and work is not generally known in the congregation. They know I paint and several people are photographers but have not seen our product. The church's school - Hackensack Christian School - has an art class and the students display the entire school year. With school out for the summer and the board in entrance hallway to Leach Memorial Hall (also know as the gym) was available. So after speaking with the pastor and a few others, I instituted the First Baptist Hackensack Summer Art Gallery.  The church secretary Erin Cahilly assisted me in this endevour!
The idea is to have 2 or 3 artists displaying their work for 2 - 3 weeks, depending on interest, up thru the end of August. I talked to a couple of the photographers and they showed some interest. I had it announced in the bulletin (which goes out on Twitter also)  and on the church's FB page. I also gave a "Gallery Opening" statement in front of the church as follows -

Announcing the opening of the FBH Summer Art Gallery in the Leach memorial Hallway and you are invited to participate. HCS's art students have been displaying all year, but guess what? They are gone and its our turn to play  If you have talent for art and would like to see it displayed, please see me for details. We will be changing exhibits once every couple of weeks with 2 or 3 artist’s works at a time, depending on interest. This is open to young and old at any level. All the visual arts are wanted: photography, graphics, calligraphy and even finger painting There will be a signup sheet by the library and see Jack McKenzie. You must figure out how to hang your work and please post some short artist statement page with it.
We each have been gifted by God in some way. As a member of the body of Christ we each must use our gifts to help each other live the Christian life. Using that gift for the benefit of others can be considered an act of worship. The visual arts require us to slow down from our hectic pace and find enjoyment and rest in what we see.. Dont be like the man who ran into the Louvre and shouted, "Quick! Where's the Mona Lisa? I'm double parked!" Slow down and enjoy!
Opening exhibitor is Jack Mckenzie and Walter Gleeman!

Heres pictures of the two exhibitor's work. First me!
and here's Walter Gleeman's work


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Sold two packets of cards on Fine Art America

There are many on-line venues that I as an artist can use to sell my paintings and items based on my paintings. You can set the percentage of royalty that you get, but the more you want, the higher the price. Since I'm just starting out, Ive set it at 15 %. They do all the producing and sending. I've sold items: mugs, magnets, bags, etc on Zazzle but never on Fineartamerica which is cards & prints until now!
I've just sold 2 10 card packet of my West Chop Lighthouse - Martha's Vineyard

and Nantucket Lighthouse - A View From The Ferry III

Hopefully, people who receive these cards will want to buy more fro themselves!! From a little seed....

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

New Painting: Medina Fish Merchant - Fez ( Fes ) Morocco

This painting is from a photo I took in the Medina of Fez (or Fes ) Morocco. I was on a trip with some people from my church to visit missionaries in Spain and took a several day side trip to Fez Morocco. The Medina is a city within a city with narrow streets and full of merchants selling their goods. The Fez Medina has a section where they tan leather using urine as one of the tanning agents and that area has a distinct air about it. Donkeys and mo-peds are the only modes of transportation able to navigate the streets.

This is a scene of a fish merchant try to whisk the flies and other insects away from his fish. The area is not sanitary by any means, but they do the best they can.