Joy By The Water II

I posted the study for this larger version last week. The setting was a new beach (to me) on the Point Reyes National Seashore. The beach was filled with people enjoying the water. This little fellow was being watched closely by his father. This version is 20 by 20 inches. The water in this one seems more ominous that the original study which is posted below.

Weird Iris

Another painting that I started and completed during the West Austin Studio Tour. I tend to get a lot of work in during the tour. I spend the time painting and talking to visitors. I was also showing off and breaking in my new IBA-CO Pallette. I initially named this painting because something about it was off. Today I thought of Georgia O'Keeffe and her close ups of flowers. The painting is less weird now.

Santa Off Season

The subject for this painting is a guy that sometimes stands at the corner of Bee Caves Road with a sign asking for change. He has this huge white beard and always wears a baseball cap. I was in a good place when I painted this one so he appears happy. The title came into my head as I was looking at the painting from across the room.

Overpass

I drive by this scene every day on the way home from work. Traffic getting onto Mopac goes so slow that one can actually paint this while sitting in the car. Of course this was inspired by a photo that I took from my car. I rarely draw while driving. The bluebonnets were better than last years presentation. I thought the mixture of overpasses and bluebonnets gave this piece a nice edge.

New Paths

I started this painting during the West Tour and haven't felt the need to touch it again. Its from the New England foliage season which seems to peak in October. My friend Jim took the photos for me years ago and I still use them for inspiration. I should have done more plein air painting while I lived there.

One Orange Flower

I revisited this image last weekend during West. The first painting was in acrylic. This is the pastel version. I liked the contrast between the blue and orange. I will work with this image again in a larger format. My goal was to convey a sense of depth and light.

Joy By The Water

This little boy's dad was close by so don't worry he wasn't by himself. This is a part of the Point Reyes National Seashore that I had never seen. To get to the area we had to walk through a wooded area. The trees had this beautiful moss hanging from them and the light was amazing. The beach was filled with people enjoying the water. It was my birthday so I was sketching and painting. I used a photo taken that day as inspiration for this little painting. 5 by 5 inches $45.00 unframed.

Spring Morning Commerce

During my most recent visit to Commerce I got in a little plein air painting. I sat on my sister's front and back porches and painted a series of small watercolor and gouache pieces. Commerce has a special light in my opinion. I just finished up a week on being in trial. Its nice not to have to argue and fight about the law for a change. My energy is different when I try cases. I like that but my artistic energy is a lot more peaceful.

We were sitting on the front porch when I painted this one. My two sisters were with me hanging out. I used my toned tan sketch book and gouache.

Poppies and Lupines

I did this little painting over at the botanical gardens a few weekends ago. They had yet another wedding taking place. Members of the wedding party were walking around the gardens after the ceremony. While I was painting, twin girls and their brother started watching me paint. After a while, their parent and some other adults joined the audience. I had fun talking to the children about what I was doing and what types of tools I was working with. Their mother had to pull them away. That made me smile because children are honest about what they like and don't like.

Window Dressing

On my way into the gallery one Saturday I finally noticed the mannequins in the window next door. I did the underlying sketch outside looking into the window. I also did some small pastels one of which I have previously posted. I liked that they were basically holding one another up. The gowns added the extra touch too. Being headless added some additional irony.

Maternal Consult

This painting is very special to me. One night my Mom and I were up listening to music and I started to draw her. Once she noticed what I was doing she insisted on adding her own hand to the drawing. She loved dancing in front of the mirror and that is what we drew together that night. I spent most of the day working on my trial that starts tomorrow. I thought of Mothers day when my mom was alive. She loved doing her yard up (yard work) and sitting out with her visitors on her day.

Snow Birds and Sunlit Bush

A little snow scene from my hometown. A couple of years ago I was visiting home which is Commerce, Texas. We had an awesome snow storm. I was of course out taking photos. These cardinals were sitting around a patch of melted snow. As I sit here and think, it comes to mind that my hometown is a very scenic place. Or maybe in my old age I am learning to appreciate more what contributed to who I am today. I was home last weekend and the spring colors were bouncing all over the place. This is a little bush I painted while sitting on my sisters porch.

Cannery Row 2

Another attempt to capture the energy of the area and that hat. This version was the first painting in watercolor and gouache. I worked from the study as well as the photo on printmaking paper. The original study was done in gouache.

Insect Bites

I broke a cardinal plein air painting rule on my most recent painting session at the Austin Botanical Garden. I didn't apply insect repellant. I did a preliminary sketch in my toned tan sketchbook in gouache (below). I then did another version on gesso coated Masa paper. That version is posted above.

April Flower

I did this little painting at the Austin Botanical Garden two weekends ago. There was a wedding, a meetup group of sketchers and the usual garden enthusiasts. I worked on masa paper wrinkled and covered with a few coats of gesso. I used both watercolor and gouache.

I went home this past weekend because I have to try a case the day after Mothers Day. It was a good time spent with the family. On Sunday we cooked and hung out at my youngest sister's place. The light was beautiful in the morning and afternoon. At one point my niece's daughter was painting with me. I think she had fun. This image is from my sketchbook. I really should have posted her paintings but I didn't have time to photograph them.

Fashion 1

I have walked by this scene for a few years now. Two weeks ago I finally saw it. This is a shop next to our gallery. I stood outside their window to do the sketches. This is the first rendering.

I was home this past weekend. On Sunday I hung out with my youngest sister and cooked for the family. Actually all of us cooked. I sat on the front and back porches and painted the light and tress.

Bus Station Guardian

A few years ago I had to do a teaching gig in Providence, Rhode Island. Of course I had my cameras. Before and after teaching I walked around the city to take it in. This statue was at the bus station close to my hotel. It appeared to be guarding the people waiting on transport to various and sundry places. The visit was nostalgic as I later took a Greyhound bus into Boston to visit with friends I hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

Poppies on Masa

Lately I am at a loss with respect to confidence in my work. I have been painting a lot and should be posting daily. But, I start looking at the work and I feel like it isn't worthy of posting. I guess I'm going through something. The surface is Masa coated with gesso. The flowers were poppies from the botanical garden here in Austin. I worked from a sketch done on site.