Cobble Hill Studio

16 x 20 inch oil "Blue & Yellow"

2012-01-28T15:39:00.000-08:00

This is my latest painting after a few months of artist's block. I have a bit to finish up on it, but overall I am surprised how it all is coming back to me. Maybe this year will be a good one, at least in terms of my art.

New WIP's

2011-08-21T14:38:00.000-07:00

I have been working on these three paintings throughout the summer. It has taken me longer than usual to finish due to the temperature inside my studio this year. Yikes it can get hot! I still have some work to do but i thought I would post them now. Maybe this will give me incentive to finish them up. The photos are not the best but here they are anyway.

16 x 20 inch oil "Copper & Peaches"

2011-07-15T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is another of the 3 paintings I have been working on these past weeks. This was another challenge for me especially the copper bowl. I have a bit more work to do on the peaches. This is a terrible photo. I just could not get rid of that glare!

18 x 14 inch oil "Orange Tea"

2011-07-15T16:51:00.000-07:00

This paintings has been very challenging for me and I am almost ready to give up on it. It is almost done for now but I will probably make a few more changes soon being the perfectionist that I am.

16 x 20 inch oil "Bagged Pears"

2011-07-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is another work in progress as I still want to make some changes to the bag and pears. It is coming along and I will post the finished painting soon.

20 x 24 inch oil "Tulips"

2011-06-26T16:15:00.000-07:00

I played with this painting some more on the weekend. I am calling it finished now, but I am not very happy with my tulips, especially the one on the right. I just can't seem to get it right. I really suck at flowers!

10 x 14 inch oil "Lemon Tea"

2011-06-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

I had a very productive weekend in the studio and I think I may be finished with this painting. I was quite challenged by the tea can, an old one I found a long time ago in our basement. The pattern was very complex but I think I pulled it off ok. This may be going in my exhibit in August. More about that later.

New WIP's in oil

2011-06-13T18:19:00.001-07:00

I thought I would post what is on my easel at the moment. These 3 paintings are in various stages of completion and are all done in oils. I like to have several going at the same time so that I don't get bored with the drying times involved.

WIP Finished!

2011-06-10T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have finally signed this one and I am calling it finished. It was a lot of fun to do especially the white cloth. I enjoyed painting the subtle changes of value in the cloth. I have two more paintings on my easel right now in various stages of being completed. One is a floral and the other a contemporary still life. I will be posting them soon. Stay tuned!

WIP 20 x 24 inch oil Radishes & Pitcher

2011-05-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

This is the second painting that I am finishing up on my easel. I worked another 3 or 4 hours on it today and still need some more time. This is the same pitcher as the previous painting only slightly larger than life.

Finished! 20 x 24 inch Oil Still life

2011-05-26T17:00:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed doing this painting probably because it is in oil and not acrylic. Oils are really lovely to work with even with the slow drying time. I have another one on the easel right now about half way finished and I am eager to start another.

New acrylic 16 x 20 inch

2011-05-23T18:11:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with this painting for a few days and it is finally finished. The crystal just about drove me crazy but other than that it was a fun one to do. Thankyou to the contributor of the photo at WetCanvas.com. This was done in the interlude of waiting for two oil paintings to dry so that I can continue with them. I will post them soon.

WIP NEW 20 x 24 inch oil

2011-05-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

It feels so good to be working in oil again after being in the house with my acrylics thru the winter. I only like to work with oil in my outside studio when the temperature warms up. I am planning on doing several paintings over the summer months hopefully before it gets too warm. This is just the beginning to this painting after around 3.5 hours of work. It is going quite quickly and I like how it is progressing. I will need to wait a few days for the paint to dry as I am using a painting medium of stand oil and OMS around 5:2 ratio. I really like how the stand oil leaves a nice shine to the surface and the OMS will increase the drying time a bit. Stay tuned!

WIP finished!!

2011-04-16T10:00:00.001-07:00

It is time to get this painting off the easel and another on. Glad of it.

WIP 20 x 30 inch acrylic "Crock Pot & Friends``

2011-03-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

I started this painting around a week ago and I am moving very slowly towards completion. I guess I am just not feeling this one for some reason. Originally I had the background in a pale yellow color and it looked so washed out. I think the dark background has made a great improvement but I still have a lot to finish up.

"Strawberries & Cream" Finished

2011-03-21T18:24:00.000-07:00

I am putting this painting away for a little while. I have spent far too much time on it and I am not sure it is really finished yet. I am sure I will see something to change after a week or so of looking at it!

New WIP "Strawvberries & Cream" 12 x 24 inch Acrylic

2011-03-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

This is the start of the painting I am working on now. It is going fairly well although the red cloth proved to be a bit of a challenge. I think it will be ok in the end though. Stayed tuned for progess shots.

12 x 12 inch acrylic "Cherries"

2011-03-07T16:24:00.001-08:00

Another smaller painting completed. I didn't really enjoy doing this one. I found the bowl to be especially frustrating and I am not really happy with it. I have another idea for a larger painting that i think I will start next. Stay tuned.

WIP Finished 15 x 30 inch acrylic

2011-02-24T15:17:00.000-08:00

I am calling this painting done. It was a real challenge but i think I say that about every painting I start! The red of the tomatoes was especially hard to get right with the colors that I have but i think in the end they turned out ok. I really love this format and size for still lifes. It makes the painting have a real presence in a room.

WIP 15 x 30 inch acrylic

2011-02-20T15:05:00.000-08:00

This is another new painting started yesterday from one of my own photos. It is turning out to be another challenging piece but at the same time I am enjoying the whole process and learning as I go. I am finding it really hard to get a decent orange for the tomatoes. It is leaning more towards red and not the brownish red that I want. Off to do some more mixing!

Green Apple Finished

2011-02-14T19:24:00.001-08:00

I am so glad to call this one done. It was more challenging than it started out to be. The value changes in the white stripes where especially hard to do.

WIP stage 3

2011-02-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

I put another layer of color on this painting and it is starting to take shape. This is starting to be a fun piece and I love the greens.

WIP continues

2011-02-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

This is the first color layer in this painting. It seems to be going quickly but I know I will need lots of layers to get the effect I want.

18 x 18 inch acrylic WIP

2011-02-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post this painting to show my progress starting with the value study. I usually don't begin a painting in this way unless it has a lot of value changes as this one does. This will make my job easier when I get into the color. This actually went quite fast just over 1 1/2 hours so I think putting the color on will go just as fast. This is definitely the "messy" stage.

14 x 18 inch acrylic "Mason Jars" SOLD

2011-02-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

Here is another painting in the "canning" series. This one gave me a lot of grief and I am not really happy with the results. I don't think I really liked the photo from the beginning and it shows in my results. I will probably do some more work on it at a later date.

Red & Silver reworked

2011-01-22T16:42:00.001-08:00

After some good suggestions from my friends at WetCanvas, I changed the table color in this painting. I think it looks a lot better now and I am happier with it.

WIP 16 x 20 inch acrylic

2011-01-18T16:02:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to start this painting mainly because I love the colors. After the muted colors of my previous painting, this one is a joy to paint. I still have a lot to do on the bowl and apple, but I think the cloth is just about done. I may also lighten up the background color, staying with the blue but just a bit lighter. The blue is a nice complement to the red. The reflections are a little trying so i am going to simplify them a bit.

WIP Finished 15 x 30 inch acrylic "Copper, Vinegar and Eggs"

2011-01-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

I think I will call this one finished for the time being. It went fairly smoothly for such a complicated set-up and I enjoyed painting it. The most trouble came in the reflections and I am not fully satisfied with them. I will probably re-paint them at some point.

WIP 15 x 30 inch acrylic

2011-01-13T16:24:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post this new painting although I am a long way from calling it finished. I think this is the first time I have tried to paint copper and it has been quite challenging. I think this is mainly due to the fact that my reference photo, which I shot myself, has two different light sources, one from the right and one from the left. There is two windows in the room I shot this photo. These windows left quite a glare on the kettle and there are some weird reflections that I may have to tame a little. I really wish I could take better photos. It would help a lot.

WIP 12 x 24 inch acrylic

2011-01-09T20:37:00.001-08:00

I am not sure what to call this one, but I liked the simplicity of this still life when I shot it. For such a simple layout, it really gave me a lot of grief and i am still not finished with it yet. The teapot is looking too white for my taste so i will have to redo it and the background needs another layer of paint to smooth it out. My daughter says I am too much of a perfectionist and she is probably right. She thinks it is fine the way it is but i know I will still play with it tomorrow.

WIP Finished "Waiting to get Pickled"

2011-01-01T14:54:00.000-08:00

I am finally putting this painting to rest and calling it finished. This was a fun one to paint and I learned a lot about how to paint white ceramic. This is not an easy thing to do. It is very hard to get a smooth finish with acrylic since it does dry so fast, but i think I did a not too bad job on this one. The bowl definitely was the hardest part of this painting.

12 x 24 inch acrylic WIP ??

2010-12-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

I started this painting a couple of days ago and I am liking my results so far although I still have a lot of work to do on the bowl. I am really enjoying painting these jars and plan on doing a couple more in acrylic. I still haven't come up with a title yet for this painting but I am leaning towards "Waiting to be Pickled"

Canning Time 15 x 30 inch acrylic

2010-12-12T17:28:00.001-08:00

This painting is just about finished except for some more blending on the background. I am very happy with my progress using acrylics. I think I am actually liking them now and will probably continue using them in the future.

WIP continues

2010-12-11T15:25:00.000-08:00

I have been trudging away on this painting and I think I am almost finished, just have to work a little more on the cloth. This has been a real challenge for me and I am glad I tackled it. The lids on the bottles are really killing me though and I am still not happy with them. I thought the clear glass would give me the most trouble, but this was relatively easy for me. Although it looks like the table is slanting, it is only my terrible photography. IRL it is perfectly straight.

WIP continues

2010-12-05T16:56:00.001-08:00

I thought i would post this painting after doing the first layer of color. It is starting to take shape although I now see some errors in my drawing that I have to fix. I decided to paint in acrylics this time so corrections are done very easily since it dries so fast.

New painting WIP 15 x 30 inches

2010-12-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

I started another painting today from a set-up of some mason jars I had in the house. I liked the colors and thought it would make an interesting arrangement. This is the first layer of values much like a map of where i want the painting to go. This layer is done in acrylic but I am not sure whether I will continue in acrylic or switch to oils. More to come.

WIP continues

2010-12-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

I worked a little today on this painting and I am finally making some progress. This layer really added something that was lacking previously. I darkened up the background with a beautiful rich dark brown color and I really like how it glows now. I will probably do another layer or so on the apples and touch up the highlights and then I think it will be complete.

WIP continues

2010-11-25T15:48:00.001-08:00

I have decided to go with the dark background on this painting and I am glad i did. I think it looks much more dramatic this way. This is the second layer of paint and I will wait until this is dry to do another layer. I am not sure how many layers will be required but usually I just stop when it feels right to me. As I look at this photo I see that the top rim of the teapot looks lopsided and that there is a hard line on the left hand shadaw of the teapot. I will fix these things as I progress. I find that I can always see things in a photo that I have a hard time seeing while looking at the painting.

24 x 36 inch oil "Three Tulips"

2010-11-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post this painting while waiting for the previous painting to dry. I have been working on this oil for a couple of weeks and I think I am almost ready to say done to it. I think this is the largest floral I have done and it was a challenge. I am realizing that yellow is a very hard color to work with (and photograph). After my teapot is finished I don't think I will be doing anymore yellow paintings for awhile.

WIP 20 x 24 inch oil

2010-11-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

I thought I would show the progression of an oil painting I have just started. This time I did the underpainting in acrylic to speed things along and the next photo shows the first layer in oil. This will probably take me a week or so to finish but I do love working in oil. So different from acrylic and I think the paintings look much richer in color than acrylics. I am still not sure about the background color. I am leaning towards a darker background for more drama but am not sure at this point. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated.

11 x 14 inch acrylic "Pot of dallias"

2010-11-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

I am finally calling this one done (for now anyway) and I am VERY glad. I had a lot of trouble with this painting and I am not exactly sure why. The pot especially gave me a lot of grief and I am not entirely happy with it but i am ready to move on to the next.

20 x 20 inch acrylic "Peace"

2010-11-08T18:10:00.000-08:00

This painting is nearing completion so I thought I would post it now. I am happy with how the rose turned out, but I need to do a little more work on the leaves. This was another good practice for me with acrylics.

24 x 20 inch acrylic "Life is a Bowl of Cherries"

2010-10-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this one for around five days and I am really glad to sign my name and call it done. Painting in acrylics is such a challenge for me and I get so frustrated when working in this medium. In some ways I love the fast drying times but at other times I wish I could work the paint more! I may have to try some extender next time.

WIP Finished

2010-10-24T14:42:00.001-07:00

After working most of today on this I think it is done. There a subtle changes that are probably not all that noticeable except to me. I will give it a coat of gloss medium and call it done.

12 x 36 inch acrylic "tulips in a vase"

2010-10-23T17:14:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post this painting even though it is a long way from being finished. Again some more practice with acrylics and this time I did a full grey scale painting first. I am determined to teach myself the process of glazing in acrylics. It is a very slow and tedious (for me anyway) way of painting. I usually try to paint the subject directly with little layering when I paint in oils, so this method is a challenge for me. I like how the painting appears to have a glow. This is due to the light bouncing through the many thin, transparent layers of paint. I will post the finished painting again in due course.

14 x 18 inch acrylic "The Three Amigos"

2010-10-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

This painting is another practice with acrylics. I liked the composition in this size canvas. The colors are not exactly as they are IRL because for some reason I cannot photograph yellow very well.

12 x 16 inch acrylic "Orange & Silver"

2010-10-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

Another practice piece with acrylics. I think I am finally getting the hang of it. Acrylics definitely are finicky but I know the more I use them the more comfortable I will become. I need to get out of my comfort zone. I have decided that I am going to paint LARGER. There is definitely something freeing about using a large brush and forgetting the little details. That is not to say that I will not be aiming for realism but I think you can attain realism even when leaving out the small details. I am going to focus on light and values. I look forward to starting this new chapter in my artwork.

I need to clear out my studio to make room for those large canvases so I am having a studio sale again this year. I am selling everything smaller than 16 x 20 inch for $75 or less. Email me for individual prices. I accept PayPal.

18 x 30 inch oil Still life

2010-10-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this for awhile and thought I would post it as I am almost finished (I think). It is done from my own set-up in a light box. This is quite different than painting from a photo, which I usually prefer. I find it hard to get the right prespective with the layout and I took so long getting it done, my fruit started to rot! Good thing it was out in my studio and not in the house! There are a few things I do not like with this painting but overall it was a good effort and good practice for me.

New acrylic paintings 8 x 10 inch

2010-10-11T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have been practicing with my acrylics this weekend. Still not sure if they are something I want to pursue in my art. They are fun for those small, quick little paintings but for something larger I think I will stick to the oils.

30 x 40 inch "Pears" in acrylic

2010-09-30T19:14:00.001-07:00

Did this great workshop this past weekend with Norma Jackson in acrylic paints. As the pictures show, her technique is to start off with a value study in burnt sienna and then paint over in several layers with your colors until you arrive where you want to be. I found the acrylics to be a little bit frustrating especially for someone used to working with the wonderfully slick, slow-drying oils. I did enjoy the workshop though and this is the largest still life I have done to date.

WIP Finished

2010-09-06T17:36:00.001-07:00

I spent a pleasant rainy day inside the studio finishing up this painting as well as starting another. I will post that one as it progresses. I think I have done all I want with this one. I just hope I did the photo justice. Thanks to the contributor at WetCanvas for the great photo.

WIP continues

2010-08-21T14:46:00.001-07:00

More work done on this one and hopefully those look like red onions (cause they are) and not plums. I need to strengthen up those shadows, especially on the eggs because they tend to look like they are floating. I will let it dry for a couple more days and give it another layer.

WIP 10 x 12 inch oil

2010-08-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

Another new one I started today. I was not quite able to photograph the colors so that they look correct. In the actual painting the plate is more a turquoise color. Looks very pretty with the pink/red colors. Bet you can't quess what the other two items will be. Stay tuned to find out. It is probably not what you think!

Finished !!

2010-08-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

The heat has finally let up and I was able to finish up this one in the studio today. It was actually quite pleasant in there today and I am having a very pleasant day in my studio. This painting will soon be posted for sale in my Etsy Shop.

WIP continues

2010-08-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

I spent a few more hours on this painting and it is slowly going where I want it too. Just so stinking hot in my studio that I cannot stand to paint for too long. Not complaining because I do love the sunshine so much.

11 x 12 inch oil "Apples in a blue dish"

2010-07-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this one off and on for a few weeks. It has been pretty slow due to the lovely weather we have been having. I really have to be outdoors when it is like this here. I have done a bit of blocking in, but of course I will need to go back and tune up these colors. I also see that the eliptical is a little off on the bowl. I always have trouble getting this right.

WIP continues

2010-07-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

I worked a little more on this painting. It is closer to what I envision, but I am not fully there yet. I have to leave it alone for awhile and look at it with clearer eyes.

WIP 12 x 24 inch Tomatoes in oil

2010-06-06T13:38:00.000-07:00

I started this one a couple of weeks ago and I am finding that it is more difficult than the photo looked. The tomatoes especially are giving me grief. I will have to wait a week or so for this layer to dry before I can go further with this painting.

8 x 8 inch acrylic" 3 pears #2"

2010-05-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

Another installment in the series I am doing on fruits and vegetables. It was really hard to photograph this painting, so the colors are not quite right on. The actual painting has more golden tones and not such bright green.

$50.00 - FREE SHIPPING

8 x 8 inch acrylic "3 pears #1"

2010-05-30T14:14:00.000-07:00

This little painting is the first in a series of 8 x 8 inch paintings I will be doing with fruit and vegetables. I will be offering all for sale for $50.00 with free shipping. I am using golden open acrylics for the first time and really like how they work similar to oils, but of course dry a lot faster.

$50.00 - FREE SHIPPING

12 x 24 inch oil

2010-05-16T13:04:00.001-07:00

Just started this one today. I really like this format and so far it is going pretty well. No major problems yet. I still have a lot to do especially on the doilly? but I will try and post some progress pics soon.

20 x 20 inch oil "Storm Watch"

2010-04-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

I really felt like painting an ocean scene today. Landscapes arent' usually what I like to paint, but I wanted to paint something very loose and quick so I did this in around an hour. I am not finished yet, I want to go back and do some more foreground work. I really enjoyed slapping paint around on the canvas. Great fun.

$200.00

24 x 30 inch oil "Breeze through a window"

2010-03-27T16:59:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I have posted anything or painted for that matter. Sometimes life just gets in the way of doing what you really enjoy. I have been trying to find an image that I like with the colors that I want for a room in my house. I think I found it here. This one was a little bit difficult due to all the straight lines but it is coming along. Not finished yet, but definitely going in the right direction.

Commission 8 x 10 inch in pastel

2009-12-09T13:29:00.000-08:00

I just finished this commission in pastel on suedeboard. I love working on this surface with pastels. They just glide on like butter. I hope you like it Maureen!

8 x 10 inch oil "Bowl of Tomaotes - FINISHED

2009-12-06T19:59:00.001-08:00

I think I have almost finished this painting. I worked some more on the tomatoes and strengthened the shadows a bit. Maybe a few more hightlights are in order.
$145.00

12 x 16 inch oil "Out the Bathroom Window"

2009-11-29T17:15:00.000-08:00

I have been working on and off this one for a week or so. I'm not sure where I am going with this. I like the composition and the monochromatic colors a lot but I just feel it lacks something. I know it needs some tidying up of the straight edges etc. but not sure what else. Any suggestions??

New Easel!!

2009-11-29T17:03:00.001-08:00

I finally got that easel I have been dreaming of (for my birthday). It is a custom made H-frame studio easel made by a gentlemen in Penticton, B.C. and sent to me by Grayhound bus. He has a web site called EasyEasels.com. It is wonderfully large and very stable and sturdy and can hold extra large canvases. What a difference it makes. I don't have to worry about knocking my easel over while it holds a wet painting. What a mess that would make!

8 x 10 inch oil WIP " Bowl of Tomatoes"

2009-11-29T16:55:00.001-08:00

I started this one today from a reference photo from WetCanvas. com. Thankyou to the contributor. WetCanvas is a wealth of wonderful reference photos and I love going thru all the categories. This one caught my attention right away. I think what I like most is the play of shadow and light and of course the bright red tomatoes. I got a good start on this today and I don't think it will take long to finish up. I really like these quick ones!

WIP continues

2009-11-16T17:06:00.001-08:00

I did some more work on this tomatoe. Still not sure if I am quite "there" yet. Need to darken the shadows some more maybe.

$120.00

12 x 12 inch oil WIP "Tomatoe and Colindar"

2009-11-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

I have had this one on the easel for a few days now. I am almost finished with it, just need to work a little more on the tomato. I am really liking this square format. I have an idea to do a bunch of small 8 x 8 inch canvases with stuff found in my fridge. This should be fun and good practice for me as well.

8 x 8 inch oil "Twins"

2009-11-13T18:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to do a small and quick painting in a more looser style. I chose these pears (thanks to the contributor at WetCanvas) because this happens to be my most favorite green. I probably spent only around 1 hr on this. It was a nice change from the more challenging subjects I have been choosing lately.

Bowl of Cherries 11 x 12 inch in oil - Finished!! SOLD

2009-11-10T14:38:00.000-08:00

I think I may be finally finished this one. I will leave it for now before I make a mess, let it dry and maybe go back and tidy up the highlights. I like the colors in this but I am finding it really hard to get yellow to look the way it does IRL. Maybe I haven't found the right hue yet.

WIP continues

2009-11-05T16:43:00.000-08:00

I have tiddled a bit more with these two. I think my lemons looked more like oranges before. I think they are a little better now. I probably will still do a little more work on this and then call it finished. I added a bit more detail on the boat but still have some more to do. Hopefully I will finish these this weekend.

2 WIP in oil

2009-10-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here are two that I started this weekend while waiting for my lemon painting to dry some before finishing it up. That is the only draw back (can also be a good thing) with working in oil - the slow drying time. I get really impatient sometime just to have something to paint, so I start a new one. The only problem is my lack of studio space and easel. I really want a large studio easel-the H frame type. Xmas is coming- listen up family! I will post these again when I have finished. I have a lot to do.

20 x 16 inches oil WIP "Bowl of Lemons"

2009-10-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

I think this is the most challenging painting I have done to date. I have a lot to do, but it is coming along. I think what drew me to the photo was the dark shadows and the light. Thankyou so much to the contributor at WetCanvas for this great photo. I will post the painting when I have totally finished.

8 x 10 inch pastel "Freddie"

2009-10-13T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time I have done a pet portrait and a long time since I have used pastel. It really felt good and I hope to do some more in the near future. This is little Freddie who has since passed on. I hope you like it Lisa!

30 x 20 inch oil "Unnamed"

2009-10-06T18:19:00.000-07:00

This painting is the largest still-life that I have attempted and I am finding it quite a challenge. It is not finished by any means but I thought I would post my progress to date. It's funny how I see things wrong in a photo that I can't see IRL. For instance the bottle looks to me as if it is leaning to the left in the photo but when I see it IRL it looks ok. What to do!

$275.00

10 x 10 inch oil "Reflected Pears"

2009-10-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is another pear painting that I have been working on. I have a lovely gold frame for this one. This is another WIP as this definitely is not the finished product. I will post further developments.

$120.00

WIP 3 pears finally finished!

2009-10-06T18:11:00.000-07:00

I painted for most of the weekend and finally completed this one that has been on my easel for awhile. There may be a few touch-ups but I think this is it. It looks rather dark in the photo but not so IRL.

24 x 30 inch oil "Three of a Pear" WIP

2009-09-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

After fussing with the last painting so much, trying for realism, this one was very liberating as the painting seemed to just paint itself. I used very large and loose strokes with the new # 12 filbert brush that I just bought. I really love this brush and it will be great for the larger paintings I plan on doing in the future. This painting is a WIP and I will post further photos as it develops.

8 x 10 inch oil "Teapot and Apple"

2009-09-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

I spent a few hours in the studio today and finally finished up this little painting. For its size it really took me a lot of time to get the colors right. This is not a very good photo, the painting is much better IRL.

$105.00

18 x 14 inch oil "Old Barrels"

2009-08-20T19:18:00.000-07:00

This one has been sitting on my easel for several weeks so I thought I would post it as it is almost finished. I have to clean up the barrels some as I am not completely happy with them. This is one of those paintings that I could not photograph very well. The colors are much more vivid and true in real life and I am fairly happy with the result.

$200.00

16 x 20 inch oil "Bowl of Fruit``

2009-08-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

SOLD - Sept 18/09

I finially got into the studio to finish this one (the heat not so brutal today). I punched up the highlights a little and finshed off the small orange fruit (yellow plums I think). Anyway here is the finished version ready to be varnished and framed. This painting is for sale. Please contact me for info.

8 x 10 inch oil "Cloud Studies"

2009-08-01T17:43:00.000-07:00

These are some quick studies of clouds done on canvas board in oil. I took my camera out a few weeks ago and got some great photos of different clouds. I have in mind to do a large canvas for my new bedroom (under construction). Some more will be following soon.

6 x 8 inch oil "Tides Out"

2009-07-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

I did this little painting quickly from a photo I took on one of my outings a couple of weeks ago. I wanted to paint on site but it started to rain so I got this picture instead. I am having a lot of fun with this small format. I am able to finish them in around an hour and this forces me to forget about the details and just paint the shapes and light and shadows.

$50.00

6 x 8 inch oil " Cobble Hill Road"

2009-07-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

I did this little plein air right out in my back yard today. It is such a warm sunny day that I just had to get out and paint. I like the way the shadows played on the fields and tried to capture it. I bought and new book on oil painting this week by Kevin McPherson. I really love his style of painting and am trying to get a little looser with my technique. I would recomment this book to anyone wanting to paint plein aire.

8 x 10 inch oil "Cow Bay Flats"

2009-07-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

I took my paint box and went on a little drive today, found a spot and painted from my car on the side of the road. This was painted with a knife and done quite quickly. I want to get a little more practice with the knife as it is especially good when on location. I don't need brush cleaner or turps so there is much less mess. I tend to be a very messy painter so the less stuff I take with me the better.

WIP #3

2009-07-09T15:16:00.000-07:00

I worked a little today on this painting, base coating the fruit on the table and doing a little more modeling of the fruit. I will wait until it dries a little more to darken up the shadows and finish it up. It will not be long now before i am finished.

WIP day #2

2009-07-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

I worked on this painting a little today, modeling the peaches and plums (?). I will go back and tidy up the fruit at the end, adding some more hightlights etc. but they are mainly finished now. I will tackle the fruit on the table probably tomorrow.

20 x 16 inch oil "Tarnished Bowl of Fruit" WIP

2009-07-05T17:19:00.000-07:00

I decided to start this one today in my usual style of working oil. Everything is pretty much one layer of paint with a little blending. I found this lovely photo on Wetcanvas.com. Due to the size of this one it will probably take a couple of more sittings to finish. I love the contrast of the red and orange fruit against the dark background. I think this is my favorite type of still life to paint. After looking at this for awhile I noticed that my bowl is looking a little lopsided. I guess I will have to fix that.

8 x 8 inch oil "Cobolt and Orange"

2009-07-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

I recently bought Susan Sarback's book "Capturing Radiant Light in Oil" and tried the demonstration that she did in the book. I love her impressionistic style of painting and tried to capture the light as she does. It does somewhat look like the demo although I am not quite there yet. This way of painting starts out by blocking in the main shapes with whatever color you like, keeping the lights with warm colors and the darks and shadows with cool colors. After the 1st step you keep adding colors, mixing only on the painting, until you get the color you want, adjusting the value as needed by adding white. You do all of this using a pallet knife, just to add to the difficulty. This little painting took me around 3 hours. I do not have the skill yet with the knife but I think it will come more naturally as I work with it more.

9 x 12 inch oil "Baldy Mountain"

2009-06-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is another painting done with the knives. I used a lot more color than I usually do in this painting, trying to loosen up. Using the knife helps me in that respect, as I cannot blend and I can not get every detail in as with a brush.

8 x 8 inch oil "Ghost Trees #2"

2009-06-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have been getting a lot of painting done this weekend. Having a lot of fun with the pallett knives. These paintings are quick and fun. Hope you enjoy.

$50.00

8 x 8 inch oil "Ghost Trees"

2009-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

This is another attempt with the pallett knife. I am really enjoying using the knife although I believe there is quite a technique to be learned to be successful with it. More experiments to follow.

$50.00

8 x 10 inch oil

2009-06-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

This is a scene I have painted before but I wanted to do a little experimentation using a pallete knife and lots of thick paint. I put on bright block-in colors first, added another layer of local color and scraped back a bit with the knife. This was totally out of my comfort zone, especially with the bright colors but it was a fun little painting.

4 x 6 inch oil "Low Tide"

2009-06-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

This painting was done on location at a favorite spot of mine for watching birds and wildlife. I had just set up my paintbox and it started to rain, so I managed to do a quick sketch on location and finished the rest up in the studio.

11 x 14 inch oil "Apples and Pot"

2009-06-20T20:06:00.000-07:00

This painting is a departure from my normal style of painting. Instead of brushing on the paint, I dabbed it on after putting a layer of color in the forms. It didn't start out this way, but I was not liking how it was turning out, so I switched my technique. Sometimes you just have to do that!

8 x 10 inch oil "Bowl of Grapes"

2009-06-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

I had a very sucessfull weekend as far as painting goes. This one just seemed to just flow effortlessly. I decided that I was not going to do any layering of my oil , just lay the color where I wanted it and leave it be. Also I did very little blending and I really like the effect. The total painting only took around 5 hours versus many hours if I was to layer. I think I will try this technique again. I have another still life all picked out.

20 x 24 inch oil "Orange Rose"

2009-06-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this one for a couple of days, and for the size of it, it has gone pretty quickly. I discovered it is really hard to get a decent orange with only cadium yellow pale and permanent alizarim red. I think I will get another yellow to add to my pallett.

6 x 8 inch oil "Mill Bay Beach"

2009-06-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

I did this little plein air today while relaxing at the beach. It was a beautiful day for painting by the sea!