Thursday, December 24, 2009

Festival

Oil Painting 16 x 20 
This painting was started on-site at the Lawn and Garden Show in March, 09, as a demonstration. I was working with the near-by display of hanging baskets of ferns, gourds, birdhouses and other hanging plants. The painting then sat in my studio for about 8 months with unresolved areas. I was invited to show my work at a Fall Festival at Neumeier's Nursery in October and with the atmosphere there, painiting plein-air and talking with people about my work, I was able to finish this piece, including the silouettes of two figures. This is a very festive Festival.

Golden Guitar

Oil painting 28 x 22  
Another guitar image evolving from my continued interest in working with music to inspire my paintings. John Williams Spanish Guitar Classics was the music I played while painting this beauty. Thick paint, applied with a palette knife, many layers deep, create a rich textured surface.

Red and Blue Fusions III

Oil painting 24 x 18  
I often use strong complimentary color schemes for my paintings. For this one I started with orange/reds and blue/greens and watched as the colors evolved toward the greens and yellows. I had painted a study of a woman in a wild print mumu type of dress and her clothing was the initial inspirition for this color scheme. You never know where the inspirition will come from -- you need to be open to new ideas. Even the angular shape came from her clothing.

Harvest Moon

Oil Painting 16 x 12 Sold
Sometimes the abstracts become a recognizable scene. I started this with a thick layer of various blues applied with a palette knife. I placed the circle in a yellow orange for contrast and it was an Atlantic Coast seascape. Add a little water shimmer and a lighthouse. Done.