Al Fresco

Al Fresco

12x12, Oil/Canvas

... a studio piece where I let the painting develop with lots of thick wet brush strokes and color.. with a few remnants of the thin underpainting exposed here and there...

Himmarshee Court

14x11. Oil/Linen Panel

SOLD

Himmarshee Court is a wonderful historic building that sat in ruins for years. It was restored and returned to its original beauty in 2004. A small group of us were kindly allowed to paint on the premises today. I did this south-west corner today en plein air. I couldn't help but feel the painting needed to have a story in it to bring my rendering to life.... Since it is not uncommon to see flocks of Ibis wandering our neighborhoods looking for grub, I added the Ibis when I returned home to my studio... I guess that makes this one 80% plein air, 20% studio...

Morning Break

20x10, Oil/Linen Panel

Private Collection

There is a Cardinal couple making their home in our backyard. We see them regularly at the bird feeder in the Crape Myrtle. I often just stand and stare at the morning sun coming through the Spanish Moss and illuminating the colors that show up in the bark of the tree. The glowing red of the male Cardinal completed the thought and became the ideal focal point.

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

Anthony

8x6, Oil/Linen Panel

This is a small portrait/study of my friend Anthony. I used a photo I took of him the other afternoon after spending time together, sitting and talking in my backyard. Our time together gave me a lot of information, both visual and personality-wise, that enhanced my use of the reference photo. I used bristle brushes to lay the painting in and sables to build and define his image.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

Ken, Plein Air

10x8, Oil/Canvas

The conditions were perfect this morning for this quick sketch where I worked on backlighting the model outdoors.... a calm breeze, clear sun light and a patient Ken.

Cupcake Counter

Cupcake Counter

20x16, Oil/Canvas

Before I even started this painting today I knew the composition was "risky" at the very least... but I couldn't help myself, I had to do it. There were so many elements here calling to me with their challenges to make it work... the shiny surfaces in the stainless steel setting, the figures interacting, the leather barstools, and the local colors of the baked goods. Individually all were worthwhile subjects that would surely teach me a thing or two. So I gave it a shot...

Hot Sauce

SOLD
Hot Sauce

36x36 Oil/Canvas

This is one of the larger and more ambitious paintings I have attempted in quite a while... there was a time when 4'x5' was a standard size for me. Then, one day, the realization that sometimes big is just big for the sake of being big, made me take a look and start working on my process in ernest, yet on a smaller scale. There were places I wanted my painting to go. Now, after several years of working things out on what became an increasingly smaller scale, I feel it is time to apply those lessons learned on a larger scale once again.... maybe not 4'x5' right away, there is still plenty to work out... but it is a possibility.

'If you can't paint, paint big" - David Lefell

Morning Coffee

15x10 Oil/Canvas Panel

Saturday morning, several of us were privileged to paint at a lovely home in the Rio Vista neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale. We arrived to find hot coffee waiting and melodious music playing throughout the backyard. In my painting of this section of the verandah, I wanted to portray the environment as we found it, peaceful and harmonious.