Paris Bistro

This small (6x12) study was a good opportunity to experiment with an extreme format I don't use often and with high intensity modern pigments I don't use much either.  I do find the scene reminiscent of bistros I recall in Paris.

Pow Wow Dancers

This is the second painting I have done from some else's photo of indian dancers who gather in events known as "Pow Wows" across the West and Southwest.  It is usually a puzzle to figure out how the spots of varied color relate to one another in describing the figures and their costumes.

Getting Ready

I recently had an opportunity to paint with Lesley Rich, a California artist known for loose, expressive brushwork with thick paint applied often to figures in landscape.  These are qualities I have been working to attain in my work so it was good to focus on them in unfamiliar subjects.  This was from a photo of Lesley's from Venice, and I imagined the fellow getting set up for the afternoon patrons.

Local Dominance

This is the second plein air acrylic painting I have done - finished the same morning as "Livingstone Shore" in the next post.  Actually, I was in the same spot, just looking more to my left.  Somehow, I felt more free painting in acrylic for some reason, perhaps the novelty or the sense that it was an experiment.  I liked the feeling, so either I'll learn to bring it to oil or continue with acrylic.  Not sure.

Livingston Shore

Usually, I paint in oil, but lately have been exploring acrylics, partly because I have a supply acquired over the years, and partly out of curiosity about the differnt working properties.  This is my first attempt with acrylic outdoors on location. 

Ready for Spring

At a recent trip to a friend's lake house, we did some plein air work by the marina where I found this small sailboat.  I am afraid my title is overly optimistic since I painted the same boat in the same position last year so I suspect it, like many boats, will go untouched this season.  I hope not.

Homestead

Spring is bluebonnet season in Texas.  Paintings of bluebonnet fields abound in all sorts of styles.  I had never done one so I used a recent plein air trip to Brenham to gather some information.  My study was somewhat helpful in coming up with a larger painting which began as a demo at the Woodlands Waterway Fine Arts Festival which has become a well attended event on the national schedule.