In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #4

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

"Black Mountain, Black Dog, Sunset" Inverness, CA
18" x 24"
I added the dog today, and played on the sand and in the water... Mountains grew pinker in the sunset. Water took on the light of the sunset. I enjoy painting water, and I look forward to working on more bayscapes soon. I was looking at a painting of boats on the water today by American Impressionist painter, Frank Weston Benson (1862-1951). His painting, "Calm Morning"
is at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. I would someday like to be able to capture the light on the water and on the subjects upon the water as he has in "Calm Morning". The figures and boats in his painting are truly glowing against the blue sea.

In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #3

Monday, February 26, 2007

Another very short session today- about 1 hour. I added the sailboat, and more details in the shadows of the mountains.

In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #2

Friday, February 23, 2007

Another short session, adding warm highlights to the mountain and Bay.

In the Studio Today... Black Mt. Black Dog; Session #1

Friday, February 23, 2007

Just about 1 hour this morning, blocking out the colors on this painting. I frequently take my dogs and kids to Chicken Ranch Beach, in Inverness. The view of Black Mountain in the sunset is so peaceful from this spot. I hope to capture the lighting from that evening, when the mountain glowed pink in the distance, and a family was there, playing with their new, black lab puppy. I got a photo of the puppy at the edge of the water. So, this one will eventually be called, "Black Mountain-Black Dog-Sunset". 18" x 24".

Gathering Reference Images

Friday - Monday, February 16-19th

This is my sons' vacation week from school, so I have taken some driving trips with them to gather reference material and recharge my battery. So far, we have been to:
• Chicken Ranch Beach, Inverness
• Woodacre, overlooking Flanders Ranch and Roys' Redwoods off Nicasio Valley Road
• Sausalito to watch the first Stage of the Tour of California

Hundreds of photos later, I have at least 3 painting compositions to work from. I use my photos to block out a composition that works, and then I either return to that place to paint plein air at the same time of day, or I work from the photo in my home studio. My next studio painting time is scheduled for tomorrow morning, Wednesday 21st.

In the Studio...Session #3 & #4

Thursday, February 15, 2007

"Ode to Louisa I"
24" x 48"
Cows off Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Road, near Black Mt.

I am happy with the amount of detail at this point, and I do feel that in some places on the canvas, I left details out (that I may have otherwise put in) after looking at Matthiasdottir's work.
Detail views, below.

Detail 1, from left to right...


Detail 2, center of canvas


Detail 3, right side of canvas

In the Studio...Session #2

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentine's Day

I started adding the cows into the scene today. The hills really do have trees in the valley that look like a heart... My heart lies in the hills, that is true.

In the Studio Today... Ode to Louisa; Session #1

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

"Ode to Louisa I" o/c 24" x 48" (2 feet x 4 feet)
I am starting a series of paintings for the May show at the Two Bird Cafe. I want people to feel like they are out in West Marin when they are eating... The lighting, the colors, the panoramic views. "Muralesque"... I want the paintings to have an impact. There will be smaller paintings to fill in the gaps between the larger scenes of West Marin. This painting, as it stands, reminds me of Louisa Matthiasdottir, an Icelandic born painter. I was lucky enough to see a show of hers in Iceland in the 1990's. Having seen the stunning country from which she drew her inspiration was a privilege. If you ever have a chance to visit Iceland, or view the work of Matthiasdottir, both are well worth the trip. Here is an example of her work from the 90's that I was very attracted to; Her work has been described as "using restraint", and "crisp". I couldn't agree more. It is challenging for me not to paint what I see, including lots of detail. I find her work amazing in her choices to leave out detail, and create a bold and striking scene, nonetheless.

In the Studio Today...Session #2

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Ford Truck on Oak Avenue, San Anselmo, CA
8" x 10"
2 more hours this afternoon... I like the color combinations in this one.

In the Studio Today... Old Ford Truck; Session #1

Friday, February 9, 2007

"Old Truck in the San Anselmo Hills", Oak Avenue, above the Seminary
8" x 10"
I just started this today... about 1 1/2 hours.

In the Studio Tonight...Session #4

Thursday, February 8, 2007

I couldn't resist adding the crows in the tree... This may not be a good photo due to night/inside lighting, so the colors may be distorted a bit.

In the Studio Today...Session #3

Thursday, February 8, 2007

Tree at Flander's Ranch, San Geronimo Valley. Details to the tree and grass added this afternoon. I would like to do another painting with this same scene, but a panoramic view that includes the rolling hills beside the tree. I would like to work out some details in the tree that I did not put in this painting, including crows in the tree branches.

In the Studio Today...Session #2

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Another hour or so this evening, adding shadows and highlights. I was going to donate this one to the San Anselmo Art Commision's Fundraiser, but because it is Flander's ranch in the Valley, perhaps I will save it for the May show at the Two Bird.

In the Studio Today... Flander's Tree; Session #1

Wednesday, February 7, 2007

I just started blocking out colors on this 18" x 14" painting of the tree at Flander's Ranch in San Geronimo Valley. About 1.5 hours of work today.

In the Studio Today...San Anselmo; Session #1

Friday, February 2, 2007
These are all images of the Town of San Anselmo Offices, and the deer sculpture, Sugarfoot.

The History of Sugarfoot, from the SA Historical Society

These are very small, 6" x 6" square canvases. These are now on display at the San Anselmo Coffee Roasters in downtown San Anselmo. More images of the triptych, below...