Charleston Terrace - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      Here's another piece from my trip to Charleston SC last year. This is the back of a house visible from a grotto-like walkway that connected one street to a supposedly haunted cemetery.

Luna Park #1 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

      Virtual Paintout is in New South Wales, Australia this month. I'm not sure I caught quite what I was after with this one. Maybe. The longer I look at it, the more I see it. I probably just need to back away and take another look at it in a day or so. I was hoping to see the bright, sunny fun of the Ferris wheel contrasted with the dark, loneliness of the figure in the shadow. I rarely try to express any kind of deep meaning in my art. So, I hope I'm neither too literal and heavy-handed or so subtle that no one gets it. There's a fine balance that takes practice to get just right.
      Besides all that, I'm not happy with either figure. They look too blobby and amateurish. Something else on which to continue working.

Private Lot - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 8"x10"

      Quick sketch of an alley in Asheboro NC.

Nobody Home - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      Just a quick textural piece. Not much else to say about it.

24th St. Sunset - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

      For the most part, I'm pretty happy with this one. There are some problem spots, of course. But there are a few great spots, as well. The biggest problem with this one, really, was the process. It should have gone more smoothly and faster. Instead, I had to fuss over it way too much. And, that always leads to overworking and screwing it up. Fortunately, I didn't go too far.

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.

6th Ave. Garden - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      One of the last pieces I finished last year. I think just about everything went right with this one.

Veteran's Memorial - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 9"x12"

      I don't know how often he does this. But this guy -- who I assume is a veteran -- rode this modern motorcycle with military livery to the Veterans' Memorial (monument and red, white and blue wreath at far left) in downtown Blowing Rock NC and sat in front of it for at least a couple hours the Saturday I was there. This is just a quick, loose sketch that I'm really not crazy about at all. But I thought this guy was worth a little paint.

Doghouse - watercolor

watercolor, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      Another old farm this week. Just a quick landscape of a place in eastern North Carolina. This one does a reasonable job of mixing realism and impressionism, I think.

Mallorca Villa - watercolor+ink

mixed, 2016

available, 8"x10"

      This is another reference from Mallorca for Virtual Paintout. I'd seen another artist use a blue watercolor wash with an ink sketch and liked the effect. So, here you go, some thin Prussian Blue over an ink sketch.

Formentor Lighthouse - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 8"x10"

prints also available

      Virtual Paintout is in Mallorca this month. Not much to say about this one. I kept it quick and fairly loose.

Randolph Farm In Winter #1 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

     The effects of the recent winter storm on an abandoned farm near my sister's house.