From the last 24 hours

Heavy Snow

9 x 12, oil on panel

This one was actually done with a photo reference that I took nearby. It is actually a rickety old fence that is quite grown over and the snow made it quite heavy. I loved the shapes that were created with the lighting. I also love the challenge of finding and depicting the many colors in the white shadowed areas. Once again, the photo does not quite show all of the color I put in.

Two Chinese Teenagers

9 x 12, oil on panel

This painting was an hour's worth of work. The girls had never modelled before and had slept in so they were late and had to leave early. They chatted in Chinese the entire time but kept their pose throughout.  I really found it interesting to see the difference in their skin tones and head shapes.  There are drawing flaws for sure but I am mostly happy with this one. There was no time to noodle it - and that is good, but I could have used another hour with them. I also do enjoy keeping it a bit sketchy in a portrait.

En Plein Air

"The Little Bridge at Manor Park"

8 x 10, oil on panel

 Side note: I may have cracked the photography problems I have been having. Hopefully I will get better colour representation in them from now on.

I set out with my hand warmers and foot warmers to the park near home. So many subjects to choose from. I settled on this bridge. To the right the path goes up the hill to the village. To the left takes you around the lake. I really enjoyed doing this painting even with it's challenges. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify. That is the key when there is so much growth around. Just use detail where you really need it. 

Lots of people went walking by and stopped to admire. 1- I think I made a new friend. 2 - I may have found a potential client. Lesson learned: bring business cards with me whenever I go out.

The 4 Minute Cow

"The 4 Minute Cow"

5 x 7, oil on panel

One of the first days of plein air painting in England took me to my cows. They were so curious and they all came over to investigate. At the time I had a homemade portable canvas (that maybe one day I will develop into a real product) so I could move in an instant to the subject that I wanted to paint. Of course the cows kept moving around - except for the Big Mama who just stood there and starred at me. So I thought, "what the heck" and painted her. I never thought I would show this painting because of it's major unfinishedness - done only in 4  minutes. But I love this piece so  - here it is..

Side note:  I have not mastered the photographing of my paintings as well as I would like but I just came upon this idea from listening to the podcast of Artists Helping Artists with the guest of Lisa Darie Kennedy (look her up!) who has done 1 painting everyday for over 1000 days, and she mentioned that she scans her works in rather than take the pictures. Since many of my works are small these days that is what I am going to be doing lots of. So be watching for more updates on my works cause I have been working believe you me.