Painting People

Melissa 12" x 9" oil


Pam 18" x 14" oil

Between Storms 10" x 8" oil

I thought this paint session was not gonna happen. We had just enough of a brake in the rain to get out and enjoy the morning. By the afternoon the clouds were back and the rain came in buckets.

Playing in the Surf 13" x 18" pastel

Well, it was a cold and rainy day today and I am sick. It made me hope for a sunny day at the beach. So this is one I did a while ago of my niece with her friends. Hope to have new work to post this week.

Melissa 14" x 11" oil

Working from a model is such a luxury. The real thing just can't be beat. I started by working on an old canvas that I had painted a few years back. This is when not tossing in the trash paid off. I am trying to be more economical for these studies. Anyway, having the original painting underneath was distracting and it took me awhile to just paint and not see the face coming through. I even turned it up side down. I left some of the original paint coming through which added an interesting visual texture. Everytime I paint I find new things to work on ie. hands, feet (notice...no feet), and I want to work out the facial stuff and...and...and

Peter's Canyon 8" x 10" oil

This was done today out in Peter's Canyon. The day could not have been more perfect.

A View Across the Highway 8" x 10" oil

Went out yesterday to paint with a group Tom Brown teaches from the local art center. It was warm out for the first time in a while. We stood across the street from this view of eucaluptus trees that ran down the middle of the street. Through the trees was a view of a field, trees, hills and mountains. The light changed rapidly from 9 to 12. I found it overwhelming and difficult to stay with the original magic of the scene.
Sometimes painting outside is too much for my senses and I still love just getting out and trying to capture the moment. Sometimes it is not about painting at all, but the chance to be out observing and being still. There is a hugh leap in taking that beauty and introxicating feeling to the canvas. It is not always gonna happen the way I remember. So I wait till next time.

Late Afternoon in Santiago Creek

Well it is done, although in the photo I see a problem in the sky that is not in the painting. I find the camera or the computer separates colors and or there is a wave in the surface. I am just not that keen a photographer. Anyway it is 99% finished. Would love any feed back.

Finished Details

Details Details

2 more small details from the pastel below. I will keep posting as I figure things out like, how to work the whispy branches in against the sky.

Afternoon Walk ( in progress) 35"x14"pastel

Photo that I am working from along with the previous painting.
Work to this point using pastel on wallis paper with an under wash.
Detail of tree branches still very much in progress.
Base of tree.

Late Afternoon Walk 8" x 6" oil

Blue Glass in Natural Light 6" x 8"