The Slow Lane

I paint a lot of roads - perhaps because I'm a traveller and I like the stories they tell. This oil will be one of ten paintings I'll be exhibiting at Art for the Sangres in Westcliffe, Colorado, September 23, 24th, 2016.  The Slow Road is painted on a gessoed hardboard. I buy a 4' x 8' sheet of masonite and using a Stanley knife and a metal ruler, I cut it into the sizes I need. I've tried using various electric saws to make the job easier but they just aren't accurate enough for me.  So....back to the Stanley knife.

The Slow Lane

9" x 18" oil on gessoed board

An exciting new painting project!

Five years ago, my son and I joined forces for an online project titled "75 for 75".  It was wildly successful thanks to friends, fellow artists and collectors. Last week, Shane suggested we do it again!
This time we'll both paint primarily landscapes. Last time I did bird studies as I wanted to learn how to paint them looser and more painterly. I struggle with landscapes so I hope this will help me become a better landscape painter.

All the paintings in this project will be 6" x 8" oil on gessoed boards. They'll sell for US $125 (unframed) plus $10 shipping.  We'll post a couple of landscapes per week here on my blog, our websites, Facebook and Instagram. Payment will be through Paypal.

This is my first piece for the project. It's pretty tight, but as with the bird studies,  I'm hoping that by the time I finish the project, my landscapes will be looser and much more painterly.  This piece isn't available for sale until the project officially starts next week.

Little Landscape Project #1

Goat Island - Leigh

6" x 8" oil on gessoed board, unframed

Across the Evening Sky

"Across the Evening Sky" was inspired by the Blackwater Refuge in Cambridge, Maryland. I have exhibited at The Waterfowl Festival every year for close to thirty years. The nearby Blackwater Refuge is one of my favorite places to paint - in fact I used a watercolor that I did at the Blackwater as reference material for this painting. 

Across the Evening Sky

9" x 19 1/2" oil on linen

Winter Color

This little guy is one of the paintings I've done for a show at Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, Arizona. The paintings will hang for the month of October, 2016.

Winter Color

7" x 7" oil on gessoed board
SOLD

Three more...

These are the final three oils of a series of six that will be hanging for the next month at the Opua Arts Studio & Gallery. The gallery is on the wharf in Opua, looking out over the bay where I find some much inspiration for my subject matter.

Opua is my home. It's located in the Far North of New Zealand's North Island. It is the primary port of entry for yachties arriving in New Zealand where they go through biosecurity and customs, so there is no shortage of yachts to paint!   http://www.bayofislandsmarina.co.nz/

Little Yellow Boat

10" x 8" oil on gessoed board

Regatta

10" x 8" oil on gessoed board

Meola

10" x 8" oil on gessoed board

Furlough

Another piece off the easel! This little oil is finished except for a tweak or two and a few lines on the rigging once the background is dry. It's inspired by one of the yachts I see in Opua - but it isn't a literal rendition. I often tell fibs about the color and light.  As the American impressionist, William Merritt Chase said:

"Just don't hesitate to exaggerate color and light. Don't be afraid to tell lies - the most tiresome pictures are the stupidly truthful ones".

Furlough

10" x 8" oil on gessoed board

Flurry

A few days ago, I spotted this boat at anchor across the bay from Opua, near Russell.  Russell was New Zealand's first capital, then named Kororareka, 'the hell hole of the Pacific' known for its bars and brothels. I think we're more civilized now and the capital was moved to Wellington long ago.

Flurry

10" x 8" oil on gessoed panel

Windy Seas

This little piece is fresh off the easel. It's a 10" x 8" oil on gessoed masonite. I live a stone's throw from the sea and my little hometown of Opua, New Zealand, is the northern-most international port for yachties when they arrive in New Zealand. Though I'm not a sailor, I'm fascinated with the yachts that arrive in port fitted with solar panels, a wind generator and other gear that tells me they're long-distance voyagers. Where are they from and where have they been?

Windy Seas

10" x 8" oil on gessoed panel