Late Night Cafe

Late Night Cafe

Another scene that I borrowed from assorted photographs I have from Paris.  Can't remember what district this is in, it's actually several parts.  It's mainly a study in color and light.

It's always an adventure...

Nightfall on Rue Cler

Nightfall on Rue Cler

This is from a combination of images I have from Paris.  I saw another night scene like this and wanted to put my own spin on it with images I had taken.  This isn't as much a specific spot, but more of a mood I wanted to paint.  I love the perspective, and the angles of shapes.

It's always an adventure...

Holiday at Luxembourg

Holiday at Luxembourg Gardens, Paris

Yes, I have had a fixation on this magical place with the trees, people and sunlight.  I am learning a lot doing these.  I hope to improve my "people drawing" skills.  I like to show different folks in all sorts of various moods and animation.  The couple at the front table, for instance, may each be just as lonely as the guy by himself at the next table....They're just lonely together.

It's always an adventure...

Under the Skylight

Study 

Study for future painting - sketch in Vancouver, Granville Island, small deli area under bright sun.

It's always an adventure...

Lunch at the Park

I know, but I'm enamored by these summer scenes at Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.  I'm still working on my 'people skills' painting folks in different poses, gestures.  Each work I do is a learning experience for me.  I tried to capture the hub-bub and energy of the lunch crowd.

The lone green wine bottle somehow becomes the focus of this piece, by itself on a sparse table setting.  The man and woman are holding their wine glasses away from view.  The  man behind them is patiently awaiting a menu, lost in thought.

It's always an adventure...

Summer lunch at Luxembourg Gardens

Lunch at the Gardens

I have started doing more studies of sunlight filtered through the trees.  Luxembourg Gardens in Paris is a 'photo-rich' environment for this in the summer.

It's always an adventure...

At the Marina

At the Marina

I just completed this one recently.  It's on my web site as well.  This is at the Seattle waterfront from a photo last year.

www.johncannonart.artspan.com

It's always an adventure...

The Game

The Game

This is another scene from Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.  I wanted to emphasize the light and shadow using watercolor as the medium.  The paper is the light on the foreground as well as light spots on the gravel field beyond.

It's always an adventure...

The magic of Luxembourg Gardens, Paris

Tree Shade, Luxembourg Gardens

I remain fascinated by the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris and the magic there.  This is oil/acrylic on 11 x 14  gesso board

It's always an adventure...

Under the Trellis

Under the Trellis

I remain fascinated by shadow and the patterns it makes.  While this piece is not "technically exact" its pretty close.  It's the impression, illusion and creating a space that looks inviting for one to "step into" and visit...maybe stay awhile, and in this scene, take off your jacket.

It's always an adventure...

Visit my new web site at
www.johncannonart.artspan.com
You can purchase prints of my art plus you can toggle through my work easier...
heck, you can even buy the original

E-Mailing Home

E-Mailing Home

This is a 'sketch' if you will, but using oil/acrylic paints, 8x10 on gesso board.  Meant to be quick and non-detailed, but capturing the 'sense of place' that I love doing.  The shapes don't make much rational sense if you try to figure out the structures.....just an emotion.  And...

It's always an adventure...

I'm going to keep posting on this blog, though one can see more of my work in an easier-to-get-to format at my NEW web site:

www.johncannonart.artspan.com

Not all my stuff is loaded on this yet.

Konza Tall Grass Reserve - Kansas

Konza Tall Grass Reserve

This canvas is two, 3 x 1 pieces, painted to go together as "#1" and "#2".  The tall grass reserve is just east of Manhattan, Kansas - west of Topeka, along I-70.

This is the main piece in my June Featured Artist show at Parklane Gallery


It's always an adventure...

Back 40 Shed

Back 40 Shed

Last of 9 "Prairie" series canvasses I have prepared for my Featured Artist showing at the Parklane Gallery for the month of June, 2014.  This is oil on gallery wrapped stretched canvas. 15 x 25

It's always an adventure...

Saline County Road

Saline County Road

The 6th canvas of 9 for my show at Parklane Gallery this coming June.  This is from a photo just northeast of Salina, Kansas.

It's always an adventure...

Sketch at the Yew bar in Vancouver, B.C.

Yew bar, Vancouver, B.C.

A different angle - kind of interesting.  I sketched this last series with my pens and watercolored them later.  

It's always an adventure...

Cactus Club - at the bar

Cactus Club - at the bar

Another quick study pen sketch with watercolor applied.

It's always an adventure...

Cactus Cafe, Vancouver, B.C.

Cactus Cafe, Vancouver, B.C.

Sketched this while waiting for Nancy and Lauren to finish the Van-Run Marathon...which they did, in their best times.  

It's always an adventure...

Dusk Tranquility

Dusk Tranquility

I've never attempted a 'sunset' with my oils / acrylics, so this is my first shot.  Done in acrylic, one has to work really fast to blend the colors before they dry.  This scene is fictitious, gleaned from my memory of this and that, growing up in Kansas.  The grass on the other side of the road wasn't intended to look like a marsh, although they has some soggy weather last year.  

It's always an adventure...

Cottonwoods

This will be at the Parklane Gallery during May and June.  It's from my photo just outside of Salina, Kansas.

It's always an adventure...

Duster!

Duster

My family lived through this up in Salina, albeit on the edge.  I read "The Worst Hard Time" by Timothy Egan, saw the PBS special.  It affected me.  The magnitude of these dust storms in the 1930's is eclipsed only by the enormity of greed and ignorance by us and our government - to let this happen.  

It's always something......

Runnin' the Storm Out

Runnin' the Storm Out

Finished one of my 'Prairie' series paintings for the featured artist show in June.  I wanted to show the striking light/shadow/color contrasts of the weather and land.  The buffalo add something to this somehow.

It's always an adventure...

Rusty Door

Rusty Door

I've been practicing watercolor sketches while visiting my mom last couple weeks at her assisted living home in Salina, Kansas.  This is from my memory of old barns and manufacturing buildings.

It's always an adventure...

Ethel's Tomatoes

Ethel's Tomatoes

My aunt Ethel was born in 1906 and lived in Horton, Kansas.  She died a few years ago.  I wanted to do a painting from an emotional memory of her.  Neither house nor setting is accurate, but it's the way I remember her.  This is mostly acrylic with knife and brush.

It's always an adventure....

Corner Pasture

Corner Pasture

I took this photo just southwest of Salina, Kansas last summer.  I'm working on capturing sense of place through simple paint strokes and simple form.  Black Angus cattle aren't that short - they're all sitting down.  Not much going on that afternoon.

It's always an adventure...

Green Boat

Green Boat

I took artistic license and combined some scenes to do this piece.  It's acrylic underlay with water-base oil over.

As with all my posts, you can click on the image to enlarge

It's always an adventure...

Sun Through the Vines

Sun Through the Vines

Another view through the vines using sunlight.  I painted this from a combination of views and memories of observations.  I used a mix of acrylic underlay and water-base oil over.  Acrylic paint's quick drying properties force you to mix small quantities and work extremely fast.  Tough if you need a particular color dynamic mix from 2 or 3 paint tubes.  A 'happy accident' is usually just around the corner.

It's always an adventure.

Seattle Central Library

Alone Together

Second outing with the Seattle Urban Sketcher's League.  I chose to sketch two folks, both equally immersed yet worlds apart technologically.

A small group of artists meets a few times a month, meets at a location, disperses for an hour or so, and comes back together to critique each other's work.  

When sketching scenes at the SCL, one cannot avoid the diamonds.  

It's always an adventure...

Lunch on the Deck

Lunch on the Deck

This started out as a light/dark study of chairs in the bright sunlight.  It's from a photograph I took.  I liked the random spacing of objects and the shadows.  Last minute I added companions starting a lunch in the sun.

My goal was to do all with just a palette knife, but used a liner brush for some shadow and chair detail.

It's always an adventure...