I just began a several month long mentorship with Toms River Intermediate East where I’ll be teaching, inspiring and mentoring the 8th graders as we design and paint a huge mural together in the school.On my first day, I was honored and surprised by this beautiful artistic welcome display that they made for me.(above)I have been loving the time…
Headline Acts include: Foo Fighters, The Killers, Greta Van Fleet, Weezer, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Mt. Joy, Sheryl Crow, The Beach Boys & More Embracing the Waves of Creativity: Jay Alders at Sea Hear Now Festival 2023 I am so thrilled to have been named the main featured Artist of the Sea Hear…
It’s amazing how things work out. Many moons ago, I was in a Fraternity with a guy named Chris. As 20something frat guys do, we did a lot of 20something frat-guy stuff. But contrary to popular thought, it wasn’t just about paying for friends or debauchery. We always prided ourselves on philanthropy, contribution, and leadership…
Let’s do a deep dive into the profound beauty and transformative power that art holds. Art That Speaks to Your Soul Art possesses a unique ability to connect deeply with our souls, transcending language and cultural barriers. It speaks to our emotions, provokes introspection, and captures the essence of the human experience. When I immerse…
It was so lovely to immerse ourselves in culture, art, and history. Chelsea and I hadn’t been in Europe since 2012 for our honeymoon, so being back was long overdue. Our itinerary was London, Paris, and Amsterdam. We crammed in all the obvious must-do’s, including (but not limited to): The Louvre, The Musee D’Orsay, Leeds…
Creative people often have moments where they feel like giving up on their art. This can come in many forms – maybe you feel like you aren’t good enough, or perhaps you are just stuck in a rut and can’t see a way out of it. Whatever the case may be, read on if you…
Putting adventure in every cup! New Organic, Medium Roast Coffee Blend from Coffee Surf Co., Slightly Stoopid and Jay Alders One of the coolest aspects of my career has been the friendships I’ve made along the way. Every so often, those friendships manifest into collaborations and this is one of the latest I’ve been blessed…
Mama and papa sea turtle bask in the warm sunset with their newborn hatchling sea turtle on a private beach in Hawaii. This sea turtle art was inspired and commissioned by the Perruzzi family to celebrate their daughter on the way. Ken and Joanna Perruzzi have been collectors of my art for years and so…
Happy 2021 ! It certainly hasn’t been a dull year so far eh? I hope you are finding – no, making time for gratitude, creativity and light into your life. Ya know…When I’m painting, I often find myself getting lost in the inconsequential details of the shadows. I do this a lot. I find a…
While a lot of people have been complaining about 2020, I wanted to extend some gratitude.First, I know a lot of you have had some serious challenges. My family wasn’t without difficulties too this year. My Mom was locked inside her room in her assisted living facility for eight months by herself. My brother and Dad…
I’ve been working on some sketches for a children’s book that I’m doing with a good friend of mine. (Here’s a little sneak peek) It’s still rough, but you can see where it’s going. At this phase I’m exploring the characters and getting to know their personalities. This drawing is on toned gray paper and…
A Bit of Art Therapy That Turned Into Something Cool I was in a sh*tty mood when I started this. My brakes need to be repaired for $1000…Our clothes washer broke. Just one of those days ya know? We all have those sort of moments where you just don’t feel like creating. This is exactly…
I live at the Jersey Shore and I love the beach lifestyle. I was at the beach with my three little kids earlier and when I got back, I felt inspired to paint. I had this big slab of wood sent to me from Latvia. (I really need to look up where that is on…
I talk to a lot of artists and one problem that comes up more than most other things is that most of your problems as a creative or just as a human being is that we overthink things way too much. I hear from artists about not knowing what kind of canvas to buy or..…
I’ve been working really, really, really hard to let go of my attachment to perfection lately. It’s an unhealthy obsession of mine that has followed me around since I was a kid. In all honesty, it’s not all bad. Were it not for me pushing myself to do better, better, better, I wouldn’t paint the…
So my wife took the kids to my inlaws for a few days to give me some quiet time to hunker down and work. Aside from sleeping better than I have in years, I really needed time to work on this big commissioned painting that’s due soon. While painting, I’ve been listening to a lot…
Hi! I’ve been pondering the past few weeks a lot about little stuff. We get so distracted in our everyday life. Some of it is just part of life and out of our control. All the noise around us is so loud. Let’s be honest here though, a lot of it is a self-inflicted distraction…
This past week has reminded me that you can’t win ’em all. The conversations I’ve had and read and heard have both enlightened me, inspired me, and terrified me. It feels in one moment that all human ability to be rational, kind, and empathetic is thrown out the window. And just then, I see a…
It’s up to us to choose love over hate. We can create a new reality if we change our perspective and approach life with a new perception. I write this from the porch of my in-law’s farmhouse. It’s sunny, warm and all I hear are tweeting birds and the distant sound of a lawnmower. After…
I’ve been thinking a lot about how on the one hand, we (the planet) are all in this pandemic together. Of course, we all have aspects of this we’re sharing…The paranoia and fear and uncertainty and inconveniences and more time on Amazon. More than ever, maybe one benefit is how we can empathize and relate…
As I go through very old paintings and drawings while on lockdown, I’ve been reminded of how long I’ve been consumed by emotional and mental turmoil. This painting is an old one, like 27 years old. And the fact that I can still relate to it, is a little scary and a little comforting. I…
Lockdown, week 3. A reflection on one of my paintings that seems very relevant now during quarantine. I painted this piece during a rough patch. I say patch because it feels like sometimes in life you just need something or someone to fix or cover up the leak in the ship. I’ve always been a…
My thoughts and experience thus far during this CoronaVirus Pandemic and how it’s nudged me to finally start a Patreon Page. Well, here we are…Week two on lockdown. First and foremost, I truly hope you are feeling ok. This is not another “This is how our company is handling COVID-19” email. I mean why do…
I’m in my kitchen right now. Listening to Sinatra and doing dishes after feeding the kids pancakes and playing with legos and board games and puzzles. I’m feeling nostalgic and reflective. This time of year is good for those sorts of emotions isn’t it? I’m thinking about all the things I said I was going…
Artist Jay Alders brings it back in the barrel for this new surfer inspired painting. I drew upon a familiar style of mine for this one. Reminiscent of some of my other classic original surf paintings, such as Pot of Gold, Solitube and Left Behind the Wall. I find that my creative inspiration takes me…
It’s that time of year. Holiday lists start to grow and decorations are pulled out of the closet. Friends and family ask us, “How are you?” and we answer…”Busy”. Busy — Yeah, we all are busy but we say it as though it’s something to be proud of. People say to me “busy is good”. …
This surf painting is inspired by one of my favorite spots on the Jersey Shore. The Inlet Beach in Manasquan which lies at the southern end of Monmouth County, New Jersey. The jetty in this scene is an icon to locals and surfers from around the world alike. Even Surfing legends like Andy Irons have flown in to…
I just finished painting the front wall of the future location of Iron Buddha, a new yoga and fitness location in Westwood, New Jersey. The clients, whom I adore, wanted their Buddha logo which I also designed as the center piece of the wall. Of course, the township had something to say about putting street…
In his book, On Writing Well, author William Zissner says, “I don’t like writing, I like having written”. Such brutal honesty is so refreshing, isn’t it? Why do creative people feel such guilt and shame about admitting that sometimes the process just sucks? I don’t always love working out, but I do it anyway because…
Overcoming the Time Constraints and Excuses That Get in The Way of Creative Work and Staying Inspired. If you’re anything like me, thinking about new ideas and being creative is one of the things I love most. Yet finding the time for creativity and hobbies seems impossible some days. Am I right? I get it. If there’s one…