Inner Glow

Until recently the persimmon I have seen at the market have been pale, short, and unattractive. I came upon a beautiful bunch a few days ago and was excited to paint them. This arrangement came quickly and the painting fell into place (just as my last one did). The hardest part was getting the shadow color (cad orange medium with burnt sienna) to have enough opacity. I laid a burnt sienna ground and covered it with a thin mix of raw umber, ultramarine, and white. If you look closely some of that warm ground glows through the light overcoat in a very subtle way. It took me longer to set up the arrangement and my equipment than it did to actually paint it. This is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

In The Pink

After not painting for about a week and getting off to a mediocre start the day before, I was thrilled when this one just "fell off" my brush. I was anticipating these to be difficult, but every stroke seemed to go in the right place. This one is 6x8", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

Peared Off

I have had a very hard time getting painting time the last couple of weeks. Thanksgiving, then both my kids got sick, and now my wife has the "Bug." I am making an effort to get back into the rhythm I had built prior to Thanksgiving. This is my first effort since my hiatus. I like the subtle color of the background (after my intense backgrounds over the last couple of months) but the pears look a little too artificial for my liking. This one is 6x8", oil on canvas panel. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

Pile Up

This painting was a blast to paint. Everything seemed to go the way I wanted. This is good considering I struggled with several paintings over the past week or so. These effortless, fun paintings are what keep us working through the tough times I suppose. I hope everyone enjoys their Thanksgiving! This painting is 8x10", oil on canvas panel for $100. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

Shallot Plate

When I looked at this painting in the daylight, I realized it needs more value contrast. Other than that I like the composition, colors, and rendering. This is 6x8", oil on canvas panel for $60. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

The Council (to post or not to post)

So I haven't posted in a few days. The last several paintings haven't exactly lived up to my standards. OK, they bombed): I felt OK about this one, but there are some things I'm not thrilled about. Since I almost never return to a daily painting to make corrections (when I have tried, it doesn't work) I am stuck with a choice: To post or not to post? The main focus/purpose of these daily paintings for me is about the practice, experience, the habit of painting, so I'm not too concerned about having a run of bad paintings. My concern is that some people check my blog semi-frequently and expect to see a new painting at least every other day. If the audience was just family, friends and fellow artists, I wouldn't be concerned about posting a weak painting for the feedback/constructive criticism, but clients and potential clients read my blog and I'm not sure if it is wise to post work I'm not proud of. I also don't want it to appear that I'm not committed to working diligently. This is where I ask any of you who are actually reading this (as opposed to just viewing the paintings) for your opinions, especially you artists. What decision would you make, to post or not to post? I would really appreciate the feedback. Please visit my blog and website. Thanks.

At Odds - Sold

I have been doing a lot of paintings recently that are from above or don't have a backdrop to catch the cast shadows of the subjects. I really like the effect of the vertical shadow. It seems to show an alter ego or some subliminal aspect of the subject's personality. With this painting, I got a sense the two pears just had a disagreement and the moment depicted is the awkward silence immediately following the argument, where the two parties are confined to a closed space together. This is one of my favorites of my daily paintings. At Odds is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

Gang of Three

I have recently been reading the blog by Carol Marine who does great work. I admire the dramatic, long shadows in her paintings that suggest late afternoon light. This painting was intended to capture a similar effect. I am happy with the results but I am excited to work on this type of lighting some more. This is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

On Stage

When I looked through the viewfinder, this composition worked. When I finished painting, the placement seemed a little off. The problem with doing these 1 hour, alla prima paintings is I don't step back during the process as I do with my larger works. It is hard to see the flaws when you don't step back or check composition in a mirror. I may return to this one to make corrections (something I never do to my daily paintings) because I like the lighting and color combinations. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

Red White and Blue - Sold

This set up was much more difficult to paint than I thought. It was hard to paint the shadowed underside of the square bowl with the reflected blue, while trying to convince the viewer it was a white bowl. I like the color combination and value division. I am also happy with the reflected blue on the back side of the nearest pear. This is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

Clear View - Sold

I enjoy painting glass, but it can be frustrating communicating all the little nuances without including every detail. My last three paintings have been much more intuitive. I'm guessing the act of painting almost every day helps the process become more intuitive and less analytical. This one is 6x8", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

Outcast

Just as with my last painting, this one came almost effortlessly. I enjoy the stark contrast of the blue/orange and the dark/light. The dominant low key value gives an ominous mood and seems to imply the lone clementine is being turned away. This is 6x8", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

King of the Hill

I really enjoyed painting this one. It was one of those that sort of painted itself. It reminds me of the child's game where everyone tries to knock off the person on top of the hill. It is 6x8", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

Tres Amigos - Sold

This painting appeared to me as friends from different walks of life. They each had their own character, yet blonged together. I enjoyed painting the bright colors and capturing the texture of the peppers. It is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.

The Meet

I took last night off to trick or treat with my kids. What a blast/glad it's over. To me this set up looked like some kind of late night, clandestine meet in a vacant lot. It is 8x6", oil on canvas panel for $80. Please visit my blog or website. Thanks.