Work samples

  • Iris
  • Pardoned White House Turkey
  • Poppies
  • Zelensky after 40 Days

About Hal

Harford County
With my retirement and relocation from Chicago to Maryland, I have time to seriously pursue a life-long interest in art and art history. As I develop/refine my skills in pen/ink, graphite/colored pencil, and oil/watercolor painting, I am creating life studies, portraits, and plein air paintings. My subject matter is wide for now, as I continue to explore my new avocation. I  joined the Maryland Portrait Society and the Harford Art Association, and, in the HAA gallery Bel Air, my works are on… more

Scenes of Bel Air

Paintings and drawings from the town and neighborhood where I live. Oil on canvas, water color, or pen and ink. Some plein air,  some started as plein air and finished in the studio. Others painted from my reference photographs.
  • The Golden Years
    A painting of an old house along Tollgate Road, Bel Air. I have taken many photographs of this abandoned house, which I used for reference. The large sign advertising a golden-oldie radio station is really there. The house seems a bit melancholy, as it sits out its golden years. Oil on canvas. 24x18
  • Sheriff's Office - Bel Air
  • Motorcycle at the Cleaners
  • Irish Pub - Bel Air
  • Flowers on the Main Square - Bel Air
  • A House in Bel Air
  • A Neighborhood Tree - Autumn
  • Scene from the Back Yard

Figurative Work

Mostly paintings and drawings from live sessions. Some inspired by holidays and celebrations. 
  • Dani in Red - Oil on Canvas - 2020 - 18x24
    Painted during a live model session at the Artists Emporium. The red costume, perhaps, invokes the red riding hood tale.
  • Tammy in a Pink
    Painting started in a live model session at Artist Emporium, Havre de Grace, and finished in the studio. Tammy was wearing a wonderfully pink jacket and was looking very serious. I tried to capture her mood and to do justice to the pink jacket. Oil on canvas. 30x36
  • After the Party
    Drawn during a live model session at Artist Emporium, Havre de Grace. The idea was to capture mood after a long party. Drawn with pencil on paper and with colored pencil to add a bit color and accent. 24x18
  • Portrait of Kaitlyn Brown
  • Sketch of a Young Girl
  • Day of the Dead from the News

Drawn from the News

I like doing portraits, and recent news events offer plenty interesting faces  to draw or paint. I used print media and internet images as my starting point. 
  • Rudy Giuliani
    Rudy Giuliani is a constant presence in the news cycle. I tried to capture his dark deep-set eyes and large mouth.
  • Ivanka Trump
  • Madeline Albright
  • Alex Jones
  • Kimberly Guilfoyle
  • Anthony Alito
  • Queen Elizabeth II
  • Steve Bannon
  • Liz Cheney
  • Chocolate, the Pardoned Turkey

Scenes from greater Harford County

The greater Harford County region offers plenty of scenes to paint, and I am only just getting started in exploring the possibilities. Most of these paintings are the end result of  plein air painting outings with fellow artists. Some were finished on site, but others completed later in the studio.
  • Cool Beans in Port Deposit
    On an outing with a plein air group from Lancaster, PA, we converged on Port Deposit, along the Susquehanna River. It was a bright, sunny day in early Autumn. The town center was very quiet and peaceful, and the small coffee shop (Cool Beans) with a few patrons was my focal point. Oil on canvas. 20x16
  • Jerusalem Mill Farmhouse
  • Shed at the Tudor (Booth) House
  • Catherine's Driveway
  • Harford Glen - Autumn I
  • Harford Glen - Autumn II
  • Harford Glen - Autumn III
  • Jerusalem Mill Field
  • Jerusalem Mill Covered Bridge
  • Harford Glen at Sunset - Photograph

Self Portraits

I like to do self portraits. It allows me to capture myself over time, in different moods and different poses. Many times I do self portraits just for the practice.
  • Self-portrait, as a Court Jester - Watercolor on paper - 2021 - 6x8
    As part of my series on Jesters Looking at Life, I added the typical jester cap and shirt to my self-portrait. Just for fun I use this picture on my artist business card.
  • Self Portrait with Clown Make-up - Watercolor on paper - 2021 - 8x8
    This year for Halloween, I thought I would apply clown make-up to my face. I used the make-up pattern that I saw on an old photograph of Jerry Lewis dressed as a clown.
  • Self Portrait after Getting Covid
  • Self Portrait in the Studio before Covid
  • Self Portrait after a Rough Day
  • Self Portrait
  • Self Portrait in Ink Wash
  • Me as Santa

Flowers

Flower arrangements and flowers from around the house. All in watercolor.

Jesters

The jesters, loosely patterned after medieval court jesters, are of my own creation, and I used them in various posings and grouping to illustrate themes or ideas.
  • Jesters Balancing While Juggling
    The two jesters are doing balancing and juggling feats for us. Showing perhaps the many (too many) things we have to balance in our lives. Their stage is a barren land with a road leading off into the far unknown distance.
  • Reaching for the Sun
    Three jesters on balls holding a ball from which a jester is jumping to reach the sun. Impossible maybe. But we still try to reach challenging (perhaps unreachable) goals. And we have help from others.
  • Jesters Waiting for the Way to Open
    The jesters are not playing. They are waiting with some uncertainty/apprehension for the way to clear. It is unclear if the way will again be safe.
  • Our Ancestor
    The two jesters are looking at long distant ancestor and wondering about their past and journey. The ancestor seems so different - strange and a bit intimidating.
  • Priorities
    A solo jester balancing and juggling. Balancing all the things we have to do, and keeping all the balls in air. Life is a bit like this sometimes.

Animals (Pets)

Family pets (cats) I have painted/drawn recently. 
  • Regal Alaura
    Our house cat, Alaura, looking very regal. In colored pencil and a light blue-green watercolor background wash.
  • Young Alaura
    Our house cat, Alaura, a Maine Coon, relaxing on some pillows.
  • Keira
  • Alaura at the Window

Irises

Plein air paintings of irises in the backyard.
  • Light Purple Iris
  • Orange and Violet Iris
  • Light Blue and Purple Iris
  • Red Iris
  • Light Blue and Purple Iris
  • Three Irises
  • Orange and Purple Iris
  • Three Orange and Purple Irises