South Eastern Plein Air Invitational, Day Five..

Turrentine Ave. Roundabout

8x16, Oil/Linen Panel

The final day of painting this year was in the historic neighborhood district. There are several roundabouts located throughout this lovely neighborhood with its old southern homes and charm. Once I saw the early morning sun lighting up this roundabout with the rhythm of the cast shadows wandering up the street, I knew I had found my spot.... the gigantic Aborvitae that lent me its generous shade also acted as a sundial letting me know my painting was finished at high noon.

South Eastern Plein Air Invitational, Day Four..

Coosa Sunrise 2011

3,75x10, Oil/Linen Panel

SOLD

Cloud Shadows, Heron Island

12x18, Oil/Linen Panel

Thursday was an interesting day of painting.. since it was the morning after the tornados had ripped through the area. It so happens that the storms had passed over the region we were scheduled to paint, Southside.. a beautiful and hilly community along the Coosa River and its backwaters. As I left before sunrise to go paint, I was wondering just what I would encounter...

I arrived at Rainbow Landing safely and was grateful to see that there was no major damage along the way. The sky was still filled with moody and sluggish clouds that would not allow for a celebratory sunrise after such a devastating night. I was surprised when I turned to the west and saw this strip of determined ambient sunlight that willed its way through as a reminder, in spite of the turned about world. Coosa Sunrise was one of those paintings where again, all I had to do was show up and hold onto the brush. It was the smallest painting I did, but probably my favorite of the event.

As I moved down to the Highway 77 Causeway to paint Cloud Shadows, again, I was taken as to how nothing seemed out of order. It was a beautiful view looking at the mountains rolling along the water in both directions. The causeway jets across the water, connecting the valley of two tall hills. One of the museum Staff dropped by on his way from the distant hill, looking quite shaken.. he had just come through what was the town of Ohatchee, now flattened by the tornadoes. He had witnessed rescue workers retrieving bodies of those who did not survive the night. I was astounded and moved that I was standing with this peaceful view, yet just up the hill was trauma and suffering. Several passersby stopped out of curiosity to see what I was doing and shared with me the stories of their homes being damaged or in some cases.. gone. It was affirmative to me that the presence of plein air painters in the community is important for preserving the memory and presence of the fragile changing landscape.

South Eastern Plein Air Invitational, Day Three...

Broad Street Bridge

10x8, Oil/Linen Panel

The beautiful Broad Street Bridge spans The Coosa River which meanders through the city of Gadsden. This view is from beneath the bridge on the east side of town, East Gadsden. Unfortunately this day was cut short due to the devastating storms that came through ... it was a very close call at my Mother's house(where I was staying), but gratefully, no damages there.

South Eastern Plein Air Invitational, Day Two...

Yellow Meadow

16x16, Oil/Linen Panel

Little Wills Barn

12x12, Pastel/Wallis Paper

Private Collection

Little Wills Sunrise

The location for day two is one of my favorite ares of the region. Some call it the Old Chattanooga Highway, but it is known as Little Wills Valley Road. There are old dairy farms on the winding, hilly road and many vistas facing Lookout Mountain.

On this day the sunrise presented itself for about two minutes before the clouds covered it up... just long enough for me to quickly block in the light in Little Wills Sunrise. I then developed the rest of the painting with no concerns about the changing light.. the beauty of an overcast morning.

The poppies growing "volunteer" in the field by this old barn caught my eye in Little Wills Barn. The patina of the rusted tin roof was glowing on this Spring day.

Yellow Meadow, my third painting of the day, was an exercise in loosening up as the day was ending...

SouthEastern Plein Air Invitational 2011, Day One

Fairway, Above the 10

8x16 , Oil/Linen Panel

Calm Afternoon

12x1, Oil/ Linen Panel

The first day of painting was at the Gadsden Country Club Golf Course. Painting began early, so with "Fairway", I wanted to show the dew softened greens and the cool morning shadows. "Calm Afternoon" shows the heat and quietness of the afternoon after the morning's teen regionals were finished.. golf balls were bouncing off the trees over our heads and well clad young golfers were stopping by to ask, "have you seen my ball?"....

In My front Yard...

7:45 AM, 6x12, Pastel/Wallis Panel

Noon, 16x9, Pastel/Wallis Panel

I read once that John Singer Sargent would not spend time searching the landscape for his plein air subject matter. Instead, he would paint the first thing he saw that he considered to have potential. That seemed like a pretty good idea, so today I just opened my front door to see what I saw.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

Markham Park canal

7.75x15, Oil/Canvas Panel

The calm of the early morning reflections quickly became fleeting due to the breezes of the warming daylight. A quick lay in gave me something to hold onto... as the greens progressed, I started looking for hidden color in the rushes and scrubs along the waters edge.

Freshly Picked

Freshly Picked

Pastel/Sanded Paper , 7x12

The Red Tomatoes, started from seeds by my friend Charlie along with a 'Yella' Striped Heirloom made for a fun spontaneous still life ... and later were excellent as a salad!....

Plein Air Round Up...

Markham Park, 15x7, O/L

Markham Park II, 8x6, O/L

Easterlin Park, 12x12, O/L

I am very behind in my postings, so here is a round up of some recent plein air pieces. I am working to get back in the plein air saddle in preparation for the upcoming 'Southeastern Plein Air Festival' in Gadsden, Alabama. This will be my third year to be included.. I am looking forward to meeting up with my fellow Southern Painters while there and a beautiful change of scenery!

Take A Chance..

46x48, Oil/Canvas

Judges Recognition, 2011 Arts United, United and Proud

'Take A Chance" is the third painting for my carnival series. It proved to be a complex painting to do.. as in my eyes are bigger than my appetite.. but with patience and three weeks of painting, my vendor has an abundance of goods to seduce the willing, fun seeking challenger.

Twist...

Twist

SOLD

20z10, Oil/Linen Panel

This piece, painted entirely with palette knives, will be available in The Gallery at Flamingo Gardens until February 28, 2011. It is framed in one of my handmade Poplar frames dyed with a black satin finish.

Carnival Series Continued

Awarded "Best In Show", Tri-County Juried Exhibition

Making Her Mark

36x30, Oil/Canvas

Detail

In "Making Her Mark", these purveyors of fun find themselves in a colorful and vibrant, yet transient booth. She is surveying the passersby to see who she can lure in to challenge with her dart... for a dollar, pop a balloon, take your prize and go...

Best In Show...

Two For A Buck

36x24, Oil/Canvas

Best In Show, Art Explosion, 2011

"Two For A Buck" is the first painting in what I hope will become a series of Vendors and Scenes from The County Fair. I delivered it today (still wet!) as one of my entries in Art Explosion 2011, a juried exhibition sponsored by Arts United of Fort Lauderdale. I am honored that is was awarded "Best In Show". The opening reception will be February 12, 2011, 6-9 pm, at Art Serve, 1350 Sunrise Boulevard.

Flamingo Reflections

SOLD

30x10, Oil/Linen

Handmade Frame

My first painting of the New Year 2011, Flamingo Reflections, will be featured at Flamingo Fest Art Exhibition to be held at Flamingo Gardens in Davie Florida. The event is january 15 & 16 but the artwork in The Gallery will be on display there until February 28. It is an amazing and beautiful garden with the flamingo lake and it is a place where all the birds in the aviary are rescues... They include White Pelicans, Bald Eagles, Roseate Spoonbills, a variety of Owls, and many others.

Flamingo Reflections was done mostly with a palette knife to keep energy and movement in the thick, lushly painted forms of the still bird.

You Talking To Me?

10x8, Oil/Linen Panel

SOLD

This cocky fellow's photo was provided by my friend, Dianne Robertson Roper. Oscar, here, was Dianne's Mother's pet Rooster.. sadly, Oscar is no longer with us, but his legend lives on with The Robertson Clan. My partner, Ken provided the title, "You Talking To Me?"... so with the help of my friends, all I had to do was show up and paint.

Flower Triptych...

12x36, Oil/Linen Panels

I did each panel of this triptych independent of each other using the same arrangement of flowers in a vase. It is basically a walk around the vase... I have to admit that I was pretty surprised when I saw how well they fit together as a whole. That is when it became a triptych.

While working on these paintings, I first blocked in the forms of the different colors by finding the middle tones. To start making sense of the abstract forms, and to define the flowers, I laid in the darker areas with a swift and loaded paint brush. The lightest areas came next followed by a dance back and forth with accents of darks and varying middle tones, warmer or cooler. I did the same thing with the background and negative spaces, using them to define and clean up the edges.

The next step will be to frame it. My question is, "Do I frame each painting individually" or "Do I treat it as a singular piece by building one frame with narrow dividers between each panel"?

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

SOLD
Key West Window Shopping

8x8, Oil/Linen Panel

When painting from a photo reference in the studio, I make an effort to hold onto the same process I use with my plein air pieces. This photo was actually taken on an overcast day, but I wanted the painting to show the brilliant sun light as seen on a typical Key West day. As in plein air, I first established my shadows , keeping my light source in this case, almost directly overhead towards high noon. This kept the front of the Conch cottage in shadow with the sunlight hitting the porch roof and the top of the picket fence. I let the sunlight wash out the sidewalk and pavement, blurring some of the edges with the heat starting to rise. Using the "Sargent Squint" helps me from getting caught up in too much detail while looking at the photo, keeping my rendering to the basics.

Incoming....

7x5, Oil/ Canvas Panel

Ibis aren't the most graceful of birds when landing, their ability for awkward gestures while landing is limitless. Miraculously they always seem to land on their feet and strut away with a calm pride. Guess they are not so different from me, I just don't have wings ...

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

Palm Sunset

5x11, Oil/Linen Panel

Private Collection

... A thin slice of a glowing sunset as seen on my return trip while walking the dogs. Fortunately I had my camera over my shoulder to take a reference photo.. a habit I hope the neighbors will get accustomed to seeing. I like the quietness of this time of day when some of the clouds are slipping into shadow, leaving their edges highlighted by the setting sun....

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

Setting Sun

3.5x10, Oil/Linen Panel

I am pulling together some small paintings as possible candidates for an upcoming small works show. For this one, I plan on putting it in one of my handmade fames that will be 4" wide poplar with a black aniline dye. My thought is to give this small painting a large glowing presence as if looking through an open window watching the setting sun...