This is a sketchbook painting I am offering as a print, also in honor of the one year anniversary of my brother Jesse's death, for those of you who may not have known Jesse and want to participate. Proceeds will benefit the Humane Society and Hope House. The first print run will be made to accommodate the pre-orders; prints will ship in May. Thank you, everyone! May we all carry a little light in the darkness.

Click the image for the details.

For all of Jesse's friends who saw this painting, either at 24th Street or at his funeral, I've decided to make some high quality giclee prints on paper, sign them, and make them available here. Proceeds will be donated to two organizations in the San Jose area: the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (because Jesse loved dogs) and Hope House, which helps people with substance addictions.

Here's the story: It was 2008. I had done a couple portraits in an alla prima approach and took some in progress photos. Jesse had the idea of taking a photo of every brushstroke and putting them together in a video. We set up a camera behind me on a tripod. I'm facing Jesse so I can see him, the easel is between us, and the camera is behind me. Jesse has the remote. I load my brush, make a brushstroke, then lean over so he can click the shutter. He took three hundred photos, so, three hundred brushstrokes. We are sitting on the back patio, under balcony at VFD, and you can see spots of sunlight moving across the canvas.

Jesse put the video together and added music (yes this is the incomparable Los Del Chongs). You can see that video here.

The first run of these is based on the number orders and will ship in May.