Familiar In California

Last Of The Moon

The photograph that inspired this painting was taken one morning after putting out my trash for pick up.

Dreaming About Floating

This is an image from a working harbor in Fort Bragg, California. I sketch there when I can but often I just take a photo to work from. I made this painting from an image taken on my Ipad and from many visits to this area. Pam says that I over painted this one she has a better eye than me.

How It Felt

This was the first painting from this years paintings of the Richmond Marina. We were walking down to the tables and I saw this structure and light. I stopped and made the sketch which I later covered with pastel. Prior to heading out, I had prepared boards with paper ready to paint. That made it easy to stand and do the initial drawing.

Beauty In Pollution

This painting was inspired by a sketch that I did from Pam's car on the way home from the super market. I was breaking in my new marker sketchbook from Crescent while we were waiting in traffic. I liked the smoke or hopefully steam that was in the foreground and the associated structures. I used an oil under painting on hand made St. Armand canal paper.

Dinner For Five

Pam was kind enough to pull over and let me get the initial line work in on site in ink. I worked on a 5 by 7 piece of Fisher 500 pastel paper. Recently I treated myself to a set of Henri Roche pastels so I took them for a test drive on this piece. I also used my Diane Townsend Wolf Khan inspired set for balance with the lights.

Winter's Chill

This is largely a made up composition. I saw the bare bones on a friend's Facebook post. I then added things like hay bales, live stock, etc. The photo reminded me of Edward Hopper. I added the influence of Frank Reaugh. I worked in Gamblin Oils on Arches oil paper.

Skateboard and Dog

This is the same young man from two posts ago. This time I caught him on his skateboard with a nice dog in the background. This year I want to work more with oils. So to start the year off I worked on a few plein air and studio oil paintings during my New Years trip to see Pam.

We Sell Pecans

If you are from Commerce, you probably recognize this location. Its the place where they primarily buy pecans by the pound. I remember when I was younger my mom would take us out to pick pecans. We would go to multiple locations picking pecans to sell. As a child I loved it. I saw it as time with my mom and family. To her it was a way of making extra cash to feed her family and pay bills. She was always on her grind. Its nine years today since she passed on. I am still inspired by her ambition and drive. I made this painting during the Christmas holiday. I was standing in front of Chase Bank doing the sketch. A man drove up to withdraw money. I let him know that I was sketching and not interested in his money by showing him my sketch. After the second customer, I finished to make sure bank customers wouldn't be suspicious of my motives.

Not Eye To Eye

I was sketching while watching television and came up with this composition. It seemed as if these two had just had an argument that wasn't resolved. I worked on Garza papel watercolor paper. One of my goals this year is to fill up sketchbooks and paint from those sketches more. I am also going to work more with pens and ink.

Garden Beauty

d Happy New Year everyone. I'm am looking forward to 2016. I also look back on the year 2015 as a year of growth for our country and for me. I plan on drinking the wine, buying the art and laughing out loud. I hope to grow artistically and in my profession. Peace and love to all of you. I made this painting last year while painting in the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. I worked with Garza Papel watercolor paper and my Daniel Smith watercolors.