New painting - Nantucket: Fishing At Sunset.

 Nantucket is a favorite place with my bike riding friends as long as the surfside hostel was open. The rest of the island is way too expensive. The pandemic closed the hostel and it got sold. End of story for the bike trips, but I did get a lot of great pictures to do paintings of. 

I decided to keep a log of the time put in in producing this. F I usually paint from a photo and put it on top of my easel for a few days just looking at it and praying over it since art is a gift from god and and each painting is an act of worship. Then without any sketching I put painters tape across the panel where the horizon should be and I work that until mostly done. Then I paint below that horizon.

I kept account of how much time I was actually painting  and this one came in at 4 hours plus thinking about it between sessions as I visualized what should come next. As usual a few mishapa along the way, but it worked out. I am also constantly photgraphing the painting to see how it will look on-line, which leads to several attempts to adjust it.

This one is for the 2016 trip and it was a special event. While the sun was setting, the full moon was rising from the ocean. I've enchanced the picture with some wave action. The sand was hard to get painted since it was so dark. As usual you can get Merchandise from Pixels by clicking the link

here's the painting

here's my reference photo

And here's the moon rise going on at the same time

Bergefield Library - meet and greet of Visual Vacation

 I don't like these receptions. I have artist friends who feel the same way. A lot of effort with minimal response. But my friends wanted to see my paintings, but Bergenfield Library is not easy to get to. The only time I could do it was on Sunday the 22nd of September. The place is open 1 - 5 so instead  of a formal reception with a lot of paperwork, I decided on an informal meet and greet. I had classical violin music playing and  had a vase of pink carnations to had out to the ladies. Had about 12 people show up and then went out to dinner them.

Display at Bergenfield NJ library

 I had been thinking doing more displays of my paintings in local libraries. 10 year s ago i went thru most of the libraries in bergen County. I did one in Paramus 2 years ago and I'm scheduled for there again in Februrary. A Friend who works in the Bergenfield NJ library texted  me this sign from her library

So I called and a woman named Maria was in charge and I scheduled it for September. I titled it Jack Mckenzie Art - A Visual Vacation. My business card have that title. One of the librarians called it a Feel Good exhibit. There were three walls and I had to set up the hangers and then the 48 paintings that I had room to put up.  I had my Bob Ross doll in the main display, but the librarian wanted to protect it, so Bob got put in protective custody in one of the cabinets I had a few visitors during September.

I collect many art memes and printed out some to go under the paintings. I've Included a few.

New painting: OG-down at the shore

 My favorite beach on the Jersey Shore is Ocean Grove. Founded by the Methodists and still retains alot of that influence. One feature was a long fishing pier that got demolished by Hurrican Sandy and left a skeleton of  it going up to the water and I consider a very paint worthy subject, until they replaced with a new one. It had a stuffed toy sea captain to at the last section with a pet bird next to it. Written on a board was "Down at  the shore, everything's alright". I have many picture that I want to use, but a came across a very pink sunrise one from a a FB friend Debbie Grillo Bancer. I asked permission to paint it and she agreed if i did not sell anything with that image. Fair enough

I've had color problems with this. Making a shiny pink like it is in the picture was beyond me. I tried to adjust but it got worse. The picture i printed to use as a model is darker that the original. I added a fog bank rolling in. I'm not satisfied. The picture I took with my camera is not what it looks like. I may give this another go in the future. So here it is

and here is her picture I used

new painting- Fishing Boat Compton's Creek

 In the New Jersey Atlantic Highlands area within sight of New York City is The Bayshore Waterfront Park within which is this  Compton's Creek rustic looking fishing station next to a ferry into New York City. Lots of great fishing boat scenery but there are wood poles of all lengths and sizes surrounding these boats than can drive a painter crazy trying to do justice to the scene. I finally stopped  trying with this one. Poles everywhere. As usual, you can buy items with this image on it at pixels. I will try something with less verticle objects

the painting

and this is the picture I used

when accidental art is better than yours

 The link says is all 

accidental art

New Painting: Bug Lighthouse with Aurora

 May 10-13th the Earth was treated to a super charged Northern and Southern Lights due to intense Solar activity. People who has never seen one were treated to this colorful display, except New Jersey which was clouded over. Facebook was alive with them. My nephew DJ (Donald Mckenzie) is a photographer and took many pictures, including several with the Bug Lighthouse of Portland Maine.

This is my interpretation of it. I call it the Bug Lighthouse With Aurora. It's an 11x14 oil on canvas board and as usual you can get items based on this from pixels Merch