La Santisima Trinidad

This 16x20 painting is of the church "La Santisima Trinidad" located in Arroyo Seco, NM.  I painted this larger version using the 12x16 version that I painted on location.

Kathryn Stats instructional dvd

Yesterday I watched Kathryn Stats' instructional dvd "Overview - Mountain Scenery".  During the six hour video she painted a scene of mountains just outside Zion National Park in Utah.  I am a big fan of her work, and it was interesting to watch the video.

SOLD "A Russian Night in Taos" show

I'm pleased to announce that the painting "Ghost Ranch at Dusk" was juried into the "A Russian Night in Taos" show at the Taos Art Museum in Taos, NM.

In addition, it was purchased by the Executive Director of the museum.  A portion of the proceeds benefits the museum, and I am very happy to support this wonderful, southwestern museum.  It's one of my favorite places in NM.

This is a studio painting created using one of my plein air, on location works as an inspiration.

16x20 oil Ghost Ranch At Dusk

Painting on location in Pilar, New Mexico

Painting on location in Pilar, New Mexico

View from above Pilar, New Mexico 11x14 oil plein air

Aspen Trees - final phase

Aspen Trees  24x18  oil

In the final pass over this painting, I toned down the darks, gave the foreground more definition, and gave some detail to the tree trunks.  I also softened the edges of the trees to show more leafy patterns.  I'm pleased with this final result!

Aspen Painting - second Phase

 

Here after the second phase, the second pass over the painting surface, you can see that I filled in the trees, putting in the shadows and giving them shape and color.   During this second pass I also did a bit of over-painting of the background to tone down the mountains and give them depth.   Depth is created when I let some of the first layer of paint and colors show through while placing a slightly different color on top of that layer.

Aspen painting - first phase

 

I've taken photos of my latest painting in progress and would like to share this with you so you can see the methods I use when I paint.  First, I used many reference photos to study aspens and then I drew my invented scene on the canvas using pencil.  Next, above, is the first layer of painting where I put down the big shapes. I painted the background behind the trees first since this will be darker than the trees themselves.  My first layer of paint is the darks of the painting and I will come back later and make some of them lighter.  

Juried into "Scope: the North Carolina Lanscape" show

I'm pleased to announce that "Carolina Marsh" has been juried into the annual, national "Scope: the North Carolina Landscape" show at Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, NC. The show was juried by Allie Pitcher, Curatorial Assistant, Taubman Museum of Art, Roanoke, VA.

Join us at the opening on June 3, 2011 6-9pm at Visual Art Exchange during the First Friday Gallery Walk event in Raleigh, NC!

Something completely different

This past Thanksgiving my family and I spent 3 nights on Ocean Isle Beach in the southern tip of the NC coast. One night I managed to time my arrival just right - so I could catch the last rays of light as the sun set. These photos are just waiting for a time in my life when I can paint a new series inspired by the Carolina Coast.

Taos Ranch

"Taos Ranch" 12x16 - painted en plein air in May 2010. This location is near the Millicent Rogers Museum looking north towards Taos Mountain.

Winter Scene, North of Taos

Winter Scene, North of Taos 11x14 oil

The 11x14 oil painting above "Winter Scene, North of Taos" is on display at the Cary Senior Center, Cary, NC in my soloeshow "A Passion for the Western Landscape". On display until January 30, 2011 - stop by and take a look at the 28 paintings on display! Many paintings are 50% off my retail price.

Hondo Valley, NM

This painting was created on location in the Hondo valley in New Mexico. It is one of the 28 paintings on exhibit in the Cary Senior Center, Cary, NC until January 30, 2011. The exhibit named "A Passion for the Western Landscape" consists of paintings based on locations in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, and Arizona.

In the Aspens

This is a 10x8 study of aspen trees with their Autumn colors. This is the first time I've painted aspens, and, like with all new subjects, it was a real learning experience. I've already blocked in a larger version of this painting, and with the larger version I have done more drawing, especially in the shapes of the trees. I do like how the spruce tree turned out in the painting above; it makes a nice accent.

new postcards for January show!

Rocky Mountain National Park

"study for Rocky Mountain Hike" 10x8  oil

As promised,  here is the study I painted from a series of photos taken in July 2010 when Russ, Brian and I were hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park.

"Rocky Mountain Hike" 20x16  oil on linen

And here is the larger painting based on the study.  I used the same palette of paint for both paintings - and the same brush!  Both were painted in one, long painting session each; the study on a Sat and the larger one the day after.  With the latest Zac Brown live cd blasting away!

I can't wait to frame both of these - they will hang side-by-side in my solo show in January; the show has the theme "A Passion for the Western Landscape".  And I think one of these will be on the show postcard.  hmm... which one?