Friday, December 27, 2013

Sunlight Curve

I have been going through some old photos for painting reference lately. I think I took this photo reference with my first camera. I started with a watercolor under painting. Finish was with pastel.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Wired Up

A landscape of wires and poles. If you know me you know that I will leave the wires and poles out of my paintings. The only exception is when they need inclusion. This will look good as a pastel.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Harbor Companions

Another painting of Noyo Harbor. When I get back there I intend to spend at least half a day painting there. The area is so rich with subject matter. This is the first pastel I have painted of that area. I am still using that one photo that has millions of paintings in it.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Romance

The sketch below inspired this little watercolor. I saw this couple walking on the beach and I automatically thought of romance and contemplation. The ocean puts me in perspective and being with the one I love brings the romance.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Embrace

I have been going through my collection of old family photos. These two are much bigger now. I love that I have watched them grow into adults. I also have plenty of subject matter when it comes to painting my family.

Friday, December 13, 2013

Someones Porch

On Thanksgiving night I was standing outside getting some air and noticed how beautiful the light was. I took a photo and painted this painting. I love how Commerce smells like the earth.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

The First One

My stepfather loved sitting on our side porch with a cold beer. He could survey the neighborhood and also his barbecue pit if he happened to be cooking. He rarely posed for me. Most times I had to sneak up behind him to get a photo. He cooked for most of our family events. I'm missing my Mom and him this holiday season.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Creeping Night (in progress)

This is one of three paintings that I am working on. Of course its a northern California seascape. Night was falling or creeping in. This is the first pastel painting in a while. The underpaiting is a watercolor painting. My friend Enid Wood suggested this to me. I used Terry Ludwig and Rembrandt pastels.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Above the Vessels

Another little painting of Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, California. I think these two vessels had just unloaded their catch Above these boats were guys trying to put the catch into large containers.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Mr. Mines Garden

I took the photo that inspired this painting in Commerce, Texas during the fall. Its near the old Norris School. Mr. Mines used to farm this land. He fed many of us from his garden. Norris was the school that I attended prior to desegregation. To the left of this scene was our baseball diamond.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

I Wanted Foggy

I used a plein air sketch painted at Glass Beach as inspiration for this painting. I was trying to copy a foggy scene. I think this is a little warm for fog. Maybe fog can be warm. I worked on tinted print making paper. Its a welcome change from the starkness of some papers.