Sunday, May 30, 2010

Early Morning Golfers

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Early Morning Golfers  12x16  Oils on Masonite Panel

These golfers are the first out on this morning. The time of day is supposed to be just after sunrise with subdued light and a little ground fog here and there.

I've been glazing the background trying to deepen the dark shadows under the trees and I have more work to do.

I also want to sharpen up the golfers, they seem to be blurry (NOT my camera this time!)

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Creole Festival Dancers

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Creole Festival Dancers  12x16   Oils on Masonite Panel

These ladies (and one guy in the left background) are an "unofficial" part of a larger group in the FĂȘte du Citron in Menton, France. From a photograph by Jilly in her blog Menton Daily Photo.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Where's The Delivery?

Where's The Delivery?  16x20  Oils on canvas panel

This guy was hired to repair the stucco on the building walls but his materials that he ordered last week haven't arrived.  (He's thinking naughty thoughts about the delivery person.)

Irises

Irises  12x16  Oils on Masonite Panel

These irises are in front of our house. The window is where my "studio" used to be in the front bedroom. The shingles aren't really blue - artistic license going on! 

Chef On Break Before Dinner Hour

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Chef On Break Before Dinner Hour  12x17  Oils on stretched canvas

The chef is taking a break before the dinner rush speaking to two of his friends.  It's almost dark and the lights are beginning to be turned on.

I will probably darken the darks a bit more. But for now, I'll call this one "finished"!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Yellow Tulips - Rookie Painter Challenge 5

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Yellow Tulips  12x16  Oils on gessoed panel

This is my entry into the ROOKIEPAINTER blog Challenge Number 5.

I don't do flowers very often and maybe this painting will illustrate why. I not totally happy with it (am I ever?) but there comes a time when I need to just STOP and leave well enough alone.

I'm looking forward to the next "challenge" - I THINK!  :-)

Really, it was fun to make this painting and explore new stuff. 

It seems that my camera is being naughty once more and focusing on anything but the subject I'm photographing! It has the "automatic focus" and I've not learned a way to override that.  Maybe if I were to read the manual?  hmmmmmmm

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Lost in the moment - The Sax Player

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Lost in the moment - The Sax Player  16x20  Oil on canvas panel

Another case of I don't know why or how this happened!  Something I saw obviously but DUH I sure don't know where or when.

Anyway, I'm trying to capture the musician hitting the high note and holding it, concentrating, grooving, whatever it is that saxophone players do when they squint their eyes closed while they're making their music.

This is definitely a Work In Progress - I need to think about that face and the music that he's making. Maybe he's backing up George Thorogood or Bruce Springsteen or Sheryl Crowe!

My next step is to look at photos of saxophone players and see what a saxophone REALLY looks like! Maybe I should have already done that part?  Ya THINK?

One Last Piece of Bait - The Fisherman

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The Last Piece of Bait  12x16  Oil on masonite

This came from Jilly's Menton Daily Photo blog. Her blog is a wonderful source of inspiration for me or anyone looking for well done photographs of the region of France where she lives.

I had helped set up our Spring Art Show here is Rogers, AR and came home "inspired" to do "something" painterly. So I browsed Jilly's blog and saw this guy fishing. I believe that he's baiting the hook with his last piece of bait before he calls it quits and buys a Big Mac and fries for his supper.

Exercising the pony

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Exercising the pony  12x16  Oil on masonite

I think that I saw something like this in a TV program or video on the internet - honestly I don't know where the vision for this painting came from. Maybe it was indigestion. Doesn't matter, it was fun to try to paint it.

I think that I shouldn't do animals. I get "close" to being accurate in proportions but there's  s-o-m-e-t-h-i-n-g wrong s-o-m-e-w-h-e-r-e.  

I rode a horse one time - fifty (YES 50) years ago. I decided then that I preferred cars. Still do.

Monday, May 3, 2010

First Place in the Rogers (Arkansas) Art Guild Fall Art Show!

First Place in the Rogers (Arkansas) Art Guild Fall Art Show!  May 3, 2010

My painting of a Creole Dancer inspired by some photos in Jilly's Menton Daily Photo blog received the First Place Award at the Rogers Art Guild 2010 Spring Art Show & Sale today!  Woooo hooooo for Jilly and me!  See the original posting here.

Trust me when I tell you that the painting looks MUCH better in natural or "good" lighting. The lights and yellow walls made everybody's photos look funny.

This is my first award in a independently judged "real" art show and I am VERY VERY pleased to have received this prize considering the other works in the show.