Art Studio and Gallery of Artist John O'Keefe Jr.

My studio and office are a modest size, but that is just how I like it because my materials and art supplies surround me. I love to paint under artificial light because I find it a consistent environment in which to work, regardless of the time of day. When I want total peace, I work here.

My preferred style is Hudson River School and Classical Realism. I'm not a fan of abstract painting, although I like many impressionist paintings. As you can see in these pictures, my wife and I like that old-world feel when it comes to furniture and decorating, and it's warm and relaxing.

This part of the house contains just about everything I own related to art and painting, and it's ample space for relaxing and creating.

I keep my reference library of art books and my laptop in this room, and I can sit here for hours. An excellent space for hanging out, and I often get inspired to create new works while sitting here. I like the mood in this room because it gives me an old-world feel that compliments my painting style.

I love painting landscapes in the style of the Hudson River School and Victorian-era artists, and in the central part of the house is a room that is authentically decorated in that period. My artworks are hanging on just about every available inch of wall space. Some are completed, and some are in progress.

My paintings are only complete after my wife's critique and input. She has an eye for detail and has sent many of my creations back to the easel for some touch-up work. I love getting feedback from others, and I attribute a large portion of my personal growth as an artist to the feedback I receive.

This is my dedicated framing, photography and engraving room.

A New Hermes GM manual engraver, capable of rotory and drag engraving, is used for making painting frame nameplates. A New Hermes CG-5 grinder is used for keeping all bits nice and sharp.

Traveling outdoors and viewing various landscape scenes is a large part of my creative process, and I am on a never-ending quest to understand nature to capture it on canvas better. Cloud patterns are another element that I study when outdoors. The nice thing about photographing clouds is that they come to you. Much of my cloud reference material was captured from our front porch, and my wife, Jennifer, is the source for most of my cloud arrangements. The entire family goes on what we call "business trips" to parks, rivers, lakes, and other scenic spots around Connecticut to photograph the landscape. Back in the studio, I use computers to digitally edit and archive photographs that will be useful in future paintings.