Dutch iris are my favorite domestic flowers. I’ve painted them multiple times through the years. Recently, I pulled one out of Kaweah Arts because I thought of a way to make it better. After sprucing it up, I thought you might appreciate seeing all the changes on this painting through the years. First time Better […]
Quick and Cold
The other day I had to go to Visalia (AKA Big Town) for the morning. In the afternoon, there were pressing responsibilities on the computer (scan some things, email them to folks who had requested such things, try a few more adaptations to the cover of the book I am working on (as editor and […]
Selling While Acting Semi-Retired
You may have noticed that I have been lollygagging quite a bit this year. I remember my dad describing himself as “semi-retired” when he was the age I am now. I think that is beginning to describe me. Go for a walk, hang out with some friends, organize some stuff, do a freebie job at […]
Using Tech with a Pencil Drawing
When one of my drawing students or I finish a drawing, we often like to get it reproduced as prints, notecards, for a business card or a brochure, in a portfolio of work. . . so many potential uses! Back in the olden days, pencil was very difficult to reproduce either on a copy machine […]
Back to Buckling Down
Here is the afternoon’s painting session after a morning of exploring around Lake Kaweah. I’m easing into the production of Mineral King paintings, with the workshop doors open to the greenery, flowers, cats, and sounds of leaf blowers, chain saws, a distant donkey, and the occasional vehicle. March is a month full of distractions and […]
Just thinking about inspiration
People love to ask artists what inspires them. This is kind of annoying, because generally speaking, artists just love to make their art, not sit around contemplating the reasons. An artist who helped me get going in oils said that what inspired him were the bills in his PO box. I’ve occasionally pondered the question […]
Planning Session for Summer Selling Season
Deciding what to paint for the Silver City Store this coming summer felt like a daunting task. There is no excuse for procrastination, and the better I plan, the better the sales. So, suck it up, Buttercup. The first step in planning is to look at the available Mineral King paintings. (For my out-of-the-area readers, […]
Finally Painting Sequoias Again
After a couple of weeks of messing around, I finally planted my feet in front of the easels to complete these three Sequoia paintings. First, I dabbled on this one day, and then said, “Never mind, I’d rather [walk] [pull weeds] [go to the library] [anything else]”. I girded my loins, and returned to the […]
Thoughts on Internship
My Intern Today I am painting, progressing on the mural on the Ivanhoe library. I am writing this post before I have painted today, thinking ahead. Each day I work on the mural, there are multiple decisions to make. In the past, when I’d get a little stuck, I’d pick a somewhat mindless task, such […]
Oil Paintings on the Move
Sales were slow this December. Actually, sales of oil paintings were slow all fall, beginning with the show in Tulare called “Around Here”, where no paintings and six pencil drawings sold. However, during the fall season, a few paintings did move. These first two sold through Kaweah Arts, located in The Dome in Three Rivers. […]