Cherries - watercolor

watercolor; 2020

available; 11"x15"

      A not entirely successful attempt at a still life of cherries.

Shoes - watercolor

watercolor; 2020

available; 11"x15"

      Another pair of my wife's shoes. She has a lot of shoes. So, I have a lot of still life subjects.

Decoy #4 - watercolor

watercolor, 2019

available, 8"x10"

      It's been a while since my last decoy painting. I experimented with leaving this one a bit looser and more impressionistic. A bit of Holbein's Grey of Grey straight from the tube - a very opaque watercolor - blended along the beak helped to bring out the contour and emphasize some dimensionality. 

      The occasional use of opaque pigments in otherwise "transparent" watercolor allows me to add a little sparkle on top of dry passages without resorting to gouache or gesso. Not that I'm above using gouache or gesso or anything else that works for a particular painting. But some people and many organizations still are quite picky about what you can and cannot use in a transparent watercolor. Some would even disallow the use of any opaque pigment if it's visible on top of a darker hue like this one. I don't want to get into a long, drawn out thing here. I don't like anyone trying to apply "rules" to art (though there's nothing wrong with placing limits on yourself as a self-challenge). But, I do try to start off with every intention of keeping a painting purely transparent even to the point that almost all of the colors on my regular palette are transparent or semi-transparent. Of course, things happen; every piece takes it's own twists and turns. In the end I always do whatever the piece warrants, not what some organization or academic demands.

Canned - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

      Just a little still life. I really like how the can surface and reflections turned out.

Farm Truck - watercolor

watercolor, 2018

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      I painted this from a composite photo I put together from separate photos of the truck and barn. I'm very happy with how that process worked out. Too often the angles don't workout, or it's difficult to place the different objects on different planes so they don't look like they exist in the same space. And, then, of course, there's the lighting to work out. This one fell together nice and easy.

Angie's Shoes #9 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints and gifts also available

      Just another still life of yet another pair of my wife's shoes.

Punkinseed - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 9"x12"

prints and gifts also available

      Another "sporting" still life. Again, quick and easier than I expected. I wasn't sure about some of the color and lighting effects. But, I'm very happy with this one.

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!

Lady Bug - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 9"x15"

prints also available

      Hardly the festive, seasonal subject matter most people are doing this week. Just a little still life of a fishing lure. This was a quick, fun way to burn a little time and it turned out quite nicely. I'll probably do some more of these.

      I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!

It's Alive! - ink

ink, 2015

available, 12"x16"

prints and gifts available

      From one of my favorite movies. If you have to ask - Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.

Tomatoes #3 - watercolor

watercolor, 2009

available, 9"x12" on handmade paper

prints and gifts available

      The interesting texture comes from the handmade paper.

Coffee In The Window - gouache

gouache, 2015

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      My sister recently started selling things in a local "antique" mall. While checking out her space and helping bring in a heavier item I saw these displayed just across from her. There was a lot more junk cluttering the area and the window didn't actually look outside, just over to another space. But, I saw "something" there and had to settle for a bad phone camera shot. It seems to have worked out OK, though.

Lipstick & Wine - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 9"x12" $150

prints also available

Choo's - acrylics

acrylics, 2006

SOLD

prints available

      This is obviously an earlier piece from when I was using acrylics exclusively. This is one of the first paintings I ever sold. It also led to several shoe-related commissions from the same collector. While I can see some obvious issues with this painting, I'm still pretty happy with it, especially considering how new I was to painting at the time.

Wine & Heels - watercolor

watercolor, 2013

original available, 9"x12" $150

prints and gifts also available

Robot - watercolor+ink

mixed, 2014

original available, 5"x7" $45

prints and gifts also available

Guinness #1 - gouache

gouache, 2014

original available, 7"x11" $125

prints available

I went very loose with this one. I'm still not sure about it, but it's growing on me.

CKs - gouache

gouache, 2014

original available, 8"x10" $150

prints and gifts also available

Flower In The Window - watercolor

watercolor, 2008

original available, 9"x12" $150

prints and gifts available

An older piece I've always liked.

Banjo - watercolor+charcoal

mixed, 2012

original available, 15"x22" $350

prints also available