No Goat Hill

A couple of pomegranates

2012-01-14T13:20:00.000-08:00

Somebody showed me a work-in-progress of a pomegranate; I mistakenly commented that her painting of a Christmas ornament was coming along nicely. Whoops!

Well, no harm done, but it got me to thinking I would give pom’s a try. And I’m not entirely sure the back one doesn’t look like a ball.

One of the rules of still life set ups is you should keep things in odd numbers. Since I only had two pom’s I painted two pom’s. I could have broken the rule here or I could say this is one pair of pomegranates!

Either way, rules are not set in cement, so sometimes it’s best to think of them as just guidelines.

Finished!

2011-12-29T15:54:00.000-08:00

I just added a few subtle finishing touched…… I like it.

more on Mickey

2011-12-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

So I did go for the red in the background. I think it’s showing a bit stronger in the photo than in the actually painting, but I like it. I’m planning one more session with him, kind of a final fine tuning, just to make sure the black and white are as strong as they need to be. I’m wonder if blending the background to a softer texture will be a nice contrast to the fluffy/rougher fur. Maybe..... I’ll need to let him dry out before I can do anything else….

Mickey

2011-12-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

This is day one with the late Mickey, who was the resident cat at Debbie’s Pet Boutique in Windsor CA. He was a sweetie, actually one of those cats that reminds me why I like cats. At this point, I’m still getting my bearings, so to speak. I feel good with the placement of Mickey, but I’m not sold on the color of the background. I was heading for gold(ish), but now I’m thinking of maybe heading a little bit more to the red side…. Who knows? For sure, I won’t know till tomorrow, so I’ll just let the little guy rest till then. Also, he’s not very grounded on the canvas, he seems a bit floaty. But again tomorrow will give me all the answers!

Christmas card 2011

2011-12-11T17:19:00.000-08:00

This'll be my Christmas card for the 2011! I tried to keep it loose and easy, hope it worked!! Happy Christmas all!!!

Gus and Santa

2011-12-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Finally got some time to paint!! Here is the first draft of my Christmas card 2011. Now, I’ve got to hang some lights around the house. I’ll be back next week to finish.

...waiting for final approval

2011-11-06T07:20:00.001-08:00

My day job has kept me away from here for what seems like forever. I have finished this portrait and am waiting for the client to contact me. But I’m pleased with what I’ve done here.

I still have a few more weeks of a crazy busy work schedule. So I hope to be back and painting soon. I miss it.

Day 2 with the mother-in-law

2011-09-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

I only had a short time to spend with this lady…. Its slow moving, but I feel I’m on the right track. Looking forward to next weekend with her!!

The mother-in-law

2011-09-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

Started this one today…. I’m actually quite pleased with the resulst (so far). In the original reference photo,(which is poor to begin with), she’s wearing glasses...... so I’m trying to capture her likeness and then add the glasses (because glasses distort the face). This is a very challenging portrait for sure!! And I LOVE a good challenge!!

Oh, BTW, the client wants a teal(ish) background......

white cow

2011-09-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

I started this gal over a year ago, and I was not particularly impressed with my effort, so she sat around until today. Since I already didn’t like it, I had nothing to lose….. So I changed up the color of the background and used a ¾ inch brush for most of this painting then a liner brush for just the few highlights on her face. Larger brushes force a more painterly style—which I love. My original photo was really lacking any interest to begin with, so I think the looser brushwork adds to this as a painting. Now if I could just come up with a better title than “white cow” I’d be set!

Art in the Redwoods...

2011-08-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

…No painting this weekend, instead, I’ll be peddling my wares at the 2011 Art in the Redwoods Festival in Gualala California.

Here’s hoping that the powers that be will spill sunshine on the event, keep the winds low and the crowds large with big fat wallets (Forgive me if I’m being too selfish here?) And all of those who want to own portrait of a chicken, cow or sheep find there way to my booth. Amen.

http://www.gualalaarts.org/AIR/Festival-2011.html

Here's looking at Ewe"

2011-08-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

I’m thinking this is done, but, finished or not, I’ve run out of time. I widened the eyes and shortened the chin a bit. And added a lot of Sap Green! Sap Green mixed with Raw Sienna helped warm this painting up quite a bit.

Another rough start...

2011-08-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

I feel like I have a lot of rough starts in my studio right now. But what can I say, it happens. Anyways, I had planned on this one being “Alla Prima” (finished in one session), but that’s just not going to happen.

I like to use a lot of paint on my brush and because of that I just couldn’t get my darks dark enough, or my lights light enough. In the process of trying, I think I created a lot of muddiness—not at all what I wanted. Also, I think this painting is in need of some warmth (color wise), I’ll probably have to wait till next weekend to finish this one, because the paint is so thick.

male nude

2011-07-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

I got a request for some male nudes. OK, you don’t have to ask me twice to paint naked people!! Honestly though, feathers and fur are much easier to paint.

This is the rough beginning. 12”square canvas.

...a do over.

2011-07-08T11:49:00.000-07:00

I made this painting of Big Fat Maggie last year. Later that evening after a few glasses of wine, I attempted to make it even better! Lesson learned; it’s never a good idea to fix things when you’re drunk! So she sat around for over a year till I re did her this morning. I had to take a break from the cows and remember that I do know how to paint! That’s another important lesson. Every now and then paint something fun and easy, sometimes even familiar as a way to reinforce your self esteem. At least it works for me that way.

Struggling…

2011-07-07T13:13:00.001-07:00

I’ve been down this road before, not happy with a painting, wonder why I even bother… So before I totally crash and burn, it’ll probably be best to put this one aside. I know what the problems are, but for some reason I can’t focus myself to correct the issues.

Tomorrow, I may feel differently and finish this Masterpiece or (in the words of the Great Helen Van Wyk) perhaps I’ll make some soup.

five cows day three

2011-07-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

I got to work more on these ladies that lunch today. Everybody is still a little sketchy, but I think with the next session I'll be able to start bringing each cow into focus. I actually still feel a little sketchy myself as far as this painting goes. I’m not sure if I want to put this away for a bit or just soldier on through. There’s no pressure, I suppose, I’ll just see how I feel tomorrow.

...back to the cows.

2011-06-29T13:48:00.000-07:00

Day 2 with the girls here and I feel better about where I’m going. At this point I think it’s brighter than I want, but so much will change between now and the end. Big paintings are a much bigger challenge and can be quite tiring. Well at least for me, because I like to work wet into wet; I need to go over the entire canvas with each session… Suppose, it’s good exercise.

2011-06-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

five cows..

2011-06-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

My next painting here will be five cows in the pasture. I just quickly blocked in some color and shapes. Hoping tomorrow will give me a better start. This really doesn’t look like much right now, but I wanted to see how these girls would fit in the canvas. 18”x36”/45x90cms.

Finito!

2011-06-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Q is finished. I had a good time today with this cat and a very tiny brush. Hoping my efforts pay off and my client is pleased.

Day two for Q

2011-06-17T14:50:00.001-07:00

… a bit more progress on “Q”.

Trying hard to stay painterly with enough detail in this small canvas is turning out to be a huge challenge. Tomorrow I should be able to wrap this one up. Due to the size of Q’s face for this portrait, I’m using very small brushes and just a stray hair out of place changes everything. I’m finding myself nose to the canvas (which makes me cross eyed) and forgetting to breathe (an important part of painting and living!). I may have to find my way to the art store for a super fine brush, I know as a painter, one can never have too many brushes!

"Q"

2011-06-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

Here is my rough start with “Q”, a gray tabby. It’s not very impressive at this point, I know. But, the best way to get started is to just get some paint on the canvas. Once it’s there, I can adjust the colors and shapes until they resemble “Q”. This is a fairly small canvas 8”x10”/20x25cm for a full body portrait. I’ll be using “the little brushes” for this one. Unfortunately, I won’t get back to “Q” till next weekend. Life happens! See you next weekend!

Gualala Art: Fine Arts Fair 2011

2011-05-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

truck is packed and I'm heading out at 5:30am--yikes! It's all good, I'll be in Gualala Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to seeing and being seen!

A couple of blonde chicks!

2011-05-20T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ok it’s true; I did not forget how to paint. Sometimes, when things don’t turn out as I expect, I go for the drama. Turns out, I just had an off day, it happens.

I think it’s important to recognize this, and always know that tomorrow is another day; after all, it’s just paint and can always be painted over. I think that’s one of the hardest lessons to learn. As for these chicks, I’m pleased. They’re classically cute!

...not a very painterly day

2011-05-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

I did these two little ones today--7"x5"18x13cms. I’m posting them not because I’m pleased, actually, I’m a little disappointed in myself. I feel like I forgot how to paint, probably that’s not the case and I’m just having an off day. It happens. So no worries, I’ll put them away for now. Maybe next week, I’ll fix them up or just leave them and start something fresh. It’s raining and cold today so maybe a blanket and a movie will suit me better.

…beach souvenir

2011-05-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Just back from a week in Florida so of course I came home with shells….. And of course I had to paint one….. This is a quick little portrait. 7”x5”/18x13cms. I’m hoping to get a few more quick ones in tomorrow.

A couple of quickies here…

2011-04-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

Quick paintings like these are great exercises. It good to limit your time and just paint….

The Lemon 7”x5” is finished. The Orange Peeled is 8”x10”. Unfortunately, I ran out of time so this still has some work to done. Hopefully I’ll get to finish it tomorrow, not too sure this set up will last till next weekend. I need to tend to the chickens!!

Peggy’s eggs X 3

2011-04-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

More changes to the background, you can see I warmed it up quite a bit and lost the reflection of the nest on the table surface. I thought the reflection was a nice touch, but ultimately, I couldn’t make it work. And of course with these dark colors comes my apology for the photograph... But hey, that just seems to be the nature of the beast. The scale of the nest to the background helps give this piece drama—I like it!

nest & eggs continued

2011-04-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

I’ve changed the perspective since I started. That’s the beauty of paint; you can always paint over it. Now, I’m not ready to call this piece finished, but its close. Perhaps a bit more shadow and highlight to the nest itself, it’s just at this point the paint is too thick. It was nice to paint on hardboard again, it’s always been my favorite support, but people, without really giving it much thought, seem to regard it as a lesser quality to canvas. Something about the phrase “oil on canvas” seems to make it legit.

nest and eggs

2011-04-03T09:57:00.001-07:00

A quick start…. 12”x16”/30x40cms on hardboard panel. I’d love to keep painting, but I’m being harangued to do my chores….. Something about the house falling down around us…. That seems a bit dramatic, but I suppose there’s some may be some truth to it…. There’s always next weekend

Time lapse progression of “the cow” painting….

2011-04-02T19:15:00.000-07:00

I randomly took photos’ of the progress of this painting…. I thought it might be interesting to see the start to finish of one of my paintings… Basically, this is how I work, right or wrong--I don’t know. But it’s the way I work

same cow, another day....

2011-04-01T15:01:00.000-07:00

Had a lovely day painting, now it’s time to do some chores (Need to earn my keep around here!!)…….

Still a bit more to do with this lady, but she’s coming along… 18"x24"/50x60cms

cow

2011-03-26T16:08:00.001-07:00

Day one of roughing this painting out, and I’m kinda liking it as it is now. Looks very impressionistic, no doubt I’ll take this farther and tighten everything up. Initially, I was intending to make this girl coming out of the dark shadows. But I’m thinking I bit lighter might work better… We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.

“Helen” She’s the leader of my flock of six hens….

2011-03-24T19:18:00.000-07:00

My latest…. 18”x24”/45x60cms. I’ve been working on painting larger. It’s tough because smaller paintings means smaller mistakes… So yeah, larger painting are definitely more work—but at the same time….fun. I’m enjoying this. BTW, in case your wondering, Helen IS a bitch!!

The Hounds of Cahill

2011-03-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

Finished these two today…. I moved everybody’s eyes around; well actually they needed to be lowered. But I think I’ve got it all in the right spots now. I think these two couldn’t look more relaxed, in fact, if the dog in the back was not there, the front dog would fall over!! It's nice to be that comfortable with someone....

got a few more strokes in today.....

2011-03-07T14:44:00.001-08:00

Well, I just couldn’t stand leaving these two in such an unfinished state. Mind you, the painting is still not finished, but, I’m more comfortable leaving it sit as it is now. I added color to the background which made a huge difference in the feel of the piece. The lower dog need some more attention and then both dogs will get the final detail with their fur. I think it’s looking good.

correcting away...

2011-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

I had to make a lot of corrections here, and still more to go. It seems like it would be easier if I’d slow down and put everything in the right place to start with. But I just get excited and want to get the paint on there.

I only had a couple of hours yesterday to work on this piece, and I hated having to stop with the eyes so…unfinished, but that’s just the way it had to be. As always, there’s next weekend………

I believe these two are German Shorthaired Pointer.

Hounds of Cahill Winery

2011-03-04T14:44:00.001-08:00

Met these two at Cahill Winery, in town here….. Couldn’t resist painting them…. As usually, day one of a painting is just about getting paint on the canvas… tomorrow will be about moving it around to the proper spots….

I'm still working on bigger canvases.... this on is 24"x20"/50x60cms

Finished this one.

2011-02-28T19:28:00.001-08:00

I must say this one looks much better in person…. I realize, that probably doesn’t mean much to anybody seeing this blog, but it’s true. In real life, the cookies have more details….

Perhaps you’ll just need to come see me at my next event—May, I think, in Gualala CA., details to follow….

On the flip side, I’ve had paintings that look better posted online, so go figure.

milk and cookies……

2011-02-25T15:32:00.000-08:00

Here is my first draft with this painting; it’s another big one, 18”x24’/45x60cms. I’m planning on a series of sweet/deserts, comforting/guilty pleasures kind of things, and I want to do them all larger than life. As well as pleasing to the eye, I want them to have a bit of nostalgia associated with them—you know, a feel good feeling…… well, that’s the plan anyways.

Now that I’ looking at this one, there seems to be an excess of negative space… I’m not sure if I want to add another stack of cookies or see if I can take care of that space with color. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. It’s always good to step away and come back fresh in the morning.

Reese's Peanut-Butter Cup

2011-02-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

This is a pretty simple painting, but because of the size, it took a bit more effort to maintain a painterly style without looking sloppy. I’m pleased with my efforts and I’ve since eaten the model!

My latest love…..

2011-02-20T12:53:00.000-08:00

…a larger than life chocolate peanut butter cup. Ah, if it could only be true.

Here is my start for this creation. I can already see the shape needs some fixing and now I’m wishing I made it slightly smaller. Same size canvas, just a smaller image…. Hopefully tomorrow will let me finish this one up. This is 16”x20”/40x50cms oil on gallery wrapped canvas.

four stages of Racer

2011-02-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

I’ve photograph my progress with this painting… There was no particular break in the series of shots, it’s just when I remembered to pick up the camera.

So after toning the canvas, or basically just a wash of color to cover the canvas, I start with just a few basic marks to set things up.

Then I block in the basic colors and shapes.

Once I'm pleased with the placement I move on to modeling the form with my paint. Darkening shadows and adding highlights. I did change the ear, the client felt the ears were too pulled back and not flattering in the original photo, so I tried to make them more playful.

8"x10"/20x25cm oil on gallery wrapped canvas

...the next day.

2011-02-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well, she’s coming along… Still need to make the dark’s darker and corrections are needed with her mouth and eyes. There is always next week.

Lucy

2011-02-06T13:11:00.000-08:00

Here’ the result of my first session with Lucy, she’s 11 or 12 years old now. Not much to say about it at this point, as usual I just need to get some paint on the canvas then I can move on from there. 16”x20” gallery wrapped canvas.

Three Dogs Be

2011-01-29T14:44:00.001-08:00

Finished!! There was definitely more work to this piece than I originally estimated. But I’m quite pleased and will send it off for approval in the morning. Next on the docket is a cat, in preparation for the cat show at the Sonoma County Fair grounds, February 12 &13.

Made lots of progress with the kids here!!

2011-01-23T12:58:00.001-08:00

Last week, I started “visualizing” a productive day painting--trying to see my painting coming together. And it worked; I’ve got the three of them where I need them. I also move the horizon line to the top third; this helped give me more space to work with. I’m thinking one more session to fine tune this piece, and then I will declare it done. Here’s to positive thinking!!

A little more progress...

2011-01-16T13:09:00.000-08:00

Got to work on the kids here today…. Still a ways to go, but I’m feeling confident with it.

Baily

2011-01-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

My second session with these guys was a good one. Albeit short, with only a couple of hours to work here, I tried to give Bailey more form. I’ll work individually on the other two and the background then on the final session finish up all three together—sort of an attempt to unify the entire piece. The smaller guys appear to be leaning out a little too much--will have to address that!

First draft of “three dogs”…

2011-01-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

I only had a little bit of time today to get started on these guys. That’s ok; all I really wanted to do was fit everybody onto the canvas. So that part of the mission is accomplished. I’m still not sure what I want to do with the background… Once I get more of the dog’s colors into the painting, I’ll have a better feel for the colors I want for the background. This is Coca, Bailey and Peanut on a 24”x18”/60x45cm canvas

Portrait of a Pelican

2010-12-30T13:39:00.001-08:00

This one’s been sitting around in my room for a few months….and today I finished him up. Although I was pleased with the first stage, I couldn’t seem to find any motivation to want to continue. I’m not even sure what inspired me today, but it doesn’t matter. Perhaps it was the lack of fear-- that I had nothing to lose here. In any case, I punched up the colors quite a bit from my original photo and had a enjoyable day fearlessly painting!! Next on the docket are three dogs/one painting. This one is 12”x24”/30x60cms.

Shiloh & Racer --Finished

2010-12-29T13:27:00.000-08:00

I didn’t do much more to this painting….really; I just tightened it up a bit. Yesterday, I thought I might add some warmer oranges and pinks to the background—to make it a little more exciting. But, I think I like the somber feeling that it has now. I also like the contrasts of the light/dark of their coats and the calm/excited look on their faces. In hindsight though, I wished I made this piece larger. I still could.

Shiloh and Racer

2010-12-28T16:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve roughed out these guys today. (HA!! Aren't you glad I didn’t say “ruffed” out? This joke never gets old!!! ).

.......anyways, tomorrow, I’ll darken the darks and lighten the lights; my hope is to give this painting more impact with the stronger colors. Typically, because I paint so thick, I need to let my paint set up a bit—so the new paint doesn’t just absorb in the first layer. The ears and noses are also on my list for attention too. If all goes well, I’ll finish in the next session.

10”x8”/25x20cm.

Santa Claus and Gus 2010

2010-12-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

This is a quick little watercolor/pen and ink of Gus and Santa Claus. Merry Christmas and a Yappy New year to all!!

gold ornament

2010-12-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

I really need to be doing other things today besides painting…but i just couldn't help it. So I grabbed this off the tree and did this quick little study. I tried to keep it loose and fun. After all the, fun part is why I like to paint. And like any good trade skill practice is a necessity. Looks like the rest of today will be chores and errands…..

10"x8"/25x20cm.

Tia-finished

2010-12-12T16:04:00.001-08:00

This is a very small painting for a full body portrait (10” square) and was actually quite challenging…. One hair of a brush in the wrong place and the whole expression can change. And there is still the difficulty of photographing such a dark figure. I added some orange to the foreground to warm it up a bit. Anyways, I very pleased with this piece and will send it off for approve now!

Adolescence…no longer a baby, but not quite a grownup either.

2010-12-10T06:11:00.000-08:00

This piece will be on display AND for sale (this would make an AWESOME Christmas gift!!) at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts through the end of the year. Tonight’s opening reception is from 6:00-7:30pm. Oil on gallery wrap canvas 20"x10"/50x25cm. This painting is also available as a giclee print. Update: this piece sold at the reception!!

...later that day.

2010-12-05T12:15:00.000-08:00

This is where I’m at with Tia; sorry about the photo quality, but wet, dark paint can be problematic to photograph. Anyways, I’m done with this one today; the paint is so wet and thick that I can’t do much more. Still pleased with the progress and next week, I’ll make a few more corrections.

Tia

2010-12-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

Managed a quick start here with Tia yesterday and looking forward to getting back with her this morning. So, at this early stage, I’m quite happy with my results—I’ve got her roughed out (or should I say ruffed out…..) and it’s clear to me where I need to go with her. Well, it’s time to let the chickens out, breakfast and then a date with Tia. I also need to start thinking about a Christmas card….. Anyway, it’s a good day today.

The Letter

2010-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

Some people think painting is a talent; I believe it’s mostly skill. And therefore requires practice. For the most part, painting or drawing is a matter of hand/eye coordination. What you see with your eye, needs to be carried out with your hands. After more than three months of not painting, I’ve found myself to be….um…………a little uncoordinated.

This painting was a nice way for me to get back into the swing of things. I think I’ll leave this one on the looser side—Alla Prima 14"x11"/35x28cms.

Tomorrow, a Roti!

Carousel at Great Parks

2010-11-07T18:27:00.000-08:00

I have not been in my studio for close to two months, because my day job has been so insanely busy. I did poked my head in there this morning and found it quite depressing. It’s really become more a storage unit lately. But soon enough, my day job will slow down and I’ll be able to resume my commissions and I’m looking forward to a bit of tutoring also.

Until I get back to working on my own stuff, here are some photos of the latest carousel from the day job. For the record, I had no say in the green top, but then again, nobody asked me. This machine was installed at Great Park, in Irvine, California (Orange County).

The images for the paintings around the machine were from old orange crate labels, supplied by the client. I’m usually allowed to paint the horses to my own liking.

2010-10-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

These two paintings, “Belgian Drinker” and “A Dog and His Man” will be on exhibit at the Gualala Arts Center. The show is titled “The Beauty of the Beast” and runs from October 9th through November 14th. The show is designed to celebrate the animals with whom we share our lives. I like these two pieces and think they’ll fit in nicely. This will be my first gallery experience. I’m VERY excited!!! Jim and I will be attending the opening and all I keep hearing about is how we have nothing to wear!! Oh, such problems...

A Merry Halloween!!

2010-09-26T14:08:00.000-07:00

Halloween is one of the best holidays, in my opinion. It’s just fun and there’s really no pressure from family and nobody expects gifts, except candy…. And hey, what’s wrong with that?? So every year, I make a card with Gus. A lot of the cards have been photos of Gus, in costumes and such. This year, I was after a vintage look to the card. I actually copied an old card and replaced the black cat with Gus. I started with a pen and ink drawing and colored it with watercolor, and then some final tweaking in photoshop. The original drawing/painting is 8"x11"/20x27cms. The card will be 5"x7"/13x18cms

I know it’s early, but Happy Halloween!!

Wine Country Greyhounds

2010-09-19T07:53:00.000-07:00

I’ll be at the 5^th annual stomp & romp reunion part of the Wine Country Greyhound Adoption. The reunion is for the wonderful folks who have adopted Greyhounds.

I’ll be auctioning a pet portrait for the cause and I’ll be there (for my own cause) if anyone has any questions for me. It’ll be a fun, rainy day kind of event! Join us if you’re in Petaluma today!!

(probably not a painting day for me.)

Pelican

2010-09-12T16:14:00.000-07:00

I have just a small amount of time to paint these days….. My daytime job is wearing me down and I’m feeling a bit rusty. With just one day to myself, I put all kinds of pressure on myself to be productive. Not always sure I’m successful, but I try…..

Anyways, I did manage to start this one; I’ve painted him before, just a different view. If all goes well, I can finish him next weekend.

This is 12”x24”/30x60cm.

Me and The Mister

2010-08-22T09:12:00.001-07:00

I’ve finished my SP with Gus……well, I think I’m finished. I wear glasses most of the time, you know, for work, reading and painting… generally seeing; but not so much for just kicking around the house. So, I’m a little torn whether I want to add glasses or not. Whatever I decide, it won’t happen today. Chores, a bike ride and a good run for Gus will take up most of the day.

Escargot

2010-08-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Not very appetizing to me, but some people like it….. 7”x5”/18x13cms

just be

2010-08-05T17:08:00.000-07:00

Another small painting, 7”x5”/18x13cms on hardboard panel. I like this little guy a lot. I think I may have to do more…..

Silver cup and a white peach.

2010-08-04T07:18:00.001-07:00

I wanted this to be another quick painting, but I had trouble rendering the peach as soft. So I waited for the paint to dry and did a lot of very subtle “dry brush” over the peach to give it a fuzzy feel. I liked the hard/soft, cold/warm interaction with these two. 10”x8”/25x20cms oil on canvas

Red Grapes

2010-08-02T18:11:00.000-07:00

Another quick painting, kind of an extreme close up of fruit. I like to squeeze these “studies” in whenever possible. Anyway, a quick painting and a quick post… 7”x5”/18x13cms

…half of “me and Gus”.

2010-07-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

I had a little bit of time to work on “Me and Gus” today. I focused on my face and was able to correct most of my features but I still need to give the eyes more attention. Next I’ll work on Gus and then one more pass on the whole painting.

If the God’s are smiling on me, I’ll be able to finish this up on Friday and take it with me to the pet fair….. We’ll see how that goes…

Pet Adoption & Wellness Weekend

2010-07-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

This is where I’ll be on Saturday. Come by and see me and adopt a pet while you're there!!! I’ll also be doing a painting demonstration and 20% of my sales will be donated back to the Sonoma Humane Society

A couple of “Alla Prima” quickies…

2010-07-26T16:33:00.000-07:00

Not enough time to work on my SP or any other piece for that matter…

But we did have some fresh fruit in the house and I had a couple of small (5”x7”/13x18cms) panels. So I put them together....

Me and Gus...

2010-07-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

Summer is a tough time for me to get a lot of painting done…..after chores, a job and the random things of life, there’s still summer stuff to do!! And I do live in a vacation destination and it’d be a crime not take advantage of it. I think there 's saying…. “All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy.”

Since I’m currently between commissions, I’ve started this self portrait with (my muse) Gus.

I’m using a very limited palette of cadmium red, yellow ochre, black and white. This palette is referred to as “The Zorn Palette” Referring to Anders Zorn a Swedish painter (1860-1920) who primarily used this color.

I forget that limited palettes are one of my favorite ways to approach a painting.

Anyway, this is what I’ve got done on the first session—the usual blocking in of colors and shapes.

Now, summer is calling and we’re heading out for a bike ride through Sonoma…

if I never finish it…

2010-07-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

This morning started with a lot of procrastinating. I found myself tidying up my studio and organizing paints and brushes… you know, anything but actually finishing the painting of Saxon.

There is something about the last stretch of the painting process where I think to myself... “I should just leave well enough alone” After all, if I don’t touch it, I can’t ruin it. This way the unfinished painting will always have the potential of becoming a masterpiece.

It’s a silly thought process, but it seems to be almost a ritual with me and the last session of a painting.

Anyway, I did pick up the paints and I did finish this painting. (I usually do)

Now it’s off for approval….. Oh, Mandy’s mom LOVED her painting!!

The truck was an important part of this painting. She’s grown up riding in the back of this truck.

....waiting on Mandy

2010-07-03T08:23:00.000-07:00

Mandy is finished and sent off for approval--probably the most stressful time about commissioned painting… But it does go along with the territory.

It’s the 4^th of July weekend which means picnics and fireworks and probably a few adult beverages!! So, I don’t think I’ll have the time to really get into Saxon, but maybe a little sumthin, sumthin can happen. Who knows?

She is all smiles…

2010-06-26T15:51:00.000-07:00

The paint on Saxon was still wet, actually sticky, so I put him on hold and worked on Mandy here. Her face just makes me smile. I can’t help it!! Now, this is still a work in progress; she just needs a bit more attention with her spots (and some whiskers). But I think she’s pretty close……….maybe tomorrow I’ll finish Mandy or Saxon, or a bowl of cherries, I don’t know yet…..

…with a little bit of color

2010-06-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

Today I added color to Saxon, blocking in the shapes and still being carefree, knowing that any errors will be fixed later. Also, I’m still working with a larger (3/4”/2cm) brush to keep from getting too fussy too early.

Next time, I’ll make more corrections and start refining the details….

Apply paint, make corrections, add more paint, and more corrections, more paint and so on…… until everything is in the right place. Seems to be how I like to work.

Saxon

2010-06-19T17:35:00.001-07:00

Saxon is a fifteen year old sweetie, who’s spent most of her life riding in this truck. This is the underpainting for this painting. I think some people like to put more detail into this stage of a painting. For me, my impatience takes over and I just want to know what my painting will look like. No worries (especially if you’re Saxon’s dad) I like to put in the detail towards the end—a bit like polishing!! 24”x18”/60x46cms.

One Really Mad Cow

2010-06-15T19:51:00.001-07:00

This still life is finished. OK, maybe the world needs doesn’t need this dog toy immortalized in oil for all of time, but it made me happy to paint it. I bet Gus would appreciate it too. So, if two people like it—well one person and a dog…. Is that enough to justify art?? I think so.

Mostly, I just liked the challenge of this subject. This is 8”x10” hardboard. Next weekend I’ll be tackling some dog portraits….

Seriously funny…

2010-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

I usually don’t like posting a model and a painting at the same time, but in this case, I thought it might be fun to see….

This is Gus’s (my dog) favorite toy—a stuffed canvas cow. Anyway, I planned on this being a quick little painting, one, two hours tops. I guess because it’s such a silly subject, I wouldn’t have to put in any serious efforts. Just plop it down, paint it and be done, right??

Well, this canvas cartoon cow is proving to be quite the challenge. I want him to look like the three dimensional thing he is, not a flat cartoon. But, he is a cartoon, just not flat, but painted on a stuffed canvas……

This is a good reminder for me that whatever the subject--lemon, person, egg or dog toy, that, I’ve really got to look hard at what’s in front of me and see. (it’s not always as easy as it seems….)

I’ll do my best to finish this up tomorrow!!

Finished or bored??

2010-06-06T11:07:00.001-07:00

I’ve been dragging this guy around to different art fairs and events for the past year. I paint on him (instead of nervously standing around) at the show, to let people see what I do. Well, I think I’m done or I’m just bored to death with him, either way, I’ve signed this and will start a new painting for the next show. 12”x24”

No more time to paint today—off to barbecues, parades and celebrations…..

Naked in a crowd

2010-06-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

So, the Gualala Fair is over, the weather was perfect and the crowds were light, but it was all good. I met some interesting folks, made a few sales and even nabbed a commission for future work. Which I’m thrilled about!!

As fun as it was, it’s also a bit difficult…. I mean, standing there under my white tent with my paintings displayed all around me; I might as well be naked. People walk by and I feel so…. self conscious. And then of course there is the worry of a sale. If I don’t sell anything, the whole weekend is a bust—the space, the tent, canvases, paints, gas…. somehow, all those things need to be justified…. It's so much more than just painting.

Well, with all those thoughts swirling in my head, it all worked out!!! Now, it’s time to gear up for the next show….

Off to Gualala...

2010-05-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

I’ll be showing my paintings at the Gualala Fine Arts Fair this weekend. Come by and say hi!!

The Line-up finished

2010-05-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

I lightened the background hoping that the white egg would not stand out quite so much….not sure if I succeeded, but this painting is moved to the finished pile!

Broken dreams

2010-05-22T14:42:00.001-07:00

I didn’t have enough time to work on anything bigger, but I did want to at least have a good creative work-out. This would fall into the "painting a day" category. Joan sacrificed her egg for this painting, thank you Joan…..

7"x5"/18x13cms

A painting today

2010-05-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

Today did not leave me much time to paint and after an unfortunate accident with a previous painting, it was important to complete something this afternoon. So VOILA, a couple of violas… AND I avoided my typical dark background….. 5”x7”/13x18cms.

White cow

2010-05-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

This is as much as I’ll get done today, still need to do my chores…..

As I was reaching for the raw umber to put in the background, I started to look at my other works and notice a definite color theme going on—there’re almost all dark brown backgrounds. Not sure if I should be worried about this or not, perhaps dark brown backgrounds are my thing. I don’t know….. I guess it does give my work a sense of unity. I’ll have to give this more thought.

So meanwhile, in an effort to break this obsession with dark brown, I’m going to paint this one dark gray!! Never say I can’t change. This is 20"x16"/50x40cms.

Come to Gualala!!

2010-05-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

I’ll be showing my art at the Gualala Fine Arts Fair May 29^th &30^th. So if you are in the neighborhood please come see me!! Gualala in on the northern coast of California, in Mendocino County, between the Pacific Ocean and the redwoods…it is beautiful country!!

Big Fat Maggie

2010-05-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

… is done! Feathers are fun to paint. I think I will have to paint all my chickens now.

Big Fat Maggie

2010-05-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

This is the first session with Maggie. She’s a Cochin, which is a larger breed chicken, with feathers all the down here feet.

At this stage, it’s not much to look at; it’s more or less the underpainting. My only concerns here are fitting her on the canvas and basically getting my lights and darks established. This stage of a painting is the most fun to work on, there is not a lot invested and any mistakes will be corrected in the next session. This is 12”/30cm square canvas.

The Line-up final(?)

2010-05-07T17:01:00.000-07:00

Here’s where I’m at with “The Line-up”. I’m thinking mostly finished……or not. It’s best to let it sit for a while and come back with fresh eyes….. I do like the size of this painting; the eggs are so exaggerated in size, that it makes it kind of fun…

The Line-up WIP

2010-05-07T07:17:00.000-07:00

Currently on my easel…..

“The Line-up”-- one egg from each of my girls. The first session of this painting is about getting things placed properly. Today, I will correct shapes and tones and basically bring this painting more into focus….. That’s the plan anyway. This painting is 30”x10”/76x25cm on a strecthed canvas.

2010-05-07T05:55:00.000-07:00

.........the start of my day......

Good Morning

2010-05-07T05:50:00.000-07:00

so i've got a blog...... now what??