fruit and flowers on bird cloth

fruit and flowers on bird cloth
Acrylic on canvas Size: 36 x 48

Detail

Hawaii

Recently back from my families first vacation to Hawaii. I probably should have done more work while I was away, but instead spent the time snorkeling with my family and enjoying the cocktails.

Only later did I start to think about some of the wonderful flora and fauna Hawaii offered, some of the orchids were really fantastic! This painting was worked on back at the studio, but the over-sized exotic bouquet was originally photographed in a cafe that we lunched in twice. I just loved the expanse of foliage beneath the flowers.

I used local fruits to fill out the composition including the Noni fruit, which is a pretty awful tasting fruit, but there are many health claims to it.

The Hawaiian arrangement

Acrylic on board size: 48X28

Detail of Noni fruit

Anyway, it all made for a great painting and I have subsequently wished I'd spent some time gathering reference materials and paintings while on vacation. Perhaps next time?

a couple of recent paintings

Here are a couple of paintings from recent weeks. Currently working on a couple of oil paintings; it's been so long since I've done a oil of a still life I feel like I've forgotten how! (results of my efforts soon)

tulips and limes on painted box
Acrylic on board size: 36x24

Iris with Papaya and Lemons
Acrylic on board size: 48X24

fixing and adjusting

It's been a few days of fixing and readjusting. One painting came back from a gallery with minor damage to a corner, so I restored this to it's former glory.

Lily and fruit on red cloth (after repair) Size: 18X36

I also took the opportunity to adjust the another painting that had been hanging for a number of months in the gallery.

BEFORE - tall Iris in green jug Size: 42.5X24

As an artist I try not to revisit works, especially if they're varnished and out the door; but this one (to me) just felt a little too colorful. I realized I wanted to tone it back a little, so I took the time to remove varnish and adjust to something that made me happier...

AFTER - tall Iris in green jug Size: 42.5X24

DETAIL - Showing irregular texture in the paintings ground, (heavy impasto brush strokes and sand)

...However, since I was adjusting that piece, I thought I may as well alter another.

BEFORE - Peonies in purple vase with Lemons Size: 24X36

I really liked this painting but had felt perhaps I had painted a background that was a little too strong. If I chose a more subtle backdrop color it would really make the Peonies flowers flourish. So again I stripped away the varnish and then made this singular background change.

AFTER - Peonies in purple vase with Lemons Size: 24X36

...So I'm done adjusting, and have some other new works nearing completion.

The sad loss of a dear friend.

With a heavy heart I have to report on the sad loss of a dear friend. Yes my long term partner in the creation of my painting is nearing it's death....


...That's right, my faithful watercolor pencil is nearing it's end (yes, that's a pun). You see my watercolor pencil out lasts most things, a loose sketch at the beginning of each painting, steers me right before any fumbles or incorrect placement are made. Allowing me to paint with greater confidence and vigor.

A watercolor pencil, so as I begin to work it's marks wash away or disappear beneath layers of paint. The lightest of touches and the smallest of marks has meant this dear friend has seen more paintings than many other materials; the used brushes blunted to stubs, the tubes of paint (too many to count) all have gone, but my ever faithful pencil endured and kept working until the very end...

Rest in peace little pencil.

Probably the final painting for this poor pencil.

...Still on a brighter note I have a brand new pencil ready to go, so who cares! ;-)

Dragon/fish patterned cloth

Been painting these nice Rhododendron on this fantastic patterned table cloth. Though in both paintings I did find myself fiddling rather with the tablecloth design, trying to find the right level of complexity and correct amount of contrast within the design, without being overpowering.

Rhododendron, mangos and limes on dragon/fish cloth
24X18 Acrylic on board

Rhododendron and fruit on dragon/fish cloth
24X36 Acrylic on board

A recent commission

This commission was finished recently. The planned painting was 40X55, painted on canvas.

Originally I supplied a few color plans, to guidelines supplied by the collector (the Dieters), the image below was thier chosen color design.

The Dieters had specific colors in mind for the work, because they wanted it to take pride and place in a new room extension of their home.

The painting after initial lines are marked out and some under painting.

Usually I paint the flower foliage pretty early on, but in this case it came later. A key reason for this was the Dieters had requested some 'color magic'. They'd chosen a color plan with primarily cool colors, however they were concerned the final painting shouldn't be too cold. In short, they wanted it to be a warm, cool colored painting - no small task. For that reason I established the correct major background tones first and when I came to the greens of the foliage I took special care to keep them in the right ranges. I also used a lot of the warm under painting, allowing it to poke through. All of these things helped warm the painting up.

The final painting.

This weekend I finally met the Dieter family at Gallery i fine art (Monterey, CA) and they saw the painting for the first time. They loved it, (always good)!