Rutt's Hut

oil on prepared panel

6" x 6"

sold

This piece depicts Rutt's Hut hot dog stand in Clifton, New Jersey.
Another of the great state of New Jersey's legendary hot dog places. Still not as good as Hiram's, but pretty darn good nonetheless. This place exudes a crappy charm that I don't think many other places can attain. I also absolutely love the neon sign on top of the roof. I had such a good time painting this piece that I have stretched a larger canvas for another version of this to be done at a later date. I am very pleased with this composition which fits into the square format rather nicely.

One last note: I will be in the January edition of 201 magazine with regard to my ebay store and upcoming show at Kerygma gallery.
www.201.net
www.kerygmagallery.com

I would also like to say that it is an honor to be named Time magazine Person of the Year. LOL!!

Thanks for looking and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

Alice Building

oil on prepared panel

7" x 5"

This painting will be included in my upcoming solo show at Kerygma gallery.

This piece depicts the Alice building on Rock road in Glen Rock, New Jersey.
I've been eating lasagna and cannoli all day so I really don't have much energy to make any witty observations about this painting. I really need a nap.
I will say though, there is something about this piece that I really like. I think that it is the juxtaposition of the textured upper wall with the smooth lower tiles. I think that I really captured the feel of these large tiles.
I said I wasn't feeling very witty, and there you have it! Nighty night..................Merry Christmas!!!

Dunkerhook

This is my painting of an old garage in Paramus, New Jersey. The area in Paramus is called "Dunkerhook", which translates from the Dutch as "The dark corner". For years I thought it was a description of the actual corner of the road (behind and to the right of garage), because of the great cluster of very old pine trees which line it making it very dark at night. Stupid me, it turns out that it actually is an old Dutch slave house, and the "dark corner" reference is a negative slang term they used to describe the area where the slaves resided. So, I figured let me give some honor and dignity to this area in respect to the people who were mistreated both physically and mentally there many years ago.

Let's all play nice together from now on, okay folks?

Merry Christmas!

This painting will be included in my one person show coming up next year at Kerygma Gallery in Ridgewood, N.J.

www.kerygmagallery.com

Rail Road Crossing

oil on prepared panel

7" x 5"

sold

This piece depicts an old RR Xing sign at the border of Saddle Brook and Rochelle Park, New Jersey.
I don't have much to say about this except that I love industrial objects and views such as this. This is located just below an overpass for Interstate 80. I sometimes ride my bicycle around this area, passing under the massive superstructure that holds up the highway, marveling at what human beings are capable of building. This also happens to be located in an area that I like to refer to as one of my "vortex" locations.
There are a handful of these locations around Bergen County that seem to suck me in and demand that I paint them. I usually get multiple subjects from these spots, and I have no explanation for it. As I look back on my output, I'm noticing that quite a few of my painting subjects are grouped together in these areas.
Who says you have to go to Sedona, Arizona to find a vortex? They are right in your own back yard if you can open your eyes and mind and see them.

Thanks for seeing!

Maple Barbershop

oil on prepared panel

7" x 5"

sold


This is the Maple Barbershop in lovely downtown Ridgewood, New Jersey. I initially saw this place one night while stopped at a red light, thinking that it was a nice little quaint shop that fit into my oeuvre. I have painted 3 other barbershops around Bergen County in the past few years, so I wasn't feeling any sense of urgency to do this one. Then, on one beautifully crisp sunny morning, I happened to be in the exact same spot at the red light and glanced over at this place, and it looked completely fresh and new to me. It's fascinating that the same subject matter can be so vastly different at various times during the day. Something that is ho-hum at 7:00 p.m. can be earth shaking at 8:00 a.m. And vice versa. I guess that's why Monet painted the same haystacks and cathedrals so many times during different times of day. I just heard that some scholars in the UK plan on using his work to see how much pollution has had an effect on the landscape by comparing his paintings with modern day photos. He was so accurate in his depiction of light and atmosphere, that these folks can actually ascertain the changes that have occured over the last hundred years or so. Pretty fascinating stuff!

Bravo!

In N Out

oil on prepared panel

5" x 7"

sold

This piece depicts the In N Out hamburger shop in Culver City, California. Everytime I go to Los Angeles, I get off the plane, get in my little rental car, head up the 405 (or Lincoln Blvd. if there's traffic) towards Venice, and make the obligatory stop at this heavenly eatery. I know I've arrived back home to LA when I'm sitting outside chomping on a cheeseburger at this place, soaking up the sun. After refueling at In N Out, it's off to Santa Monica and the beach. It don't get a heck of a lot better than that!

Thanks for looking!

Hiram's

oil on prepared panel

5" x 7"

sold

This is the world famous Hiram's hot dog roadstand in Fort Lee, New Jersey. For many years this place faced off against Callahan's hot dog stand which was located right across the street. A few months ago, Callahan's closed it's doors forever, leaving the all time hot dog heavyweight champ still standing!
In my opinion, the dogs at Hiram's are much more delicious than the ones offered up at the old Callahan's. In fact, I would say with absolute certainty that the Jersey rippers at Hiram's are quite simply the best ANYWHERE in the state. And I have consumed enough to be called an expert, to the dismay of my cardiologist!
One more thing about Hiram's....the two owners of this place, Pete and Jeff, have been the most generous and gracious hosts to me each and every time I have had the pleasure of seeing them there. Anything that I want from their magnificent menu, they give me free of charge. Of all the diners, barbershops and other local haunts that I frequent, they are the only owners to consistently do this for me, and I love them for it! I tip them heartily anyway, but it's the gesture that counts. Long live Hiram's!!!

Thanks for looking.

The Little Street (after Vermeer)

This painting was on my easel on September 11, 2001...
Seems like just yesterday.

I used to work at FedEx in the WTC. There was a life-sized copy of Rodin's sculpture "The Gates Of Hell" on the 106th floor of tower 1 which I would see every day. Amongst all of the devastation and senseless loss of life on that day, I kept thinking how horrible it was to know that that piece of Art met such a violent and tragic end.

This is a copy I did of Vermeer's masterpiece entitled "The Little Street". I was reading Duane Keiser's process blog, and noticed that he mentioned this painting calling it" the greatest painting of bricks ever done."
http://keiserprocess.blogspot.com/

I happen to agree wholeheartedly with Duane on this. I was lucky enough to see this painting at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC a few years back during a once in a lifetime show of this great Master's work. I was able to view this painting without security guard interruption on at least 10 seperate occasions for at least 30 minutes per visit from a distance of about 6 inches away. I studied every brick, every pane of glass and every color combination in this piece, then when I was finished studying, I went home and painted it. It is to this day the only copy of another Artist's work that I have ever done. I learned more about painting from copying this piece than I think I learned in the previous 20 years of study.
One bittersweet side note to this story; this painting was on my easel on September 11, 2001.
At the time I had a beautiful studio which overlooked almost the whole skyline of Manhattan from the 16th floor of a high rise in Hackensack, NJ. I was sitting down to continue on with this Vermeer at the easel, when I looked out of my window and saw my life change forever. I did not touch this painting again for 2 long weeks. I just sat in my darkened studio and wept.
I finally did return to this painting and completed it with more vigor than ever. This painting will be linked to me for the rest of my life.

Thanks for looking. And thanks for making me think in new ways Duane.

I'll be back with another small daily painting for sale on eBay tomorrow night at 9:00 pm EST.

This Vermeer is on my website... www.markoberndorf.com

CBGB's

oil on prepared panel

5" x 7"

sold

This piece depicts CBGB's punk rock club which closed it's doors last month for good. A landmark which was located on the Bowery in NYC.
I used to go to CB's many years ago to see up and coming bands play. I was able to see two very good friend's respective bands play at this legendary spot. First, my buddy Mike Buffa played with his band "Crispy Brown" (they let me sing a tune with them), then my brother from another mother, Felipe Higginson played with his band "Freak". Both tremendous musicians who put on fantastic live shows. It was even worth dealing with the roaches on the bar and the famously disgusting backstage and bathroom areas.
I was also fortunate enough to see one of my all time favorite bands play there just one week before they closed the doors forever. It happened to be one of the best shows Fishbone has ever done, in my humble opinion.
There will NEVER be another place like this. Damn shame, it is!

Thanks for looking!

Short Stop Diner

oil on prepared panel

5"x 7"

sold


This is the Short Stop Diner which is no longer extant. It is now a Dunkin Donuts (shivers down spine). How many donuts do we need people?!

I used to go to a bookstore in Montclair, New Jersey on a regular basis, and on the return trip I would have to pass this place in Bloomfield to get on the Garden State Parkway. Every time I passed by I thought, I should really paint that place. When I found out that this landmark was closing down I took a bunch of photographs with the intention of doing a large piece one day. The next thing I know, a good friend and legendary painter named John Baeder beats me to the punch by painting a phenomenal rendition of this joint that I had the extreme pleasure of seeing in person at OK Harris gallery in NYC. So I figured that I really couldn't do a large piece now (I can't top the Master!), so I decided to do a little one instead. And here it is. Enjoy!
If you find the time, I highly recommend going to John's website, www.johnbaeder.com
and taking a peek at what a true living Master is doing. He has been my inspiration for as long as I can recall. Thanks JB!

Thanks once again for looking!

Eggs In The Skillet

This painting is my offering for the Daily Painter's website created by Micah Condon. It was suggested that any Artist who would like to paint an egg themed piece should do so and post by midnight tonight. It just so happens that this little one was scheduled for sale by me next, starting on Tuesday, December 5th at 9:00 pm EST. I will repost this painting on Tuesday for the live auction, but I figured, what the heck, the timing couldn't be more perfect so I shall preview it here and now.

oil on prepared panel
5" x 7"

http://www.dailypainters.com/

Hot Dog House

oil on prepared panel

5" x 7"

sold


This piece depicts the world famous Hot Dog House on route 17 in Carlstadt, New Jersey. I have seven 9 and 10 year olds sleeping over our house tonight, so I'm a bit frazzled right now. I'll get back to my witty comments next week. Right about now I could use a sedative.

Thanks for looking!