Tree Climbers

28" x 22" oil on canvas (unframed)

Based on a photo of my two children climbing an old tree. A few things about the painting (in case you were wondering). I did want the unfinished look. This was accomplished by using oil paint applied very transparently with lots of turp and stand oil. Yes, I also wanted the drips to stay, too. I was going for a sort of "anonimous" look, thus the lack of detail and features. This is a piece reflecting feeling and mood rather than technical skill. I hope I pulled it off successfully.

Still Life with Jar and Lemons

9" x 12" acrylic on canvas (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

I'm experimenting with acrylics and using various mediums to keep the paint "open" or preventing it from drying as quickly on the palette. If I find something that works well, I may incorporate some acrylics in my plein air work this spring/summer/fall.

Seaview

11" x 15" watercolor on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

An abstract view of the ocean bottom. A dolphin, shrimp, and squid play amongst the wreck of an old submarine.

Book and Pitcher

11" x 14" watercolor on Illustration board

A little abstract I played around with. This type is good practice in developing design sense and creating interesting shapes. I wanted muted colors to allow the viewer to pay more attention to the overall design.

Driftwood

11" x 15" watercolor on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

Done from a sketch while walking along the beach at Panama City Beach, FL.

City Overview

15" x 11" watercolor on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

Been away for a few days due to digital camera probs. All OK now, I hope.

This is a bird's-eye view of a peaceful city with a clock tower in the foreground. I like doing scenes with unusual perpective - such as bird's-eye and ant's-eye views.

Waterfall and Woods

16" x 20" oil on canvas

SOLD!

Here is a waterfall in the deep, dark forest. Done on a canvas first covered with black acrylic gesso. After that dried, I applied a medium made of part turpentine/part stand oil. Then comes the fun with the color. The black really helps "pop" the color.

Older Study

11" x 15" watercolor on 140lb paper

This is a watercolor done back in 1993 (one of my first). It is a study done from a lesson in a book by the wonderful watercolor artist Ron Ranson. I recently discovered it buried in a portfolio in the back of a closet.

Holiday Surprises

11" x 15" soft pastel on museum board (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

A little out of season, but I enjoyed doing this one none the less. I work with soft pastels occassionally, and really like the intense color they display. I like to coat the support surface with a thin, even layer of pastel ground which adds tooth for the pastels layers to stick. If you like bold color, go and try soft pastels - they're great!

Gemini

30" x 22" gouache on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

I decided to do something on full-sized watercolor paper. This is a gouache (opaque watercolor) abstract of twin figures. My objective here was color and interesting shapes rather than portraying anything of realism. Working large can tend to be intimidating. My advice: use large brushes, very little water in the paint, and go for it!

Being There

12" x 9" oil on canvas panel (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

I think I'll post some abstracts in this week's blogging. Here is one done back in 2005.

Shadow Play

8" x 6" acrylic on canvas panel (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

This is a scene done in a park on a very bright day. I liked the way the cast shadow of a building cut a line and divided light and dark. Part of the sidewalk and grass were in sun, the other part in shade. The group of flowers enjoyed the warm sunlight, I'm sure.

Spring Passages

15" x 11" watercolor on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$15.95

Late Winter gives way for Spring's early arrival. Cool gives way to warm for a nice color temperature blend.

Behind the New WalMart (3-Steps)

I decided to post a little demo of developing a painting using a value plan. This picture is an acrylic block-in based on a three-level value sketch done on site. It shows a construction area behind a new shopping center. Lots of dirt piles and debris scattered around, with a truck ready to haul off some junk. The block-in is very simple - just black, white, and a mid-gray. Even being this simple, you can make out the large shapes and get a sense of what we're going after. No detail is needed, or desired at this stage.

Stage two is a posterized blocking of value and approximate local color of the scene. Again, the aim here is no detail, just blocking in the big shapes with value. I'm looking for the painting to "read" correctly here. It looks flat, but that's OK at this stage.

Stage three - Finalizing things.

Now that the value plan is established, it is now just a matter of mixing color and matching color to value shapes. I can be as creative as I wish at this point, as long as I hold to the values I mapped out in stages one and two. I hope this kind of shows you the way a painting can be planned and developed. Total time (including letting each stage dry) about 3 hours start to finish.

Bambi

16" x 12" watercolor on 140lb. Arches (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

My dog is a mix of Rat Terrier and Chihuahua. Her name Bambi comes from her long ears and the way she can fold her long front legs resembling a little deer. She's a cutie.

Forest Mist

12" x 12" oil on hardboard (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

A view of a misty autumn forest after the first snowfall. Warm and cool mingle throughout.

Opening at the Art Museum

12" x 12" Acrylic on masonite (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

Experimenting around with acrylics again. This one is based on a photo taken at the opening of an art museum. The day was sunny and hopefully this painting captured the festive mood.

Hallway A.M.

11" x 15" oil on museum board

This was a study based on a drawing I made during an early a.m. period of insomnia. The view is a hallway lit up by a bright light. The whole scene has a nice, warm glow.

Tribute to Mom

Although Mother's Day is still about a month away, I saw this picture and just had to post it. The little guy is me at just a year old. Rosemarie (my dear mother) passed away in 2003, much too early I'm afraid. She was truly a wonderful person and a great mom. I think about her every day. This picture was taken on the beach by my father. My older brother is out somewhere playing on the beach, I'm sure. I miss you, Mom!

Sunburst Floral

SOLD!

20" x 16" oil on canvas (unframed)

$45.00 (free shipping)

I don't do florals too often. I enjoy doing them, though. This one is a bit different - rather impressionistic with lots of broken color, mingled warm and cool colors, and heavy impasto. Started off with a large 2" house painter's brush and finished up with the palette knife.

Up Ahead

12" x 16" acrylic on masonite (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

This was done with the knife using acrylics. I was going after a broken-color Impressionistic feeling. It has a treasure-trove of color throughout.

Under the Bridge

12" x 12" oil on hardboard (unframed)

$19.95 (free shipping)

This is a plein air piece done under a highway overpass. Again, strong

afternoon sunlight bathes the scene and creates a strong contrast and warm color temperature.

Different Worlds

16" x 20" oil on canvas (unframed)

$45.00 (free shipping)

The final frontier! This piece was started by using black acrylic gesso. After sitting around for a few days, this scene then developed. Using the palette knife I applied impasto layers of oil paint to develop the planet shapes. The surface is heavily textured. I was happy with the way this one has "3D" qualities.

The Tall Towers

15" x 11" watercolor on 140lb Arches (unframed)

$15.95 (free shipping)

Here's a plein air work of radio towers in Coppell, TX. They can be seen for miles around in the flat, hill-free landscape.