Cabbing It

This is my final post for 2009. A lot has happened in this decade. Some of it bad and some good. But I at least had the privilege of living on this earth. I'm almost done with this. I last worked on it on the 28th of December 2009. It is beginning to work for me. Kim from my office took the photo that inspired this painting. I look forward to posting more completed paintings in the new year and more time painting. Happy New Year.

From My Window (Still)

Yes I know I should have finished this one by now. But as you can see I'm almost finished. I'm liking the angles and energy of the picture. This blog was recently reviewed by someone whose opinion I respect and he indicated that I should continue on with this series.

MacArthur Station

The top image represents where I currently am with this painting. The bottom one is the first session. I've been working primarily in the greys with the recent subway paintings. This one is obviously a deviation from that path. I like the bounce of the colors. Unison and Terry Ludwig pastels were the stars in this one.

Not look to Me

This is a quick watercolor study of a lady I work with. I've posted paintings of her before. My goal here was to get a likeness and to keep it loose. I did a quick sketch in ink and then laid down some watercolor washes. I did a water wash over the ink lines to get some nice greys.

Bus Stopped

This school bus was stopped on West Lynn letting children out for school. We were all stopped in honor of the little ones education, it was raining and I loved the look of the bus. Of course I snapped a picture for a later painting. This was completed on an ACEO trading card. I like to dissect a painting into a number of small studies before I tackle a larger piece.

Tree Outside My Door

The title speaks for itself on this one. Recently I decided to get outside and paint my surroundings. This tree top was to my left outside my door as was the building. This is Belgian Mist pastel paper by Wallis. Rembrandt, Terry Ludwig and Unison Pastel on the surface.

Hold Up

This little girl was curious about something on the ground. I liked the look of her curiosity and the steady hand of the adult with her. This is on the handmade Rossini watercolor paper. The watercolors were Stephen Quiller and ink.

Wave 27

This wave is from my 2009 visit to Fort Bragg, CA. We found this beach that has camping areas and lots of polished glass. Its down the road from Glass Beach where people go to collect ocean polished glass and shells. It had what appeared to be pilings for an old dock and other remnants of being a busy harbor area at one time. I actually got a whiff of ocean air just thinking of it. Painted on Wallis Belgian Mist paper with Rembrandt and Unison pastels.

Richmond Bound

Another in the subway series. I'm still working with it but its a study for a larger piece. This is on the handmade watercolor paper I referred to in an earlier post. I worked primarily with ink and yellow watercolor. I liked the guy in the far left portion of the picture. He had that relaxed homeboy look to him.

Rain on West Lynn

I think westlynn is one word so please forgive the mishap. This is one of my many rainy day scenes. This one is part of my commute to work in the morning. Of course I took advantage of our many recent rainy days to get shots and video for this series. I used Canson paper on the smooth side and various Rembrandt and Unison pastels plus charcoal. The top version is where I currently am with the piece. Actually, its finished I just need to own it.

Bev's Window 1

This was shot from the window of my friend's office. I like the long shadows from mid morning. This is on Vincent Rossini handmade watercolor paper. I worked with Stephen Quiller watercolors. The paper has a wonderful texture and the paint just loves it.

Austin bus stop

Second session with the drawing. I tried to clarify the darks and lights better. I think I have the middle ground. The darks and lights need more clarification .

First results. I'm going through a graphite phase so this is a piece I'm currently toying with. It's fun to work in black and white.

Training

Lawyers in Texas are required to complete a number of hours of continuing legal education yearly. My office offers in house training and for me instant models. Most of my colleagues know that I draw them duiring these events and in court. This one is from a sketch completed on site. I used ink, Stonehinge 5 by 7 inch paper and watercolors.

Training
7" x 5" (17.8cm x 12.7cm)
Watercolor on Stonehinge Paper
$50 plus $9 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Another Caneros

The first time I painted this scene it won an award in the annual juried show hosted by the Austin Pastel Society. The painting also sold shortly afterwards. This is my second attempt at this scene. I think this is Napa Valley. The other painting was completed on a Wallis pastel surface and this one was done on black archival museum board.

Another Caneros
16" x 20" (40.7cm x 50.8cm)
Pastel on Museum Board
$500 plus $25 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Decisions

Another painting inspired by a courtroom sketch. This was the 390th District Court.

This is from a sketch completed in the courtroom. I think I gave him too much hair and didn't make him thin enough. Fun painting it however. This is Judge Mike Lynch from the 167th District Court. I worked in acrylics on a canvas board.

Cabing It

I'm still toying with this one. It's on Richeson Pastel Support. I'm switching back and forth between that surface and Canson paper. This one has a primitive feel to it. Part of me wants to develop the buildings in the foreground. The other side of the debate is that the painting is about the cars not the buildings.

ACEO Sunflower

A small sunflower study done on an Artist Spectrum ACEO trading card.

ACEO Sunflower
3 1/2" x 2 1/2" (8.9cm x 6.4cm)
Pastel on Art Sprectrum ACEO card
$25 plus $1 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Outside Looking In

This piece was inspired by a photo taken in New York by one of our lawyers. I worked on Canson paper for this one. I tried to convey the roundness of the actual building with the strokes. I glazed the pastel as opposed to drawing with it. It is available on my website www.crosbysgallery.com.

Small Protection

One of my pen drawings. I distinguish this type of work from sketching. I took a little time with this one and worked from a photo over the course of two days. My sketches are usually done in 2 to 3 minutes or less from life. I was leaving the courthouse and I noticed this guy with an umbrella that was too small. I liked the shadows and movement.

167th October 30 2009

This is a defense lawyer with his client. The young man was charged with multiple aggravated robberies and he was set for trial the following Monday. The lawyers were taking care of pretrial matters.

This is one of our prosecutors and a defense lawyer reviewing a file. They are easy to sketch when they are getting discovery.

The judge and a lady I captured briefly before she left the courtroom.

The judge and a man he had just sentenced.

Guard standing with a defendant before the judge and a bunch of defense lawyers.

Down The Mountaion II and V

One night I randomly picked a photo to paint from without realizing that I had painted it before. The first painting is posted above. I think I used a warmer pallet in the first version. My favorite is the second version because I love lavender

Side Eye

This is from my ongoing abstract series. At the end of each painting session I like to use the left over pigment. So each abstract represents the last energy spurt for at least 8 paintings. I hate to waste paint.

Down The Mountain IV

This is the fourth in the "down the mountain" series. I worked on Richeson's premium pastel surface. As you can see this surface really does grab the pastels. The others have been painted on Canson paper. I like both surfaces but I like the jewel like feel on the strokes that one can lay on the Canson surface.

Surfing Fort Bragg

In 2008 the bridge between the Beachcomber motel and some condominiums was opened. It enabled us to watch the waves from a cliff as opposed to a hotel balcony. We spent the afternoon photographing the surfers from the cliffs above them. This is the first "surfer painting" in a series. Its on Canson paper.

Umbrella Series III

I was standing outside in the rain and this lady walked up covering herself and her notebook. I liked her posture and the weight that this character had. I tried to get the feel of wet streets and persistent rain. Trading card by the way.

Down Below

Yes I do paint abstracts just not a lot of them. I find them harder to do because you create the subject matter from internally as opposed to externally from photos or plein air painting. This one is mixed media both watercolor and acrylic paints. I get the sense when looking at it that I am looking down from a window.

Scared Pigeons

After the Avedon, Okeefe and Ansel Adams show at the San Francisco MOMA we walked around downtown. I was looking down this side street and saw this older man out walking his dog and the pigeons flying about. What attracted me to this was the dog and the pigeons. I painted it on Canson paper but with a twist. I placed stacks of paper on my painting surface to make the strokes a little smoother. I saw Desmond OHagan do that during a workshop and read an article in International Artist by another pastelist who uses the same technique.

Jesus Coming Soon

I was on my way home from work on Barton Springs Road and this guy was standing on the median holding this sign. Of course I had my camera and snagged a shot before the light changes. It was a cold brisk day but this guy was bound and determined to get his point across.

Jesus Coming Soon
12" x 9" (30.5cm x 22.9cm)
Watercolor on Arches paper
$150 plus $9 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Umbrella Series II

I was sitting at an intersection and noticed this guy stepping into the crosswalk. Of course it was raining. I like the line of his body.

Umbrella Series II
2 1/2" x 3 1/2" (6.4cm x 8.9cm)
Pastel on ACEO trading card
$25 plus $1.5 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Umbrella Series I

I did a number of small studies of people walking about with their umbrellas during our recent deluge of rain. This person was headed to the county parking garage. I had just finished with court so I was able to take video of people walking around the courthouse. Some guy probably a defendant snuck up on me and wanted to know what I was filming. I told him people walking in the rain and scurried away.

Umbrella Series I
2 1/2" x 3 1/2" (6.4cm x 8.9cm)
Pastel on ACEO trading card
$25 plus $1.5 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Busy Shore

This is one of my favorite subject matters. I love painting seascapes. The wave and rock are a constant and welcome challenge to paint. This one was competed a few years ago.

Busy Shore
12" x 9" (30.5cm x 22.9cm)
Pastel on Paper
$150 plus $9 shipping and handling in the US
E-mail me for International shipping rates or other inquiries.

Richmond Station

This one needs a bit more work. It is part of my BART subway series. I'm trying to limit my palette to black, white, blue and sienna. Its always a challenge for me to get the perspective correct. Flat corneas tend to make it harder to see perspective. But alas I solider on.

Second ACEO Down the Mountain Study

This is the second study for Down the Mountain. It was done on an art spectrum artist trading card.

ACEO Down the Mountain I

This is one of two studies done for Down the Mountain I. This is the first impression done in pastel. Its funny at times I like the study more than the final paintings.

Down the Mountain III

The third in a series of paintings of the mountains in the Fort Bragg California area. I loved that lone tree sitting amongst the grass.

Down the Mountain II

This is further down the mountain. We always find something new on our annual birthday trip. This area needs to be revisited again and again. The fog was amazing and of course the colors were intense. I also completed studies on ACEO trading cards. I will post those soon. Working in the smaller format does force you to make your point immediately.

Down The Mountain I

When we were leaving Fort Bragg, California on our annual birthday trip we pulled over to take a few pictures of the fog laden mountains and overall landscape. This is one of the first paintings from that scenery. The area begged to be painted. In fact I should have done a few sketches but this was a fast windy road. Not a good thing for a painter.

Cloud II

Another cloud study. One thing about painting clouds, is that its like painting people. The clouds don't stay still so you have to catch it and lay it down on the paper. I worked on about 5 that day because of that.

Cloud III

A few weeks ago we were treated to some beautiful afternoon clouds. So I sat outside and paint a few. This is the first post. As you can see its hard to get the right level of darkness on the shadow side of the clouds. It was fun trying however.

Squash Series

As it get colder I like to cook and when doing so I will take photos. The photos that I used were taken over three years ago. I was going through my photo collection recently and decided to work from the images. The pastel piece is a trading card image in pastel. The two acrylic pieces are 12 by 12 inches.