"We Know Each Other": New Abstract Figurative Collage

This is one of the four new collage works I've been working on within the last week. This piece is 24" x 24" on cradled board using papers (newsprint, corrugated cardboard, painted watercolor papers), ink, gesso, watercolor, and acrylic paint. This work is informed by my inquiry into human/equine relationships, as well as an exploration of color within this body of work.

"The Willows" California plein air landscape

This 9" x 12" plein air landscape was painted two days ago at McClellan Ranch in Cupertino. The golden and russet fields, so typical of California landscapes, was so beautifully lit by the mid morning sun and such a pleasure to paint! Colors in the palette were: transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, Naples' yellow, cadmium green, pthalo green, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, quinacridone violet, and titanium white. A varnish wash was employed in the first layer.

"Dimensions Of A Horse" Collage

"Dimensions Of A Horse" is one of my newest collages. It is 24" x 24" and incorporates paint (acrylic, ink, watercolor), gesso, collage papers, and mesh. I am exploring bringing in paint and color into this body of work.

Open Studios 2009: New Collage Work

New work can be seen in a slide show format at: http://www.artslant.com/sf/events/show/75809-open-studios-2009.

This is called "Dimensions Of A Horse". It is mixed media (inks, acrylic, watercolor, paper, gesso) on 24" x 24" cradled board.

In the new collage work, I am bring in color: colored papers and even paint!

"Wind And Sea At Shell Beach"

On my painting trip to Gualala/Sea Ranch two weeks ago, I started this painting but ran out of time to finish it while there. This is called a 'start'. I finally got to it in the last two days and finished it!

I used the same palette as in the painting: "Wind And Sea (Gualala)". This palette is: pthalo green, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow, cadmium green, yellow ochre, and titanium white. A transparent varnish wash was used in the first layer, using local color.

"McClellan Ranch Reverie"

It was another incredible day painting with the Northern California Academy of Painters! We met in Cupertino at McClellan Ranch Park and painted for hours! I was there from 9:30am to 2:30pm! This is the first of two paintings that are variations on the same theme. The drama of the foreground tree with the background trees lent itself to a vertical format.

I sketched quick thumbnails to explore the division of space as well as to study the values. I used Payne's gray/carbazole violet mixture to locate the trees, path, foreground, background and sky. I massed in the shapes with varnish washes, using local color. Lastly, I applied thicker paint to finish up the painting. The color palette used was: Payne's gray, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium medium, cadmium green, and titanium white.

"Facing The Unknown": Abstract Figurative Collage

This collage has taken months to complete! Looking out a window and facing the unknown were thoughts that emerged while creating this collage and seeing the figure over many days and months.

I felt a desire to add splashes of warm red/orange/gold colors to my palette of neutrals. Something exciting and new is bubbling up here.

"Golden Path" California Plein Air Landscape

Today I painted with the California Academy of Painters at McClellan Park in Cupertino. This scene with the golden path and golden field captured my eye. A varnish wash was used in the first layer, then thicker layers of opaque paint were applied. The color palette was: phthalo green, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, Naples yellow, and titanium white. It was a beautiful, clear sunny day and very hot!

"Wind And Sea (Gualala)"

This was the first of five seascapes I painted on the trip to Gualala/Sea Ranch. This painting was just sold to a collector from Santa Cruz County by Many Hands Gallery in Capitola. This is a 9"x12" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I used a varnish wash as the undercoat. Thicker layers were applied with the following palette of colors: phthalo green, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow orange, yellow ochre, cadmium green, and titanium white. This painting was done at Shell Beach in Sea Ranch overlooking the bluffs and sea.

Shell Beach/Sea Ranch Seascape

This 9"x12" seascape was painted last weekend at Shell Beach in Sea Ranch. Colors employed were: pthalo green, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, fire red, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow orange, transparent red oxide, yellow ochre, cadmium green, and titanium white. A varnish wash was used, then thicker layers were applied atop the wash.

Gualala/Sea Ranch Paintings

This is one of four plein air oil paintings from my Gualala/Sea Ranch painting workshop with Brigitte Curt and Jim Smyth. This is 9"x12" on mahogany luan panel. The palette was: pthalo green, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, fire red, yellow ochre, cadmium orange, cadmium green, cadmium yellow orange, and transparent white.
In these works, I was painting as fast and vigorously as possible! It was a beautiful, windy day at Shell Beach at Sea Ranch.

"Connection" painting in Arkansas State Capitol

An Arkansas collector has displayed my mixed media painting "Connection" at the Arkansas State Capitol for a few months. This piece is 18"x24 on canvas and was painted with ink, gesso, fluid acrylics, and Mexican bark paper.

Eleven of Forty: California Landscapes

This is the eleventh of the forty California landscape paintings I have set as a goal for the summer. The setting is the high Sierras. I was at Fallen Leaf Lake in South Lake Tahoe in June and I believe this trip inspired today's painting. An underlying varnish wash of mostly ultramarine blue and carbazole violet were employed. Thicker applications of paint were used in the second layer. The color palette was: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium green, and transparent white.

California Plein Air Landscape: Ten of Forty

I painted another landscape today; this was a variation on the theme of yesterday's painting: "Warm Reflections". This is a 9"x12" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I used a varnish underpainting, then the following palette: carbazole violet, ultramarine blue, cerulean blue, cobalt blue, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, and titanium white.

California Plein Air Landscape: Nine of Forty

I painted this 9"x12" oil painting over the course of three hours this morning. I started with a varnish wash underpainting, then continued with thicker layers, alternating with the transparent underpainting. I was particularly interested in warm versus cool colors, transparency versus opacity, and lost and found edges. I was drawn to the tree and it's reflection in the water.

California Landscape: Impressionism, Continued

I painted again this morning! This is a variation on the theme of the "Country Road" painting I did yesterday. This, too, is a 6"x8" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I used a varnish wash as the underpainting. Colors used were: ultramarine blue, carbazone violet, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, and titanium white.

Alla prima plein air California landscape

I just finished this little (6"x8") plein air landscape this morning. It was painted alla prima (in one sitting/all at once). Colors employed in this painting are: ultramarine blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green, and titanium white.

Plein Air California Landscape

I painted this landscape today on a 9"x12" mahogany luan panel; it's called : "Reflecting Pool Revisited". I was particularly fascinated by the tree's reflection in the water and the edges between the tree's reflection and the water.

I started with a varnish wash, then proceeded to apply thicker paint, alternating transparency and opacity.

The colors used were: Prussian blue, carbazole violet, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cadmium green, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium orange, transparent red oxide, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium yellow light, and titanium white.

California Landscape: Impressionism

I enjoyed painting this plein air California landscape alla prima in my studio yesterday. I particularly like to paint landscapes that have water scenes. I enjoy the reflection of the trees in the water.
This painting is called : "Reflecting Pool" and was purchased by a collector of mine as soon as it was posted at Facebook yesterday!
The colors used are: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, prussian blue, cadmium green, cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium yellow orange, hansa yellow orange, cadmium orange, transparent red oxide, and titanium white.

"Golden Birthday" painting

Today is my daughters' "golden birthday" and I painted while she was at camp this morning, to celebrate the day of her birth! This is a variation on a scene I've been painting lately. I was particularly interested in the edges along the bank of the water, as well as the foreground textures.
Colors used were: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, Payne's gray, cadmium green, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, Hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium yellow medium, Naple's yellow, cadmium orange, and titanium white. A varnish underpainting was employed.

California Plein Air Landscape: Four of Forty

I've set a goal of painting forty plein air landscapes this summer! This is 'four of forty'. Additionally, I've got to have six new landscapes by the end of next week to be shown to a gallery owner in Carmel, CA.
In this painting, the new color I added to my palette is Naples yellow. There is a clean stroke of this color in front and to the right of the big tree on the right. I've woven this color throughout the foreground and background, as well. I began with a varnish wash, then proceeded to alternate transparency and opacity.

Figurative Collage: Further Iterations

Here are a few iterative changes I made today on this work in progress. I am now beginning to work on shapes within shapes and to work on edges.

Baylands: Late June

"Baylands: Late June" is a painting I painted today in my studio. This is a 9"x12" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I referenced an earlier work from late May that was on a 9"x11.5" panel.
Colors used were: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, transparent red oxide, hansa yellow orange, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow light, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green, and titanium white.

Further Refinements:Figurative Collage (Work in progress

I'm working out the figure on this collage. I lengthened the left leg, as it was not 'working' previously. I added the chair seat and legs, as well as the structure for the window. Mostly, though, I'm working out the big shapes and the dark/light pattern. Lastly, I'll work on the edges.

Further Refinements:Figurative Collage (Work in progress

I am further working out the large shapes and dark/light pattern, before going in with refinements of edges and interior shapes.