West Village Bodega - NYC, NY

Completed painting...

oil on linen

8" x 11"

White Manna-Hackensack, NJ

First stage of underpainting complete.

White Manna-Hackensack, NJ

First stage of underpainting and some studio shots...

I am having a one person show in April at Kerygma Gallery in Ridgewood, NJ. I should have a few more finished by then.

West Village Bodega - NYC, NY

First stage of underpainting complete...

Chelsea Water Towers - NYC, NY

First stage of underpainting complete...

Red's - Point Pleasant, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

12" x 16"

While waiting for the sky to dry in the Fair Lawn, NJ weathervane painting, I was able to finish this little Jersey Shore piece.

Old Garage - Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

26" x 16"

Ocean Ice Palace - Brick, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

18" x 28"

Last painting for 2009.

I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, and a healthy and happy New Year!!!

Lower East Side View - New York, N.Y.

Completed painting...

oil on linen

28" x 16"

Plus One Gallery - London, England

I am thrilled and honored to announce that I have been accepted into Plus One Gallery, in London.

I shipped these 3 paintings to the gallery a few weeks ago, and just heard today that I have been accepted for representation.

I want to thank James Neil Hollingsworth, Pedro Campos, Jason de Graaf, Simon Hennessey, Tom Martin, Don Eddy and Neil MacCormack for their advice and kind words throughout this process. I guess I'll see you guys at the gallery sometime soon!

I also want to mention that my paintings were packed and shipped alongside works by Ralph Goings (one of my all time heroes), and his very talented son Drew Goings. I don't know why that was such a big deal to me, but it was. There is a fascinating article about Ralph Goings' work here. I love seeing his reference photos alongside his finished paintings. I spoke with Ralph on the phone years ago when I was first starting out as a painter, and he could not have been more gracious and helpful with his advice and opinions.

If you go the Plus One website, you'll see the caliber of talent that is represented by this great gallery. I'm really honored to be included in this group of artists. My name and work will be added to the gallery's website sometime next week. I couldn't think of a nicer pre-Christmas/Hanukkah present than this!

Ocean Ice Palace - Brick, New jersey

First stage of underpainting complete on both.

Ocean Ice Palace - Brick, New Jersey

Next 3 in underpainting stage.

I was able to get to the Met this past weekend after a hockey game to see the "Milkmaid" by Vermeer. I highly recommend seeing this masterpiece before it leaves the country on November 29. He was a photorealist 300 years before that term even existed. He also understood complementary color theory 250 years before the Impressionists invented it. This painting looks as fresh and vibrant as I'm sure it appeared when he finished it. Truly amazing to see it up close...

Circus Drive-In - Wall, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

32" x 21"

Circus Drive-In - Wall, New Jersey

2nd stage of underpainting complete...

I was able to get down to Wall this past weekend for a hockey game, and found my next small painting.

Circus Drive-In - Wall, New Jersey

Still going...
12 hours at the easel today...

Circus Drive-In - Wall, New Jersey

The infamous billboard in my backyard. I wanted to hang it on the side of the house, but the house is too small and there was no possible way to lift this thing by myself. When folded, it does fit nicely in the trunk of the car. Anyone want to buy a slightly used billboard?

Miss America Diner - Jersey City, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

18" x 46"

Miss America Diner - Jersey City, New Jersey

Still moving along on this one...

I have been re-reading A book called "Landscape Painting" by Birge Harrison, published initially in 1909.

One of his main theories on painting from life was to paint warm colors over cool ones to obtain a natural vibration between the two, which theoretically should create the illusion of atmosphere with plain pigment on canvas.

Another great book that I will be re-reading very soon is "The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors",

a masterpiece written by M.E. Chevreul in 1839 in Paris. This book focuses on how colors are affected by what other colors are placed next to them. How complementary colors enhance one another when placed side by side and how light colors vibrate when seen next to darker tones. I am amazed at how true these theories are and how they are as important and relevant now as they were when first conceived. Just my little art lesson for the day...

The Milkmaid - Johannes Vermeer

Wyckoff Suburban News article

More shameless self promotion...

I wanted to post this article to my blog for some friends outside of NJ., and it is too large for my scanner, so here is a jpeg...

I just got home from Cape Cod about an hour ago to find this newspaper article waiting for me.

That's it for the whole billboard experience...Thanks for enduring so many posts about it...Now it is back to work...

Miss America Diner - Jersey City, New Jersey

First stage of underpainting completed...

Here is a link to the Bergen Record article about the billboard competition...

More billboard news

That was a good long time between posts, was it not? Oh well, this only happens once in a lifetime, so what the heck!

I just wanted to mention a few things...

First, I am featured once again on a great blog called "Paint Blog"

Secondly, I am being interviewed and having a photo shoot at my studio tomorrow with the Wyckoff Suburban News for a feature article.

Next, I will find out tomorrow morning what time I will be interviewed and filmed in front of the billboard by News12 NJ, a local television station.

I will also be in a local newspaper called "The Villadom Times" sometime next week.

Also, don't forget to pick up this Sunday's Bergen Record newspaper for an article and photo of me at the billboard site.

On top of all of this, I have to get some paintings completed for a one person show next season at Kerygma Gallery

I will update this blog if I have any other interesting news to share.

Thanks!!!

Billboard- part 2

This is the last post I will make on this blog for a good long while, I promise! Just had to get one night shot up...

Don't forget to look in this coming Sunday's Bergen Record newspaper for an article about the competition.

I will be back posting to this blog whenever I make some progress on the Miss America painting...

Billboard!!!

Well, it is finally up!!! The location is Route 46 East and Abbott Ave., in Palisades Park, NJ. The best view of it is on 46 Westbound, but you can pull into the Sunoco station on 46 East and Abbott Ave., if you are inclined to do so.

If you will indulge me for a moment, I have to write down some random ramblings.......First of all, because I am an obsessive nutjob, I got to the location at 7:00 AM only to wait until the workers showed up at 11:00. (I had no idea when they were scheduled to get there.)

Okay, so the guys proceed to climb up the ladders in the 95 degree heat to start installing this thing, when I realized that as they were unfurling it that it was in fact not my image, but one of the other contestants winning entries! My heart sank like a rock at that point. Then, I start yelling up to them that it is the wrong billboard. (I have to say that these 3 guys were some of the nicest people you would ever want to meet.) They called the home office of CBS outdoor and after some explaining, the sales rep for my billboard actually loaded the correct one into his car and drove it to the location where it was supposed to be installed. This was an amazingly kind thing for this man to do for me. I have nothing but praise for the 4 of you gentlemen who helped put this together for me this morning! As you can see, everything worked out in the end, and I am thrilled beyond words over this! I can't tell you how surreal it was to watch this billboard go up! Wow! I have to find out what happens to the billboard once it comes down in about 4 weeks. I would love to have it so that I can hang it on the side of my house! I'm sure the neighbors will be thrilled about that!

So, that closes this chapter in my very interesting art career......Thanks again to everyone who took the time to vote for my paintings, to Palisades Insurance Company for sponsoring this and to CBS outdoor for a job well done!!! Now I can finally get back to the easel and finish this Miss America painting!

One last note: I am meeting with Jim Beckerman from the Bergen Record newspaper and his photographer tomorrow afternoon for a photo shoot in front of the billboard. I will be in this coming Sunday's paper regarding this amazing story. Thanks so much to everyone once again!!!

Billboard Location - Route 46 and Ruby Ave, Palisades Park, NJ

WYCKOFF ARTIST’S WORKTO BE FEATURED IN

NEW JERSEY’S FIRST-EVER HIGHWAY ART GALLERY

Mark Oberndorf’s Art Piece Named Winner in Statewide Competition to

Help Beautify NJ’s Highways

BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ – August 10, 2009 – Congratulations to Mark Oberndorf of Wyckoff, whose NJ-inspired landscape entitled “Bendix Diner” was announced as one of 13 winning pieces in the Palisades Highway Art Gallery competition. His painting will bedisplayed on Rt. 46 at Ruby Ave. – Bergen County beginning the week of August 17, making passersby smile every time they drive by.

“Being named a winner in this competition is one of the most amazing things to happen in my career,” said Oberndorf. “I think that the whole idea is really unique and I’m so excited to be a part of it.”

Oberndorf is a contemporary realist painter whose mission is to document "fast vanishing" Bergen County structures using oil paint on linen canvas, though the subjects of his collective work span the nation. He holds a bachelor of science degree from Rider University and has studied his craft with the Art Students' League in New York City. Oberndorf's work has appeared at the Sola Gallery, Provincetown, Mass.; the J. Richards Gallery in Englewood, NJ; the Lois Richards Gallery in Greenwich, Conn.; and the Kerygma Gallery in Ridgewood, NJ.

The Palisades Highway Art Gallery is the state’s first-ever highway art gallery, using prominent billboards to display the work of local artists throughout New Jersey. The initiative was officially launched on July 13^th with the unveiling of two billboards by renowned New Jersey artists Tim Daly of Hoboken and Gary Godbee of Westfield. The contest inspired state artists to submit over 940 original paintings, drawings, photography and mixed media interpretations of the state’s beautiful landscapes to the Palisades Drive With a Smile Web site. Visitors to the site viewed the submissions and voted for their favorites pieces over four weeks this summer. In the end, Mark Oberndorf’s “Bendix Diner” was one of the public’s top favorites and selected to be one of the featured artists of the Palisades Highway Art Gallery. All submissions to the Highway Art Gallery are on display on the Palisades Drive With a Smile Web site.

The Palisades Highway Art Gallery is the first initiative of the Palisades Drive With a Smile campaign, with the goal to remind drivers about the best the Garden State has to offer and create nicer New Jersey driving moments and more smiles all around. For more information about the Drive with a Smile campaign or the Palisades Highway Art Gallery, visit Palisades.com/DriveWithaSmile.

Palisades Art Competition

The competition is over and my painting of the Bendix Diner has been chosen as a winning entry!

I want to thank everyone who took the time to vote for my work. I really appreciate your help with this; I could not have done it without everyone's generous support! I will post the location of the billboard as soon as I find out.

Thank you all very much once again!

Please click here to view a complete list of winners.

Miss America Diner - Jersey City, New Jersey

Still going on this one...

Please click on the link below and cast your last minute votes for my paintings if you have time. Voting ends tomorrow night at midnight, so any help would be greatly appreciated. There are quite a few photographs way ahead of me in votes which are very generic as far as subject matter goes. I was under the assumption that this contest was focusing on the state of New Jersey, but some of the photos could have been taken anywhere. Oh well, whatever...I will hope for the best and see what happens. Thanks again for your help with this.

Vote here...

Pappas Residence - Glen Rock, New Jersey

Completed painting...

oil on linen

9" x 12"

This is a commissioned painting for a friend of mine who will be giving it to his lovely wife as a birthday gift. Thanks Greg!

Please don't forget to vote for my paintings, please!

Paint Blog

I have been featured in a wonderful blog called "Paint Blog" today regarding my work and the competition that I am involved in. This is a great blog that I have been reading for quite some time.

Please click on the link below to view this post.

http://www.paintblog.ca/

Miss America Diner - Jersey City, New Jersey

This is going to be a good one, I think!

Okay, I really need everyone's help, please...

If you all have time, please click on the link below to vote for my paintings.

VOTE

There seems to be some confusion regarding this competition...You may vote for all 10 paintings that I have submitted. Just click on the 5th star for each one. You may vote once every 24 hours for all 10 pieces until August 8th. I have a very good chance of being selected as a winner in this competition. I just really need you help in order to do it. You don't have to sign up for anything, and it is totally free to vote. When the little pop-up box appears asking you to enter a contest, just simply close it and continue with the voting process. I want to see one of my paintings on a billboard in the worst way! I thank you all so much for helping me out with this!

Also, the group show that I am in at Kerygma closes on August 7th, so if you are in the Ridgewood area, please stop by. Thanks again for your help!!!