Crabapple Tea

For a long time, I had wanted to paint reflective glass. Like the distorted patterns found in waves or other reflective surfaces, painting glass is like entering the world of abstract art within a realistic painting. I once saw a painting done depicting a jumble of copper pots, as if it were the subject matter of a very difficult jigsaw puzzle. Looking carefully, I could see the artist herself reflected in a multitude of bizarrely distorted ways, stranger even than in a carnival mirror.

I chose a simple enough subject, yet was surprised by how detailed and complex it was to paint. Not easy, but satisfying.

Watersoluble Oil

About three years ago, I bought a set of 'water mixable' oil paints. Seemingly a contradiction since we all know that oil and water don't mix, these paints really do just that. Oil painters can now paint without harsh chemicals, and watermedia painters, such as myself, may cautiously dip their toe in the mixable water, so to speak. So even though this blog entry is technically an oil painting, it still qualifies as 'light painted with water'.

I knew I wanted to give these oil paints a try when I bought them, but I had no idea it would take so long to get around to it. Oils have intimidated me. That is what other painters do. The ones who went to art school and learned all the rules. So when I finished this painting, using my self taught transferable skills, I gained a new sense of confidence. I felt like saying: HA! I just did an oil painting, so there!

In some ways I liked the experience, and in other ways I did not. I soon realized that what I liked about it were the ways in which it was similar to watercolor painting, and what I disliked were the ways in which it was not like watercolor painting. It was a nice place to visit, but it just wasn't home. Transparent watercolor remains my media of choice.

Pink Iris

Overall, 2008 had been a slow year for painting. As the year drew to a close, I finally finished this beautiful iris that had been started many months before during the studio tour. It sat, propped up on my drafting table, calling out to me to come and paint. It was nearly complete, but I knew it needed something more. At last, I darkened the background, and the petals burst forth in colorful triumph.

Amaryllis

This macro floral was painted in my usual way. I then mounted it onto a wooden panel and trimed the paper edges. The one inch panel sides were painted in casein, an opaque artist's paint. When dry, the whole thing was sprayed multiple times with a clear matte protective finish. In this way a watercolor painting may be hung without glass. It gives the painting a bold presence, resembling a work done in oil or acrylic.

Lovebirds

This one was a lot of fun. After painting numerous fur bearing animals, it was time to give feathers a try. I found an image that had potential, but I wasn't satisfied with how the birds were distributed on their perch. I printed out the image anyway, and then literally cut and pasted until I had my eureka moment and was satisfied with the composition. I especially love the colors of these birds. This painting is a lenghty 30" long.

Potted Amaryllis

The soft backlighting from the window is effective in this composition to highlight the delicate beauty of transperant petals. I am not much of a gardener myself; I would much rather paint a flower, than attempt to keep one alive!

Pink Lily

I really love it when a painting turns out realistically. It's one of the thrills I get when painting. As a realism painter, it is a goal that I strive for. I knew I was onto something with this beautiful lily when, as I painted, the photo illusion began to fool even me. This painting will be published in the Oxford Studio Tour 2009 brochure.

Poppy

This was not the first poppy I had painted, the other one had been done experimentally on watercolor canvas. This was done conventionally on 300 lb watercolor paper, as I nearly always use. Multiple glazes of pigment were used to bring out the flower's depth and vibrancy.

Peppers

Sometimes I get the feeling that every artist at some point paints peppers. The colors are so saturated and reflective. Their shapes are interesting and composition potential is far reaching. So why not give it a try? This painting is quite small; not quite 5" x 8".

The Dog in the Basket

As soon as I saw it, I loved the reference image that this painting is based on. The rich colors and dramatic lighting were inspiring. It is amazing how certain lighting can transform an otherwise ordinary scene into something worthy of a closer look, as if to underscore the beauty of creation.

The Dog Days of Summer

Another day, another dog. This is a Norweigan Elkhound, which is something between a German Shepard and a Samoyed, or perhaps like a small Malamute. I had seen several of them competing at the Woodstock dog show. They looked as though they could have pulled a dog sled. The challenge here was to paint a kind of fur which is wooly and thick, with hairs that are often light with dark tips. This was a diffent type of dog, and I wanted to learn to paint as many types as I could.

The Jack Russell Terrier

Sometimes Jack Russells lie still, but not often. An interesting effect happened with this painting. Up close, as of course it was as I worked on it, the image was somewhat indistinct. Certainly I could tell what it was, but there was a slight blurring to it. But what a surprise I got when I first viewed him from the usual critique spot at the end of the hall. Visually, this little guy just popped right out from so far away. Even this painting seemed to contain the explosive energy of the Jack Russel breed.

Don't Fence Me In

It is with good reason that Golden Retreivers are such popular dogs. Smart, loyal, gentle with kids. I think this lonely pup must be missing his family. As with the spaniel, I wasn't about to paint in every blade of grass. Its really about the dog anyway, and not about the grass, and so I improvised an impressionist approach.

The Orange Tabby

I was on a roll by this time, having painted four portraits in as many days. After the weekend, since there was still no computer, I carried right on. On this second week, I gave myself the challenge of one portrait per twenty four hours.

This was a particularily beautiful cat, and like so many cats, he looks as though he knows it.

A Cat in the Spotlight

I was having lots of fun with the dogs, but I was ready for a cat. For most of my life I have owned one cat or another. For my first 18 years there was Snookey, and later Lucy, Amy, Bobbie, Bruno, Heidi, Clara and Bess. Some remained for years, and were special friends, others were mothers and kittens fostered through the SPCA. Most were named, but some passed through nameless. Currently there is Orville, as seen in an earlier post, and his mother Friskey, my special favorite.

The Terrier

This, I believe, is a Cairn terrier, like Toto in the Wizard of Oz. I wanted the challenge of painting unruly curly fur. I called him the 'Purple Terrier' for a while because initially he had a very strong purple background. Backgrounds can be tricky. They play a supporting role and must enhance and not compete with the subject. I usually try to link the background with the subject by adding color from one area into the other. The trick is not to overdo it. This little guy patiently sat at the end of the hall, while I would view him from a distance every so often to discover correctable imbalances. I think he looks happier now.

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

There is an interesting history behind the name of this little spaniel. I had to do the research to find out what it was. It seems that this breed was recreated about 80 years ago, based on written evidence and as seen depicted in paintings that were hundreds of years old. The English King Charles was a fancier, and one is nearly always seen with him in royal portraits.

The Sheltie

It was at this time that my computer suddenly died, and for the next two weeks I found I had plenty of time to paint. I was suprised by how much I was depending on a computer, and how much of my time was taken on it.

While waiting for repairs, I gave myself the assignment of painting as many dogs and cats as I could, in order to develop my skill in painting pets. I printed a stack of reference photos from Wet Canvas using another computer, and dove in.

I would like to have painted Sheila, the sheltie I once owned, but due to computer technical difficulties, I relied on the images that were available to me. The funny thing about dog breeds is that each dog can look so like the next and yet be so different. This certainly was not Sheila, and yet this dog reminded me of her in many ways. They have such an intelligent yet sensitive gaze. Sheila was the only dog I ever had; I may one day have another.

The Dog Show

When the large annual dog show came to Woodstock in the middle of July, it got me thinking. Could I find a local market in pet portraiture? Perhaps not as grand a goal for an emerging artist as some, but I sensed that this might be a good niche to develop. First, however, I had to see if I liked painting dogs. Turning once again to the Wet Canvas reference library, I found an excellent example of one of my favorite breeds, the Labrador Retreiver.

There is something gratifying about painting a living thing. A flower, while living, may be beautiful, but an animal has a character and personality.

Coffee and Donut

This coffee break still life was constructed by another fine workshop instructor, John, alias Watercolourlover. At Wet Canvas, some artists are known better by their online nickname then by their real name. This was one of the reasons why meeting them in real life was so very interesting. Painting can be a lonely occupation, and yet many artists enjoy working in the company of others. We shared artistic tips and techniques, jokes, chocolate truffles, horseshoes (sort of), a pot luck , a barbeque, and a campfire, complete with a sing along. Many had eagerly looked forward to this event since Gail, or Strawberrywine, announced in January that she would be hosting this third annual 'Meet'.

When I look at this painting, finished after returning home, and the one of the loon, I am reminded of that great weekend. It was a very special time.