Larissa - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 11"x15"

      This figure is one of my favorite paintings of the year. Everything about her turned out exactly as or better than planned. The nearly monochrome color palette draws attention to the highlights and pulls you to the focal point, her face. The obvious raw drawing at the bottom and the seamless bleeding of her skirt into the background create an abstraction that highlights the realism of the rendering of the rest of her form. This one is a culmination of almost everything I've been working on. I really couldn't be happier with this one.

Terry - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 11"x15"

      Still swinging away at figures and abstracting backgrounds.

Sarah #4 - watercolor

watercolor, 2017

available, 11"x15"

      Advancing a little in realistic portraiture. I'm very happy with this one.

Cogburn - gouache

gouache, 2017

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      I've had this rooster reference photo sitting around for years, originally planning to do a very loose watercolor. I finally pulled it out and a realist gouache showed up.

Minnow - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 9"x12"

prints and gifts also available

      I might have rushed the details on this one a bit. My father was an avid bass fisherman, so I've seen lures and all other manner of fishing equipment my whole life. But it wasn't until I started painting them that I realized just how much detail is put into making these things look as realistic as possible. I guess fish are smarter than we think. And, maybe the chrome hooks are actually invisible underwater.

Decoy #1 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 9"x12"

prints and gifts also available

      I decided to continue a sporting theme after the success of Lady Bug last week. Right now it's just fishing lures and duck decoys, but I might expand to other subjects when I get tired of ducks and plastic "fish." These are fun to do. At this size I can complete one in a couple hours. I'm also seeing a welcome fusing of realism and impressionism in spots, the "calligraphy" and "suggestion" many more accomplished artists talk about. Another interesting rabbit hole to head down.

      And, if I don't see you again before Saturday, have a happy new year!

Well Pressed - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      I've done a few neon signs in the past. Most of them -- the successful ones, anyway -- were done large and as realistic as possible. So, I wasn't sure about doing this one only 11"x15" and allowing some leeway with edges and color and blooms. My biggest problem when I'm in the painting process is not standing back and looking at the "big picture," or considering the painting as a whole. I'm always too close looking at and painting details. Part of impressionism and loosening up in general is taking in the big picture, suggesting instead of showing. Precise detail painting is "showing." Suggesting is about giving the viewer the idea of a thing and letting them fill in the details. That's the place I'm going. It's funny how a realist painting with plenty of what look like details reminded me of this. But, some of those "details" actually are just suggestions, a mark here, a dry-brush stroke there.

Digger - watercolor commission

watercolor, 2015

NFS, 11"x15"

      This is a quick commission I did just before Christmas for an old high school friend. I've always hated black vehicles. Modeling the body shape is always difficult. I'm getting better at it. But I still don't like it.

Red Slings - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 7.5"x11"

prints and gifts available

      Just a quick, little still life. I haven't done any shoes in a while and I've had this reference for a couple years now. I initially thought I might try to do this in a more impressionistic style. But the realism just fell out, I guess, out of habit.

Once Bitten - watercolor

watercolor, 2012

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

     It's been a while since I've done any horror-related art. This older piece actually is one of the last ones I did. It's time I got my brushes bloody again.

Still Flying - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 15"x22" $450

prints also available

      I'm really surprised I haven't posted this one from 2013 yet. I'm very happy with this one. As usual, though, I hate the background. I've always had trouble with distant backgrounds. That's one reason I've been concentrating on looser landscapes lately.

Pontiac Pow-Wow - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

original available, 15"x22" $300

prints also available

      I'm starting to find ways of integrating a looser technique with enough realism to satisfy my previous style. This is very much the direction I want to go -- something I want to call loose realism, but that probably has a better, more accepted name. This one might actually be a little more "photographic" than I want. So, my loose realism eventually will be looser than this -- I think.

63 Corvette - gouache

gouache, 2014

original available, 5"x7" $75

prints also available

Celebrate - gouache

gouache, 2014

original available - 6"x9" $125

prints and gifts also available