Cloudy Day

"Cloudy Day", oil on panel, 9x12, $320

I've drawn and tried to paint this group of barns before without much success, but this time I really simplified things, and I think it works well. It helped that the light was so dramatic. This painting is a testament to the durability of Gessoboard - a prepared brand of panel. I was given this panel as a sample years ago when I took a workshop with Richard McDaniel, and because it's a size I don't use, it's been kicking around the trunk of my car ever since. I showed up at the location without my box of prepared panels (OOPS!) and was about to head home when I saw this panel at the bottom of the trunk. Saved!

Sonoma Mountain at Dusk

"Sonoma Mountain at Dusk", oil on canvas, 12x24, $900

I did this painting in the studio the same evening I took the picture, so the scene was very fresh in my visual memory. Right now it's my favorite of my recent paintings. Getting the colors of the distant hills correct is always a challenge for me, and I think this painting nails it.

Multi-tasking

"Encircled", oil on panel, 8x10, $320 unframed

I've been working this last weekend on the house, installing bamboo flooring. But in between crawling around on my hands and knees wielding a power nailer, I managed to get a little work done in the studio. I blogged about this painting before here, because I'd smeared it badly in transporting it home. The consensus in the comments was that I should try to fix it, and fix it I did. I was afraid to touch the painting before, because I had the vivid recollection of how perfect that section had been, and I couldn't imagine recreating that passage. This time around, I couldn't remember exactly what had been there before, and so I felt a certain freedom in messing with it. It was a good reminder that treating a painting as too precious can stifle creativity. There has to be room for error to create.

Cotati Barns

"Cotati Barns", oil on panel, 8x10, $320 unframed.

I don't know how many times I've painted these two little barns, but they continue to be a favorite location. It's that magic combination of easy parking on a road with very little vehicle traffic, and a lovely view.

Standing Tall

"Standing Tall", oil on panel, 8x10, $320 unframed.

I painted this right after the previous day's painting by turning my easel 30 degrees to the left. (Or something like that). I do love the clouds of an unsettled sky.

This is a clump of Eucalyptus that I pass all the time near my house.

And for the biologically inclined, I've been watching the video lectures at HHMI. The series on evolution is excellent.

Brush in hand again

"Early Morning Shadows", oil on board, 8x10in. SOLD


It's hard to believe I haven't posted since October. I'm not sure why it took me so long to pick up a brush again, but I'm glad to be painting once more. I turned around and suddenly I'm seeing signs of spring. The wild mustard is in bloom, the manzanita and ceanothus in my yard are blooming, and it seemed to happen overnight. I've got a show coming up at Riverfront Art Gallery in Petaluma, so that's been an incentive to get some new work together. I'll be sharing some of my new work in the next few days, and I hope to see some of you at the reception March 8. That's coming up soon! Time to get framing!

I haven't been entirely idle the last few months. I've got my backyard studio together, and I've been doing some painting and framing in my new space. And I took a trip to Las Vegas to pick up a new press for doing wood block prints, and perhaps some etchings. More on that later, as the press is currently sitting in our living room while we work on the floors in the rest of the house.

Here's some pictures of my studio. The painting on the easel is the little plein air study that got smeared, and I think I managed to fix it.