Sunday, December 20, 2009

New Mixed Media Work: Horse

This is a 48" x 36" mixed media work on canvas. I used acrylic and tech inks, acrylic, watercolor, and collage. I started with a calligraphic drawing of the horse and then applied inks and acrylics and texture over the entire canvas. In the last stage, collage pieces were adhered to the support.

Saturday, December 12, 2009

"We Know Each Other": Refinement to New Abstract Figurative Collage

I've made some refinements to the previously posted "We Know Each Other", which was a work in progress. I've further defined the face of the horse, added warmth to the background beige color and added a few pieces of collage to this work. Finis!

Friday, December 11, 2009

"Seeing Red": New Horse Mixed Media/Collage

I've been moving into color in my horse/figurative collage work. Here, I used inks, liquid acrylics, gesso, watercolor, and collage to create a very colorful horse mixed media piece. I am also creating quite a bit of texture in these new works.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

New Mixed Media Work: "Ponder"

"Ponder" is a 40" x 30" mixed media piece on canvas. I used inks, watercolors, acrylics, and various textural materials to create this work. This is part of a new series of work wherein I am bringing in color and texture to the horse/figurative collage and mixed media work.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

"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.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

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!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

"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.

Friday, September 18, 2009

"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.

Monday, September 14, 2009

"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.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

"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!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

"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.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

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.

Friday, August 7, 2009

"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.

Friday, July 24, 2009

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.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

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.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

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.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

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.

Sunday, July 19, 2009

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.

Friday, July 17, 2009

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.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

"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.

Friday, July 3, 2009

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.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

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.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

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.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

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.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Starting A New Figurative Collage

I started a new figurative collage a few days ago. The figure is sitting on a chair and looking out a window. I'm playing with the light/dark pattern, weaving the black throughout the picture. At this point, I'm working on the large shapes; later, I'll come back in and refine the edges and interior shapes.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Baylands: Three Cubed

This painting was painted on May 27, 2009. I painted this 'alla prima' in two hours. I used a transparent varnish wash underpainting, which has watercolor-like properties. Thicker paint was applied on top of the underpainting. Colors used were: transparent red oxide, hansa yellow orange, carbazole violet, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, cadmium green, cadmium yellow orange, quinacridone red, and titanium white.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Plein Air Painting At The Baylands

It was another gorgeous day at the Baylands in Palo Alto. Only three other painters were there from the California Academy of Painters today. We each stayed about two hours and painted from a different vantage point than usual. I enjoyed painting the variety of colors and temperatures found in the foreground fields. The palette used today included: ultramarine blue, hansa yellow orange, transparent red oxide, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, quinacridone red, and titanium white. Not exactly a limited palette!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

California Landscape: En Plein Air

Today I painted again from the pier at the Palo Alto Baylands. It was crisp and breezy and invigorating. There was a large expanse of grassland in the foreground and background that was filled with amazing colors: sienna, violets, yellow greens, blue greens, silvery greens, russets, yellow oranges, and salmon. I captured many of these colors in the initial varnish wash and only had to place strokes of paint, here and there, in the foreground, as the painting was practically 'done' after the initial wash! The actual colors used were: ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, carbazole violet, cadmium orange, transparent red oxide, hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange, cadmium green, and titanium white.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Second Plein Air Painting Sold To Collector

This is the second of the two plein air oil paintings that sold to a collector in Modesto from Phoebe's Gallery in Capitola, CA. This is also a 6"x8" on mahogany luan panel, using the varnish wash and thicker opaque passages. This painting, too, is mostly cool in temperature.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Wild and Windy Day At The Baylands

It was another windy day at the Baylands. Palettes and easels were flying! A limited palette of: transparent red oxide, carbazole violet, fire red, cadmium orange, cadmium yellow medium, cadmium green, and cobalt blue were used. A tiny amount of cadmium yellow light was used to cool the yellow.
As I'm painting, the only things I'm thinking about are: what I'm seeing, mixing colors, thinking about values and atmospheric effects, and I hear Jim Smyth in my head saying: "warm the warms, cool the cools, darken the darks, and lighten the lights".

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Recently Sold California Landscape Plein Air Painting

This is one of two plein air California landscape paintings that have sold to a collector in Modesto, California. This painting, along with 10-12 others, was at Phoebe's Gallery in Capitola, California.
This is a 6"x8" oil painting on mahogany luan panel. I used the varnish wash and more opaque, impasto passages, as well. The colors are predominantly cool, with some contrasting warmth in the foreground and trees.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Tranquil Day Painting En Plein Air

This painting was painted recently, on a tranquil day at the Baylands in Palo Alto. I was particularly intrigued with the reflections of the trees in the water. A varnish wash was used here, and more opaque paints added in the second layer. There is variation in transparency versus opacity. The water is mostly transparent varnish wash with some horizontal dry brushing. The texture of the mahogany luan panels coated with three layers of gesso works beautifully with the varnish washes and dry brushing.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Painting On A Pier At The Baylands

It was another spectacular apring day at the Baylands. The group (California Academy of Painters) painted on a pier today and it felt like being on a sailboat! It was exhilirating and it showed in everyone's paintings! This particular painting is a study in foreground and the multicolored hues and variations in temperature of the spring marshland ground. Being there was a meditation on the wonders of nature!

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Big Sky Cumulus Clouds in Aptos

I was inspired yesterday and today by the gigantic cumulus clouds in the Santa Cruz sky. On my drive home from Palo Alto yesterday, the sky was roiling with puffy clouds. I decided to capture some of this feeling in this painting, a further exploration of my "Big Sky" paintings.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

"Blustery Baylands" Chosen For 79th Annual Statewide Landscape Exhibition

This painting: "Blustery Baylands" was chosen by juror and nationally known landscape painter, Kevin McPherson, to be in the 79th Annual Statewide Landscape Exhibition at the Santa Cruz Art League May 30-June 29, 2009 (Reception: June 6, 2009, 3-5 pm). The title for the exhibition is: "Irreplaceable Places: The California Landscape".

I feel that the Baylands in Palo Alto is one of those "irreplaceable places", untouched by development, where nature and the human spirit soars!

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Lyrical Landscape

It was another windswept day at the Palo Alto Baylands. I noticed a significant increase in wildflowers and variations in the colors of the landscape, including more yellows, yellow greens, russets, and violets. In this painting, I left more translucent passages than I have previously; in particular, the sky is all translucent and the water is mostly varnish wash!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Completion of Plein Air Painting: After The Varnish Wash

This is the completion of the previous varnish wash painting. Some of the underlying wash shows through and is contrasted with thicker, opaque paint.

First Stage of Plein Air Painting: Varnish Wash

Here is an example of the drippy, varnish wash I've been describing in previous posts. The wash is translucent like a watercolor painting. I will leave some of this wash in the final painting to provide a translucent contrast with more opaque passages of paint.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Windswept Day At The Palo Alto Baylands

It was another cold, blustery day at the baylands.
The clouds were moving, as were the trees, grasses, and water. It still feels like winter, these last few days.
In this painting, I started with a varnish wash which is very fluid and drippy. After it dries, I add the next layer with thicker paint and allow some of the thin, translucent varnish layer to show through. In the sky, mountain, and water I used quinacridone red, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, and carbazole violet. The lighter clouds have titanium white with a touch of cadmium orange. The trees are mixtures including: payne's gray, carbazole violet, and green mixtures. The foreground includes: carbazole violet, russet (mix of carbazole violet and cadmium orange and white), various oranges (hansa yellow orange, cadmium yellow orange), and greens mixed with yellow/oranges.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Translucency With Oil/Varnish Washes

This painting started out as a very fluid oil/varnish wash of various colors. Much of the foreground is the original varnish wash! I am painting on mahogany luan panels that I've prepared with three coats of acrylic gesso. The size of this painting is 9"x12". The wash for the sky was rather light, so I painted over this with cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, carbazole violet for the sky and transparent red oxide/titanium white mixture for the clouds. Carbazole violet was brought into the foreground as a wash in some of the dark areas, in order to harmonize with the sky and darks of the trees.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

En Plein Air: Further Refinements

This is the other 'blustery day' painting I refined in the studio. I intensified the sky with cobalt blue and brought this color into the distant foreground, along with carbazole violet mixtures and cool greens. I warmed the violets and greens as I came forward in the foreground and added oranges and yellows, as well. I left a great deal of transparency in the trees.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

En Plein Air: Further Refinements, Part 2


I'm continuing to refine three of the plein air landscape paintings I painted last week. This was another of the "blustery day" paintings. I warmed up the trees with touches of quinacridone red, as well as warming up the sky with this color. I'm working for a warm/cool vibration here in the sky, mountain, trees, and foreground. I cooled the receding foreground with blues, greens, and violets and brought the foreground forward with warm oranges, hansa yellow orange, transparent red oxide, warm green mixes, and cadmium yellow orange.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

En Plein Air: Further Refinements


I refined three of my recent plein air paintings.
This was one of my "blustery day at the Baylands" paintings, previously posted. I warmed the mountain with some quinacridone red, as well as bringing in more greens, violets, and oranges into the foreground. Some cobalt blue was added to the upper sky, as well as refinement of the clouds with violet and quinacridone red shadows.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Painting Like There's No Tomorrow!


I painted for hours today in my solarium. There's something about getting into the rhythm of painting where there is no sense of time. I love when this happens.
I finished up a painting I started a few days ago at the Palo Alto Baylands. I was interested in the very dramatic, darker sky of that day. In particular, I'm drawn to the raspberry and blue violet colors in this sky.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Blustery Day At The Baylands In Palo Alto



It was a wild, blustery day at the Baylands today. There were about twenty of us out there, painting away while the wind blew. Several easels blew over, as well as palettes and paintings!
It was exhilirating! I felt so alive! I was interested in capturing the big sky, dramatic clouds, windswept look and the beautiful greens, violets, and oranges of the foreground with impasto strokes.