“Wisconsin Summer Sausage with Cheese”, Day 30 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days (SOLD)

Happy birthday, Pink!

Summer in the northern Great Lakes region is short and sweet, so if you live up there, you enjoy it, dammit. In Wisconsin, that would be done with meat and cheese and beer. Which is exactly how they get through the winter, but never mind. Stick with me on this summer thing. Note the jolly rays in the background, as if Jesus himself just happened to be passing by the shore of Lake Winnebago in Fon du Lac County in time for some good eats. Hurry! The Packers’ first pre-season game kicks off in five minutes!

Numero trienta. Well, that’s it for 30 paintings in 30 days. For NOVEMBER, anyway. I think we’ll keep going in December, but with a new theme. Birds. Birds it is. 30 Birds in 31 Days. One day off for good behaviour. (Ah, look at that puckish British spelling there. *chuckle!*)

Birds, birds, birds. Of course there’s your standard fare: the cardinal, the blue jay, the majestic pigeon, etc. Then there are the nicknames: Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker, Mark ‘The Bird’ Fidrych, and Douglas ‘Stork’ Kenney of “Animal House” fame. There’s Big Bird, flippin’ the bird, bird-doggin’ and the Yardbirds. There are Philadelphia Eagles and Bal’more Orioles, banty roosters and chicken shits, bird brains and game cocks. Heh. Hey, how about we lead up to Christmas with the seven swans a-swimming and their whole gang, right on down to the partridge in a pear tree? Oh, we’ll have EVER so much fun with this theme, kids!

What ideas do you have, bird-wise?

Comin' atcha in December

“Double Dip”, Day 29 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Double Dip"

You can keep your sugar cone, your waffle cone and for God’s sake, your cup. I was always a fan of the flat bottom “Eat-It-All” cake cone. Yeah. It didn’t compete with the flavor of the main event, and the base of the cone held up, even on the hottest days. No drips, no leaks – just a reservoir of pure ice cream goodness to savor at the very end.

It’s the little things, you know?

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

Tomorrow will conclude 30 Paintings in 30 Days. Will I start a new theme and do it again in December? Would it be ’31 Paintings in 31 Days,’ or would I for God’s sake take Christmas off? Stay tuned.

Thank you Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“Café au Lait & Beignets” Day 28 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Cafe au Lait & Beignets"

You’re in New Orleans. It’s the morning after one of those nights. You head down to Cafe Du Monde in the French market. You get a cafe au lait. And of course and order of beignets, with about eight inches of powdered sugar on top. There’s a jazz quartet playing on the sidewalk about 10 yards from your table. Temperature is 75 degrees. Life is pretty darn good.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

“Leftovers Lunch”, day 27 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Leftovers Lunch"

Leftovers till hell won’t have ‘em? Make sandwiches. Sandwiches to the sky, Dagwood style.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Coming soon: Wisconsin’s Pride: cheese & summer sausage, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, and Café Du Monde’s famous beignets & café au lait.

Thanks, Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“Pumpkin Pie with a Mountain o’ Whipped Cream,” Day 26 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Pumpkin Pie with a Mountain o' Whipped Cream"

Come on, people. Give it up for pumpkin pie! And whipped cream! Whipped cream AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE! This is an original 5″ by 7″ acrylic painting, on illustration board, The paint of the whipping is thick and textural, giving it a Wayne Thiebaud sort of feeling. The colors are warm and autumnal. It is, in a word, luscious.

And the pumpkin. Let’s talk for a second about gourds, folks. Better yet, let’s see what this guy has to say about mother-loving gourds. [Rated R]

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Tip o’ the day: Check out EatingtheRoad.com. The flow-charts alone are worth the trip.

Coming soon: Wisconsin’s Pride: cheese & summer sausage, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, Cafe Du Monde beignets & café au lait, and a few holiday favorites.

Tomorrow’s painting: It’s the day after Thanksgiving… what do you think??

Thanks, Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“That 70′s Brew (Stroh’s)”: a Very Special Installment of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"Stroh's – that '70s Brew"

The night before Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving Eve, if you will), is reputed to be the biggest bar night in the U. S. of A.* Bigger than New Year’s, bigger than the night before I got married. Okay, Vernor’s (ginger ale) sold already. That was a Michigan favorite. I’m a Michigan boy. I’ve got another Great Lakes State favorite right here. And this time, it’s not 5″ by 7″. It’s [relatively] ginormous: 16″ by 20″. HUUUUUUGE!!!

STROH’S. It was once only available in Michigan, sort of like how you could only get Coor’s out west. As if it was all exclusive. Why, I don’t know. Obscure liquor laws left over from the Coolidge era? (“Calvin Coolidge” what was what known as a “President” in the “1920s,.” Read about him “here.”) Something having to do with West Michigan Calvinist Reformed Christians? I don’t know. All I know is that it was VERY, VERY IMPORTANT to keep Stroh’s away from the rest of America. Not anymore. Not now. I present Stroh’s for the people. VINTAGE Stroh’s, from the’70s. And still only, $99, for a giant painting (relative to those pipsqueaks I’ve been doing). And it’s on CANVAS, stretched and ready to hang. Click here to purchase.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping (except this one with is, as I’ve explained [relatively] huge, so I’m charging a nominal fee for shipping). You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Tip o’ the day: Check out EatingtheRoad.com. The flow-charts alone are worth the trip.

Coming soon: Wisconsin’s Pride: cheese & summer sausage, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, Cafe Du Monde beignets & café au lait, and a few holiday favorites.

Tomorrow’s painting: sweet and creamy.

Thanks, too, to Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

*Drunks of America Assn., 1998

“Vintage Vernor’s”: Day 24 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days (SOLD)

"Vintage Vernor's"

If you’re from the Detroit area in particular or Michigan in general, you may have an appreciation for Vernor’s, one of America’s great regional soft drinks. This spicy, hyper-bubbly barrel aged ginger ale has made Michigan kids sneeze for generations. Here’s a look at one of their vintage bottle, all hot-an’-spicy-like.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. (except this one, which has already been sold) And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Tip o’ the day: Check out EatingtheRoad.com. The flow-charts alone are worth the trip.

Coming soon: Wisconsin’s Pride: cheese & summer sausage, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, Cafe Du Monde beignets & café au lait, and a few holiday favorites.

Thanks, too, to Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“The Perfect Shot”. Day 23 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"The Perfect Shot"

The Northwest Passage. The Holy Grail. The Perfect Shot of Espresso. I don’t know what to tell you about the first two (though I understand that thanks to global warming #1 might be a viable option soon), but I know from the last one. Had it last week at Ninth Street Espresso in the East Village, served up by a guy they call Shark. A macchiato. This painting (watercolor and ink) only hints at the experience. I recommend you go there and try it yourself.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Coming soon: Vernor’s ginger ale, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, Cafe Du Monde beignets, and a few holiday favorites.

Thanks, too, to Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“’68 Pineapple,” Day 22 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days

"'68 Pineapple"

Possibly the most delectable fruit of them all. The noble, but prickly pineapple. The colors here are nowhere near the intensity of the original, with its hot-pink background and magenta block motif. Good thing I’ve got a new scanner, which I’ll be hooking up soon. At any rate, this one pops, like so many pills in the Valley of the Dolls.

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Coming soon: the perfect shot of espresso, Vernor’s ginger ale, a deconstructed Blimpy Burger, Cafe Du Monde beignets, and a few holiday favorites.

Thanks, too, to Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

“Mad Martini,” Day 21 of 30 Paintings in 30 Days (SOLD)

"Mad Martini"

We just watched three episodes of “Mad Men” in two days. Can you tell? Draper’s a ‘bag, but whatever. Let’s enjoy The Style, shall we? Painted this one while listening to lounge music, old and new. The Martini. Invented, it’s said, in Martinez, California, where Joe Dimaggio was born. And he of course married Marilyn, and on the last episode of “Mad Men” we just watched, she had just died. Full circle. Boom. And remember what Dorothy Parker once said: “I like a Martini / Two at the very most / After three I’m under the table / After four I’m under the host.”

I’m doing a painting each day this month. 30 paintings in 30 days. Being November, the Month of the Feast, the theme is Things We Love to Eat and Drink.

A painting a day, and yes, they’re for sale. And they’re affordable: $99, which includes free first-class shipping. You can order on my Etsy store by clicking here. Check this blog every day (or the Etsy store) to see the new painting du jour. Each one will be 5″ by 7″ on sturdy illustration board.

I’ll need some content, folks, so if you have any suggestions for good subjects, leave a comment or write to me at john@tebeau.com. What goodies would you like to see memorialized as art? What’s your favorite comfort food? Your most-loved childhood treat? The hometown food you miss most? If you moved away tomorrow, what local specialty would you long for? And, looking ahead, what other themes would you suggest?

Thanks, too, to Michael Stern of RoadFood.com for his mention here.

Yesterday’s painting: “Corn Cob on Blue Plate.”