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

Thursday, December 17, 2015

new painting: Brand Point Lighthouse Sunset - Nantucket.

Again, the Brant Point Lighthouse on Natucket is one of my favorite subjects. This one in from  photo I found on-line and lost the reference to it. Here it is

Monday, November 23, 2015

New painting: Edgartown Lighthouse Sunrise - Martha's Vineyard

Taking a break from Nantucket paintings and doing some from my other favorite place, Martha's Vineyard. It's another place I like to get painting inspiration. My friends and I go in June, stay at the Hostel and bike the island. This is the Edgartown Lighthouse at Sunset. If interested, you can buy some items based on this image at fineartamerica  or mugs or bags via Zazzle

Monday, November 16, 2015

new painting: Fishing Boat - Tybee Island, Georgia

I get painting subjects from many places. This one is from a friend who was visiting her daughter in Savannah Georgia and posted pictures on FB. I have ongoing approval from friends and a few professionals who post their pics of FB to paint them. I love doing fishing boat scenes. Official name: Fishing Boats - Tybee Island Georgia. As usual, you can purchase items based on this image from Fine Art America and bags and mugs from Zazzle

Friday, November 6, 2015

New Painting: Brant Point Fisherman - Nantucket

Another painting of one of my favorite places, Nantucket, known by some people as #myhappyplace. The Brant Point Lightouse is oneof the main landmarks of the island. As you come in via ferry, it dos a half circle around it to get into doc and many time you will see people fishing from its shore. This is a painting of a fisherman baiting his hook. As usual you can buy a Mug or bag from Zazzle or merchandise from Fineartamerica

Saturday, October 24, 2015

New Painting: Tours End Cottage - Nantucket

Nantucket is one of my favorite places to go, even if its for a weekend and all I and my friends can afford is the Star of the Sea Hostel. We go and bike all around and one of the sections is called Sconset. It has a small grocery and other stores that are only open for the summer. There are a lot of big houses and small bungalows each of which is named with a name plate over the door. They all have flower trellises on them and in summer are covered with roses and other plants.
This painting is of one of those little cottages that is tucked in to small intersection between a downward foot path and some roads. We were there the weekend after Labor Day, so must of the foliage was gone. Its a place that really must be walked to enjoy
As usual there are  bags and mugs

odds and ends: germ of artistic talent and other things

This is an assortment of art related items I've come across.
The first one I'm surprised hasn't gone "viral" - using microbes as painters and petri dishes as canvases to create pictures, sometimes duplicating classic works of art. This is a contest sponsored by the American Society of Microbioligists . I came across this when I same a post showing a multi-petri dish version of Starry Nights


Here are some of the winners
submitted by Mehmet Berkmen of New England Biolabs, with artist Maria Penil
 Harvest Season, created by Maria Eugenia Inda, a postdoctoral researcher from Argentina working at Cold Spring Harbor Labs.F
For more of this year's entries check out 2015 Agar art entries

I went to see the new home of the Whitney Museum of American Art in the Meatpacking District in New York. They did a great ob of the building. The main galleries are on floors 5-8, each with outdoor patios with stunning vistas of lower New York Harbor and the Freedom Tower. Beautiful!

 and if your hungry, the Meatpacking District in full of places to eat. My favorite is a food court type of place called the Gansevoort Market





Its also at the end of the new High Line Park, an old railroad elevated track between 34th and 14 Streets. It was derelict for years and was about to be torn down, when the idea sprung up to make it a park and it been a big hit ever since. You'll find lots of local art, a food court and many places to sit and watch people pass. Since the Food Network headquarters is near by, you may see a favorite chef or two pass by.




and finally a few  art memes, posters and interesting pictures
                                                        as if the city is not noisy enough


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

New Painting: Bailey Island Sunrise - Maine

Love doing sunrise and sunsets, especially over oceans and seaports. This is a sunrise on a Bailey Island lobster fishing dock and popular restaurant in Maine. I got this from a photographers page on FB, but I seem to have lost the reference to it. As usual, you can buy Mugs and bags with this image on it.

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Currently on my easel - Bailey Island, Maine sunrise

This is a picture I got from Facebook showing Cooks Lobster House on Bailey Island in Maine. Love sunrises and sunsets and Maine and Cook's Lobster


Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Sunday, August 23, 2015

New painting: Nantucket Harbor Sunset

Nantucket is a favorite place of mine. I get there once a year for a bike riding weekend in September and stay in the hostel. This is a photo from The Nantucket Blackbook page run by Nantucket blogger Holly Finigan who is  becoming more and more a social arbiter  on the island, sort of thier own Anna Wintour. Check out her website NantucketblACKbook
Nantucket Harbour Sunset. 11 x 14 oil on canvas board. As usual you can buy a bag or mug
from Zazzle

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

FBH Summer Art Gallery 2015 3nd exhibition


This is the third exhibition in this year's Summer Art Gallery, which I curate at my church. I posted this "press release" in the church's bulletin, FB and Twitter pages. I will also post this on Instagram.

Press release
From: Office of The Curator
Subject: 2015 Summer Art Gallery 3nd exhibition
For: Immediate release
The Curator is pleased to announce the third exhibition in the FBH Summer Art Gallery, a venue for the display of the many artistic talents of the members of FBH. Current exhibitors:
The Art of Olivia Grace Feliciano
We have several works by Olivia. She is an eight year old who is trying to find her artistic voice.
Alex (Alexandra) Ward (following is her artist statement. Alex is 13)
My name is Alex Ward and art is my favorite subject, because it always inspires me. I normally draw abstract art but sometimes like reusing cardboard to create 3D figures. Last year I got a bunch of patterned duct tape, and now I am obsessed with it. I like to make hair bows out of duct tape and update my clothes with it too. I’ve been doing art since I was about 2 years old and I loved it then and now. My dream is to inspire other kids to be happy making art.


Monday, August 10, 2015

New painting: Rose Family Christmas Cove Table at Sunset.

New painting: Rose Family Christmas Cove Table at Sunset. This is a commissioned work for Rich Rose and family. I know them from First Baptist Hackensack and they now live in Norfolk Va, but have a family compound in Christmas Cove, Maine. I saw this picture on his FB page while ago and said I might want to paint this. More recently, I painted a picture his daughter took of lobster shack and he reminded me of this picture. So here it is.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

FBH Summer Art Gallery 2015 2nd exhibition

This is the second exhibition in this year's Summer Art Gallery, which I curate at my church. I posted this "press release" in the church's bulletin, FB and Twitter pages. I will also post this on Instagram.

Press release
From: Office of The Curator
Subject: 2015 Summer Art Gallery 2nd exhibition
For: Immediate release
The Curator is pleased to announce the second exhibition in the FBH Summer Art Gallery, a venue for the display of the many artistic talents of the members of FBH. Current exhibitors:
The Needle work of Carolyn Onisk
Carolyn has been doing needle work for over 30 years. She has been a member here for many years and has always enjoyed creating with her hands.
The Art of Olivia Grace Feliciano
We have several works by Olivia. She is an eight year old who is trying to find her artistic voice.





Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Guest artist: Don Dixon sees Pluto before New Horizons did

Artists are visionaries. Just check out any Jetsons cartoon and many things there are here today. Some technically inclined artists can take technical data and translate the unseen into a surpisingly accurate paint. Space artist Don Dixon did this with Pluto as the cover picture for a 1979 book on Pluto. Check out the Article from Slate and the comparison photo below.

Friday, July 10, 2015

New Paintingl: Surf City NC Sunrise II

I like sunrises and sunsets. This is one from a photo on the Town of Surf City FB page. 11 x 14 oil on canvas board. I call it the second, 'cause I did a previous one, but it seems I did not post it. It's part f the display at the Summer Art Gallery I've been curating at my church, so when I get it back I will post it. As usual you can buy a Bag or a Mug from Zazzle

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Cool video - Starry Night in dominoes by FlippyCat

Love this video. Dominoes are used in many artistic endevours and this is the best one I've seen so far. Domino art is the same as Mandala art: a lot of work goes into it, then its enjoyed and gone (at least physically)  forever. This shows the process that the artist known as FlippyCat used  and gives a great pay out. So here it is Starry Nights by Vincent Van Domino


Wednesday, July 1, 2015

New painting - Christmas Cove Lobster Dock - Maine

I love the coast of Maine, especially the lower half between the New Hampshire border and Camden. So many slender peninsulas reaching out into the Atlantic with   a lot of bridge connected islands. Here are where many of the family run fishing enterprises are located, little villages and processing facilites with common, shared docks. So many photo and painting opportunities.
A friend Rich Rose has a family property in the village of Christmas Cove, which is a part of South Bristol, Maine He and his family live in Norfolk, Virgina but head to Christmas Cove as often a possible. This painting is from a photo his daughter Sharyn took a few weeks ago.
Its 11 x 14 oil on canvas board. You can purchase merchandise based on this painting from Fine Art America or Mugs and bags from Zazzle

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Currently on my easel - Christmas Cove Lobster Dock

I chack out my friend's pictures on FB to find good painting subjects. My friend Rich Rose and his family have a place on Christmas Cove in Maine. His daughter took the great picture of a lobster boat dock and I'm painting it. Started like this

then went to this





This is where I am now. Stay tuned

Sunday, June 21, 2015

FBH Summer Art Gallery 1st Exhibit

Today was the opening day of the First Baptist Hackensack Summer Art Gallery, which I curate.

I posted this "press release" on the church's FB and Twitter pages
Press release
From: Office of The Curator
Subject: 2015 Summer Art Gallery opening
For: Immediate release
The Curator is pleased to annonce the first exhibition in the FBH Summer Art Gallery, a venue for the display of the many artistic talents of the members of FBH. Current exhibitors
Shirley Morales - Crocheted Wreaths
Jack Mckenzie - Landscape Style Painting
If you would like your talents to be displayed, please contact The Curator at jackmck@juno.com

Here are the pictures







Thursday, June 18, 2015

New painting. Taftsville Covered Bridge- Vermont 2016.

I've painted the Taftsville Covered Bridge a number of times. In fact, my first painting that looked like anything was of this bridge from a similar angle (this is it)

As I got better, I'v wanted to go back to this one. I found a picture on FB that was what I was looking for. I'm not happy with the reflections in this one or the background trees, for that matter. Finally decided it was done. I was going to put more definition into the foreground tree, but decided it made the bridge standout better by leaving them in the dark.
I should note that between the two paintings, the bridge was almost destroyed by Hurricane Irene in 2011 (which destroyed the Bartonsville Bridge)) the bridge was dismantled and reassembled  and re-opened in 2012 So here it is