Foggy Trees

Foggy Trees

Another quick sketch in Kansas.  This is NOT in Kansas, by the way.  I just made it up.  A 30 minute sketch.

It's always an adventure...

Distant Rain

Distant Rain

My mom's old scanner does some weird stuff to some of the things I've been sketching this week.  This now looks like a Reuben's study of the Second Coming....not intended, but interesting...

(Or maybe It's all the Fox News airwaves in mom's house)

It's always an adventure...

Old Desk

Old Desk

A study sketch from mom's basement.using what paper and charcoals I had.

It's always an adventure...

County road

County Road

A mile or so north west of Salina.  another car hood sketch last September.

It's always an adventure...

Smokey Hill River

Smokey Hill River

I'm spending a quiet Christmas in Salina with my mom.  Sorted through some photos from last summer.  Thought I would try to continue to do sketching exercises.  I have a limited supply of materials here, but sometimes less is more.

It's always an adventure...

Salina Elevators

Salina Elevators

Next Monday I will be driving past this spot on my way into town.  I'll be there for two weeks tending to my mom and spending a quiet Christmas with her.  Won't be at the studio, but will be doing some charcoals at her house.  Not much 'plein air' work in Kansas during winter solstice but I'm anxious to get back to charcoal for awhile.

I did this in '08 just on the cusp of getting back into my art after a long, long haitus into architecture.  I prefer art.  It used to not pay very well, and still doesn't for that matter.  But, in this economy now, neither does architecture.  And besides, architecture is really only 2% art, if that - its mostly about attorneys and contractors - and everything you design is driven by what your defense will be at some future deposition.  I prefer art.  

It's always an adventure...

Night Train

Night Train color study

This photo is of a grain elevator in Salina, Kansas.  I have some pastels and was experimenting on grey paper.  Pastel intrigue me and I want to do more experimentation.  I wanted to express the night without overwhelming black.

It's always an adventure...

Rimi Restaurant, Nicosea, Cypress

Rimi Restaurant

Several years ago my wife's family were all invited to a wedding and wedding party in Nicosea, Island of Cypress.  A traditional Greek wedding and wedding week, full of parties.  At one of the luncheons, the bride negotiates with the proprieter just outside the restaurant while some 50 guests reveled inside.  WHAT a memorable time.  I have many photos which I will sort through and begin the process of putting to paper and canvas.

It's always an adventure...

Lapin Agile

The Lapin Agile

This is a small structure in Paris that still serves as a restaurant.  It was a favorite spot for artists in the 1870's during the rise of impressionism.  "The agile rabbit" translation on the gable.  The trees aren't dead.  This was in March of 1997 and the buds were just coming out.  They had been trimmed rather severely.

It's always an adventure...

Farm Pump

Farm Pump

I did this one really quickly from a photograph.  Again, it's a study for future work - haven't decided what medium just yet.

It's always an adventure...

Morning Farm

Morning Farm

I did this from a photo I had for a study for a future watercolor.  The light is coming from behind, making the hills in the background in some deep shadows.  the fence and its shadow make a sort of cool perspective, combining a one-point and two-point perspective in one drawing.

It's always an adventure...

Windmill

Windmill

I pulled this one out of the archives.  Did it sitting on the car fender one afternoon outside Salina, Kansas.

Roofs

Roofs

This is a study of rooms I did in charcoal back in 2004 from a photo.  I may do an oil study of it.  I've hesitated on the oil because I'm not sure how to effectively capture the texture of the tiles without exhaustive detail.  Something to work on.  Check back in - I may do a couple studies and put them up to look at.

It's always an adventure...

Minus 5 Degrees

Minus 5 Degrees

I'm taking a trip back to Kansas in a few weeks.  This reminds me of a sunset on a day with high clouds and a filtered sun that keeps its distance in respect to the grip of winter on the plains.  Cold.  Bitterly cold, even at the end of the short day.  Nothing has thawed for a week and the ground crunches.

It's always an adventure...

Surf's Up

Surf's Up!

I got this studying different surfs, waves, etc.  I wanted to catch the quiet but ominous power of the ocean swell and the moment it gives in to wind and gravity.  The scale of the lone surfer helps give the size.  What a ride!

It's always an adventure...

High Country Aspens

High Country Aspens

Again, a painting that turned out much differently than intended.  Took this from a photo from a friend.  The leaves were different on the photo than how I painted them.  It did have a 'cold' feeling to it and I think I did get that.

It's always an adventure...

Louvre Window

Louvre Window

I took this photo several years ago in Paris.  The light streaming in the window was striking.  The curators placed this statue with this in mind I'm sure.  I did some photo shop experiments with the photo and still like the painting the best.  There are still glitches.

It's always an adventure...

Dustbowl 1930's

Dustbowl 1930's

I recently read the book 'The Worst Hard Time' by Timothy Egan written about the history of the great dustbowl in the Oklahoma Panhandle, Texas, Kansas and Colorado.  It prompted me to go online and research some archival photos.  This is one that I sketched.  I wanted to capture the ominous nature of this phenomenon.  We grew up in Kansas.  My mom was a teenager when this was going on and told me some days were "...just plain dark outside...".

The book is a well written bit of history.  

It's always an adventure...

Table and Chairs

Table and Chairs

I pulled this one out from a stack of sketches I did last year.  I plan to do an oil of this one although I will have to make up the colors since I've misplaced the original photo.  What drew my interest initially was the intense sunlight on the table.  I played that against the darkness of the inner room.

It's always an adventure...

Reflections

Reflections

I saw a photo recently that I had to try a variation of with paints.  I haven'y done many works using reflections so I just used my imagination and went for it.  It has a rather haunting feel to it.

It's always an adventure...

90

90

I'm still not sure about this one.  I named it "90" because I started it one night at 10:30 after just staring at my board listening to Pink Floyd.  Finished it about midnight - 90 minutes.  The photo was with stone walls but I used stucco instead since it's easier to paint with a pallette knife.  Again, it was the light behind these walls and doors that intriqued me. Onward.

It's always an adventure....

adobe sun

Adobe Sun

I just finished this one yesterday.  I wanted to make the shadow seem more intense on the ground so I laid a light white transparent wash over the ground just at the edge of the shadow.  I'm making this stuff up as I go.

detail

It's always an adventure...

Corey Window

Chorey Window

This is the window from the castle bedroom we were in.  I'm going to take some of these and do an oil or two.  I don't have photos of these - did them quickly - 'plein air'.

It's always an adventure...

Chorey Castle Window

Chorey Castle Window

I took a photo of the window from the changing room looking into the woods.  The wall is as thick as the window is wide, even at the second level.  I don't know when the castle was built.  It has a moat.  I suspect it was built before steam heat.

It's always an adventure...

Chorey Castle near Dijon

Chorey Castle, France

We stayed overnight in this castle 'bed and breakfast' while traveling down to Provence a few years ago.  It was one of those places you can find if you decide to have no itenerary or reservations - and just go.  I did a few more sketches here.  I'll put them on this week.

It's always an adventure...

Chrysler Eagle Wing

Chrysler Eagle Wing

This is Art DEco at its finest.  Well, my opinion, but you just don't see this stuff anymore.  The artisians who fabricated these I'm guessing made maybe $1 an hour.  (yeah, bread was $.15, but....).  Hard to find this art on buildings now days.  This stuff doesn't directly make money for the investors.  

Chrysler Building Eagle

Chrysler Building Eagle 

The Chrysler Building in New York City by Van Alen is my favorite building ever.  The gargoyles on the building, as well as most of the art deco cladding, are our of stainless steel and have lasted for 80+ years.  They're just in a word - cool.  

Bernie's Place

Bernie's Place

I did this one a few weeks ago from a photograph a friend of mine took up in the North Cascade Mountain high country.  His viewfinder wasn't working so he just pointed and clicked this.  The sunlight contrasting with dark forest shadows gives it a marvelous sense of place.  The gnarled tree probably could have used more detail.  I don't have this framed.  Bernie wanted to buy it.

It's always an adventure...

Chevy Window

Chevy Window

I liked the composition of this shot.  Also, the cars in the 50's had lots of chrome which is fun to draw.

It's always an adventure...

rue de Paris

rue de Paris

I made this sketch about 10 years ago on a travel watercolor pad.  It's a sketch from a photograph I took somewhere in France.  I think in Paris, but I'm not sure.  I put it away and forgot it.  I found it last summer and, with nothing to lose, I drooled watercolor on it.  Kinda muddy but I like it.  

It's always an adventure...

Tractor Wheel

Tractor Wheel

Still on Kansas and farm stuff, this goes back to '10 when I was still into charcoal.  I love the starkness of this - makes you almost sweat on the tractor just sitting in the intense Kansas July sun.  I would love to paint this in black and white and do it on a wall mural, 12 feet high.  The wheel wasn't really oriented straight like this, but I thought it needed to be....

It's always an adventure...

Rainstorm Coming

Rainstorm Coming

This one is still drying on my board.  I thought I would mix up the order of things and put some really new stuff on (well, I guess it's all new since I'm just starting out).  This is from a photo a friend of mine took at Yellowstone Nat'l. Park recently.  It reminded me of the Great Plains and the feeling of darkness when big storms approach.  You can see them coming for miles away.  Never used so much black...

It's always an adventure...

Sunflowers and Field

Sunflowers and Fields

I like putting the horizon mid-page when I paint scenes from Kansas, for the tension it creates, simulating the feeling for the vast flatness you see there.  Everyone and their aunt, uncle and grandmother in Kansas paints sunflowers so I was hesitant to join the ranks.  I tried not to be too literal with this and tried for depth and light.

It's always an adventure...

Yellow Boxcar

Boxcar

This old rusty refrigerator car had so much character I had to try to catch it.  The color struck me.  I pumped it up a bit and added an intense blue sky for complimentary contrast.  A partial frame gives it some interest.  It has a certain tension to it.  This is just a stock frame.  Needs something more special around it but I don't know just what.

It's always an adventure...

Outbound at Sunset

Outbound at Sunset

I'm originally from the midwest.  There was just something about this photograph and I had to paint it.  I brushed out the sky but painted most everything else with a pallet knife.  This is actually the second painting I did since starting with oils in June of 2011 when the studio was finished.  I've done a couple dozen since.  some not so great.  Maybe I'll put them on the blog anyway.

It's always an adventure........

Chrome and Rust

Grandpa's Truck

One Headlight

For Sale

Seen Better Days

Along with studying how to draw chrome, I started to relish the character that some cars have and the vantage points through which that character best emerges.  If only they could talk.  I tried to help them speak to the viewer through the art.

It's always an adventure...

Charcoal and Chrome

1957 Chevy

Last year I became enamored with chrome.  The nature of charcoal forces the otherwise detail-loving artist to step out of the tight-box of fine line work.  It forced me to step back and observe - to look at reflection and make blank white as much a part of the drawing as the pencil mark.  Also, charcoal enables the sumptuous, rich black to play.  Can't get this in pencil - too shiny.

Tail light color study

Did this on a sheet of greenish paper as the medium, going up with white as an applied media rather than the background itself.  I'm going to try more of these

It's always an adventure...

Charcoal Drawings I did when we lived all too briefly in Chicago

LaSalle Street Bridge

Along the Chicago River

In Old Town

I did these in a few days the summer of 2008.  A flurry of work - then I put my pencils down and didn't pick back up for awhile.

It's always an adventure

Weed Truck

I'm John.  This is my new blog site 'the Cannon Art Studio'.

I plan to display my art here for general viewing and comment.  This is an adventure.  Follow along if you want.

It's always an adventure.