Peterson's Farmall - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 15"x22"

      I took a slightly different approach with this one and made the simplification of details easier on myself. Doesn't hurt that I'm finally trying a half-sheet again. Since I've started photographing my paintings, I can go bigger again for better effect. I haven't done anything larger than 11"x15" in several years.

      This one turned out just about as perfect as I can probably hope to get. There's only one thing I would change. That's pretty good for me.

Castle Roche - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

      Castle Roche is a 13th century castle in County Louth, Ireland. 

      Painting so many landscapes - especially of Ireland - has forced me to come to terms with my issues with green. I think I'm getting somewhere; at least, I'm seeing more natural greens. I'm especially happy with how the modeling worked out here showing the undulations of the ground. 

      The tree and some of the rocks are done with a technique often called dry-brush using paint almost directly from the tube with little or no water on the brush. This allows the normally transparent paint to be opaque so I can paint light over dark and build texture.

County Line - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      This is from a shot taken during our one decent snowfall last year. It happily breaks one of the cardinal rules of composition -- actually, almost two. 1) There's a heavy line running up the center of the painting. 2) the horizon line also is in the center of the space. The second problem is easy; the actual horizon line is mitigated by the curved line of the tree line. The first problem is ignored because of the graphic nature of the image. Not all images conform to rules (and why should art have to?). Besides, everything else about this image follows other rules like leading and unity. There are five leading lines pulling the viewer into the painting. The line the tops of the trees make against the sky mirrors the tree line on the ground. There's also unity of color in that only four colors were used.
      So, breaking the rules is OK if you have a good reason and the image calls for it.

Pat's - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"
prints and gifts available 

      This is from a photo I took in downtown Asheboro NC a couple years ago. Again, another problem sky. But almost everything else - including the tree(!) - worked out pretty nicely. Even worse than the sky, though, is the overhead walkway crossing the street between buildings - that white mass on the far right. You just can't tell what that is here. Oh well.

Salem Leaves - watercolor

watercolor, 2014

original available, 9"x12" $200

prints also available

      This might just be my favorite from the recent Old Salem trip. Adding a figure to landscapes and urban scenes has been on my radar for a while now. I just haven't found the right scene. And, then I just walked by this guy raking one Saturday in November while strolling through Old Salem. The stars aligned and the angels sang.

Kavala, Greece - gouache

gouache, 2014

original available, 8"x10" $75

prints also available

This is a piece for Virtual Paintout. They're in Greece this month. I haven't done one in a couple months and almost didn't do one this month. I was looking through some work from other artists on the blog and decided to check out one of the locations. After clicking around for a few minutes I found this gem.

Lake Shore - ink & watercolor

mixed media on handmade paper, 2013

original available - 8"x10" $100

prints available