Warm & Cool

Fine Creek Mill Hydrangeas, 12x16

I believe this is my fourth try at this. The first was a failed plein air, the other two were indecisive, muddy messes, that I couldn't really decide what it was that I wanted to focus on.

This version emphasizes the play of warm and cool light. It is far more accurate to what I felt than what I saw, so I believe it is more successful.

I've included two reference photos to give you a better idea of what the mill ruins at Fine Creek look like. It explains the odd lighting situation, as you can walls are missing and the roof is long gone.

Morning Fog, 12x16

This is an enlarged version of an earlier study, "Low Visibility". I liked the small version for it's mood and atmospheric qualities, but felt it was too polarized towards the edges.

What I really wanted to mess around with was making the tree trunks and branches appear and disappear to fit my design and create more balance within the picture plane.

Squeezing-In Time to Paint

 Courthouse Lights, 10x8 -- P.A.

I have managed to squeeze-in a few times to paint, and I've included a couple of those efforts.
Most of my time has been devoted to framing and chasing kids around from one Lacrosse game or practice to another.

I've also included a recent studio painting that was entered in the Virginia Regional Exhibition.

The people of the Montpelier Center for Arts and Education did a great job. The opening reception was nicely done, and proved to be a very pleasant evening, good food and good conversation.


Red Azaleas, 10x8 -- P.A.

Evening Grays, 14x11 -- Studio

In the last minute rush, I forgot to take a photo of the finished work before it was framed. So, it was photographed through the glass. The focus is a little soft and the color is a little off, but at least I have a record of it.

Finally... Spring!

Maymont in April, 12x8

A plein air from last week.

From the gazebo you can see the Japanese Garden and the James River, down below. Unfortunately I only had time to do one painting.

I chose this view because the gazebo required more accurate drawing, which is something I need to work on and become more efficient at. I also found it interesting in the way the darks of the gazebo blended in with evergreen behind it -- it was a good opportunity to work on compressing values.

It's great to get back outside to paint, after an unusually long, cold and damp winter. 

Before and After

Just Before Sunset, 12x18

I finally got around to finishing this one. I liked the start, but couldn't decide how to finish so I set it aside for several months. I never really came up with a plan, but I needed the board it was taped to for another painting.

I got what got what I wanted to see, so I'm happy with this one.

After the Rain, 14x11

On a hot and humid day, sometimes even a rain shower doesn't offer much relief. Once the sun comes back out there can be a rapid evaporation which looks like steam rising or fog. It does make for an interesting atmospheric effect though.

"After the Rain" was done on LaCarte stock (I believe the color is called Sand). My paintings on this stock always seem to be fuzzy or soft focus, and I have a difficult time creating edges. However, it works out well for a situation with diffused light. 

A Richmond Landmark

Main Street Station (Richmond), 18x14

I just couldn't pass this view up, the graphic patterns of light and dark were far too tempting.

I wanted to make sure not to break up the masses by too many value shifts, insinuate at the complexities of the bridges, and keep the sharpest edges on the building.

And...

...some small ones that I worked on when felt I was getting too picky on the train station -- a reminder to loosen up. 

Low Visibility, 6x8

Stone Outbuildings, 8x6

Just Catching the Tree Tops, 8x6

Fresh Snow, 8x6

Thanks for looking!

Night and Day

Right Turn onto the Main Road, 10x8

Lots of pictures, so I'll keep this shorter.

Paintings 1, 2 and 5 are all the same limited palette, and worked on simultaneously. Try it sometime.

 Sometimes Looking Back is Advantageous, 10x8

I walked toward this corn crib from the background, and saw nothing. When I turned around, and around once again, the light between the boards was the the description I'd been looking for.

Library Lawn Nocturne, 10x8

A Distant Barn, 10x8

Occasionally, the view or light in a photo, just isn't what you would like it to be. I never consider a painting a waste. It is practice, frustrating, but practice, and it is essential. Move 20 yards to the right and improvise...  perhaps the statement has more impact, more intrigue, more interest.

Courthouse Tree, 10x8

My daughter asked, "why'd you make the tree purple? My reply, "does it look like a tree?"

Does it matter, what color, or if its accurate, or when you figure out what version works the best for a particular painting?

A Nocturne

Moonlight, 10x8

So much for finishing up projects from last year, we had a little snow on Thursday. 

Typically it doesn't stick around for long, and It's hard to tell whether we'll get anymore or not, so I've decided to paint snow while its around and fresh in my mind.

Above is a nocturne painted from a daylight photo and memory. The memory part comes from countless hours standing at the grill, and staring at the trees and sky while waiting for things to cook. 

To kill time, I try to think of the pastels that would make a nice combination if I were painting what was in front of me.