Wallburg Barn - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      I'm abstracting just a bit in this one leaning toward impressionism. But, not enough. I might need to return to this spot for more reference photos.

Apothecary's Shop - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

      This is from a photo I shot in Old Salem, a preserved Moravian town first settled in 1766. I couldn't resist the shadows on the building when I saw it a few years ago. Even then I knew it would be a challenge to paint and this is at least the second attempt. I'm much happier with this one than with the first.

Gaggle - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

      This is from a photo I took on the Dan River back in June and the second attempt at painting it. The first time I tried this one, I overworked the foreground shore multiple times. So, this time I left it white to vignette only the line marking where the water and sand meet. That didn't seem to work, either. It was far too bright. So, I added in the abstract color you see now. Maybe it's done now.

Moving Day - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

      This was painted from a cell phone photo I took as we were moving my sister out of her house earlier this year. And, it's nice timing as we're in the process of moving my daughter into her first apartment.
      A moderate mixture of detail and looseness, I'm very happy with some spots, just "happy" with some others and I settled for a few spots. The biggest problem with this really was that it was painted on Kilimanjaro paper from Cheap Joe's. I don't care for that paper; it buckles much more than Arches and even the cheaper Moulin du Roi by Canson. The only good thing about it is the texture. The cold-pressed finish is much rougher than any other brand I've tried.

The Doll - charcoal

charcoal, 2016

available, 8"x10"

prints and gifts also available

     My daughter recently reminded me it's been a while since I added to my horror character series and I was way behind. So, here's everyone's favorite possessed doll. Happy Halloween!

Edgar - ink

ink, 2016

nfs, 8"x11"

prints and gifts available

      Just a quick ink sketch I did of great American horror writer Edgar Allan Poe. And, yes, if you haven't noticed before, his face - eyes especially - is definitely NOT symmetrical. None are; his is just really obvious.

Angie's Shoes - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

      I haven't done one of these in a while. A pair of my wife's shoes -- one of the many. A somewhat looser treatment than usual.

Cape Spear - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

prints also available

     Virtual Paintout is in Newfoundland this month. I couldn't pass up this view.

Hatteras #3 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

available, 11"x15"

      The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse as seen from the Keeper's House. I shot the reference for this during our trip to the Outer Banks last year. I'm quite happy with this one -- even the sky, though the scan washed out much of it. The only thing I would do differently is add a touch more warm color in the lighthouse shadow near the bottom. And maybe one more person closer to the foreground.

Angie #35 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

nfs, 7"x11"

      Another portrait of my beautiful bride. I've very happy with how the shadows on her face and reflections on her sunglasses worked. The reference photo was taken by her BFF several years ago on a girls outing to the Grove Winery in Gibsonville NC, a one-time favorite haunt of theirs.

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.

Pearl Earrings #2 - watercolor

watercolor, 2016

nfs, 7"x11"

      Those pearl earrings make another appearance in this much looser portrait of my wife. The reference photo for this one was taken when my wife was in a friend's wedding just a few weeks after finding out she was pregnant with our first child. She truly was glowing. I just wish I could capture how beautiful she really was that night - and still is.