"Industrial"

4 x 12"

oil on panel
sold

I'm back to painting in my spankin' clean studio - with this new addition to my series A to Z.  I played with a different technique, using a white ground rather than black,  painting different values of a grey-umber then scratching and washing and wiping out areas.   I love it.

From the industrial district outside of Seattle, Washington.

"A Rainy Night in Chicago"

5 x 7"

oil on panel
sold

This was a tough one.

I started out wanting to keep it very impressionistic and loose, then I started painting in each window like a nutball - took a break for dinner - came back to it and forced myself to paint the remainder with a wide brush.  I'm kinda amazed I finished it, and just the way I pictured it in my head in the beginning.  Yay.

This view is from a high floor in the Fairmont Hotel on North Columbus Drive - on a very rainy night in the city.  You can make out the Sheraton Towers on the right with its glowing tower.

"Roofscape"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

I try to offer a variety of subjects on my Different Strokes From Different Folks challenges - the most current being the multi-level, multi-colored rooftops of downtown San Francisco. It is truly a subject that I'm in love with - mostly from witnessing how other artists transform 'just a bunch of buildings' into beautiful works of art. As I said on my blog, when I see city rooftops I understand Richard Diebenkorn. It's also an image that can swing from totally abstract to super realism - and I'd love them all. When you have a minute, take a look at what other artists have contributed.

"Hill Country"

6 x 12"
oil on masonite
sold

These days, I'm able to spend more time experimenting with my paints - which doesn't always mean I have something to show you. In fact, I've been juggling a couple of paintings for days and they're still in limbo. If I begin a piece with the finished painting in my head, most likely, I won't stop until it's done. Lately, I'm sorta leaving it up to fate, or luck, to see if my right hand will lead the way to something unexpected. It's like abandoning the recipe and grabbing what you have in the pantry - sometimes it works, sometimes it's awful. I encourage that every now and then. You never know what you'll learn.

I did start with a plan this morning - the current challenge I assigned on my Different Strokes From Different Folks blog - and I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to get what was in my head. But I did. Today flowed. Yay.

From the hilly city of San Francisco, a view of Lombard Street.

Please click here for a larger view.

"Cab City"

5 x 10"
oil on masonite
sold

Painting cityscapes is daunting, no doubt - although the more I do, the more confident I get. Before I start each one, the decision is made as to what I want the end result to be - more realistic or more impressionistic. Either way, my goal is to portray the atmosphere and try not to get hung up on the details - and I've learned there's several ways to accomplish that. Ways that force me to stay loose.

One way is to stay small. If I had a larger panel in front of me, I know I'd labor over every square inch, every window, every streetlight. Another way is to use a wide brush for every single dab and stroke. You can't nitpick with a honker brush. Sticking with a smaller format is good for learning, practicing - and often can lead to larger, more realized versions.

This scene was taken from Madison Avenue, around 39th Street, facing north - in downtown Manhattan.

"Copleston"

10 x 2-7/8"
oil on masonite
sold

Early in the morning, heading out of Charleston, I pulled over to plug in my GPS - facing this old, abandoned building that was once Copleston Laundry. It's one of those moments when I saw the finished painting in my head. I suppose I appreciate old buildings for what they are - but more so, I see form, color, composition. I tried very hard not to tighten up on this, hoping the minimalism stayed put.

"Seattle Glow"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

This new painting shows that beautiful glow of the early evening light on my first full day in Seattle. Skylines can be really difficult unless you approach it as a collection of shapes and color, hoping the depth will take care of itself. I often walk around cities squinting - seeing bundles of blocks and light - and this was one of my favorite views. Many, many more to come.

"Old South"

6 x 6"
oil on masonite
sold

This is one of those that I have wanted to paint for a long time, not knowing if I could pull it off. I've done a few night scenes and I love them - mostly because the color and light emerges from the darkness. And again, it can mostly be appreciated in person because of those dark areas, which have subtle shapes that barely appear.

This scene is from a summer night, in the little city of Asheville, North Carolina - the old building, for years, was a watch repair shop and recently became a boutique. This painting will be arriving at the 16 Patton Gallery, in Asheville, in mid-February. If you'd like a larger view and, please click here.

"College Street"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

This is a very painterly piece - an impressionistic view of what could be considered just an ordinary street on a bright, summer's day in Asheville.

Just to mention - between all of catching up on the mundane chores of life this past week, I've been trying out a couple of ideas and a bit too shy to show them yet. With a little breathing room with the galleries fully stocked up on paintings, I try to take the opportunity to step back and study .... experiment.

One thing that gave me a jolt was watching this BBC miniseries "The Impressionists". Rent it, it's good. There's reminders that we need to take the time and look and study the world around us. It reminds me to stick with what I think we really do see, at a glance - the blocks and shapes of colors, shadows and light - and to paint just that.

I also discovered an artist that reminded me of what I just mentioned. He's Doug Braithwaite, and you'll notice the thumbnails look somewhat ordinary until you opt for a larger view.

"Unions"

5 x 7"

oil on masonite

sold

This is another one of those challenges in painting, a lot of activity and depth - but I certainly wanted to focus on the two women. Outdoor scenes provide atmosphere and light, a plus because things pop out with color. These women were enjoying a morning coffee and conversation out on the plaza of Union Square, in the heart of San Francisco.

"Moon Over Market Street"

6 x 6"

oil on masonite

sold

I'd like to take you through my adventure in San Francisco, starting with the first night I arrived. I stayed nearby the bustling corner of Market and Fourth Streets, and when night falls, that area lights up like a Christmas tree. Your eyes dance around the colors and the movement of lights and people - it's just fantastic. This view is looking east, towards the Ferry Building way down in the unseen distance. I also had the pleasure of a bright, (near) full moon that added to the beauty of the city.