Hear Evil by father and son

My father, Nick Leone, sculpts in wood and often asks me to paint his sculptures. This collaborative piece is titled "Hear Evil", a satirized version of one of the famous three wise monkeys. I've also painted "Speak Evil" which I'll post soon. I haven't yet fully formed an idea of how to paint "See Evil" yet. Each sculpture is about 16 inches high, carved in bass wood by my dad.

Ways to combine drawing and painting...

This piece hangs in our home and has Nancy's found objects on a bookcase in front. It shows a unique method in which drawing and painting can be combined. I drew directly on canvas with graphite and then painted transparent glazes of acrylic over the pencil drawing.

Expressionist Self Portrait

Self Portrait

24" x 24"

Oil on Panel

This painting is in the current exhibit, "Heads" at the Sanchez Art Center. The reception was last night. The exhibit continues for about a month.

Ghost Ship

Ghost Ship

48" x 48"

Acrylic

Radio Bird

Radio Bird

22" x 30"

Acrylic on Panel
(click to enlarge image)

Acorn Presence

Acorn Presence

24" x 30"

Oil on Panel

Humming Bird Wheel

Humming Bird Wheel

36" x 48"

Acrylic on Wood Panel

A new painting for the Opera Meccanica series. It's possible that a few more humming bird paintings may yet emerge...don't ask me why! Sometimes a painting takes on a life of it's own.

Nanoose Bay, British Coloumbia

On Nanoose Bay With John

Oil on Wood

20" x 24"

This is an older painting that had gotten damaged; and while I was repairing it, I ended up repainting most of it. It's a painting of my memories canoeing on Nanoose Bay with John Holland who stayed with my family during the years we lived on Vancouver Island in Canada. We were lucky to know so many amazing people in Canada. This painting belongs to my brother Steven, so I tried not to change it too much while I was repainting it!

New Painting

Joy Ride #2

Acrylic on wood panel

23" x 31"

Its been awhile since I posted a new work! It has taken some time to remodel- and get used to- my new studio, but I love it. When I first moved into the space many years ago, I didn't have the time to set up a proper studio, so now this space is very organized and user-friendly. Hopefully now, my blog postings will be more frequent.

News Flash! I will be sharing my studio with Nancy Hall, amazing assemblage artist who keeps finding fascinating objects to use in her sculptures. I often sketch them so images of her objects sometimes end up in my paintings. Luckily, she says she is also inspired by my paintings, so I guess its a fair deal! Perhaps we'll try some collaborations...

I also did a small gouache painting of Joy Ride (see earlier post), but the larger version is different- more so then I expected. My work is for sale, please email me for inquiries.

Water Wheel

Water Wheel

Gouache on Paper, mounted on board

11" x 14"

Sold

I'm moving my studio to one-half the size, so I'll be announcing a Once-In-A-Decade Studio Art Sale sometime in January. I'm discovering artworks in drawers and other lost places in my studio that will be offered for sale at amazing prices.

I haven't had as much time to paint lately because of the move, but I finished this small gouache painting several days ago. I'm giving it the title, Water Wheel for now; if you have other suggestions for a title, I love to hear them.

Hawaiian Song

Hawaiian Song

Woodcut and Monoprint Collage

22" x 30"
Sold

Years after I visited Hawaii I made some prints and paintings based on my experience. The Hawaiian culture seemed underwater, or underground, to me. It lay below and next to layers built up by later cultures, and yet it broke through in places. I know this happens everywhere to some extent, but the juxtaposition and contrast was striking, and the magical places were the early culture seeped through struck me with vibrancy and poignancy.

The Road Home

The Road Home

22" x 22"

Gouache on Paper

Art & Music at Ocean Yoga

You're invited to a fun reception this Sunday at Ocean Yoga: over 25 artworks,  refreshments, and live music by the Curios! That's on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2-5pm, at Ocean Yoga, 90C Eureka Square, Pacifica, CA 94044

Nancy's Seed Altar

Seed Pod Altar
16" x 20"
Oil
Sold

Nancy's collections of seed pods and other curiosities around the house provide lots of inspiration for painting!

Unicycle

Unicycle
11" x 14"
Gouache on Paper

Its been fun working on some smaller pieces for a change. Gouache is simply an opaque watercolor similar to tempera paints.

Sky Trumpet

Sky Trumpet
10" x 14"
Gouache
Sold

Joy Ride

Joy Ride
10" x 14"
Gouache on paper

Thanks to everyone who sent me ideas for names. There were so many good ones. I ended up calling this one Joy Ride...for now!

Blue Air Vessel

Blue Air Vessel
23" x 24"
Acrylic on Panel

New Works - Opera Meccanica

Still Life With Fan (Diptych)
46" x 42"
Acrylic on Panel

I hung this new painting today along with 8 others in the Mildred Owen Concert Hall, at the Sanchez Art Center in Pacifica. "Opera Meccanica" is the name of the exhibit. I"ll announce the date of the Opening Reception soon. If you'd like to see the paintings before then, go to one of the great concerts! You can check the concert schedule and other visitor info here.

Voodoo Hummingbird

Voodoo Hummingbird
Acrylic on Panel
22" x 42"
Sold

Hummingbird

Hummingbird (Mechanics of Wonder)
54" x 45"
Acrylic on Panel
Sold

New Painting

Trapped By An Edifice
Acrylic on panel
45" x 22"

New work

Pedestal

2-d and 3-d Mixed Media
45" x 50"

You can see this piece in person at the "Roots" exhibition at the Sanchez Art Center. It continues my "Mechanics of Wonder" series and pays tribute to Joan Baez and Nancy Hall, two women activist/musicians that I admire.

The opening for the exhibit is on May 21, 7pm. It opens concurrently with Enrique Chagoya's exhibit in the Main Gallery. For more info check out the art center's website here or the Art Guild of Pacifica's website here

Balance
22" x 30"
Acrylic on Paper

This work is from about 2 years ago. I was thinking about it because of the bright colors and swirly background.

A new painting...
I call it "Stacking Functions" An oil, 48" x 32"