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, May 28, 2014

Moonhouse Project aims for 1st art show on the moon

Being a sci-fi fan, an artist and keenly interested in all things space science, this really tickles my fancy

The artistic minds behind a crowdfunding project want to land a small red house on the moon, creating the first-ever art installation on the lunar surface, representatives announced today. Its called the Moonhouse Project. Check out the link

Moonhouse Project
 


Sunday, May 25, 2014

Memorial Day - honoring my Mother's WWII service

My mother, Evelyn Machold Mckenzie, was the one who served in WWII. She was a captain the Nurses Corp (A pre-MASH unit) with Patton's 3rd Army. In the photo she is 2nd from right with her nurse's unit in training for Post D-Day deployment. Patton's England Biovac was a decoy to throw the Germans off from the real DDay plans. She went ashore on Omaha beach a month after D-Day because the artficial harbors were not ready. She worked 36 hours straight during the Battle of the Bulge,had German plans drop flare on her truck and other adventures. After VE-Day, she was supposed to be sent to the Pacific to work a hospital ship during the Invasion of Japan.
My brother and I used her Army trunk to carry our belongings when we went to boys camp in the Adirondacks and my brother uses it as a coffee table. I have her helmet.

Monday, May 12, 2014

I sold a painting: Nantucket Lighthouse - A View From the Ferry III

I've talked about my Nantucket paintings before and I finally sold one of them. Nantucket is one of three islands off the coast of Massachucets full of history and catering to the summer vacation crowds. I go there with some friends to stay at the Hostel and bike around the island. When you come into Nantucket by ferry, you do a semi-circle around the Brandt Point Lighthouse at the head of Nantucket Harbor before it heads into dock. I've taken a bunch of pictures at every point in that circle, usually from the upper deck of the ferry which gives me an added odd angle to the paintings. Ive done 4 painings of this lighthouse. This one had 3 sailboats at anchorage in front of it. The painting looks better than the picture, despite having tried several cameras.


I posted it on Fineartamerica, Zazzle and a few other sites. I finally got a hit from someone who say it on Fineartamerica.  A man  from Connecticut named Jack Nelson emailed me asking if the painting was still available. His family spends time on Nantucket and this was going to be a graduation present for his daughter. This was a week before graduation and it had to get there in time for him to get it framed which was not a problem via Fed-ex. It arrived on time and he liked it. I asked for a picture of them with the painting, since I like to have a record of who has it and it makes it more personal. The picture has not come yet, so when it comes, I will post it. 

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

art parodies - Breakfast Surreal and more

I love parodies! I grew up reading MAD Magazine, which contained its fair share of art mashups. Pinterest is full of them. There's a Muppet version of The Scream I pinned that is one of my most re-pinned items. So this will be another in an ongoing series of posts. Enjoy or hang your head is dis-believing exasperation

"Nightmare at Café Terrace" by US-based illustrator Hillary White
This is my most re-posted pin on Pinterest
Minions are everywhere
as is The Scream
Magritte/Mary Poppins Mashup
I end with this one a - A Tree paints a happy Bob Ross

Art Poster - 29 Ways To Be Creative

It always helps to get some pointers to help your artistic mojo



Friday, May 2, 2014

art poster - Creativity Is - from Fine Art Tips

Lori Mcnee and her Fine Art Tips sites is one of my favorite artists on Social media. He posted this  arty poster on called Creativity Is that is pretty good. Check it out.