Figuratively Speaking - Deep Thought

5"x7" oil

I want to paint the kind of paintings that are so intriguing that you fall into them over and over and don't get complacent or tired of looking at them.  I realize that this isn't always going to happen, but it is nice when it happens once in a while.  Interesting shapes that illicit memories or feelings will do it.  The painting above that he is looking at is like that....a summer scene on a lazy day when you are just kicking back with your good buddy, sitting on the grass.  Maybe you'll both go fishing later on.  It has a nostalgia creating narrative.  Abstracts can do it too without the narrative.  The colors and shapes and lines swirl around in infinitely interesting ways, sometimes looking like one thing, sometimes like another.  I want to live my life like that!  I want to find what makes the day worth being alive and hold on to that for a moment, then come back later to find another reason or feeling that is interesting, fun, curious, sweet, whatever. I want my brain power to grow a little bit and my body to feel its own strength and flexibility.  I want what I eat to make me feel energetic and enthusiastic.  I also want to get a good night's sleep...so I think I will go do that now.  Go Figure!

Perfect Day

6"x6" oil

There is a lot going on in this little painting.  There are so many decisions to make along the way..sometimes it is overwhelming.  These are some of the things I was thinking about: composition, creating a variety of brushwork that included soft edges and harder edges, painting convincing soft shadows, getting the light right, creating a sense of depth, and not least, painting a convincing scene of two girls with their fishing nets on a dock, with some sense of movement.  This pond is a favorite subject of mine because it is right behind my house and my grandkids love to play there.

Fishing

6"x6" oil

A beautiful day in the summer and the neighborhood is having a group party with lots of pot luck dishes and plenty of things to eat from the grill.  There are horse shoes, frisbees and volleyball.  Someone is playing a guitar around a campfire built to roast marshmallows, not for keeping warm.  But eventually everyone meanders down to the pond to watch the ducks, try their luck fishing, or paddle out in the canoe.  These little people are hoping to catch some minnows or tadpoles.

Morning Coffee

6"x6" oil

Lovely place to enjoy morning coffee with their pouch.  It is actually from Brookfield, VT, and they are watching those fishing from the floating bridge, which should be a subject for another day.  If I owned that dock however, I would put some Adirondack chairs on it.

Catching

6"x6" oil

I am really happy with this.  I did what I wanted to do and it worked out.  Of course I love the subject too.

The Big One

6"x6" oil

Honestly, I have been struggling for a while.  I could make a list of reasons why, but the bottom line is that is doesn't always come easy and sometimes it is easy to get lost.  I just keep plowing through hoping that something will suddenly make sense.  This may not be a brilliant painting, but it is a great story and they really did catch this big trout by themselves and they were pleased as punch once they got over the shock!  This was on a day where the blues weren't so blue, the reds weren't so red and the there were no shadows...but I can't help myself when it comes to punching up the colors.

To find out more about this painting or to purchase it go here.

30-30 Challenge #29

2"x4.5" acrylic SOLD

 

There is a pond behind my house that has a creek running into it and creek running out.  It provides the lovely sound of babbling water and frogs in the summer.  My grandkids love to fish there, although actually catching a fish is secondary to just standing or sitting on the dock with a fishing pole!  We get interesting visitors to that pond , including an occasional heron and ducks and geese.  I have seen a ermine and on rare occasion a moose or bear.  This photo reference was the product of wildlife photographer Dale Waack, whom I really appreciate giving me permission to study it and use it for this painting.

30-30 #21

2"x4.5"

This also is from a reference photo by Dale Waack.  It was hard to paint this mighty bird with enough detail and energy to suggest its magnificence and strength, but I had fun trying and also to make it worthy of copying the photo...like adding enough color to the water to make it interesting.

30-30 #4 day 12

2"x4.5"  sold  oil

I am learning so much from doing these miniatures.  Right now I am thinking about finding the balance between details and a loose brush effect.  I have found that liquid acrylics work better than tubes and I need to try some different brushes to get what I want.  I am selling these on facebook for $10 each to the first person who posts "sold" under it.  I got this idea from Crystal Cooke.  It is a lot of fun.  I have sold some that aren't done yet, which is fun!