calico overdrive
I started this painting around a year ago. The execution of the painting never quite worked for me and it also wasn't so terrible a concept as to paint over it and start over--so I put it aside and it languished in the back of a stack of canvases waiting its turn to be reworked or painted over as the case may be. Any way it finally made its way to the front of the stack and I managed to finish it the other day. I am happy with it at last. I don't imagine there's actually a cat that looks like this in the world (It's certainly colorful). Calico Overdrive.
Calico Overdrive,
20x20", NA
egret landing
Generally, when I can finish a painting in two sessions it means it's a good painting. This one was painted on masonite. It took two sessions. One rough-in with my large brush and the other with my detail brush. I kept it simple and tried not to overwork it. Turned out nice, if I do say so my-own-self. I'll probably make this available as a print as well.
Egret Landing,
8x10", $75
Coffee of the Day
A cup of coffee. There isn't much to say about this painting. I finished it in two sittings. The first, laying it out; the second, cleaning it up and adding interest. I like coffee.
Coffee of the Day,
8x10", $50
on a clear day in july
Coming up with titles for paintings can be frustrating sometimes. At some point I start to default to generic names like "abstract landscape #4" or "dog with bone" or "a pretty good painting of an apple" . . . sometimes I'm able to resist this urge but sometimes I give in. This painting had me bouncing back and forth between obscure poetic nonsense and bland though descriptive simplification. I opted for the poetic route, though I think it isn't so obscure as to have no connection with the subject matter (there's even a bit of irony in the name: the subject matter is a clear day but the rendering of it would certainly not be described as "clear").
On a Clear Day in July,
24x36", $400
alligator
I've been enjoying a bit of painting these last few days after a couple of weeks off. I expect to have many new paintings by the time my next art market comes around (New Orleans Art Market in Palmer Park, July 27th, 10am-4pm). So, that's exciting. Nothing else to say about this painting. It's an alligator. I added a bit of charcoal pencil at the end for added texture & interest. More to come.
Alligator,
22x40", SOLD
May Flowers
Had a few days painting outside with watercolors last week--this was one of the more successful ones. Watercolor isn't my strong suit but it is fun to splash colors around.
May Flowers
watercolor, 15x11", $150
Slater in Yarn
I'm happy with this painting. It came together quickly for me, as many good paintings do. It was painted from a reference photo of our cat, Slater, who has more of a gray color than this and wasn't actually tangled up in yarn in the photo---that was added to balance out the fact that I started painting the cat too high on the canvas, leaving too much of an open area below. The addition of the yarn ball, as it turns out, is what makes the painting work, in fact. Otherwise, though I didn't do a bad job with the face and the eyes of the cat, the painting would have been boring to look at. As it is, it isn't boring. So, I conclude, it's a success! (I might need to make prints available for this one)
later in Yarn,
18x24", SOLD
Captive Audience #15
Originally painted a couple years ago, this colorful painting has been hiding away in my garage awaiting a stretcher-bar replacement procedure as its old stretcher bars were somewhat warped. I've finally re-stretched and touched up the piece and now it's ready to present once again. One of my favorites.
Captive Audience #15
24x40", $650
bulldog contemplation
It's been a month since my last post. Huh. So it goes.
Here's a painting I did of a bulldog.
captive audiences
Here are three paintings that weren't quite working for me. Instead of painting over them completely, I reworked them. I'm happy with them now and happy to share them [again, for the first time] here with you.
a squabble of seagulls
This one was just going to be a quick "sketch" with my paints this morning, then it turned into something more finished. It went through many phases in the process---it initially had a figure in the foreground feeding the gulls, for instance---and I'm happy with the result.
Sed diam nonummy euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.