Today’s post is a visual list of pencil, colored pencil, and oil paintings, some commissioned, some sold through galleries, some to people getting in touch via email, and from the one show that I didn’t do. You have probably seen all of these, but not in one big whack that makes me feel all puff-headed and successful.
Because of missing two weeks of work, the two oil painting commissions became a rush job. I had one week to get them from the sloppy first layer to finished.
The yellow ranch house needed a tiny bit of finessing, a signature, the edges of the canvas painted, and then it needed to dry. I was so focused on that last day of painting that I forgot to take any pictures of the process.
The barn needed another layer of sky, another layer of grass, some cattle, more finessing, a signature, painted edges of the canvas and to dry on the same schedule as the yellow house.
Because the sky was so empty, I supplied it with some clouds. In addition, a tree grew on the left, a shrub on the right, and the barn got a bit of tightening up. I had to resist the urge to draw in every ripple on the corrugated tin. It’s a PAINTING, not a pencil drawing!
Cattle—distant? Yes. Closer? Yes.
More grass with visible details was needed in the foreground, along with a few more cows.
Again, I was so rushed and focused that I didn’t take photos of the process. I had to get this thing into the house so it could dry in time to be shipped.
So, here is the result of a week of painting with gazelle intensity.
And once again, the gazelle-like painter outpainted the cheetah-like clock.
We took a stroll on Christmas Day,
So many things along the way,
Blue sky was strong,
But slightly wrong,
I thought this was a winter day.
We took a stroll on Christmas Day,
The same familiar route, our way,
The temps were sweet,
The sun a treat,
For rain and snow we all must pray.
We took a stroll on Christmas Day,
We walked an old familiar way,
But down the hill,
A foggy chill,
Three Rivers is above the gray.
We took a stroll on Christmas Day
We didn’t walk far, a shortish stray,
The grass was green,
The air so clean,
Then we strolled home again to stay.
Happy Christmas, and if you are in the fog, please enjoy the Three Rivers sunshine vicariously.
The ranch house painting was stressful. it was a manageable project, but definitely pushing the limits of my abilities.
Some photos, even though they are clear and have good detail and light, just don’t have the right information. This one had giant up-close tree branches that were making shadows, but looked disproportionate. The deck off to the right was confusing and hidden by trees that didn’t look good enough to paint because they were too big. The customer requested grazing deer. The canvas proportions didn’t match the photo, but cropping would eliminate the important front steps.
On top of that, there was the looming deadline. Trail Guy asked me why I didn’t charge a rush fee, and then I remembered: it wasn’t a rush until 2 weeks of my working time were stolen by a virus.
What’s a Central California painter to do?
Technology to the rescue: I used Photoshop Junior to size and place the deer on top of the painting (on my laptop, not on the actual painting). The result is a little too disturbing to show you, because the deer photos are in sharp contrast to the mushy looking painting and I don’t want you to join Team Doubt (of which I serve as captain).
Those steps, ugh. When in doubt, I resort to drawing with my paintbrush, a big no-no in The Art World, but I am painting for real people, those who “may not know art but know what they like”. (My kind of peeps)
Those steps, better now.
The deer challenge begun, according to my results with Photoshop Junior.
Hey, Bucky!
Those distant deer.
While I was painting distant deer, there were close deer on the other side of the window.
Okay, this will work.
The deer need brighter stronger colors. And there needs to be some grass blades softening the harshness of those all-important front steps.
I think I am going to be able to sign this one without too much future embarrassment. (There is usually embarrassment about earlier work if one is growing in one’s skill.)
Check here Mineral King HIKES 2023 to see if any 2023 calendars are remaining,
This commissioned oil painting was causing undue stress. First it was a dark and murky ranch house, then it became a barn, then the barn was in the wrong place, and pretty soon, I was doubting my ability to do the painting at all. I finally resorted to measuring, comparing my proportions to the photo, and using this neato tool to get the angles exactly right. 
Finally, I was able to begin the detailing that I love so much.
The sky needs another layer, there are more trees to put in, the grass needs a bit more detailing, and then there will be grazing cattle.
I’ll show you the yellow ranch house rescue tomorrow.
You might still be able to order a 2023 calendar but they might be gone by now. (There were 3 left yesterday.) Unless I see you in person, it won’t arrive before Christmas. HOWEVER, it will arrive before January. Mineral King HIKES 2023
The customer requested grazing deer on the lawn. I tried.
Placing and sizing the deer was just a guess, and after contemplating things, I decided they were just too small to be that close to the front. So, some grass grew over them. When the grass is dry, I will try again.
I removed the top step in the foreground because they just looked too “heavy” (big, taking too much space, competing with the house), and changed the color of the concrete. 
I added more branches on the left and grew the tree on the right.
Then the branches on the left sprouted leaves.
Next, the barn. In order to get the right proportions and angles, I worked on this upside down
I used the sky to shape the barn. 
I was mechanically following the photo without thinking about placement, and then I realized that it was too far forward on the canvas. Look at it and you’ll see what I mean.
So, beep-beep, back the barn up. 
Now this has to dry so I can recoat the sky, add some clouds, work on the background hills, and start making the barn look as if it is there to stay. Oh, and then add grazing cattle. I hope I can make them the right size in the right locations.
This calendar might be the right size for your location.
I told my customer that with a dark, blurry, murky photo that was lacking in detail, I would have to make a dark, blurry murky painting that is lacking in detail, and that’s not a technique I have mastered.
So she sent me a photo of a barn and asked if I could paint it instead.
Excuse me for shouting. What a relief!
She also asked if I could add some grazing deer to the house painting. I was so relieved and happy about the barn that I said yes, in spite of not knowing what size they should be. People don’t know that artists don’t automatically know these things. The size is based on where they are placed, and now that I look at the beginnings here on the screen, I can see that these are looking small, like Little Bucky.
I also started adding in the branches that frame the house. It’s a shame to cover up those perfect clouds, but without those leafy limbs, the shadows don’t make sense. Those deer will need to be completely redone. At least the messed up deck on the right of the house is coming together, as are the details on the doors and windows. I don’t like the stairs or the rocks, but it could be the distorted colors on the screen that makes them look like periwinkle slabs.
This dark and murky mess is going to become a barn.
Pippin doesn’t understand all the commotion. 
Never mind, he’ll just perch in the window and keep hoping that treats appear soon.
The paint was wet on the canvas and I had a bit of difficulty covering over the previous day’s mess.
So, I got it this far, then carried it into the house to dry more so I can continue. There will be cattle grazing in this one. 
I think this will turn out okay. Eventually.
And eventually, nay, SOON, I will run out of 2023 calendars.
The process of oil painting begins in a total mess, and each successive layer is I more inch toward order.
I had two 10×20″ commissioned oil paintings of ranch houses, one from a fairly clear photo, and the other from a dark photo of murky edges and shapes. Unfortunately, that second ranch house is no longer in existence, so I had to just work with what has been provided.
It was a little bit too hard, so I began with the easier one.
First, you can see the beginning mess, along with my reference photo on the laptop (although it isn’t clear, and since I didn’t take the photo, I don’t feel free to show it here).
It was a cold wet day, so all the doors were closed to the painting workshop. This was upsetting to Jackson and to Tucker, who is very nervous about the fan which blows heat up to the easels. Jackson asked to come in, and then he kept biting me on the backside. I finally sat with him on my lap for a bit, explaining to him that I wasn’t in the workshop to feed him treats. This was hard for him to understand, so eventually he asked to go outside. AGAIN.
Sky first, because it is the farthest piece and also the easiest. I have to ease into these giant difficult paintings, reminding myself that an elephant gets eaten just one bite at a time.
For some reason, I was struggling with window placement and size, so I flipped the painting upside down to help me see the proportions more accurately.
Right side up helps me see if I got things right. That light and shadow on the house is what makes this a good subject to paint.
Those front steps are quite interesting, very custom to this basic house. The big lawn is also important.
Now it needs to go into the house to dry so that the next layer of detail doesn’t just smear all to kingdom come. (How’s that for a weird saying?)
This needs a leafy branch shading the upper left side, another leafy tree shading the upper right side, details on the windows, the door, the steps leading to the door, the planting bed on the front of the house, and an almost indiscernible mess of a pergola and patio area to the right of the house.
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can. . .
What I CAN DO FOR SURE, is send you a 2023 calendar.
Shopping? Not this little gray duck.
But maybe you live locally, and maybe you enjoy shopping.
Christmas in Exeter is more than shopping. Every Thursday night in December is an event unto itself. Many businesses offer refreshments, deals, lights, gift wrap, fun and good cheer. There is a tram that runs from one end of the town to the other (along Pine, from B Street to E Street), maybe carolers, maybe Santa. The entire evenings feel very small town, old fashioned, traditional, and just good.
One place that might be getting a little less visitation than in the past is the Mural Gallery & Gift Shop. This little treasure is run by the Mural Team, AKA Exeter a Festival of Arts. This is the tireless crowd of dedicated volunteers who have turned Exeter into an outdoor art gallery and made the town a destination.
Because this gallery is small, it is often overlooked. An injury was recently added to the insult of being overlooked: the Wildflower Cafe next door closed. Now there is much less foot traffic passing by the gallery. Hence, this advertising blog post.
This gallery is full of art by folks who have painted murals in Exeter. There are originals, prints, and both tchotchkes and useful items featuring murals, in a wide variety of prices and styles.
This gallery has been selling well for me for several years, and I want them to get the attention and visitation they deserve!
I took these photos at sunset when the gallery was closed, so they don’t properly show off the place. Nor do they convey the lively atmosphere of a Thursday night in Exeter.
If this sort of thing appeals to you, I suggest going tonight and/or next Thursday.
Additionally, the Courthouse Gallery is open on Thursday nights this year, where there is still time to see the show Falling Into Winter and participate in their Thursday night events.
This is the museum part of the Courthouse Gallery, photo courtesy of Dwight Miller.