Yesterday we saw two brand new paintings on the easels, looking like they’ll never get finished. Eventually most paintings do. Layer after layer, keep studying, figuring out what to do next and how to improve it every time I pick up the brushes. Today we will see some finished and some unfinished paintings. This is […]
Beginning Two New Paintings
Here is a look at two new paintings, begun for the solo show in October of 2024. Seems very far away, but it takes awhile to paint enough pieces to fill a gallery on one’s own. I have about 30 available (several unfinished but in progress which I will show you tomorrow) so I need […]
Practicing Painting
Practice Painting? Painting Practice? Paint Practicing? Never mind. Doctors practice medicine, attorneys practice law, and this artist practices painting. Some days I feel as if I am brand new, with no idea how to tackle a subject. Some days I think I’m figuring it out. Only once in awhile does the process feel easy. I […]
A Welcome Bear
We have bears in our neighborhood, and they are a nuisance. However, there was a welcome bear in my workshop recently. Literally a welcome bear. This odd job came from the same man who had me repaint Little Bucky. I started with the letters. Next, I rotated him to experiment with brown fur colors. He’s […]
Painting Fruit Instead of the Golden Gate Bridge
I had a few unexpected hours available to paint and decided to not waste that time doing something useless like weeding or vacuuming or painting the Golden Gate Bridge (just your basic endless repetitive chore). I worked on the commissioned oil painting, 6×18″ for my friend/customer to fit between 2 other fruit paintings in her […]
Feeling Fruity Around Here
Feeling fruity around here lately. A month or 2 ago, I painted this to decorate a banquet for a citrus marketing outfit. A friend who has bought more of my paintings than anyone else saw this. She said, “If it doesn’t sell at the event, I want it!” I took the painting to her, and […]
The Business of Art: Notecards
Through the years I have designed, printed and sold hundreds, nay, THOUSANDS of little cards. “Notecards”, as I refer to them, are perfect to say “thank you”, “hi”, “just one more thing”, “I appreciate you”, or even “I’m sorry”. If you write real big, you can get by with just one sentence. Designs come and […]
Bright Fruit and Sequoia Trees on the Easels
After a chunk of time away from the easels, I was very happy to return. First I got to finish the fruit painting that will be a gift. (I will be GIVING it, not “gifting” it.) I started this quite awhile ago, working from a photo shared with me by one of my drawing students. […]
Distracted Drawing
Because I teach people how to draw, it is prudent for me to keep in practice. I have no commissions right now, so this means I can draw whatever I want. I began a drawing that was full of challenges, showing my students that I follow the same steps that I teach them. Then I […]
Library of My Youth, Chapter 4
Today I will show you what I submitted for the 2nd mural on the Ivanhoe Library. For review, here is what the selection committee provided. Here is what I submitted for this entry way. Here is my explanation. “Mural B shows 2 Valley Oaks, quercus lobata, which is the largest American oak, native to Tulare […]