Out Barn version

updated version

Acrylic on Panel - 7 x 11 inches  Ω

Another before/after. Not so wildly different this time, but I did want to try and warm things up. I thought I'd exaggerated it quite well, but now looking at the photo, it still looks kinda wintery. Hmmmm.

Kyoto Tea Garden

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches -   SOLD

In Northern California the things that change color from season to season do so in a different way, and it's different every year. I couldn't find any inspiration in my neighborhood, but I did dig up this pic from my last trip to Japan. They really enjoy orchestrating their tea gardens to showcase the seasons wonderfully.

Moore's Barn Revisited

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches - (destroyed)

I did this in the field while I was at a workshop with Tim Horn last year. I had forgotten to bring any real warm colors and though all the oil painters generously offered tubes, I just had to muddle on as best I could.

Today, I came across this in the back hallway and thought I'd try adding the warmth of a hot day in Sonoma, from memory! Well part memory, part theory and part fantasy. I don't think it's as strong a rendering in some ways, but it definitely reflects the feeling of warmth and atmosphere.

While I'm on a roll I may try a few more of these "updates".

Page House Blues

Acrylic on Canvas - 18 x 24 inches -   SOLD

Found the original postcard I did for this piece and found I liked it better. Maybe it's the tone. That darkness that gives it a real mood. (enter "page house" in the search to find previous versions).

In any case I decided to try again, painting right on top of the old one. I also took out the second car. It just seemed unnecessary and constricting.

Winery Truck

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches -   SOLD

Last night I had a dream where a voice was telling me to use just the big brushes. Was it my subconscious? A muse? Who can say, but the message stuck with me today, on the last day of my trip.

I picked this scene at Lambert Bridge because it had a little bit of everything, and because I could set up in the shade. I sketched in the composition quickly, and then mixed up some puddles and just started slapping it on with the No. 10 brush (almost an inch wide). This way it really came together quickly and when I want to change something, I could do such just a quickly.

I'd already learned this before, usually toward the end of a good solid patch of painting, and yet I keep forgetting it. After a long break from painting, I come back with some odd obsession with little brushes and detail. Not sure why that happens, but I'll have to keep my eye on that.

Tool Tip: I was looking at iPhone apps the other day and found one called Digital ViewCatcher. I haven't explored all the features yet, but I did use it for the sketch on this piece. It let me set the canvas at 9 x 12 and then drag around to crop it just they way I liked. Then I allowed me to impose a grid overlay, which really made transferring this as my initial sketch really easy. Perhaps too easy. Hmm...

Pool View

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches -   SOLD

I always manage to fit in another view out by the pool. What can I say. It's a great place to hang out, even if you are painting. I am at least learning from past mistakes here.

For instance, I left out the fence until the very end. Usually I put it in right away and struggle around it and fuss over it the whole time. My plan was really to leave it out completely, like I wound up doing in the garden painting I posted earlier. However when I started to pack up, I thought I'd just indicate a few posts and rungs, and wipe 'em out if I didn't like 'em. Guess I liked 'em.

Winery Hills

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches Ω

Another typical criss-crossing series of hills. I seem to paint this every time I go North, but I think I'm getting a little better each time. It's just very frustrating to find yourself making the same mistakes again and again.

Annadel House

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches Ω

Well, I managed to include more of the landscape. Ha. I guess I just really wanted to paint architecture, or more accurately, the play of light and shadow on a sunny day in Sonoma.

This is such a great property, I could paint here every day for a month.

Annadel Cottage

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches - Click Here to Bid

Dean and Abigail at Annadel EstateWinery generously let my father and I tour their property and set up anywhere we liked. For some reason I chose to focus in quite narrowly on one outbuilding. We're coming back tomorrow, so maybe I'll include a little more of the landscape then.

Garden Path

Acrylic on Panel - 9 x 12 inches -    SOLD

I recently got a chance to go up to wine country for a break, so sunnier images for the time being. You can feel the Summer coming to an end, but there's still plenty of blooms about.

Carol Marine II

Acrylic on Canvas Panel - 8x8 inches - (Bid here)

On review, I immediately knew how to fix this portrait. I mapped out my plan, set aside some time an charged right in. And then I made it worse. Horribly worse. Ugh.

Then I waited a few days and tried again. Even worse. Why couldn't I remember everything I'd learned about painting the figure from Craig Nelson and the many books I've read. Who knows.

Since I had nothing to lose, I thought I'd give it one more go. I did the upside down technique, which really helped me see the shapes, and tried to keep more color in the flesh that the white I thought I was seeing.

I think this did in fact turn out better, but what a struggle. Can't wait to paint some trees and barns again soon.

Bike Train Girl Vexes Me

Acrylic on Canvas Panel - 18 x 24 inches

I posted a version of this ages ago, and wasn't too keen on the results. I mean, I know so much more now and thought I could show off. Boy was I wrong. I did learn a lot the hard way, by redoing this, but I just couldn't make any real progress. I actually think I like the original better at this point. Argh! The streamers are a nice touch though (and were in the original source photo).