12 x 12 inches, oil on panel   SOLD

This is what I'm going to call quasi plein air, because I was looking out our window at this backyard scene. We have a whole lot of big trees so we always have a ton of stripey shadows this time of day. I had just painted some trim on the house and turned around and saw this and decided it was time to switch out paint and subject being painted. But oh man, really hot out there, so I painted it through the window in the cool of the A.C. I should try it again tomorrow out in the heat and see if the outcome is much different. Maybe at a different time of day too.

I painted this 12 x 16 oil en plein air a few months ago.   Previously I included the fence that was there, and today I took it out because I thought it detracted from the openness of the scene.   I had read recently that one should not 'fence out' the viewer and I decided that was good advice.   The glory of that vast expanse of field was so invigorating (also the cool breezes that were whipped up by an approaching storm contributed to the mood)... I felt like I should hear Fanfare for the Common Man any second.   I was so thrilled also to use my new plein air easel I had *just* gotten.  Perfect timing!  :0)

6 x 6 oil on canvas

A study for a larger piece, this was painted from an old blurry black and white photo.   I tried to stay with the major value areas and not get all niggly with my details (my old brushes helped with that -- must buy ones new SOON).  The result is an extremely loose effect which I don't mind at all.  Painting just for values and not having to think about color feels very liberating -- I could get used to it!  But then I'd miss color after a while.

Oh, I forgot to say that this is my dad's tumbling team from the early to mid 1930s --they were called the Athens Athletic Club.  I love the little beanies they wore on their heads with jagged edges like the ones Jughead wore in the old Archie comic books.

12 x 16 oil on Ampersand panel, $200 plus s/h

My bunny rabbit Disco likes to be near me while I paint.  When he's not sleeping, he watches me.  He's good company, couldn't be sweeter, and is litterbox trained.  I thought he deserved to be painted.  I plan to display this at an upcoming group show I'm in with 5 other artists at Russ & Company Salon in Austin, TX all through August.  The reception for the show is August 14th from 2 to 5.  If interested in attending please check my Events page for more details. 

14 x 18 oil on canvas panel, nfs

5 x 7 oil on canvas panel, $50 incl s/h

By the time I finished painting yesterday the light had gotten all golden and I told myself I wanted to come back with a later start. But today I got impatient to do that and decided to see if I could paint the colors from memory in the studio. I looked at yesterday's version for reference and then took a few liberties with color, trying not to get too crazy as I am *wont* to do. This one has doesn't have such believable contours or composition as yesterday's but I like the feeling of it. Sort of dreamlike.

5 x 7 Plein Air oil on canvas panel

Fish were nibbling on me the whole time I painted this yesterday afternoon. Standing in waist-deep water behind our boat, waves rocking me, it was definitely an exercise in concentration -- which I can certainly use. I moved the gas tank to the other side of the prop and put my palette there where I could see everything to my left with the panel propped next to it. I was a lot cooler in the water and was able to see the rocks with the increasingly warmer light on them as the sun lowered in the sky. If I had painted from the beach I would have been facing the sun and the water hues just weren't the same at all. We considered anchoring offshore a little bit but the boat kept turning, and as I said, it was nice and cool in the water. But the fish were sure hungry! Despite that I really had fun doing this and on the way home I couldn't help smiling and the colors of the world have never looked so vivid to me. :0) Seriously I felt like I was on drugs or something -- crazy! No alcohol or anything -- just nature doing a trip on my head. Fun :0)

I did what I've heard others do; went to Goodwill in search of colorful still life dishes (and my daughter can use them in her apartment). It seems that Monday is a good morning to go - new things are in after a weekend of people unloading their garages, etc.  I got a good haul that day, about eight Pier One mugs for 50 cents each.  Also found a nice big heavy wood tray for $5 that had a $50 Pottery Barn sticker on the bottom.  Since I avoid the mall (and most shopping) like the plague this worked out well for me :0)

6 x 6 oil on canvas

I have a mother of pearl bird that my mother-in-law brought me from Mexico. It is so delicate and I love the way the light hits it from any angle. I'm a big bird lover anyway so I have several small collectible birds. However, speaking of birds, they have eaten almost all of our grapes we just noticed. That is not a good thing! (for us, -- it's great for them! I hear a very vocal/happy mockingbird out there today - running on grape fructose no doubt) We'll figure something out by the time the next crops sprouts again next summer. Maybe we'll need a scarecrow...

My next blog entry will be on this site, but click HERE  if you would like to see my old blog.