Shake it Up...

Time for a fun, loose, alla prima oil painting!

This old diner scene with salt and pepper shakers seemed simple enough for just such a painting. I had fun with the colors, too.

This painting was completed on an 8" x 8" canvas panel, and is ready for framing.

Thanks again for stopping by. Please visit with me often!

Homage to a Daily Painter

I have been studying photographs lately, and doing several painting sketches in different tones, as a training exercise. As I scrambled around the house this weekend looking for art supplies, I came upon several of my first oil paintings, completed alla prima a while ago.

I remember that an artist friend and teacher told me that I might want to try an exercise that he had found useful...find a painting in a style that you really admire, and would really like to learn, study it, and, to the best of your ability, recreate the original in the same loose brushstroke style...It doesn't have to look identical - in fact, it really shouldn't - because the point is to mimic the brushstroke style that you admire, so that you can use this technique in your own original work.

Of course, this painting isn't for sale - I painted it, but the original inspiration was from another artist - and I regret that I cannot give credit here to that person, as the name was not on the photograph.

But I wanted to share this with you, as a helpful exercise in studying other artists' works for inspiration.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Good morning, all. I have been thinking about doing some much larger paintings over the next few days. I particularly had fun with the small "Hay Field" painting, and I think that I will do a much larger, more colorful oil painting with a very similar arrangement.

I have also been busy getting ready for an art auction, which has occupied many of my available extra minutes...I am not complaining or making excuses, (well, maybe the latter - just a little), but I am ready to roll up my sleeves and paint this weekend! Hope to post several new ones soon. Meanwhile, here are a couple of photos from my recent trip to San Salvador island. Do you think that they are "oil paint worthy"?

Talk to you soon...

The Hay Field

8" x 8"

Oil on Canvas Panel

I decided that I would go with a traditional landscape theme for this daily painting effort. Haystacks have been painted with some frequency since the Impressionist movement in the late 19th century. Actually, I have never painted them - until today.

I wanted to use as much color as I could get away with, while still maintaining a certain realistic approach.

I found this exercise to be the most fun of any painting that I have completed in a several weeks. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed painting it!

Be back soon with another study.

Purple Crocuses Win Out Over African Violets...

Today seemed like the perfect day to paint crocuses. Well, why not?

Although these were painted from a photo, it was really a very good, clear photo. (I actually considered painting the live African violet on my table first, but the lighting in the room was too strong, i.e. no shadows.)

So crocuses won out. This is an 8" x 8" oil on 1" stretcher bars,gallery wrapped canvas, suitable for framing or hanging without a frame for a more contemporary look.

Comments or questions? Please!

Field of Wild flowers - Reworked

Good morning, all!

Yesterday I worked on 2 different paintings. The first one was a new oil painting which I had planned to entitle "Romeo and Juliet". Unfortunately, these star-crossed lovers are destined to remain that way...I am unhappy with the painting, as my subjects (in this particular case, two tangerines) looked decidedly disinterested in posing properly. I will consider this a teaching moment...Note to self: fruit is not always versatile, may become type-cast, and can literally TURN on you...)

The second painting was a rework of an acrylic canvas that I did about a year ago. I thought that adding warmer colors would enhance the painting - perhaps the blue toned picture of yesterday made me think of this.

Please see for yourself. I think it looks better.

See you tomorrow.

"Dinner For One"...Something Different

Guess I was in a blue mood. I thought it would be cool to try a tonal painting, so I set about toning the background of this 8" x 8" canvas panel with a blue-green, fairly neutral color.

This one place dinner setting seemed to match the mood that I was going for, so I used primarily blues and whites to establish three dimension.

This was fun, but I think that adding a complementary color for shading might have made for a more interesting painting. Still, I think I achieved my goal in this tone study.

I will be back tomorrow with another daily painting. As always, comments and suggestions are encouraged.

I'm Back with more Daily Paintings

6" x 6"

Oil on 1" Stretcher Bars

Gallery Wrapped Canvas
$75 USD, includes shipping

I am back to work painting furiously to finish a couple of larger gallery pieces, along with my smaller "Daily Paintings", which I find both fun and challenging. I set up my light box again, and decided on the title before I even began painting this small oil on stretched canvas. The large green apple looked as though he was in authority, so the two clementines became the followers, exclaiming, "Let's Follow the Big Guy"...

It's good to be back in the saddle, so to speak. I'm settling back in, and plan to get busy with several new plein aire landscapes. I can already see these paintings in my mind, and these canvases are going to be VERY colorful. Can't wait to share them with you.

Thanks for stopping by.

Painting Myself into a Corner?

Last week I started oil paintings on two separate occasions. Both efforts were unsuccessful in achieving the image that was my goal; that is, the image in my mind's eye.

I would display them here for you, but they are both now nondescript oil smears on stretched canvas...don't know why I am having such trouble concentrating.

The first effort was an attempted figurative painting of a very young child - a baby, really, - that I had decided to paint from a photograph for the new Contemporary Fine Artists' monthly art challenge with "Renewal" as the theme.

I think that my underpainting and initial sketch were both off, leading ultimately to what I perceived as a disastrous result. I think I could have saved it, but I was so unhappy with it, that I simply ended it with an abruptness not usually my style.

The next attempt was also from a photograph...this time a still life of aligned glass bottles. I think that I was too fatigued when I began this painting, and couldn't quite achieve the reflective colors that I had hoped to capture. The results again culminated in an ugly, muddy smear across perfectly innocent white canvas.

After this second frustrating effort, I decided to take a break. I also think that I shall steer away from photographs for a while, and go back to my light box and still life setups until I tear away from this "painter's block" that seems to have me in its selfish grasp. Back again, soon...

Alla Prima Green Leaf Study

I sifted through a number of old photographs until I found this color foliage snap for the leaf close-up study that I had been wanting to paint for several days. I had already given up on the plein aire approach a few days ago because of the intense sunlight and wind that were not conducive to my plans.

I really liked this photo because of the clarity of detail, and subtle color changes.

I chose a limited color palette of oils, along with an 8" x 10" canvas panel. I struggled, in the beginning, with a rather detailed underpainting, then decided that I was fussing too much over the details. It was at this point that I began having fun with the painting, and actually liking the results that I was getting using these predominately cool hues.

Contact me via email with any questions about this painting, or any others that you may be interested in displayed on this website.

The Magnolia Bloom

I have a tall magnolia tree in my front yard. For a number of weeks now, it has been laden with the most gorgeous and wonderfully southern, gigantic blooms. Each time that I have passed by this tree, I have said to myself that I simply must paint one of those incredible blooms.

Yesterday I happened to see a new bloom within my reach. But, still I toyed with leaving it on the tree in its natural beauty. Ultimately, I couldn't resist cutting it down to paint a picture, in hopes of sharing its beauty through oils on my canvas. (I apologized to the tree, and immediately put the bloom in water.)

I hope you enjoy it. I tried to keep the style loose and fresh.

Arabian Horse - Acrylic Painting in Progress

I wanted to go back to an acrylic medium for this large painting of a running Arabian horse. Actually, this is just a portion of the painting, which is a 40" x 60" stretched canvas. Obviously, this is still a work in progress, as I have not added facial details, flowing mane, etc., but I wanted to show you what I had been working on for a couple of days.

I'm trying to break out a little, in terms of use of color and fine blending...you know what I mean...I really want this to be more impressionistic, energetic and modern, rather than traditional and tightly rendered. So far so good. Just need to stop myself from overworking it!

Thanks again for looking.

Apple Face-Off

8" x 8" Oil on Canvas Panel

Still playing with these colorful apples. Couldn't resist the green and red combinations. Maybe next, for something a little different, I will fall in love with blue and yellow...we'll see.

This oil painting is a face-off between the Rome Apple and the Granny Smith. Does anybody remember the Dr. Seuss story about the Loraxes that wouldn't budge to allow the other to pass? Well, that is kinda what I had in mind when I did the set-up.

Thanks for visiting. As always, comments and suggestions are not only welcomed, but encouraged! See ya...

Green Apple Slices

6" x 6" Oil on Canvas Panel

Wow! So glad to be able to use Blogger and Internet again! No access for a number of days...frustrating not to be able to post my daily paintings, and share my stories; particularly frustrating as I am seeking to join a new daily painting website, and need to be posting my art each day.

However, my own inconveniences pale in comparison to those of many here as the clean up continues in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham areas, following the devastation caused by the numerous tornadoes that recently ripped through Alabama. Many of us now have power, and modern conveniences like cable and Internet, but there are still many that do not even have homes, and remain in local shelters. Thanks again to everyone who is helping out the hundreds of victims. We are all so grateful for your kindness.

My apple theme continues with the painting seen here, as I sliced one of my Granny Smith apples, and set it up on a bright red background. Still love the look of green and red playing off one another.

Proceeds from the sell of this painting will be donated to Red Cross in support of the tornado victims.

Thanks for looking. Back soon with another painting.

She Looks So Different

"She Looks So Different!"

6" x 6" Oil on Stretched Canvas

Good morning, all!

I am feeling in a much stronger, happier state of mind as the local community is beginning to heal. I think that my own "survivor's guilt" is under control, although sadness still permeates the air, throughout this Alabama area. Thanks again to all of you who are providing help, hope, and prayer for the thousands of tornado victims.

Last night I thought that I would again attempt a simple painting, and proceeded to set up my little green apples...couldn't resist adding a splash of red, as well. (Note to grocer: thank you for having such a wide variety of beautiful apples in stock!)

I got pretty loose with this oil painting, but enjoyed the freedom of painting outside my usual box.

Thanks for listening, and please visit often!

Starting With an Apple...

6" x 6"

Oil on Stretched Canvas

In an effort to resume my schedule and get back to living life, following the recent horrific tornado devastation in Alabama, I thought a simple apple sketch painting might be a good first step.

Luckily, I happened to have a couple of my Granny Smith apples remaining, and eagerly set about toning the canvas. This simple apple became "not so simple" as I first color blocked, added details, then decided to repaint...not once, but twice!

On my third effort, I thought that keeping it loose was the best approach, and this small oil painting was deemed "finished".

I have several ideas running around in my brain, that are simply wanting to jump on the canvas...hope to "record" all of these ideas before they fade away.

Thanks for visiting. And special thanks to everyone who is contributing to the Alabama tornado disaster relief program...your help is much needed and sincerely appreciated.

Tornado Devastation in Alabama is Unimaginable...

No post for several days, I know. But, I have been completely overwhelmed by the incredibly horrific devastation caused by the many tornadoes that ripped through our area, beginning over a week ago, shattering lives, and in many cases, the human spirit.

It's frustrating not to be able to help my community more...all around I see tears and rubble. There is no understanding of such events..."ours is not to reason why".

At last, I am starting to see help, and healing in progress, as aid and hope arrives here, now daily.

Healing will be a long process, but I am encouraged by the seeds of hope that are being planted. I see children laughing again, and it is such an incredibly potent medicine.

I returned to my easel again yesterday, and as best I can, I will return to "normal", which I know is an ever-shifting state of being.

Thanks for looking...

The White Porcelain Cup

I completed this small still life alla prima last night.

This past weekend, I was rummaging through some old boxes filled with mementos from our old family home when I came across this lovely little porcelain mug. We never really were coffee drinkers in my family, but tea and cocoa were always free flowing.

Discovering this old treasure brought back many warm memories, inspiring me to paint this simple 6" x 6" oil on stretched canvas. Looking at it brings a smile to my face!

I've Been Swamped for a While...

"Hidden Green Wonderland"

12" x 12" Oil on Stretched Canvas

Okay, that IS a pretty cheesy title, given that my most recent painting is a swamp landscape. Sometimes, though, it is difficult for me to resist such a play on words.

Sorry for the extended absence, but relocating my office took twice as long as we expected, and I have been without those necessities of life, like Internet, email, blogging... etc....(What big, electronically dependent babies we have become!)

Back to the oil painting...
I was inspired by a gallery challenge celebrating "Mother Earth". First, I sketched out this painting from 3 actual bog photos, and began painting by large color blocking. The result is somewhat monotone, but the colors are fairly true to life. I may try another version of this with more abstraction. I really like the look of the vibrant green moss on the old log.

Thanks for looking! I am in the process of finishing a small still life, which I hope to post tomorrow. Please check back.

Leaves and Shadows

I think that this is finished...it has a "finished feel" to it, although I never really lightened the background as much as I had first envisioned it. I think that the darker colors work okay. I tried adding more light blue and it began fading out the leaves.

Also, I was going to add even more detail, but was able to stop myself in time to keep the painting looking fresh. (I am especially proud that I resisted the urge to blend).

I hope you enjoy it. Please visit again.