Cottage in the Trees

6x8, oil on canvas panel

A Walk in Midwood

6x6, oil on canvas panel

Blue Water, Warm Sky

6x8, oil on canvas panel


This will be on eBay tonight. You can click on the eBay icon on the top right to find it.

Union County Pasture, NC

5x7,

oil on canvas panel

I often paint in Union County, NC, because I enjoy rural landscape scenes. Union county is the fastest growing county in NC, and I believe, the 4th fastest growing county in the nation. I wonder how long it will be before there are few rural scenes to paint.

Most of my adult life was spent in Marietta, GA, in Cobb county which, in the 80's, was the fastest growing county in the nation. I taught high school art in an excellent independent school, and it grew by leaps and bounds during that time. M-m-m, I wonder if there is a pattern here.

Hanging Moss

6x6, oil on canvas panel

For some reason, photographing this painting was quite difficult--the colors would just not come out true, and this is the 3rd time and day I'm tried. So, haha, I decided to post the 3 best ones, and perhaps, you, the viewer, can make your mind take an average. I really do think it's a nice painting, but I couldn't seem to do it justice. Any suggestions on "how to photo a painting"?

If you'd like to see what I have for sale on eBay, please click on the icon on the top right column.

In the Neighborhood

6x8, oil on canvas panel

This is a rather common scene in a neighborhood, but still I was struck by what good composition potential it had. A small opening always moves the viewer into the painting, while the geometric lines of the house is a great foil for the organic lines of the trees and shrubs.

Often we look for something extraordinary to paint when an everyday scene can be be more interesting and absorbing.

Fall Leaves at the Lake

6x8, oil on canvas panel

I made some sketches and photos of this scene while visiting in Marietta, Georgia a few months ago. The leaves had just begun to turn. I generally do not like to do a riot of fall colors--I tend to prefer cool colors to be dominate in a painting with just some warm color accents.

The Small Red Tomato

4x4, oil on canvas panel

This little tomato was rather tasteless (as a winter tomato always is). but it was a joy to paint.

Comtemplation

8x8, oil on canvas panel

I spied this scene while walking on the grounds of the Ringling Museum of Art. Everywhere I looked there was a painting opportunity.

Gardens, Ringling Museum of Art

6x8, oil on canvas panel

Path by the Trees, Myakka Park

6x8, oil on canvas pael

Myakka Park, Florida

6x8, oil on canvas panel

This painting will go on Ebay Monday night. One of my painting goals for the year is to use Ebay more often--specifically to put 3 or more paintings on each week.

Painting Exercise, Marc Hanson Workshop

Thought you readers might like to see one of the painting exercises from the Marc Hanson workshop. A larger canvas was divided into 4 areas. All the paintings are of the same scene. (I chose that one because it afforded me a little protection from the wind, as it was extremely cold that day.) The two paintings on the left are just value studies, using black and white paint. The top one is nothing but dark, middle, and light value, and the one below it has has halftones added. This kind of painting promotes a strong composition! The two on the right are in color--again the top one is just dark, middle, and light value. For example, you'll see that the fence and trees are combined in the first painting, but separated in the one below. Again the bottom color one has had halftones added, and is the finished painting.

Here is a close up of the finished painting.

Sarosota Workshop

My blogger dashboard decided not to work properly for a few days and I was unable to post. However, we were so busy, and tired, posts would have been quite short anyway. I'll take photos of my work when I get home and post. Marc posted some pictures of us painting in the cold and wind. I'm the one in the turquoise hat and every shirt I own.





Click on http://marchanson.blogspot.com/ to see the photos.

Marc Hanson Workshop, Monday

Marc Hanson talking with student, Karen. Today's work was working in black and white only.

I'm posting from sunny (but cold) Florida where I'm participating in a 5 day painting workshop by Marc Hanson. This morning we met at M Gallery in Sarasota, where Marc discussed materials. This afternoon he did a quick demonstration, and then we painted. Will show some pictures of the work ona later date, like Wednesday. Tomorrow night (Tuesday) we will stay late todo a nocturnal painting, and I won't be back in time to post.

Garden Sheds

5x7, oil on canvas panel

I pushed the color a little on this painting. My friend, Beth,

will be proud of me...she always encourages me on using color

and I always think of her whenever I dip into a bright color.

On Monday I will be in Sarasota, FL for a workshop by Marc Hanson.

He is an outstanding painter from Minnesota, and I am so looking

forward to the workshop. I'll be posting some of my work and some

of his demonstration paintings each night.

A River Runs Through It

8x8, oil on canvas panel

I believe this river is in New Hampshire. I have hundreds of photos and sketches that I work from in the winter, and I neglected to put the location in my notes. I loved the book, A River Runs Through It, and decided it was a splendid title for this painting.

A November Morning

8x8, oil on canvas panel

In Progress......

Suddenly I have way too much to do, as I'm sure many of you are also saying. I have 2 sets of company coming, house to clean, food to buy, paintings to enter into shows, and paintings to paint. I shall post whenever I can and will paint whenever I can. Best wishes to you all!

Carousel Horses

The painting I had planned to post today needs some more work on it, so I dug around and found another piece I did quite a few years ago as an example when I taught high school art. This technique is called tempera batik, involving tempera paint and india ink. After the painting is complete, india ink is brushed completely over the painting. After a day of drying, the ink is washed off leaving lines and a lovely texture on the paint. It always produced some strong student work.

For those of you who don't know me, in my former life I taught high school at The Walker School in Marietta, Ga for 28 years. It's a fabulous school with a rigorous curriculum, great students, faculty, staff, and parents. If you live near Marietta and are looking for a school for your children, please investigate it. Walker starts at pre-school and goes through high school.

Holiday Sale

5x7, oil on canvas panel

Want to give original art for a holiday gift?

I've created a separate blog site for a sale of small paintings just for the

holidays. Go to http://5x7andmore.blogspot.com/ to see the paintings and prices. I'll be posting there for the next several days.

Turkey and Dressing

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. My family is coming to my house, and I am so looking forward to having us all together. I'll be posting after Sunday.

Kezar Lake, Lovell,Maine (sold)

5x7, oil on canvas panel

Kezar Lake was described by National Geographic as "one of the three most beautiful lakes in the world." Nine miles long, one side faces the White Mountains in New Hampshire. I took a boat ride with friends who pointed out Stephen King's home, barely visible for the trees and high above the lake. It is said he can often be seen strolling around Lovell.

This is a small painting, but I think it manages to show quite a bit of space.

Reflections of a Favorite Tree, Union County, NC

6x6, oil on canvas panel

This one did not photograph very well. We have had rain, cloudy days, and extremely dim light. I did what I could on photo shop, but am still not satisfied with it, and the light is still not adequate outside. Hey, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

The Solitary Calf

8x10, oil on canvas panel

95.00

Cows are such interesting animals. I see a herd in a pasture, jump out of the car, camera in hand, rush to the barbed wire fence, and get a quick snap. The cows are in a wonderful configuration: facing different directions, clumped and unclumped, and I quickly start snapping again. They notice me and start coming to the fence, staring at me and no longer grouped for a good painting.