"HEAD" with CLOUDY SKY

SUNFLOWER with CRESCENT MOON

Hi, I am on vacation from work this week. I completed this SUNFLOWER painting and listed it on Ebay. I am working on another painting now in my BASQUIAT inspired "HEAD" series. I'll show you soon. Oh well, here is a sneak preview! Bye, Roy ps If you have a moment check out my ebay auction. Thanks.

SUNFLOWER with CRESCENT MOON painting  23"x 35" Certain themes seem to occur over and over in my paintings. Often an idea occurs to me and then I let the painting happen. The painting, in a sense, tells me what it needs for completion. This sunflower painting, with stars and a crescent moon, is bright and meditative, and has a surreal quality to it. To me flowers are nature's mandalas. This painting is very large, "23.5 x 35.5" on sheet of paper. It is painted with high quality tempera paint (RICH ART PAINT,very hard to get.) Thanks for looking and please check out my auctions. Roy

MY PAINTINGS OF CATS

Good morning.  I'm just taking a moment before getting ready to go to work to show you some of my cat paintings. I have always loved to watch cats and enjoy their company. It might sound strange but I never met a cat that I didn't like! I hope you enjoy looking at these paintings. Roy

STILL LIFE with ORANGE and FLOWERS

This is a black and white still life that I painted.  I decided to "colorize" certain areas of the painting.  What do you think? It is 14" x 22" tempera paint on heavy paper. I have this painting and some others on Ebay, please click on this link to view them.  More soon.  Roy   http://www.ebay.com/sch/roymitchellpainter/m.html?item=261219939466&pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item3cd1ebf48a&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2562

PAINTING FOR MYRA

This painting is for my good friend Myra who has been a steadfast supporter of my artistic endeavor for many years. She feels that I am selling my paintings much too cheaply.  Her most recent concern was that I was possibly going to conduct a mandala creation workshop without charging enough (or charging at all!) In a recent email to me she included the phrase "NO MONEY, NO MANDALAS" which reverberated in my head like an ancient Sanskrit mantra, all morning long. After awhile I was singing it to the tune of Bob Marley's "No Woman, No Cry." Anyway here is the PAINTING FOR MYRA. (the original is on its way to Myra, no charge.) I do so appreciate her concern and her commentaries on my paintings.  Thanks

MIDNIGHT FLOWER PAINTING

Good Morning. By dipping into the silent depths of our being, there dawns the realization that there is no solid fixed entity called "I" or "me." The self image arises and passes just like the clouds moving through the space of the sky.  As we learn to let go of the grasping at a self image, even for a moment, we are re-tuned, returned, to an underlying sense of peace or fullness. Peace.

WOMAN BUDDHA DRAWING

Good Morning. This charcoal drawing is 18"x24" coated with a mixture of clear and orange shellac.  It depicts a woman's face.  Her mood is meditative, absorbed in the inner place of peace.  Through meditation practice the cravings and aversions of the conditioned mind are released and and a glimpse of our innate fullness is tasted.  Roy

New SUNFLOWER with SUN painting

BASQUIAT and CAT painting

Here is a very large painting of mine for you to see. I find that by studying the painting styles of other artists I can get under the surface of their paintings for a deeper understanding of their techniques and their point of view, so to speak. This painting depicts the artist Jean Michel Basquiat with his Siamese cat on his lap. It was painted in the style of Basquiat, inspired by a wonderful photo of Basquiat with his cat. You can view the photo clicking here. This bright, colorful, mixed media painting is on a large 47"x 60" sheet of paper. The paint I used is a high quality tempera paint with oil pastel accents. It is signed and dated.  I have listed it on Ebay, too.  Here is the link http://www.ebay.com/itm/261200395365?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649.  Thanks for looking. Roy

STILL LIFE with GUITAR

Good morning. Louis, the cat, finally allowed me to finish the painting!  Its 18"x24" high quality tempera paint on heavy paper.  It depicts some things that I love; the cloudy sky, the ocean, overripe bananas and my classical guitar that I rescued from a yard sale last summer.

Please feel free to comment or send an email to me. Thanks for looking.  Roy

LOUIS, THE CAT

I am on vacation this week visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Pennsylvania.  I often feel very creative when I come here.... but Louis, THE CAT, will not let me draw!  I'll show you the finished picture soon.... if Louis lets me!

SUNFLOWER SUN FOR COLD MORNING

Good Morning.  Its a cold morning here on Long Island. I finished this SUNFLOWER SUN painting this past weekend. It is bright and has a mandala feeling about it. I hope it brightens up the morning! It is 22"x28", painted with high quality tempera paint. Roy

“Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.”

― Ramana Maharshi

LILIES for WEDNESDAY MORNING

Wednesday morning and snow is in the forecast for today.  Here are some Calla lilies that I painted.  Please feel free to leave comments or send an email message to me to share your thoughts and interests. Bye. Roy

PIGEON PAINTINGS

Good Morning.  Just a few moments before I leave for work.  These paintings were inspired by Picasso's PIGEON

COOP paintings. He lived in a villa on the Mediterranean sea. The pigeons must have loved their view of the sea! The first painting below is by Picasso.  Mine follow. Please enjoy the view. My paintings are approx. 24x36" mixed media. 

MUSIC PAINTING

Good morning.  For many years I was a music teacher at the school where I work.  I had started learning to play the guitar in high school inspired by a girl who I was dating.  In college ( LIU) my friend, Lou, gave me lessons in folk music and "blues." I taught him how to handle his Austin Healey car. He scared me when he drove!

From my earliest days of working with "special' children I realized that music was, for me, the most powerful way of connecting with them.  Through the years I often used songs and movement to impart basic concepts to those who could learn at that level,  and those who couldn't would enjoy the sounds and rhythms and maybe a hold a simple instrument like a maraca or bell.  Always the smiles would come to their faces.

Guitars often are the subjects of my paintings.  This painting was done many years ago as a mural for my classroom.  The photo wasn't too clear but I hope you enjoy looking.

SILLY CAT VIDEO

I must confess!  I love silly cat videos (and silly cats) (and all cats!).

STUDIES from BASQUIAT

These paintings were inspired by the works of  Jean-Michel Basquiat (December 22, 1960 – August 12, 1988).   I won't speak to much about this painter except to say he was a brilliant flame in the world of art who tragically burned out much to early.  There is much to explore about his life online http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Michel_Basquiat .  And there were two wonderful movies based on his life.  I highly recommend both: THE RADIANT CHILD  http://www.jean-michelbasquiattheradiantchild.com/ , and BASQUIAT  by Julian Schnabel  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115632/ .

My paintings are mixed media on heavy paper.  24" x  36".
                                        

SUNFLOWER PAINTING

Good Morning.  The school where I teach has beautiful gardens and a field of flowers .  Each year the most magnificent sunflowers bloom at the end of Summer. Over the past few years I have painted many pictures of sunflowers.  I'm thinking of Sumner on this cold Winter morning.

RAMANA MAHARSHI

Happiness is your nature.

It is not wrong to desire it.

What is wrong is seeking it outside 

when it is inside. 

"There is no greater mystery than this, that we keep seeking reality though in fact we are reality. We think that there is something hiding reality and that this must be destroyed before reality is gained. How ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That which will be the day you laugh is also here and now." — Sri Ramana Maharshi

SOME COLORFUL PAINTINGS

This morning I thought that I would post a few still life paintings of mine to brighten up the morning.  For me, painting is a way to express the silent ever present wonder of life.  We all have that inner freedom which loves to be expressed in some way.  Some sing, some dance. some cook and bake, some simply sit still each day in silent reverence for existence, some smile, some shout  " I am!" " I exist!" Namaste.