As we wrap up the year and drink egg-nog until it hurts, I can’t think of a better photo to capture the subtle nuance that was (and is) 2008. Happy Easter and Christmas and the holidays of Yin! 

I have had many people e-mail me to see if I could extend the 2-for-1 print special for them for an extra couple of weeks. So we decided to continue this special for everyone until Dec 15th. We are also waving all the shipping charges for this month. 

Offer now extended until Dec 15th:

Buy one Limited Edition Print and receive a second Joe Sorren print of your choice for free. 

How to Order:
Click here to purchase your first print through joesorren.com’s online store, then send us an email at jsas1@mac.com with your second print choice (of the same price or less).

While I am poaching my children’s candy tomorrow night, we are also going to have a stab at this dessert. For those of you who love pears like we do, give it a try. We are also going to add some bitter dark chocolate squares to the plate as well. The bitterer the betterer. 

(recipe below)

by Nigella Lawson 

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil (not extra virgin)
2 pears (approx 500g/1lb total weight), unpeeled and uncored
3 tbsp Marsala
2 tbsp honey
50g/2oz walnut halves
500g/1lb ripe gorgonzola

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Meanwhile, cut the pears into eighths, leaving the skin and core on.
2. Fry the pears for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until softened.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the Marsala and honey together in a cup or small bowl.
4. Add the Marsala mixture to the pears and allow to bubble and become syrupy. Transfer the pears to a large serving plate, reserving the syrupy mixture in the pan.
5. Add the walnuts to the same pan and stir fry them for about a minute, or until they are slightly darkened and sticky all over.
6. To serve, transfer the walnuts to the serving plate along with any remaining pan juices and place the gorgonzola onto the plate.

I couldn’t sleep at all last night, so I ended up getting up around three and heading down to the studio. I have been working on a new series and could not get my head around the why. When this happens I keep working and listening and trust the why will show up when it is damn good and ready. So, I guess it was ready last night, as it kept peeing in my ear demanding I get up and scribble down notes and the like. Still don’t know what the hell Clouds and Clocks and Hollow Things with Thistle means, or how it relates to what I am working on, but I am listening, and my urinal cake is at the ready…

(note: I hope to have some in-progress shots of this new series up soon.)

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Flagstaff recently held a sidewalk art festival. Here are a couple of pics of my daughter, Martha’s entry:

So after finishing up, ” Secrets Know No Morning,” last week, I went to New York to help my dear friend and amazing artist, Jud Bergeron set up his art installation for a solo show at Sloan Fine Art. It was an amazing time, spending time with Jud and Samantha, Joel and Cathy, Steen, Eric and everyone who was around to see what Jud has been creating for the last year. Here are a few photos from the trip:

 Jud welding at his upstate studio.
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This Sargent Painting at the Met just killed me (The Wyndham Sisters). He is so immediate in his application, so right and lush while being economic at the same time. 

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While checking out the West Village, I stumbled upon Banksy’s new installation:

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Here is a photo from Jud’s opening, to see the shots of the work, check out the Sloan Fine Art link above:

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After the opening we went down to a local bar to catch part of the debate. It was bizarre to see it in a public place like this. People were rooting like it was a sporting event.

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Here is a quick photo of a painting I am just finishing up. I will post a better digital photo of it, along with photo details in the next few days.
This painting is titled,” Secrets Know No Morning.”; 30″x40″; oil on canvas.

(click on image to enlarge)

My friend Mike sent this over the other day. It just cracked me up.

photo: Johnny Chiang

Born 160 years ago in August 1848, his paintings are are both famous and forgotten. History seems to enjoy discussing him more as a patron of the Impressionists than the outstanding painter he was. And although the body of work he left behind was small, I always felt his bold, even somewhat iconic work left huge dents what the 1800’s art culture had to offer. Here are two of my favorites.

The Floor Strippers

The texture he achieves in the floor from matte to gloss is tangible. Great use of light. His general color scheme of earth tones and violet is so odd. I love it. I reminds me to trust less in theory and more in intuition and observation.
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Paris Street: Rainy Day

This one was one of the earliest paintings I ever fell in love with. Maybe it was because it was in the classic Milton Bradley game, “Masterpiece,” that my brother and I would play endlessly, making up all the rules and laughing our asses off deep into those 1970’s nights (getting nostalgic here). Or perhaps it was because I saw this immense canvas (83″ x 108″) live as a child while visiting Chicago’s Art Institute. But check out the weird composition (divided into fourths), and the way he deals with the reflections in the road’s brick seams. This piece makes me feel the smell of rain.

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