Mike Rooney Studios- Painting a Day

$40-Figure Study-10"x16"

2012-02-02T09:46:00.000-05:00

on gessoed panel

$40 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

8x8-Stock Island Triad-$100

2012-01-31T15:23:00.002-05:00

$100 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

$75-A Corner in the Keys-8x8

2012-01-30T15:06:00.002-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

ever have a painting that you love when you get it into the studio from out in the field, and then murder it working on it "just a little more"?

thats what i did on this one. i was very fond of it till i played with it a little too long one evening from memory. when i was done, the more i looked at it the more i hated it. what went wrong? just a few hours before it was a keeper and now i want to scrape it all off and re-gesso the board.

i decided to let it dry, tape some clear plastic over half of it, and repainted the big shapes on the plastic. this time darker on the trees, and lighter and cleaner color on the boats in shadow, and darkening the reflections in the water. you see my hand there on the right? i'm pulling back (from left to right) the plastic. see the darker trees and shadows. when i stood back, it made a huge difference in the painting.

putting on the plastic and painting on it lets you try out things without trashing the painting underneath. if you dont like whats on the plastic, wipe it off and try something else. when you have something you like, duplicate that on the original painting.

what i was doing mucking around in the studio was lightening (and cooling) the trees and reflection without realizing it.inadvertantly lessening the contrast to 1/3 of the painting and changing the relationship between shapes in the area of contrast, color, and temperature is not what you want happening if you have any hope of a decent painting.

easy explanation? stuff was out of whack! i'll post it when i've got everything fixed. if i dont kill it that is :D

$75-Red Doors-6x8

2012-01-27T17:54:00.002-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

while i'm standing painting these paintings the Conch Train is always going by giving the tourists the history of key west. its the key west version of the charleston carriage rides.

as i was doing this cool two story house with red doors, the conch train goes by. he says "see that building with the red doors? that used to be the roughest bar in florida. when you went in, back then, they'd ask you, 'Do you have a gun? you'd answer no and they'd give you one!"

i always wonder how much is true of what these guys say but that one just sounds too incredible to be true doesnt it?

SOLD- a 7x9 commission piece for the new owner of this cool house on the corner of fleming st.

$75-Lobster Boat and Traps-6x8

2012-01-26T16:28:00.001-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

used a number six bright on the whole thing except the thinnest of lines in the outriggers and lines in the traps.when you do this you learn how to put it down fast and chunky. and you figure out how to make small marks with just the tip of a corner. its a very good brushwork exercise.

Angela St. View-SOLD

2012-01-25T18:08:00.000-05:00

6x8

i'm always drawn to this view to paint year after year. the pinkish house on the right that sticks out over the sidewalk, the light on the yellow building and the conch houses and bouganvillea at the end of the block are all super cool to me. in this one i tried to make every shape a different color. sorta like doing a color study but there's tons more to look at. i just take one big shape at a time to keep from getting overwhelmed. there are conch train tours, scooters, sightseers, and bicycles going past me every minute too, adding to the challenge.

Figure Study 1/24-SOLD

2012-01-24T16:42:00.000-05:00

9.5x9.5-$30

hooray! life drawing sessions have started back up and i've been looking forward to painting the figure for months. we have about 8 or 9 regulars who show up with everything from pastel, to gouache, to ink, charcoal, and today there was another oil painter besides me. these classes are fantastic for working on your chops drawing and quickly laying down color. they hold the pose for only 30 minutes so ya gotta be quick and decisive. figure studies really help my painting, whether its plein air or still life. they say if you can draw the figure, you can draw anything.

$75-Stock Island Docks-6x8

2012-01-22T17:51:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Behind KW Bait and Tackle-8x10

Aquablue-16x20

Diane's Bouquet-10x8

Fleming St. Corner-8x10

$75-Blue Shadowed House-6x8

2012-01-21T16:44:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

$125-Crystal Blue Persuasion-8x8

2012-01-19T14:17:00.001-05:00

$125 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

just so you dont think all i do is paint and dont have any other kind of fun, i posted this pic of a fun night of playing ukelele at the reknowned green parrot bar in key west (almost as famous as sloppy joe's).they have a uke group that meets monthly for a jam session and you can get on stage and be a rock star (was tiny tim a rock star?) for a night. at least i can scratch "play a musical instrument in front of an audience" off my bucket list. its a really cool happening because about 30 people show up with every kind of uke imaginable and you take turns on stage.and even when youre not near a mic, youre out in the crowd playing, so its like surround sound uke music. the folks not playing are singing along, dancing, and its a real hoot. cant wait to do it again next month.

$75-Side View-6x8

2012-01-18T23:54:00.002-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

$75-Seven Mile Bridge-6x8

2012-01-17T00:10:00.001-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

went over to pidgeon key for this one. you leave marathon and walk (or ride your bike) on this bridge over there. it really looks like your own private deserted island. there are the coolest huts and houses over there. i will definately be going back with some bigger canvases.

On the one above i had about 20 minutes before sundown (and a two mile ride back across the bridge) no time for thinking on this one. just sketch quickly and throw quick color in. why is it every time you work super quick, they look so cool? i like this one!

Truman Street in the Morning-8x10
email for price and availability

Pidgeon Key Front Yard-8x10

email for price and availability

this was one of the houses over there on pidgeon key. how cool right?

$75-Overcast Harmony-6x8

2012-01-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Shotgun House-SOLD

2012-01-14T21:48:00.003-05:00

5x6

well it happened again. everytime i'm in key west painting plein air i'm mistaken for a homeless guy! its because here, anybody scruffy looking, riding a bike with all kinds of crap in the front basket and/or having a backpack is homeless. guess what thats me. all my painting stuff is in the basket and i'm loaded like a pack mule with a backpack. paint all over me, beard and hairs getting shaggy (the wife's in NC, no need to snazz up) All i do is paint, paint, paint and backpack painting on a bike is the best way to get around town, and the side streets. anybody that plein air paints knows you tend to look scruffy on a good day after painting a few in 80 degree heat.

so i'm at the convenient store getting lunch today, and as i reach for my wallet in my backpack the lady says "sorry! we dont take food stamps here". i'm like... "i dont have food stamps, i've got a job" OH she says, surprised looking!

honest mistake, i think to myself snacking on a jamaican pie out on the curb with the roosters and chickens. the way painting sales have been the past few years, i would probably qualify for food stamps! :D

$75-Overcast Arrangement-7x9

2012-01-13T11:41:00.001-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Goya Bouquet-12x16

contact me for price and availability

this is knifed and brushed, bigger, tighter and took longer. the key to my excitement about painting is that i dont paint the same way every day. one day i'm using bold bright colors and brush strokes, the next i'm toying with subtle tighter color and strokes. i tend to get bored easily so i shake it up all the time. if you paint for a living, it could keep you from feeling like you have a real job (God forbid)

Near Whitehead St.-SOLD

2012-01-12T16:21:00.001-05:00

7x9

$75-Pink and Lavendar Morning-6x8

2012-01-10T19:30:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Stock Island Contre Jour- 8x10

email me for price and availability

Conch Republic Two Story-SOLD

2012-01-09T20:27:00.000-05:00

6x6

$75-Lavendar and Awnings

2012-01-08T23:34:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

rene and i during a one-on-one plein air class

after simplifying the scene i showed rene how to block in the scene quickly using blue for the shadows and yellow ochre for the light shapes. then we added the real colors where they went. he was having a ball as you can see from that big smile on his face and his painting came out great!

$75 Caroline St. Sunshine-5x7

2012-01-06T19:22:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Fort Zach View-SOLD

2012-01-04T22:26:00.000-05:00

6x8

$75-Near Fleming St.-5x7

2012-01-03T22:10:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

South Florida Abode-SOLD

2012-01-03T01:08:00.000-05:00

6x6

Corner Glow- SOLD

2011-12-29T21:10:00.002-05:00

how can you not love a cute little conch house with a bouganvillea bush out front in the midday florida sunshine?

on this one i started out the underpainting with different values of pinkish-orange and then quickly putting somewhat close colors down. only then do i go back and color correct and look for subtle temperature shifts. a little pinker here, a little more yellow ochre there. an example is on the shadow in front of the house. look at how its grayer-blue on the sidewalk part to the left, and a little more purple where the bush is casting a shadow. the value is identical but not the color temperature.

this is the point in the painting where it gets super fun.

Shaver and Petronia St.- SOLD

2011-12-28T16:11:00.000-05:00

today was my first day out on the streets since i got to key west on the 26th. to me its like coming home. i love the energy and art culture here, not to mention temps in the 80's and turquoise waters. have a three day knife painting class starting up next week so you might see me working on my chops with knife painting dailies.

$75-Barn in Overcast Light

2011-12-25T00:34:00.002-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

this may be the last post till i get to key west in a few days. ive got two eight hour days of driving planned. this year i painted all thru the holiday and will hit the ground running in the keys. last year i took a few days off and then the drive (another two days of not painting) and i felt really out of practice when i did arrive. not this year. i'm really excited about setting up and doing some palm trees!

$75-Orange Distortion-8x6

2011-12-22T22:40:00.000-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

New River Inboard-SOLD

2011-12-21T13:52:00.000-05:00

6x8

On Shore Dr.-6x8-SOLD

2011-12-19T23:59:00.001-05:00

Beaufort Grocery-16x20-SOLD

2011-12-14T13:27:00.002-05:00

a local fave eatery in beaufort, n.c.

had a close call on painting this one yesterday. i was studying the best angle to paint this one on the other side of the street on the curb. i was so distracted that i stepped off the curb right into the path of a car. she slammed on brakes and i missed getting run over by a few inches. i'm glad she was paying attention because i sure wasnt! Whew... that was close! wasnt my time right?

here's a thought i had. if i had got run over yesterday and God forbid didnt make it, i wonder if my paintings would be worth more today? hmmmm

with it being winter i had to use some artistic license to make it look like warmer and "leafier" times

$75-Country Crossroads

2011-12-12T15:26:00.003-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

today i'm working on commissioned paintings that will be gifts for the holidays and getting things together to head to key west in a few weeks.

i love to read about how other painters days break down so i thought some of you guys might like to know what mine might look like.

my days usually break down into two types of days. one where its sunny and one where its cloudy/rainy and/or too cold to go outside and paint.

here's the cloudy day description:

get up, sit at the convenient store drinking coffee and looking at the all important dayplanner. i make a list of things i need to do that day and being a list guy i rank them in order of importance. i dont like painting in the morning, so i do alot of the marketing type stuff then, answering emails, doing painting inventory to keep up with what paintings are in what galleries, blogging a daily painting, checking my online galleries, making and anwering phone calls, and handling workshop details for later in the year. there is soooo much logistically that goes into booking and following thru on a workshop. hours and hours of emails, mailing contracts back and forth, calls, etc. i review upcoming gallery shows i'm committed to and other painting deadlines like commissions. i like to do all my nonpainting stuff till just after lunch. also run errands that i didnt have time to get to (when i was out in the field painting too much). then i start combing the web looking at blogs. reading up on painting, and looking at the paintings of painters i like. this is really important because it seems like this gets my mind around painting and i feel the inspiration creeping in slowly. then i turn on court tv shows and crank up the lighting at the easel. painting isnt about inspiration as much as treating the act like any other job that has to be done. if i waited to "want" to paint it wouldnt happen in the studio too much. sunny days tho' i'm itching to get outside and paint. following a routine helps get me going inside. i'll usually work on a small daily painting while i'm making and returning phone calls, go get some dinner and then dive into the bigger paintings after dinner while i listen to the prime time tv shows. occassionally i listen to some reggae while i paint once in a while. around 10 i start winding down the easel. check emails again and then watch the news and nighty night after midnight.

Lesson and Workshop News

if you're heading down to key west to warm up this winter and would like some private lessons drop me an email and we'll get something down on the calendar. i can work with you on basic painting, drawing, plein air painting, and knife painting lessons (and more) or whatever you'd like to cover. whether youre a beginner, or an experienced painter who wants to sharpen your skills, i'd love to work with you.

Marsh Pattern-5x6-$50

2011-12-10T14:16:00.002-05:00

$50 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

this is a reworked painting that i did at rock harbor last year on cape cod. i liked certain parts of it, but there were some things i didnt care for too. so i reworked the colors and composition a bit.

originally it had some rocks in it and the colors were muted. i used a razor knife and cropped the distracting rocks out and punched up the colors.

Fall Sentinel-8x8-$75

2011-12-09T17:56:00.004-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Winterville Two Story-7x9-SOLD

2011-12-08T21:09:00.005-05:00

Another of the super size 7x9's for a 6x8 price!!

Capt. Charlies Glimmer-6x8-$75

2011-12-03T20:52:00.004-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h

to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

today was day two of my atlanta workshop at Binders art store.

seeing the beautiful light on these atlanta skyscapers has been a real treat for this flatlander, beachbum!

kept this painting very edited and colorful, just trying out a different color harmony than on previous paintings of this fave motif of mine.

A Bottle of Medium-8x5-$75

2011-12-01T13:36:00.004-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

a knife painting of a bottle of liquin i threw up on the still life stand this morning. i used the cape school underpainting method, a great way to punch up the color a bit too. these are exercises in practicing to see color and to show different planes and turn the form with color changes and not just with value changes (like a tonalist might do). a more sophisticated block study, if you will. i try to remember in these daily paintings that painting is more about seeing than it is technique.

Dannys House-8x10

2011-11-30T16:26:00.003-05:00

this one's from 2009

Dannys House-8x10

Have you ever wished you had gotten one of my paintings back in 2009 when they were in this price range but didnt? Here's your chance to get this painting for what it sold for back in 2009

$200 and free shipping
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Study #112711a-7x9-SOLD

2011-11-28T16:30:00.003-05:00

$75

Color Sketch #112711-7x9-$75

2011-11-27T20:54:00.003-05:00

If you noticed, this study is 7x9 for $75, a full inch top and bottom bigger than my 6x8's that sell for this same price. my idea of coping with this stubborn economy and sagging sales is to offer a bigger canvas for the same price as a smaller one. this is the exact opposite of the grocery store where they give themselves a raise by selling you a smaller package at the same price.

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

This was done the other afternoon in swansboro nc. the light was silvery, caused by high thin clouds. what caught my eye was the shine on the water off in the distance. i like the bright, cool color harmonies that this light key has. if you can match the color notes and make them relate to each other on the canvas the way they do in reality, you will have caught the "truth" of it.

NC Treat-6x6-SOLD

2011-11-23T21:10:00.003-05:00

on dec. 7th i'll be doing a demo at City Art Gallery in Greenville, NC from 6-8. come by and check out how i start a painting and tho' i wont probably finish it, you'll get an insight into how i go about a painting.

this little gem below would make a great holiday gift for that pepsi and nab lover in your family.

this is a favorite snack for us carolinians. we call these cheese crackers "nabs". i guess because they original crackers were from Nabisco, nabs for short.

Inside Job-5x6-$49

2011-11-22T22:09:00.003-05:00

Wouldnt these little fruit and glass still lifes be a great gift for that friend of yours for their kitchen walls. Framers have scrap they can make frames for on these mini's for $10 or $15.

$49 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Waterfront Pair-6x8-SOLD

2011-11-21T21:53:00.004-05:00

just got some phalo blue and wanted to play around with it and i did a color chart to see what each of the colors on my palette would look like when mixed with it. the colors on my palette are across the top and down the side. where the down column intersects with the horizontal columns is what the two make when mixed. the darker colors i added a strip of white across the darker colors so i could see what the real color is. where two columns the same color i mixed white to make it very pale. this is good to do every now and then to remind yourself just how many different colors you can make with your palette of pigments. dont always paint, making the same mixes. shake it up a little!

here i was playing with burnt sienna (its not on my plein air palette but i'm thinking of adding it to my expanded studio palette) and phalo blue. the burnt sienna is a dirty warm red and makes great warm and cool grays when mixed with phalo blue. i love those blue grays with more and more white in em.

Clear Glass and Lime-8x6-$75

2011-11-19T21:15:00.005-05:00

Email me if you'd like to purchase

White Isnt White-6x8-SOLD

2011-11-17T14:06:00.006-05:00

here i'm looking for color. trying to train the eye to see the least hint, then push it a little so that even white isnt white.

Hooray Beer!-8x6-SOLD

2011-11-16T23:42:00.003-05:00

wanted to fool with painting some glass so i threw up this brown glass and tried for thick, decisive stokes.

Sun from the Right-9x12

2011-11-15T14:20:00.002-05:00

if you like this one contact me for price and availability

a few items on a table out in my yard this morning. strove for big juicy, chunky, and broad-one color,one stroke application.

White on Yellow on Blue-6x6-$75

2011-11-14T10:37:00.005-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

really. i wasnt satisfied that it "dripped sunshine" so i went back over every shape with a purer color and bumped up the sunshine. i relied alot on my memory of the impression i had more on this revision, disregarding trying to imitate my study (the small one sitting on the revised 12x16) see below. i overemphasized how orangey-yellow the roofs looked when i was standing out there looking at them. then i really warmed up the sky as well as lightened it. then i made the water bluer and warmer too. if you really want to see the transformation from the first one i painted from the study go back to the original painting on the october 30th post and see it as it first appeared. huge difference!

trying to make it more about spots of color versus house. the smaller one screams house and then color, the larger screams color, then house.

hawthorne quote of the day- "See if you cant simply put down spots of color and let the results take care of themselves.....dont see so many little things-refuse to see details- you dont have to draw the whole town if you paint. Better put it down so that it sits in air than to make a better drawing without vitality..."

i changed this one to have more vitality and to sit in air better. even at the expense of windows and side trim! and guess what i discovered? it still looks like a house without them

orange and bowl in overcast-5x7-$75

2011-11-13T17:43:00.004-05:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

got home and unpacked, and then threw up a table outside with the orange and bowl on it.

a friend gave me the book Hawthorne on Painting and i want to start putting some quotes of his at the end of my posts for awhile. Hawthorne was the father of the cape cod school of painting and his wisdom will help anybody who paints (but will be of particular interest to those of us who love that technique). i want to remember these quotes so putting them on the blog will help me learn them.

todays quote from Hawthorne: Think of color instead of sand, think of color instead of clothes. color first and house after, not house first and color after.

Quite the Couple-12x16

2011-11-09T18:59:00.002-05:00

Old Menhaden Plant-12x16

this old fish processing plant is over in a remote part of beaufort. jimmy womble got us permission to paint on this private section of waterfront. the two red stacks are like fireplaces. both jimmy and i cant resist old beat up waterfront stuff. this and Last Light were painted on the same property the same day.

Menhaden plants were popular back in the day. there were two very large plants in beaufort alone. i know menhaden were also very popular out near the outer banks. i'll do some googleing and find out more about this fish and why they were popular.

Notice how i worked the red of the stacks into the grass and the left roofline, to integrate them into the painting. you want to work all the major colors into other places around the painting to make the colors in it harmonious.

Quiet Reflection-8x8-$150

2011-11-08T18:45:00.005-05:00

$150 with table easel at City Art Gallery

a better picture of Sentinels-24x30

at City Art Gallery

Last Light-12x16
if youre interested in this one contact me for price and availability

Island Houses at Capt Charlies-16x20

if youre interested in this one contact me for price and availability

Corner of the Boatyard-16x20

at City Art Gallery

all these have been done recently. i was getting busy as the colder weather told me that my days painting outside all day were about to end. the leaves are about to fall off the trees, the landscape is about to go gray, its getting darker earlier, not to mention colder daytime temps means itll soon be time to start brushing up on my palm trees :D

i'm teaching at Art of the Carolina's in raleigh thursday thru saturday and one of them is a knife painting class. here's a Free Art Lesson on knife painting i did for Jerrys. click here to go there and watch it.

The Sentinels-24x30

2011-11-07T18:34:00.004-05:00

i was working on a 24x30 knife painting demo a few posts back. here's the finished product still on the easel. you may want to go back and refresh your memory of what was going on. these big ones are fun with a big knife. click the image to get a big pic of it where you can see all the subtle color shifts in the big shapes. dont think there are any shapes with less than three different temps. even if it appears to be lit up by the sun it still has a very very light blue in it (ie. the whitish building on the far right)

workshop news

the Cape School Underpainting class i'm teaching at Art of the Carolina's has a few spots left. its next saturday in raleigh.

Doing a knife painting workshop in sunny key west this winter. see the right sidebar for a complete list of upcoming workshops

Workshop Wrap Up in Elizabeth City

2011-11-03T23:21:00.002-04:00

got a few hours off from teaching here in elizabeth city nc and here's how i spent it. painting Feed and Seed, an old purina feed store. i loved the way the sun was lighting up the buildings.

this week i taught a two day workshop on the basics of painting which included values, color mixing, and basic drawing mechanics. tonite i did a Paint Camp session where 20 folks all followed along with my demo. they sipped wine and had a great time, and even tho most of the class had never painted a thing before, they each walked out with a really nice floral painting.

elizabeth city is a wonderful place and has a very vibrant art community. who knows it may end up being an art mecca like asheville soon.

want to thank joe and caroline for their hospitality while i was in eliz. city. too. thanks y'all!

Dont Be Afraid

2011-10-31T00:27:00.001-04:00

the revised Against the Sun at Capt Charlies- 12x16

after looking at this one in the cold light of day i hated it. i figured it had to be a value problem so i did that little value study thats sitting on top of the painting. i looked thru a red piece of plastic and painted all the shapes the value it was on the 12x16 to find the problem.

then i did a new value study. these things are only 4"x6" or so. they only take a few minutes each. look how much better it looks when the roof is darker than the sky, when the foliage near the bright reflection on the water is darker and when the building is a bit darker. in the original the big roof ( with the chimneys) was too light and too warm.

i liked everything but the water still wasnt shining like i wanted it to. so i dropped the value of the sky, chimney shadows, and the foliage near the sparkle a little bit more. that did the trick. i saw in the value study that the roof, the water on the left side, and the grass in sun should be the same value. the chimney shadows and the foliage near the sparkle should be the same and the building should be darker than the roof and the grass.

now came the hard part. convincing myself to redo the whole painting. not one shape was right and even if some were, when i changed one it would change how all the rest related to each other.

so i took a deep breath, sighed and started scraping a 'finished' painting, and re-did the whole thing. the way i kept the edges from being to harsh (usually what happens when you have to repaint a near dry painting) was to paint past the edge both ways, and then back again, worked like a charm. every day i learn something new behind a wet brush. one sure way to get better is dont be afraid to do whatever it takes to make a better painting (there are far too many mediocre/bad ones out there already arent there?a good deal of em are mine) the other thing is-- put in lots of time in front of the easel. there arent any short cuts.

so the next time one of your paintings arent working if you think its a value problem do a couple of little value studies and see if thats it. then you'll know how to fix it.

Against the Sun at Capt Charlies-12x16

2011-10-30T00:28:00.003-04:00

if you'd like to purchase this one contact me for price and availability

Bald Head Paintings and WIP

2011-10-28T17:17:00.003-04:00

started a 24x30 from the 12x16 paintings i did called front row and all in a row. this is what the initial block-in looked like. thats the computer on the left with the prior paintings on the screen. blues, purples, and dark cool reds went on all the shadows and yellow, orange, and pink on the warm light shapes.
now i go in and put a color closer to the real thing down loosely and without any complementary colors that would gray the colors. vibrant and pure is the mantra at this stage. i'll post a pic of the finished painting when the sun comes out and i can get a decent pic of it.

Island Abodes Capt. Charlies-8x10

if youre interested in this please contact me for price and availability

Angel View-16x20

if you like this contact me for price and availability

these were done on bald head island during my recent residency over there. the 16x20 was done in two 1 1/2 hr sessions in 20 plus mile an hour winds coming off the water. i bent down to grab something and the easel went flying into the air and fell in the sand. ahhhh, the pleasures of plein air painting!

On Bald Head Island

2011-10-27T21:23:00.005-04:00

i'm over on bald head island as artist in residence for the week. this place is always amazing. i love painting over here. no cars are allowed and everybody gets around in golf carts. this is the northernmost part of the tropics. no kidding. that with bluebird skies and temps in the 70's is making for some great painting days. been doing a few 16x20's on site with big brushes and knives, and having fun with them. bigger paintings are getting easier and easier for me to keep "loose and accurate". forgot my camera so i cant get any photos of em but they'll be in woods gallery here on the island.

p.s.- i saw an article this week by a major paint manufacturer who confirmed that you can indeed paint oil paint over thin acrylic. i almost always scrub on yellow ochre acrylic before i get going with the oils. good to know that my paintings wont crack and fall off the canvas in a few years :D

Late Day on the Docks-6x6-$75

2011-10-24T22:08:00.002-04:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

felt so good to do a boat after working nonstop on the beach cottage series for the last several weeks. it had been so long since i'd been to the marina, i found out today that there were new owners. they had seen me there painting alot and gave me carte blanche to paint wherever and whenever i want.

until now i've always stayed clear of calling something a "series". i hate being locked down into something. really i follow that philosophy in my whole life. i dont like appointments, or routines, or series. but there is one benefit i'm finding in doing so many beach cottages. you gain an intimate knowledge of the subject matter. little nuances you find that would be missed blazing from one thing to another everyday. guess there's an upside to everything. well... except appointments :D

Chunks of Color-8x10

if you'd like to purchase contact me for price and availability

On a Bright Sunshiny Day-6x8-$75

2011-10-23T20:16:00.003-04:00

$75 plus $10 shipping

to purchase click the "buy now" button to pay with Paypal or credit card

Blue on Yellow on Orange-8x10
if you'd like to purchase contact me for price and availability

went on a painting binge today. went out this morning and painted almost all day up till dusk. i'll post as i touch em up. the one on top is from today and the other is from last weekend.

Up the Hill Port Clyde-9x12

2011-10-21T22:36:00.003-04:00

This is a painting from my port clyde maine painting trip in august. the gray house on the right in the background is a really cool B and B i stayed in called Ocean House. if you ever go to port clyde you gotta stay there. friendliest owners you could ever meet.

Since none of my galleries will take maine paintings i'll sell this one for $200 unframed. at 9x12 thats quite a bit of savings. click the buy now button below if you'd like to purchase it

Middle of the Island-6x6-$75

2011-10-20T21:02:00.003-04:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

on this one i scrubbed in (thinly) colors that were close as the underpainting, then i used thicker paint to make the "color corrections". i went for dark shadows and light lights for high contrast to show bright light. it came out as a pleasing set of shapes and colors that say beach cottages in the sunshine

Around 10th St,-12x16

2011-10-19T10:29:00.006-04:00

Workshop News

ive got a two day plein air workshop coming up in elizabeth city, nc november 1-2 and a Paint Camp the night of the 3rd. to sign up you can contact the sponsor (Natalie) at Arts of the Albemarle-(252) 338-6455 or http://www.artsaoa.com/

we'll cover the abc's of value, color mixing, and lots of at-the-easel instruction that will take your painting to a higher level

if you like this one please contact me for price and availability

revised bouy painting from yesterdays post

$49 plus $8 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

when i looked at it a day later, the dock color on the first one looked too light and warm. so i made up a cooler slightly darker color and put that on. it did two things. made the yellow look lighter and more intense (which is what it looked like in person). also made the rope show up better.

thats the purpose of doing these color studies! you always learn something about mixing color. what did i learn in this one? that making a dock color is tricky. you want the warmth that the wood has in sunlight but there's a real grayness to it. if its too saturated and warm it wont be the right "color spot" and look like weathered wood in sunlight. think i need some more of these 'block studies' to perfect my dock colors. theyre in alot of my paintings.

Pair of Buoys-5x6

2011-10-18T21:14:00.004-04:00

wanted to do some block studies today but wanted something with a little more form so i headed over to the docks and found these buoys.i wanted something that had a little more form than just a block of wood painted colors. so i went to the waterfront and found these buoys. the idea is to study the "color spots" and put them down to accurately paint the light key. the light key is whether its sunny, overcast, foggy, cloudy, or in the shade. when i did these it was slightly hazy with high thin clouds. when you first start you make the distinction between whats in the shadow and whats in the light. make sure everything in shadow is darker and cooler than anything in the light. study each plane change and try to put that color spot down. i do this by layering pure color into the shape until i match it with what i see, hoping the viewer can tell what the light key is

Green on White on Blue-12x16

2011-10-16T19:07:00.004-04:00

available at Spectrum Art and Jewelry

this ones from one of the beach roads in wrightsville beach. its knifed and juicy. my plan for many of these cottage paintings is to start doing them much larger

We Have a Winner

2011-10-15T19:19:00.002-04:00

a pic of the class during my demo

just wrapped up a two day painting workshop in wilmington sponsored by spectrum art and jewelry. then on friday i did a demo in the gallery of my cape technique. in the workshop we covered the importance of values, how to mix colors using red, yellow, blue and white. we had a morning class on drawing after i served everybody my world famous Bull Mosa. its like a mimosa except i use red bull instead of champagne. the afternoon of the last day everybody took their new found skills outside painting near the intercoastal, beach or beach cottages. the two days flew by!

well we have a winner in the free giveaway contest for my 1000th blogpost celebration. the winner is (drum roll please) gail mehann.

contact me gail with your address and i'll ship the painting to you. congrats!

here's how gail was chosen. i took everybodys name and put it on a slip of paper and put em in my hat. my wife reached in and voila! i was humbled by the huge number of people that entered, left messages, congratulations, and said they really wanted that painting. thanks to everybody who entered.

1000th Post on Blogger!

2011-10-11T13:13:00.003-04:00

Free Giveaway Today!

To celebrate my 1000th blog post i'm giving away this 11x14 painting "Three Sisters" to a lucky susbriber to the blog. To enter you have to be a suscriber. if youre not already a suscriber take a moment to become one by going to the right sidebar near the top and click.

once you are a suscriber (or if you already are one) send me an email saying you want to be entered in the giveaway. i'll put everbody's name in a hat and draw out the winner. the deadline to recieve your email will be this coming friday october 14th. i'll contact you by your email address if you win!

Three Sisters- 11x14

well! what a milestone! 1000 blog posts. that means if i had done one every single day that i would have done it for almost three years straight.

here's what i think i have gained by this experience of painting and blogging almost daily for this long.

the biggest thing was discipline. blogging as much as i do has kept me from getting lazy. there were lots of days i didnt want to blog or paint but having this "to do" on my list everyday took away the option to bag it. making it as a fulltime painter is all about work ethic.

ive also made mistakes on this blog. as they say anthing worth having is going to fraught with mistakes and missteps. one that i'm ashamed to say i did in my attempt to keep this blog "real" was a couple of winters ago to post a tirade about my DailyPainter Gallery customers. i made blanket statements about them always wanting these little mini paintings for next to nothing. i vented my frustration in a public forum and i apologize for that misstep. another big faux pas was when i chided folks for giving me unsolicited advice on my paintings. ive learned how to control my emotions on this blog. yes its my soap box and i CAN do it, but i SHOULDNT do it. lesson learned. thats what learning and growing is all about, i guess. as in this journey of painting, failure isnt failure unless you dont learn something from it.

so here's to 1000 more blog posts and i hope youre along for the ride with me!

Silvery Farm-6x8-SOLD

2011-10-09T12:46:00.004-04:00

the light was very silvery with high altitude clouds today. these chicken houses are a common scene around the inland counties of eastern nc.

Swansboro Corner-6x6-$75

2011-10-06T21:34:00.002-04:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Shapes Within Shapes-9x12

Late Evening on Island Dr.- 9x12

Cottage on Island Dr.-8x10

2011-10-05T21:16:00.005-04:00

now at Spectrum Art and Jewelry in wilmington

a knifed piece from the old cottage area of surf city

Workshop News

Next week is the two day workshop at spectrum art and jewelry in wilmington. its wednesday and thursday. contact me to sign up there are a couple of spots left.

We Three Kings-18x24

Now at Spectrum Art and Jewelry

this ones brushed. i think they've been feeling neglected this week! :D

demo #100411

2011-10-04T14:00:00.005-04:00

i'm selling the below study aid for $30. it will be helpful to students to see it in person, along with reading this blog post.

SOLD

to paint light convincingly you have to keep all shadows darker than anything in the light. if your paintings just arent working 9 times out of 10 its a value problem. either the light/dark design is weak or you have light family shapes creeping into the dark family shapes and visa versa. here i've mixed blue and a touch of orange to white to get five piles/values.
i take the medium gray pile and draw out the design and "mass in" the shadow family shapes.
then i use the other two values to differentiate the differences in values of the shadows. then i do the same for the light family.
here's the original plein air study as reference. i didnt like the roof or chimney on the brick house and the roof and shadow on the white house. the values on everything else were working i thought.

Now go back to the very top picture with three paintings across the top:

the first one on the top left i did with only two values of shadow family, and two values for the light family. the second was done with three values for each, with both familys sharing medium gray. the last one is translating all this into color and you can see that the reason i didnt like those shapes (roof, chimneys etc.) was because they were the wrong value.here's what had to be done according to the little value studies:

the shadow on the side of the white house needed to be lightened as did the mid tone side of the white house.

the roof of the white house had to be darkened

the chimney of the brick house and the roof had to be darkened

i also lightened the sky just a hair

i can now go back and correct these flaws on the original after working out the defects with these little 4x6 value studies.

so dont paint out those paintings that arent working if you like the composition, drawing and colors. work out the problems with little value paint sketches and correct the flaws on the big one. not only will you bring back a painting from the brink of death but you'll also learn an in"value"able lesson as a bonus.

Cottages in the Sun-9x12-SOLD

2011-10-03T13:29:00.004-04:00

another knife painting. this one from wrightsville beach.

Front Row-12x16-SOLD

2011-10-02T22:44:00.004-04:00

SOLD

wanted to fool around with a knife today and here's the result. pure clean color mixes are the result when knife painting. you mix right up on the shape. you scoop pure color up there, wipe the knife off and put some more pure color up there. no cloudy, muddy thinner on the brush that eventually ends up on the canvas. i did this cape school style-no yellow ochre wash, just draw the shapes, with some violet and liquin, put yellow, orange, or pink in the right value on the sun shapes, and blue, purple and violet on the shadow shapes. then color correct in phase 2, lose edges, and add three or four variations of color on the shapes. i also kept this painting very high key to get a bright sunny look.

Topsail Island September-16x20

2011-10-01T21:04:00.004-04:00

available at Spectrum Art and Jewelry

here's the finished product from yesterdays demo.

the light is gorgeous this time of year. the light is fuzzy and warm, with long shadows. its getting dark now just after 7 pm, so i can get out about 6 for these dreamy cottage "portraits".

16x20 Demo-nodp

2011-09-30T21:11:00.003-04:00

worked on a 16x20 today from yesterdays 5x7 so i thought i'd shoot some more shots as i work. i know i always love to see these step by step demo's on other painters blogs, so here we go

i put yellow ochre acrylic on the gessoed panel very thinly. then draw the shapes on with red/orange and liquin.

next i use a crappy/cheap bristle brush to scrub on the shadow shapes in cool colors, very loosely and trying to go over the line (both ways) for that blurry edge look i'm after on this big one.

here it is with all the shapes kinda close to the original study. i'll go back in and color correct each shape now that the whole canvas is covered and you can judge color better. remember that it doesnt matter a flip what the color looks like down on the mixing palette. the only thing that matters is how it looks up on the painting. so add whatever you need to get it 'more correct' by adding color into the shape. that is if its wet. if it has dried then you mix the 'more correct' color on the palette and paint it thicker, on top of the shape.

Remember-painting is a process of making each shape 'more right' in linear and logical steps.

on this large one i'm shooting for better edge treatment than i usually get when i work larger. dont seem to have that problem on smaller ones but when i do larger ones i make the edges too straight, too hard edged, and i lose that 'loose but accurate' look you hear me talk so much about. its that elusive quality, better yet, holy grail i search for on this painting journey of mine.

Topsail in September-5x7-$75

2011-09-29T21:36:00.005-04:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

the sun was finally out and the clouds cooperated on todays painting. the light was beautiful around 6 when i saw this scene and my goal was to continue to make a brushstroke, and leave it alone.

i cant believe it. this is post #991. that means in 9 more posts, i will have posted on my blog 1000 times. that's huge!

so to celebrate the 1000 milestone, i'm going to have a giveaway on that day. all you have to do to win is be a subscriber to my blog and send me your email address on that day. i'll giveaway the painting i do that day (and throw in the shipping too) to the lucky winner (i'll pick somebody's name out of a hat). so keep watching the blog so you'll know when to email me and if youre not a subscriber already why not go ahead and look on the right sidebar of my blog (near the top), click subscribe, and follow the directions. my paintings will go right to your mailbox.

Workshop News

I'll be having a two day plein air workshop in wilmington in october (date's on right sidebar), hosted by spectrum gallery. guaranteed to take your plein air painting to the next level. $200 for both days. contact nancy at Spectrum Gallery to sign up. there are only a few slots left i heard, so dont wait till the last minute, or you'll miss the boat.

View Down to Stage Harbor-6x8

2011-09-28T21:45:00.003-04:00

$99 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Just Off Duval-6x8

2011-09-27T13:02:00.005-04:00

here's the final product on yesterdays demo. since it was late last night when i did it, this morning i got up and applied the topcoat on the underpainting. since it was dry i didnt have to finesse the green over the red on the palms, and then i color corrected all the other shapes with a big brush to keep it loose.

Underpainting-nodp

2011-09-27T00:16:00.003-04:00

in todays post i'll show one way i like to underpaint. there are several ways in my toolbox. i know that alot of painters have one way that they like to start a painting, but i dont think you can have too many ways to do something. variety is the spice of life.

here we go

step one- lay in the shadow shapes with something in blue or purple OR something thats close to the original OR the complement of what will be going over top of it. for example, i laid down burnt sienna type color for trees which will ultimately be green. i'll let some of the red show thru in places to JaZz the green.

step two- put yellows, pinks, and oranges on all the light shapes

step three- really important when you put down a few shapes that will have its complement over it. i put the paper towel up there and without moving it at all i rub over it with my hand. dont smear it or you'll have a mess

look at all that wet gushy paint soaked up by the paper towel. now the panel is colored, relatively dry and ready for the top coat of the 'real' color on top of it. you can let this dry and paint the real color later, but 9 times out of 10 i push whatever color is needed into whats there to make the color i need, working wet into wet.

if ive got the real colors complement down i make sure that shape is very dry and i paint the 'real' color over it waaay thicker. that way the complementary color doesnt gray down the topcoat color. leave bits of the underpainting showing for some spark. i'm always thinking about what i want peeking out from under the topcoat when deciding what to put down on the underpainting shape.

On Commercial St.-8x10

2011-09-25T19:15:00.002-04:00

contact me to purchase

this larger piece was done from a small study i did standing on the streets of provincetown a few months ago. this has a very small amount of values in it. its a good idea to break out objects with differing colors and not with differing values. keep the darks and mids "welded" to each other with limited values for a good solid design. you can see this concept if you squint and see how the tree on the right ties to the background shape, which melds with the shadows of the side of the buildings on the left. makes for a solid design. colors are really insignificant after that's in place.

Foodies-5x7

2011-09-24T21:09:00.002-04:00

to purchase please contact me

another in the chef series. this one's an exercise in limited strokes of paint. put it down and dont touch it again. easier said than done. if you paint, you know how hard it is to leave a stroke alone dontcha? the more you push a stroke into the underpainting the less "sure" the stroke looks. the color de-intensifies every time you touch it. this surehandedness keeps the color pure. on this one i wanted to have a direct, painterly look.

revised Kitchen Full of Chefs-5x7

2011-09-24T11:06:00.003-04:00

today, i had a good friend suggest that i add some details to the face and boy were they right. adding some planes to the face really looks great compared to the first one i did (see below).thanks T!

Kitchen Full of Chefs-5x7

2011-09-22T15:06:00.002-04:00

to purchase please contact me

treating figures just as a series of correct values, and shapes is fun, and it also gets your mind off the scary fact that they are people, with hands and faces. then take the flame color and spread it around on planes that face it. voila, chefs cooking!

At the Chopping Block-7x5

2011-09-21T10:36:00.002-04:00

contact me about purchasing

i'm going to start on a chef series as a break from my larger landscapes. i like em 5x7 and want to play around with different aspects of figures and how i abstract the backgrounds. i want them to look somewhat like a kitchen background but in a dreamy way (without spelling it out) and complement the figure. trying to get all the emphasis on the chef.

September Reflection-5x7-$99

2011-09-19T21:49:00.002-04:00

$99 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Lobster House Port Clyde Maine-6x6-$99

2011-09-18T22:22:00.003-04:00

$99 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Port Clyde Morning-6x8-$99

2011-09-16T01:15:00.002-04:00

$99 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

Monhegan Ferry Harbor-6x6-SOLD

2011-09-14T23:08:00.003-04:00

this was the five oclock painting during my marathon painting day in maine. this is where the ferry to monhegan island comes in at port clyde and is beautiful at this time of day.

Demo Pc.

2011-09-12T21:23:00.003-04:00

Sheila's Pier-8x10

SOLD

this was a piece i did as a demo of my painting process for students in a workshop in delaware. i showed them on this one how to paint all the shadow shapes in purple or blue paint very thinly early on (color correcting later) and then how to paint the light shapes more thickly and in warmer (yellow and red) colors. then i showed them how to break big shapes into smaller shapes of different colors. i stressed that not much detail is needed for the viewer to know whats what in the painting.

i am finally at home in nc after weeks on the road. it'll feel good to sleep in my own bed tonite. i will unpack and tweak all my "daily" paintings ive been doing and start posting them in the days to come. had really lousy connectivity on the road and didnt post on the blog as much as i would have liked to.

This Seasons Last Painting from Cape Cod

2011-09-05T21:35:00.010-04:00

a commissioned 12x16 of Wychmere Harbor in Harwichport

Heading off cape tomorrow for points south. time to head home, but first to delaware for workshops during the week and one in fairfax va. saturday. if youre interested in either destination let me know. there are spots in both available and two of the three classes are plein air and one is a Paint Camp (for acrylic painters) done in a classroom. the cost is $100 and we go from 9-4.

Port Clyde Abode-6x6

2011-09-02T20:40:00.004-04:00

started around 1 pm

purchased by a collector in eastham mass.

did a series of paintings yesterday that started at 7 am in the morning and i painted one every few hours until just around sunset. did a total of five paintings of port clyde maine and i'll post em along with the time they were started. i'm starting out of order with this one that was just purchased today. the others will be on here soon

Cape Cod Morning- 12x16

this ones in the show Cape Scapes opening saturday (tomorrow night) at 5-7. if youre in orleans stop by Rowley Gallery on hwy. 6A and say hi.

Monhegan Workshop Wrap-Up

2011-09-01T20:44:00.003-04:00

well you think i died didnt you? well i didnt, ive been burning up the road. right now i'm in the mid-coast maine area teaching and painting and the cell/wi-fi coverage is really spotty ( and at times non-existant). well here's what ive been up to.

i drove up from cape cod on saturday just in time to get to maine in front of hurricane irene. didnt do a whole lot here but blow and cause big waves, and then we lost power for about 14 hours. but Monday ( the first of a three day workshop) thru Thursday was sunny and gorgeous. i fell in love with the maine coast. i know, i say that about every coast dont i? but its phenomenal and there are paintings everywhere. we painted in port clyde for two days and then i took the class to monhegan island on the third day. monhegan is one of the most visited and painted islands by artists anywhere. the rugged landscape and gritty little fish houses are backdropped with Manana island on one side and huge sheer cliffs down to the atlantic on the other side of the island. i saw a painting everytime i turned around. the six i had in the class did three paintings a piece that day and i could see they were listening to my advice to edit,edit, edit. move the brush very fast and make solid and rapid decisions. this is how you paint plein air fast and loose. it was a great day on monhegan and the captain of the ferry took us past the atlantic ocean side of the island with its majestic craggy 80 foot tall cliffs. it was breathtaking.
i'm planning another workshop there for sure. whether its a day or a week i'm not sure yet. you could paint for a month over there and not get bored!

note: i'd like to thank my friend chris (and scully) moses for their graciousness in letting me stay with them and being the tour guide of sorts for the port clyde/monhegan extravaganza. thanks chris!

Some New Ones for the Show Opening Saturday

2011-08-29T21:44:00.004-04:00

Bend in the Road-16x20

to purchase any of the new pieces headed to the Rowley Gallery show click here

click here to see aug. 17th painting called Breakwater View-8x10

and

here for aug. 18th post image of Morning Has Broken-8x10 (also in the show)

Slinging Paint Left and Right

2011-08-29T21:36:00.003-04:00

Morning Alley 8x10

Commercial St. Rooftops- 5x7
SOLD

Iconic P'Town-5x7

SOLD

Dyer and Bradford St.- 8x10

SOLD

And More

2011-08-29T21:10:00.004-04:00

From Corn Hill-6x8

Marsh View in Fog- 5x7

Summer Cottage- 16x20

Waterfront Dreams- 9x12

to purchase any of these paintings click here to contact Rowley Gallery in Orleans, Cape Cod Mass.

Upcoming show pcs

2011-08-29T21:03:00.002-04:00

Curve to the Bay-9x12
Dyer St- 8x10

Sheila's View-12x16

Slice of Light-8x10

to purchase any of these click here to contact Rowley Gallery

Old Red-5x7

2011-08-26T11:24:00.008-04:00

some small ones in the CapeScapes show opening next saturday at the Rowley Gallery, Orleans Cape Cod Mass.

Old Drawbridge- 6x8

sorry ive been so slack posting but as you'll see ive been soooo slammed trying to get a complete one man show painted in three weeks. the weathers been pretty good but it rained every other day the first week i was here. felt stressed not knowing what the days ahead held in store. plein air painting is so very weather dependant. i love cloudless days to paint on and we all know thats not that frequent.

hurricane irene is poised to hit most of the east coast so if youre reading this from coastal maine to wrightsville beach nc, batten down the hatches and get some supplies in case the power goes out. i went three days without power during Fran a few yrs back. also a good idea to fill up the bathtub in case the water plant is flooded and you dont have fresh water.

Subdued Skiffs-6x6-$75

2011-08-20T20:22:00.003-04:00

$75 plus $10 s/h
to purchase with PayPal or credit card click the "buy now" button below

here's another good example of a milky light key. soft-to-no-shadows and values pretty close together, with a blueish-violet light permeating everything.

Corn Hill Cottages- 16x20

recently purchased by N.I. from New York

just got back from doing a demonstration at my orleans gallery. took an 8x10 painting i did of some cottages with the water behind them (with robert and chris- my new painting buds) in Provincetown this morning, and painted one 16x20 from it, as i gave a running commentary on what i was doing to the half dozen or so in the audience.

we were lucky to get any painting done this morning as the clouds rolled in right at dawn when we got there. then they broke just in time to paint and then clouded back up right when we all finished. we are quite the sight, all of us toting huge backpacks full of painting gear down a street full of tourists. we look like those soldiers you see on tv when theyre headed off to afghanistan with packs on their backs as big as they are. we tromp around looking for something that catches our fancy and away we go. in p'town (the oldest continual art colony in the US) the people are are so used to seeing painting on the street that nobody even stops and says anything to you like they do everywhere else i paint. inevitably when they approach you and ask you what youre painting? you hear about some guys cousin or mother who painted such and such. all the while youre trying to maintain your concentration on the painting (but not appear rude) so you grunt at the appropriate times and they sooner or later mosey down the road. i used to put a pair of earplugs in my ears like i was listening to music and the plug end went into my pocket not even hooked up to anything. dont do that anymore. now i just hint to the chatty kathy bystander if theyre interested in purchasing the painting really cheap like $2000 or so?they usually get scared and scurry away as fast as possible. ahhhhh... peace and quiet again. now back to work on the canvas in front of me, as i wrestle it into submission.

House Sketch #0811-8x8-SOLD

2011-08-19T20:56:00.004-04:00

high thin clouds cause this one to have soft shadows and a coolish light key. sometime wish it was always sunny and cloudless but then i think, wow, that would get old after a while. the challenge is getting the overcast, milky, or downright gray days and making the painting believable. being true to temperatures in the color mixtures is the key. sensitivity to the chroma (saturation) is also key for nailing any lighting key. henry hensche and charles hawthorne from the cape cod school of art drilled this into their students. wish i had attended the school before it closed in the very early 90's. i had to get what i know about it from books and the internet.its cool that for a few weeks, i'm painting on the streets just yards sometimes from where they taught.

Morning Has Broken-8x10

2011-08-18T20:33:00.004-04:00

got the title from a cat stevens song. what a great early morning view of the harbor in chatham. the sun just an hour up in the sky. the lighting effect keeps everything soft and silohuetted.

i found this secluded spot while "crawling" around million dollar homes. there werent any "no parking" signs anywhere near here telling me just how local you gotta be to even find the place. i love catching that sparkle on the water. its made of white bent yellow, and pink, and orange with just a few straight out of the tube white dots for contrast. makes it glittery eh?

New One for the Upcoming Capescapes Show

2011-08-17T19:59:00.004-04:00

Breakwater View
8x10

here's a link to an article about last years show in Wicked Local. dont you love that name.

Port Clyde/Monhegan Island Maine Workshop

2011-08-15T08:16:00.003-04:00

This could be you! unless youre a guy and then you'd lose the floppy hat, blouse and chino's for something more masculine.

there's a spot left in my upcoming workshop in port clyde and monhegan island august 29-31. in this one i'll give lots of at- the- easel instruction as well as little teaching modules in the morning. something to chew on and improve your skills on the paintings you do the rest of the day. we'll probably all hang together after class too and talk shop. always a good time!
price is only $300 for all three days.
if youre interested drop me an email or call me at 919-920-9718 and get a spot.