Sometimes, instead of going to Mineral King, I stay home and paint it. Sounds stupid, but it is my business. My mission is to represent, portray and show off the beauty of Tulare County. As a studio painter, it helps me to be in the studio. If I painted plein air, I’d be at work […]
Troubled Artist Over Bridge
This is the first version of the Buckeye Bridge. It was hard to paint – combining several photos to get the best of each, dealing with water, trying to get all those browns and greens, grays and a little blue to look like something beautiful. . . It looks better now. I added a tree, […]
So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye
One of the categories of paintings is Do-overs. This usually means that I look at a painting that hasn’t sold and try to figure out what it is lacking. The usual answer is that it needs brighter colors and more contrast. Sometimes the answer is to add more detail and precision. Sometimes the answer is […]
More Opening Weekend in Mineral King
Mineral King was overcast, cold, rainy and foggy on opening weekend this year. Guess it makes sense to get March in May since we had May in March. What’s a Central California artist to do? How about read, knit and discuss colors? I said blue, Michael said purple, and neighbor Annie said purplish blue. (Discussing the […]
Tulare County Beauty
As a Central California artist in Tulare County, it is my mission, goal and duty to portray the beauty of this place I live. Yesterday I showed you oil paintings as examples of the various subjects I paint that fall into a category I call “Because People Like It”. However, I didn’t show you my latest […]
Painting Subjects That Sell in Tulare County
If you want to earn your living as an artist, it is important to paint things that people want to buy. I think of these subjects as Because People Like It. In Tulare County, there are some stand-outs, and I try to keep them on hand in various sizes. Sequoia – the Big Trees, park […]
Sold Sunflowers
Remember I talked about painting things just because I love them? That is a different category than painting something because it sells. Sometimes, the things I paint for myself sell quickly. This is a mixed blessing – WAIT! I wanted that one! Oh. That’s right. I paint to sell things. It beats getting a job. […]
Sunflower Paintings
Today, let’s review sunflower oil paintings. I am painting them because they look happy. The category is Because I Want To. Painting happens in stages. These may now be finished, or may need a couple of touch ups before letting go. Go ahead, admit it – they make you feel ever so slightly happy when you […]
One Bridge, Two Paintings
After finishing the 6×6″ painting of the Buckeye Bridge AKA the Paradise Bridge, I studied it along with the 12×16″ version. Why was the 6×6″ more appealing? More contrast. Brighter colors. These are the usual reasons. Now, the larger painting has brighter colors. When it is dry, I’ll rescan it and then we can compare […]
One Bridge, Two Friends, Two Paintings
A few years ago, I was hiking with a friend. She wasn’t familiar with the foothills of Sequoia National Park, so I took her to see the Buckeye Bridge. She exclaimed, “Oh my, that is so beautiful! If you paint it, I will buy it!” Being a realist (both as an artist and in life), […]