The Black Robe

15x10 Oil/Canvas Panel

It was good to be painting with a model today, especially after working so much in the studio lately using my reference photos. Brian is standing in our hallway in front of a painting by William Thompson.

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

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And Her Little Dog, Too

12x12 Oil/Canvas

An abundance of shopping, sunlight and shadow done with an abundance of quick brushwork, color and ample paint...

Wet Paint, In The Studio...

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12x12 Oil/Canvas

Friday's painting was a conscious effort to start finding more energy in my brushwork. While the subject matter isn't especially energetic in appearance, I wanted the sunlight and reflected light to have movement and life.

Wet Paint...

Come On, Dad!

16x16, Oil/Canvas

With this painting, I stepped into a slightly different palette to find a warmer glow in my light. The extra doses of Winsor Newton's Indian Yellow and Green Gold in various mixtures helped add that warmth I was looking for. I combined images from several reference photos I took one Winter afternoon while walking around Virginia Highlands in Atlanta.

His Daily Constitutional

18x14 Oil/Canvas

This older gentleman was walking in and out of the early morning sunlight in between the long cast shadows on a street in Cape Cod. I was taken by many things watching him on his daily walk.. of course, as a painter, the first would be how beautiful the light was on him and around him. Another would be the image he projected of being in the moment and the peaceful satisfaction of such a stroll.

Ross' Grill

detail

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Ross' Grill

30x24 Oil/Canvas

It seems that the majority of my paintings lately have been on the small side. Small paintings can be nice little jewels, but more so they are great opportunities to work things out... brush strokes, values, palette development, etc... without a big commitment.

Monday, I decided to put on my big boy pants and paint larger. I had been looking at this reference photo for some time now deciding on how I could break it down into shapes. That worked really well for laying in the background with the cook, wine rack area and for the stuff on the counter. When it came to the barstools though, it was a lot of drawing with the paint... lots of lines and negative space!

My goal was to keep a painterly energy moving in the painting . I was surprised that at the end of the day I was finished and it had turned into an alla prima work.

2010 Self Portrait

12x9 Oil/Canvas

Each new year I do a self portrait to track the road map of my face and to see where I am with the self portrait process. The light I set up at my lower left set the challenge of getting the up-lit warm colors as I saw them in the mirror.

Touching Up

11x14 Oil/Raymar

It was back to Cooley's Landing today for another go at painting boats backlit by the morning sun. I am working on simplifying and suggesting here. The Captain came out and squatted down for about two seconds, touching up the side of his boat... he could have stayed a little longer, but I guess he gave me what I needed...

A Good Life...

12x20 Oil/Linen Panel

Private Collection

detail

This is a commission piece I did before the holidays. The painting was to be given as a Christmas gift so I held off on sharing it here. At first I was concerned there wasn't enough information to do a true portrait of Patrick, the gentleman shown here towing his boat. The lack of detail in the photo actually worked to my advantage. It made me focus on getting the forms and values in the face correct without getting wrapped up in painting the eyes, the nose, etc... kind of like mandatory squinting. Having known Patrick and his family, I was surprised and pleased with how this method helped me to capture not only a true likeness, but also my memory of his character and gesture. He was a fine and solid person and I was honored to be part of such a gift.

Morning Cat Ketch

8x6 Oil/Linen

Painting at Cooley's Landing this morning, the backlighting on this sailboat caught my attention immediately. Being a sure footed Capricorn I have an admitted lack of knowledge when it comes to boats and boating terminology. I just knew that there was something very appealing and special about this boat with its strong masts and seasoned sails.... besides, I liked the way the light was hitting it.

Midway through the painting, I was surprised when the equally seasoned 24 year resident & Captain of the boat appeared on deck. When he looked at my painting, he offered that many sailors might look at my painting and think I had painted the boat inaccurately, due to the fact that the forward mast was so close to the front. He then pointed out that I had painted his rig correctly and it is an older style of sailboat known as a Cat Ketch... a boat known for its gentle ways and once favored by watermen before the age of power. I still have a lot to learn about boats and pretty much everything... amazing though, the things you learn while painting outdoors. Did you know that Greyhounds can't swim?... well, I am sure there are exceptions.

Blockbuster...

Blockbuster

16x8,Oil/Canvas Board

When I moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1992, this old pink building was the headquarters for Blockbuster Videos. It is an architecturally interesting old building, but today all I needed was this side since I was really more taken with the tree and its white bark in the morning light. As the painting was nearing completion, my friend Eden encouraged me to add the parked vehicles. I think her suggestion taught me a lot about the spontaneous accuracy I have been searching for... paint your subject matter like it is fixing to drive away... because it did... A lesson I will carry into the New Year!

Palm With A View...

Palm With A view

30 x 9.5 Oil/Canvas

I attempted to do this painting en plein air earlier this year. The tall and narrow format of the stretched canvas made it very awkward for working outdoors... combined with the rapidly changing light and over abundance of info, it quickly became a wiper! Fortunately, I came across the reference photo I took, found the toned down canvas and did this studio version of Palm With A View. Remembering the feel of the day as I painted from the photo helped me to hold onto my plein air approach while enjoying an ample amount of time to work with no changing light.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

2nd & Himmarshee

5.5x12 Oil/Panel

It was a clear & breezy morning that made our Winter day temperature of 68 feel pretty brisk... wearing a jacket with a hot cup of coffee in hand, our Florida blood gets thin!

Palms Up...

Palms Up

8x6 Oil/Canvas Panel

Painting out last Saturday, I was taken by how the edges of these palm fronds became a silvery gray blue against the cloudy sky. The sun peeked out just long enough to illuminate the tree on the left, warming up its silhouette. There is a lot of paint on this canvas, and today became just dry enough to photograph.

Frederic's Cadillac

Frederic's Cadillac

Oil/ Canvas 12x12

This is the Cadillac that belonged to Frederic Bartlett, the builder of Bonnet House. It is parked and on display in the garage there. This is a studio painting from a photo I took while on one of my many plein air outings there.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

The Source II 12x9 Oil/Canvas Panel

I actually had another view in mind when I went to Riverwalk to paint with my friends, Saturday Morning. When I walked around to the other side of the fire hydrant in last weeks painting, I stopped in my tracks. I was astounded by the possibilities the morning sun presented as it played with the elements in this simple scene.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

The Source 8x10 Oil/Canvas Panel

Be Seated 6x8 Oil/Canvas Panel

Clockwise, I got an early start painting Saturday Morning, but as we know, the sun waits for no man, nor bows to the idea of "Daylight Savings Time".. ending or beginning. I was there right on time to catch the shadows of this hedge behind the fire hydrant and the glow of the sunlight as it hit the group of palms, in The Source. I stayed with it a little longer than I meant to... lingering, yet again. Since it was still early and such a beautiful day to be out painting, I chose to do another painting. An Autumnal wedding celebration was being set up right beside me, with lushly colored fabrics and dark table cloths. This time I simply turned the easel to face the tables, found my composition and set the timer for 6o minutes to do Be Seated. Setting a definite time limit along with my focus totally recharged me... the intense scrutiny and intent to put in on and leave it alone. I am Okay with both of the outcomes, the steady and the quick, but I look forward to finding something in the middle next time.

Morning...

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..."Morning without you is a dwindled dawn"-Emily Dickinson

This quote became the inspiration for this 7x5, Oil/Canvas Panel as I tried to reproduce the brilliant way the first light of the day comes through the bedroom window, across the rug and into the quiet darkness of the room.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

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It was an early start to a beautiful morning painting at Bonnet House with the low slung cast shadows of the garden walls and the vegetation beyond. Keeping my shadowed areas illuminated was my goal with this 8x10 Oil/Linen Panel. I am sure enjoying the occasional addition of Indian Yellow to my pallet. It is especially noticeable in the warm green foliage of the tree beyond the opening of the wall.

Wet Paint, Plein Air...

Painted Palms 12x12 Oil/Linen Panel

Private Collection

Plein Air painters are without a doubt some of the finest people to spend time with... painting , laughing and sharing ideas, all outdoors in nature. We had a great time painting Saturday morning and I couldn't help but just have fun and let go with this painting.