This website is a joy for me to make.  I've always wanted to document my artwork and projects in one source, and at this point in my life, this seems to be the easiest way to do that.

 As you go through the images here click on any one of them to get the short synopsis of the artwork, or a little story that goes along with it.  Also check out the "Cool Stuff" category, it's a catchall for a lot of the stuff that I've made or repaired, or had an interest in in my life.  All of these artworks and projects are only a small proportion of the work that I have done, and it's going to be a long term project to get most of it in this website.  For numerous art and projects that I've done; I have no photographs or documentation whatsoever.

 If you're seeing this on a small screen (phone or whatever), click on the tiny "menu" icon at the top of site to see all the categories.  They show up on the bigger screens - iPads etc., but you have to click on "menu" otherwise.  I haven't quite figured out how to fix that yet...  ! ? 

See it all on the biggest screen you can, there's so much detail that is missed on small screens.  Also for more info about me, my thought processes, and philosophies of life see the two menu items “My Artists Signature” and “About”.

I currently live in Troy Michigan.  If interested in purchasing any of these works, or commissioning a work, or just commenting or saying Hi, contact me at:

email:   ronmaki99@gmail.com

Prices range from very small works about $100 to my largest work at about $1500, (everything in life is negotiable).

14x11.  Oil on canvas panel.  2016

This was a quick painting done from  photos I took on Oahu at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel - we stayed there in 2015.  My wife's Father stayed at this hotel when he was a young marine in World War ll.   He was originally a shipboard marine on the USS Pensacola, (heavy cruiser), and saw action in the Solomons where the Pensacola was torpedoed and almost sunk.  The ship made it back to Hawaii and my Father-In-Law was lucky enough to have been based in Hawaii for the rest of the war.

12x12.   Oil and gold leaf on canvas panel     2017  Frame made by Ron Maki

This was a painting which I repainted three times and it still wasn't right.  I even threw paint at it which you can still see.  It didn't start to feel right until I put gold leaf on it.  My first gold leaf painting.  I think it came out great!  The second pic is of it framed. I made the frame from two separate frames and attached them together, and painted one of them. 

21 x 26 Oil on Birch Panel, October 2019

I changed this painting in the summer of 2021. I cut the left side out and painted over the rest of it. A much better painting I believe!…. The following applies to the earlier version…..The writing around the painting’s border says: (top) “At Wit’s End — Enchantment or Illusion” (bottom) “Go Ask Alice, I Think She’ll Know” (right side) “We Are All Crazy Here” (left side) “Curiouser and Curiouser”

This was a fun painting out of my imagination. Ya gotta love Alice, her world was as crazy as ours is now in 2019. (Lies are Truth, Up is Down, etc. etc., though I don’t think Alice had to deal with greed, fear and corruption at the highest levels of politics and business!!!!)

We might need to find us some White Rabbits….or at least a rabbit hole to stick our heads into….

Oil on canvas panel.   11x14.   2015

This painting won an Honorable Mention ribbon in the Art At The Museum show (SOAA) in Royal Oak MI 2015.

27x54.  Diptych.   Oil on birch panel.  2015

"Arrangement in Color and Form #3, Homage to Degas"

Degas is one of my favorite artists.  Almost more than anyone else he intensely studied movement in human form.  He spent a large part of his career painting at the ballet schools.  His work, to me, captures the natural  motion of the human body.  Which isn't easy to do.  In my paintings I try to capture moments of people unaware of posing,  that's when they are most interesting to depict in a painting or drawing.

Also this painting is a study of color and form; the warm gray, soft yellow, white and the intense red, to me, work wonderfully together, especially as large shapes of each color.

Small Sketch for Lady Agnew Redux

Oil on canvas board 15 ½ x 14 2023

The first oil sketch of this painting

12 x12 Oil on Canvas, Mounted on Birch Panel, November 2019

This was another experiment with color using the CMY color wheel. I’d say at this point in my development as a painter the paintings I enjoy most are paintings about Color and Form. Simple, mostly flat forms and shapes and usually only 2 or 3 colors using complement colors to good effect. The art on the wall is Edvard Munch’s “Loving Woman, also known as Madonna.”

The subject in this one is essentially music and art — guitars and paintings, and my relationships psychologically to that.

The things that fill my time these days are art and painting — music, learning to play the 4 string guitar (in ukukele tuning, GCEA, without reentrant tuning, gCEA) — and reading and learning.

All creative endeavors that keep me sane in an insane world. LOL!

12x14.  Oil on birch panel.  2018. 

 One of the original oil sketches for the Lady of the Marshlands. 

I liked it so much I finished it as a complete painting by itself.

14 1/2 x 19   Oil and gold leaf and copper leaf on birch panel. 2018

Finally finished this painting, it went through a lot of changes but I'm very happy with the result!  I've included many photos of it to show how  light conditions change the image.

14x11. Oil on canvas board.   2016 ?

This was a rework of an older painting done from a live model.  I liked the model's pose but didn't care for the rest of the painting.  So I changed everything around her.  I added the Edward Hopper painting in the background  to add a little excitement and mystery.   He's always been one of my favorite artists.

20x16. Oil on canvas (unmounted).  2014

Painted from a live model.

15x15.  Oil and gold leaf on birch panel.     2017

My third gold leaf painting, I love working with this stuff!

To me, this painting is about the complications of human interaction.

8x10. Oil on canvas panel.    2015

From a photo I took on the beach near the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, where we stayed in April 2015.   A quick painting, probably less than a half hour to paint.

14x11 ?   Oil on canvas board.  2016

Painted from a photo I took on the island of Maui 2015.

I liked how the stage light on the bottom right added a nice effect to this image.

oil on canvas panel 12x12.   2015

There are two versions of this painting, one in Hawaii and one I still have.

Private collection:  Honolulu Hawaii

16x12.   Oil on canvas board.    2014

This is a plein air painting done at Cranbrook in July 2014.

16x20.  Oil on canvas. (not mounted).     2015

This was painted from a live costumed model.  (Richard)

12x16   Oil on canvas.   2013.   Frame made by Ron Maki

This is the corner of my garage in Troy MI.  I love these Rose of Sharon bushes next to the white picket fence I made years ago.  The bushes came as sprouts from a friend's backyard in Berkley Mi.  They have a combination of white and purple-pink blossoms.  

20x16.  Oil on canvas board.      2012

Painted from a live model

31 x 16 Mixed Media (acrylic, map collage) on birch panel April 2019

This is a philosophical piece, inspired by what motivates me to create art. There are little clues throughout the painting — Especially in the names of the islands that I have added to the map. I’ve included three pictures of the process this painting went through, from the original sketch to the finished art.

Oil sketch on canvas panel 10 x 10 2015 for the larger painting, the Artist in Red. The actual color of this painting is much brighter than this pic shows. It’s a lot closer in brightness to the larger painting’ photo.

20x16. Oil on unmounted canvas.   2015

Painted from a live model.

20x30. Oil on birch panel.      2015

The Robert Henri painting on the wall is titled "Jessica Penn in Black and White Plumes" (1908).  She was a Ziegfield Follies dancer and a favorite model of Robert Henri. (He liked redheads). That painting is in a private collection and hasn't been seen much.  I only knew about it because it sold at a Christies auction on May 19, 2004 for $3,600,000, a record price for a Henri painting.

The landscape painting on the right wall is by my painting instructor at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Tim Widener.  It's titled "Sunset on Gray Lake" (1990).  I made it larger than it is in real life, it's actual size is 10 x 16 1/2.  It's in my private collection.

 Robert Henri in his day, the early twentieth century, was not only a great painter, he was known as a superb teacher and was a member of the Ashcan School, which included the finest artists from the turn of the century America.

I'm especially fond of this painting because I consider my teacher Tim Widener to be the best teacher in any subject that I've ever had in my whole life.  The students he has at the BBAC have been with him for years and include many, many superb painters.

I have a  preliminary sketch of my painting  which measure 12x18 (included here).  I love the painting but I'm not fully satisfied with the background color. (After all this a color and form piece).  So in the next few months the color will be changed on the sketch first and then probably the larger painting.

16x20  oil on canvas (not mounted).    2015

This was painted from a costumed live model (Janet) and a fake monkey.  I painted her twice on the same canvas from two different poses she did that day.

Oil on linen, mounted on wood panel, 21x 21

This is from a family black and white photo. Left to right.. my older brother Arnie (Freddie) Maki, my Uncle Charlie’s well drilling partner, (forgot his name), Ron Maki (me), Uncle Charlie Koykka, My youngest brother Donnie, and my brother Jerry. Drilling a water well, somewhere near Calumet Michigan.

20x16.  Oil on canvas panel.    2012

This was originally painted from a live model.   But I can't remember who because I changed this painting so much over a period of a few years that I don't remember it's origin.  It'll probably change again!

16x20. Oil on canvas board. 2014?

This is painting from a live model.  The second pic is a photo of that model in her pose.

27 x27 Oil and gold, silver and copper leaf on birch panel.  2018

I believe this painting is finished! ( Nope! ) I changed it again in February of 2019! I completely cut out one of the girls. I think it’s a better painting now.  But ya never know, my paintings are never really finished until they're on someone else's wall!  I've included 6 pics of it because it just astounds me how it changes in different light!

14x11.    Oil on canvas board.     2016?

This a painting that went through many changes before I was happy with it.   See my gallery on drawings to see the original 2 inch sketch of this painting.

Oil on Linen, mounted on wood panel, 21 x 21, 2021

I repainted this pic in the fall of 2021. I really loved the form but the color wasn’t quite right. I now believe it is a much more exciting painting color wise……This is another color and form work that came out quite well.

It was mostly from my imagination, using complimentary colors,( but changed in 2021 !)

20x16.  Oil on unmounted canvas.      2015

Painted from a live model

17x14.  Oil on canvas panel.   2013

Originally painted in plein air at Cranbrook Oriental Gardens, later changed in the studio.

12x9. oil on canvas board.   2012.   Frame made by Ron Maki

This was my incense burner back in my hippie days. I bought it in 1971  and painted it.  Just a month ago I put gold leaf on it.  It's well traveled.  It's lived in Hazel Park MI, Madison Heights MI, Troy MI,  Pittsburgh PA, New York City, and Back to Troy MI.  I guess it's a Family Heirloom now!

16x20.   Oil on canvas board.    2013

Another favorite still life of mine.   A wooden box from Grandpa's farm and the Buddha incense burner from my hippie days.

18x24. Oil on canvas.  2013

A still life painting of my Buddha incense burner, my African violet plant,  oriental style vase and an old wooden box.  Also a photo of the actual set-up.

8x10. Acrylic on birch panel.  2013

Painted in plein air through the window of my van.  Drizzly, rainy, foggy day in July about 10 a.m.

8x10. Acrylic on Strathmore media board.   2014

This is the old copper mining shaft on the top of Quincy Hill in Hancock Michigan.  Painted from across the Portage Canal in Houghton Michigan. It was a cloudy overcast day, about 8:30 a.m., on August 13th.

8x10. Acrylic on Strathmore board.  2013

A plein air painting of the plank road that the power company built through Elo Michigan when they were updating the power lines with bigger poles.  These planks were 12x12 inch hardwood plank that were bolted together 4 at a time and laid down so the power company could get its massive machinery through the swampy woods.  An amazing endeavor.  Strange and fun to walk on for miles.  As you can see it undulated like a snake.

8x10.  Acrylic on Strathmore media board.  2014

This from a plein air done at Pine Mountain Resort in Iron Mountain Michigan.  This is a view from our second floor room balcony.  Clean air and super quiet.  My sister Janet is the financial officer there.  What a gorgeous part of the country to live in!

9x12.  Oil on Raymar board.    2013

This was painted in plein air on August 8, 2013 from 10 am to  noon.

Mostly cloudy 80 degrees.

11x14.  Oil on canvas board.   2016

This painting has an interesting story.  It started out as a painting of the picket fence and orange day lilies near the corner of my garage, with a lady standing at the gate.  A few days later I saw a copy of Van Gogh's "Crows in the Wheatfields", and I loved the shapes and colors.  All that remains of my original painting is the lady and the orange day lilies.   I love this painting now, it also reminds me of my Grandfather's farm in Elo MI and his gently rolling oatfields with hawks flying low over them looking for mice.

8x10  Acrylic on Strathmore media board.  2017

Plein air painting of the Pine Mountain ski lift.  Iron Mountain Michigan. Painted from the balcony of room 302.

8x10.  Acrylic on Strathmore board.     2014?

A plein air done in Mesa AZ.

8x10.  Acrylic on Strathmore media board.   2013

A plein air done in the amazing ghost town of Jerome Arizona.  If you ever get the chance go there, do it, and have lunch at the haunted Grand Hotel!

"Who's There?"  or  "Winter, Midnight on the Old Cemetery Road"

Oil on canvas panel  9x12   2014

A favorite painting of mine.  The source was the Royal Oak Cemetery in R.O. Michigan.  This cemetery has the coolest cemetery stones you've ever seen.  There are soldiers buried here from the Revolutionary War through every war America has ever fought.  Wonderful old pine trees here too.  An extremely beautiful place.

12x12.  Oil on canvas panel.     2013

A simple painting from my imagination.  It was painted over another painting and that's why it has so much texture to it, but it works!

14x11.  Oil on canvas panel.   2014

A nice Tonalist painting.

Red Sunset

Another tonalist painting. 9 × 12 oil on Raymar panel

12x12. Oil on canvas panel.     2014

A nice little Tonalist painting from my imagination.

14x11 (?).   Oil on canvas panel.   2014 (?).  Frame made by Ron Maki

9x12. Oil on birch panel. July 20, 2013

This is the original 5 Churches plein air sketch done in Calumet MI  that became 2 different larger paintings.  

25 x 10 1/2.   Oil on pine plank.     2015. Frame built by Ron Maki

This is version 2 of the Five Churches that I originally painted in plein air in Calumet MI, an old mining town in the U.P. of Michigan.  It's said that at one time the copper mines were so busy that this small town had 200 bars and 100 churches.  These five churches were packed together like sardines.   I've always believed that the real church is in your own soul. See the menu item “My Artist Signature” for more about that.

37x15 (not counting the frame).   Oil on birch panel  2015

Frame made by Ron Maki

The last version of the Five Churches paintings.   Five churches - a stone's throw -  one hidden -  within your soul.

12x16 oil on canvas board.   2012

Wine and Oranges

20 × 16 Oil on canvas panel Nov.2011

Painted from a still life at BBAC

16x16.  Oil on canvas panel.   2012

The painting is the first pic and the second pic is the still life painting to the left and on the right side is the actual set-up that I painted from!

10x10. Oil on canvas panel.   2012

My Grandma’s old coffee pot and mason jar. In the second pic

my painting is on the left, and the actual set-up I painted from to the right.

18x14.  Oil on canvas board.  2012

20x16. Oil on canvas panel.    2013

8x10 oil on panel   2015?

"Cats are cool and they don't even stink!"   Inspired by what my wife said when we got a new kitten.

(Her family never had pets.). Though her and I, and our son Jeff had a few dogs early on.