a warmup in fog

6x9 pastel on somerset
I was zipping along on my way to teach yesterday and the fog was getting thicker on Beach Drive. I only had 25 minutes. My goal was simply to get an impression and keep the color harmony. Later, after teaching I returned to the studio charged up for more. It doesn't take long for a warm up: it's just about doing it.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

one plein air trap

10x10 pastel and watercolor on Uart
One trap plein air painters can become victim to is the hunt. What I mean is searching for the "perfect place" to paint. Beauty is made. It's made by the artist. As I say this I admit that I am going to Washington State for the next month - to paint. In order to earn this I have been forcing myself to paint within a mile of my house. This is part of my streets are rivers series.
While in Washington I will be participating in Richard McKinley's plein air boot camp. Starting this Saturday I will have 3 intensive days of painting and taking in the amazing knowledge of Richard. Next, there are 3 processing days where I go off on my own and work, then there are 3 days in the studio consolidating and making resolve. An amazing time! Of course while I am not in boot camp I will be constantly painting. This month of work is like stocking up on the winter  oil for the furnace. Yipee!
Gotta go pack!

oops, I forgot......... I remembered to take a photo for the watercolor underpainting for PB.

March 13, 2008 Beach Drive, Autumn

approx. 9x11, pastel on wallis
Broke a cardinal rule on this one... I put focal point tree in the center. Sometimes it's good to see if you can get away with it.

March 9, 2008 Summer Shadows on the Path

6x18, pastel and watercolor on board
I was cleaning out old paintings and I came about this one. It was done this summer on one of those sultry hot Washington afternoons. I never finished it. Today it was obvious what I needed to. I took out a tree and changed the shadows...better.
I have many more rainy paintings in my head. But today, with the check from the gallery I am going looking for a car. The one I drive is a Honda, 1990. It will last forever, only it does not fit my bigger paintings. and I can not take it for my long trips. So with my check from the gallery I will go look at a Subaru forester., maybe it will be from this century!

February 5, 2008, Runner on Beach Drive

About 8x10, pastel on wallis, $100. plus shipping and tax
I'm back!!! The show is up and the real work is done! Yeah!!!!! I couldn't wait to get back to the studio. So today I had time for a small painting. I have been thinking about the light on beach drive. I had a difficult time shooting the jpeg so that you can see the subtle pinks, greens and beautiful grays the distance. This one is for all you wonderful runners on the path!

November 3, 2007

Ok, so now it is freezing in the morning. The light coming through the trees on beach drive was amazing, so I froze.