SEA OATS BARN
oil
6" x 8"

Field study and finished painting. Yellow backhoe was there originally, then moved while I was painting. Added it later from photo reference and reworked entire painting. Whatever it takes to make a painting work. Like the way the sun hit the yellow backhoe and went through the barn boards inside the doorway. The interior window was a mirror inside the building. I turned it into a window to give the scene more depth.

DOC'S ISLAND
oil
6" x 8"

Painted on Doc's Island near Punta Gorda, FL with the VAC plein air group. A lot more paintings will come from this place.

CANNA LILY
oil
10" x 8"

NICK
oil
8" x 6"

PELICAN
oil
30" x 40"

WOOOHOOO!

My PELICAN painting won first place last night at the Firecracker exhibit, Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL! That's Michele Valencourt, Exec. Director handing me the ribbon. The exhibit will be on until July 9.

COOLING OFF
oil
9" x 12"
SOLD

My entry into the PaintAmerica, national parks competition. This view is from Desoto National Memorial Park, Bradenton, Fl.
JURIED INTO 2nd 50Mini!

SEA OATS NURSERY
oil
8" x 6"

PALOMA

oil

7" x 5"

Painted from model during the Punta Gorda Visual Arts Center Portrait Studio. Great group of artists meet every Thursday morning. What an inspiration!

MANATEE RISING
oil
10"x8"

View across the canal from the Nav-a-gator near Punta Gorda, FL. A manatee was sleeping in the water below the spot where I painted. It rose for air about once or twice an hour, sometimes top up and sometimes belly up. The water is brown with tannin from the mangrove roots, that's why the manatee appeared to be brownish instead of gray.

This is a pochade (sketch) done in three hours. Scene was too complicated to complete on the spot. Finished it in the studio. I've included both versions here. Originally, I left out the third house in the background, put it in later and happy with the result. Think it gives scene more depth.

THE MET, SARASOTA
7" x 5"
oil

This painting won a merit award at the Venice Art Center Spring Exhibit! Spent a weekend across from this building during an art festival. Noticed the pink sky and lighting at dawn while setting up my show booth. Half from memory (was too dark to paint) and half plein air sketches during the day.

NICOLE
10" x 8"
oil

Morning sketch at Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, Portrait Studio. Great model!

KEMPSON PARK
8" x 10"
oil on canvas

Painted this view of Sarasota Harbor from a spot near the Sailing Center. Will use it for color reference and do larger painting from it. Took photo reference of tiny sailboats weaving back and forth in front of this scene. Also pelicans diving for fish.

FISHSELLER'S PLACE
4" x 6"
oil

Postcard painting during demo at Julia's Arts, Matlacha, FL. Not many crabs, fish, or shrimp right now. Fishermen set up a clothesline and were selling Rasta hats and bags. Also parked a truck in lot which blocked out most of the view. Plein air painting has its challenges. It's a lot like fishing, every once in a while you catch a big one... but most are tossed back.

BAYSHORE AND MAIN
oil
8"x10"

Painted on the spot along with the Visual Arts Center Plein Air group, Punta Gorda. This location is across from Bayshore Park on the Port Charlotte side of the harbor.
Visit the Plein Air Group Show at the Visual Arts Center until May 28.
http://www.vacpleinair.webs.com/
http://www.visualartcenter.org

PUNTA GORDA MORNING
oil
8x10

Painted on location across from Gilcrest Park in Punta Gorda, Florida. Fine morning with the Visual Arts Center Plein Air painters. Pleased with this one, fine feeling to finish one on the spot. Just highlighted the royal palms and signed it later.
Tomorrow, painting on Dearborn Street for the Plein Air Paintout, Englewood, Florida. Paintings will be on display until the end of the month at the Englewood Art Center. SOLD

PONY RIDER
oil on linen
5" x 7"

Portraits are challenging but also the most fun. Have been researching palettes used by famous portrait artists of history. There are so many different recipes for mixing flesh tones! I'm happy using yellow ochre, cadmium yellow medium, alizarin crimson, burnt umber, ultramarine blue, black, white, burnt sienna, raw sienna, cadmium red light, and (who knew?) viridian green to tone things down! Colors are like musical notes... permanent rose and cerulean blue helped bring out the highlights in the purple ribbon.SOLD

JANA IN BOILED WOOL JACKET
oil on linen
8" x 10"

An old snapshot of Jana wearing a sweater I knit years ago fell out of a book. No one knows who took the photo and Jana doesn't remember where it was taken. Couldn't resist painting it. Progression shows pennies holding wet canvas off my scanner. Still some glare from wet paint in turtle neck... it's really darker. Difficult to do a portrait in such a tiny size. This one deserves to be painted again but much larger. SOLD

NOAH2
oil on linen
7" x 5"

SOLD

NOAH
oil on linen
7" x 5"

SOLD

ANNA
oil on linen
7" x 5"

First painting for 2009. Anna last summer at the Grand Canyon, painted from a snapshot. SOLD