Summer of sunflower

Sunflower study #1 in progress 12x16 oil on canvas

   It my wanderings I adopted a new table perfect for my flower studies. What better way to break it in than with a new sunflower study? So I guess I am back onto my flower studies. Usually I don't paint sunflowers until end of summer but.. what the heck? So it begins...

sunflower #2 study 9x12 oil on canvas

Local cali-color

Cali lilies in progress

   Getting practice on flower painting I thought to challenge working in open air and it occurs to me... I haven't painted a cali lily and what an unusual shape they are! This work in progress at least keeps me in practice with nature's models.

The long and winding path

Dunes to Longbeach 6x8 oil on linen

   In a recent trip to paint lighthouses I had some down time to wait out a morning fog. Thinking I would test drive the materials while I waited, I retreated to the balcony to try and get the jest of what was between the ocean and I. As I was putting on the final details I spotted a deer making its way through the tall grasses- how I love my job!

Port Townsend- another day another lighthouse study

9x12 PWLH study 2012

9x12 PWLH study 2011

Perhaps one of my most frequently painted lighthouses, (I believe I am up to #6 now) I had the pleasure of visiting an old friend this weekend, Point Wilson Lighthouse, after dodging the annual rhodie parade and celebration. phone) is all I got. 

Since the forecast rain had somehow missed Port Townsend, I was blessed with perfect weather so retrieved my mini guerrilla paintbox (6x8 only 3 colors and raw umber) and painted again outside the lighthouse from a slightly different angle and was happy as a clam.

6x8 PWLH study 2014

   The motivating factor was not so much tp paint it but to get my lighthouse passport stamped which entails visiting the inside of the lighthouse, an event which only happens for 3 hours, once a week during the summer. I was so happy to finally get my stamp that it didn't occur to me that I would be going up the tower to an incredible view of all the surrounding islands. Since I don't paint from photos, I didn't have a camera so my recollection (and a very poor image taken with a 4 year old phone).

Tradition: Birthday out of town.

 It was birthday as usual... on the road, out of town, practicing my gypsy ways! It was like heading over the rainbow when I arrived at  RoozenGaarde as tulips of every color (and then some) where in bloom. 

painting the tulips 6x8 oil on linen

It was absolute eye candy for the artist I plotted a patch, out of the way and broasted in the 80+ degree record breaking temperatures beside the minimal shade of the windmill. I snuck a quick minimal study (6x8) with only raw umber, white and the primaries yellow, red, and blue. Not bad for a first attempt of the year. After a couple of hours painting my 1st plein air of the 2014 season, I closed my mini guerrilla box to go tip toe through the tulips. The day finished with good friends, good food and good memories. It was a happy birthday!

Roses aren't always red



Green roses- 12x12 oil on paper

   When challenged to paint flower color #5 of my 7 options choice, it came to the dreaded green. Sure there are many outdoor green flowers in perhaps exotic gardens or tiny wild green springs on mountainsides about the size of chickweed but for cut flowers I thought I would be looking for the dreaded tulip or worse. Last time I did the dance with a tulip the blushing model bowed out on me early but green was the designated driver so I slathered up a red piece of paper and went to it- with a rose... by any other color. It wasn't exactly a rumba but I was able to get some sort of facsimile of the funky flower... NEXT!

Don't shout "FIRE" in a crowded theater

Nozzels w.color- station #9

Nozzels pencil 6x9

   "Shouting fire in a crowded theater" is a popular metaphor for speech or actions made for the principal purpose of creating unnecessary panic. Luckily it all happened in an old fire station renovated into a crowded restaurant/pub, hence the shouting. This weekend I ventured to Station #9 for a little sketch outing that went from thumbnails, to a watercolor study gone bad and back to a drawing but with only 40 minutes left in the allotted allowance, it was panic on the dance floor.  I threw in the (wet) towel 15-20 minutes into it when a group  came (to eat lunch) and sat in front of my subject... the nerve! Better luck next time- but the food was good and the company even better.   If nothing else I got to test out a new pad... not impressed!

"Once upon" in orange

  


Ordinary orange tulips 12x12 oil

 In a mischievous corner of my studio, there once was a group of ornery orange flowers that had issues with their blue background. They seemed like ordinary fresh cut tulips posing in position but as soon as I went to break for a quick bite the flowers decided to be naughty. When I returned they had bowed to half their height and turned 30-45 degrees in all different directions. What I had painted was unrecognizable to what was now facing me so I abandoned the study. I have painted tulips before and never had so much problems. Needless to say the next study was a Daisy... also in orange.

Tharrr' be pirates in the darrrk!

"Gordon" 12x12 charcoal

Last weeks outing took me to The Wine Studio where I had the pleasure of working with a willing victim named "Gordon" dressed in pirate attire. With the sun returning there was a most enjoyable setting sun on the models face for a pose. It was so beautiful I regretted not having a camera... even if I don't work from photos. By the 3rd pose the natural light faded, the clamp lamp changed everything and I was left struggling in a dark bar that became crowded and loud. Such is the "Yarn of "Aaaaarrrrrrgh!!!"

Antiques on Broadway



streetclock on broadway 6x9 wc

My last outing was down Broadway where I got caught in the rain. Originally I was visiting an antique store to do a little watercolor study of some items in the shop. I did said study but was drawn more to the architecture of the area with the corner wedged ( think flat iron building) Tully's coffee shop which is probably why my watercolor study was not satisfactory. In the theater district the parking is limited to 2 hours so I had to move the car before I was done meeting people so by the time I was ready to go I still had 20 minutes left on the meter. Rather than stray in the rain (a sure way to loose track of time and get a ticket) to do another quick study, I looked up to find one of my favorite subjects- street clocks so I backed up my car 2 spaces and rode out the clock on my already bought parking permit to do this quick study.