Sunday on the Champs Elysees

Sunday on the Champs Elysees

I took a photo similar to this the last time we were in Paris.  I added a few people and some tables just for fun.  It's just paint.  Left out a few things as well.  It's sort of just an impression of what it was like.

It's always an adventure...

Interlock

Interlock

A venture into abstractionism.  This one developed on its own as I attempted to make it 'something', like maybe a street, or doorways, or maybe spatial shapes.  It just is what it is.  I decided to let the viewer decide for themselves what it is.  (Pink Floyd helped).

It's always an adventure...

Passing By

Passing By

Finally!  This one has been languishing on my shelf for almost three months, waiting its turn to get finished.  From a photograph I took one day after a late lunch driving down to France's southern coast, through Provence.  What's not to love about this special place on Earth?  I took this in haste, and the camera tilted in my hand.  I painted it as it was.  It has some of my "old" techniques as well as some I've recently learned after painting for three months.  C'est la vie.

It's always an adventure...

Marche le samedi

Marche le samedi

I completed this last evening.  It's from a photo I took of a Saturday market in a village in Southern France.  An adventure into impressionism, from one who has admittedly absolutely NO art education.  I suppose you can tell.  I just love painting if for no other reason than to see what happens.

It's always an adventure

MorningWindow

Morning Window

This one is from another photo I took in the room we stayed in Chorey, France.  It was a castle converted to a B&B.  I took some liberties with the color.  

Its always an adventure...

Cannon Beach

Cannon Beach

Gotta love the name.  I painted this from a photo taken my another fellow artist for a watercolor.  I thought I would do an oil of this.  Took longer than I thought due to the layer-drying (and my detour into watercolors).  Learned a few things on this one for next time.

It's always an adventure.....

French Village

French Village

This is from my photo taken of the French countryside somewhere north of Provence and south of Dijon.  I want to do a larger oil of this, so just a study here.  there are actually more tree groves in the distance but I liked this, so I stopped.  Sometimes less is more.

It's always an adventure...

Vineyard

Vineyard

I can't remember where I took this.  Somewhere south of Dijon, Fr.  

It's a study for a possible future painting.

It's always an adventure...

Thoughts of summer

Thoughts of Summer

Although it won't be summer in Seattle for another 3 months (and at that, maybe only a couple weeks of 72 degree weather), I was thinking of it today as a 3 minute sunbreak passed over the studio.  We LOVE our sunbreaks in Seattle.  Now, if I could just find where I put my sunglasses back in storage at the end of last July....

It's always an adventure...

YellowWindow

Yellow Window

This is a window at a residence bed/breakfast where we spent a week in Provence a few years ago.  The colors (and, especially - quality of light) in Provence are wonderful.  I did this yesterday from a photo.  I like watercolor because it's so fast.  (I have 3 oils in various stages of drying before adding another layer.)

It's always an adventure...

French sidewalk

French Sidewalk

I did this back in 2004.  It's from a photograph.  Medium is graphite pencil - before my charcoal phase.  The original is really light.  I punched this up with Photo Shop (for shame!)  This sketch is what eventually drew me to using charcoal, in that I always was disappointed with how "wimpy" pencil was (for me).  Finding charcoal was an epiphany.  

Can't remember what town.  Love the light.  It's all about the light.

It's always an adventure...

Morning Coffee

Morning Coffee

Another practice sketch with watercolor overlay.  From a photo somewhere in Barcelona.  Watercolors are sooo different from oils.  It's fun going back and forth, and a learning thing.  I wanted to get depth on this one.

It's always an adventure...

Morning Window Flowers

Morning Window Flowers

This isn't really 'plein air', though I drew it from a photo I took in Paris.  Admittedly, I spent more time on this than in one sitting.  I just love the French shutters set deep in the stone wall.  The flowers have an attitude, blooming yet somewhat askew and unattended.

It's always an adventure

quick study sketch

I'm experimenting with pen sketching and watercolor highlights for future oil painting work.  This is with micron pens and a fine point 'Sharpie', both waterproof so they don't run.  This method is also great for plein air outdoor painting, which I hope to do more of, whenever the 'plein air' in Seattle isn't so full of water.  Plus, it's hard to paint in a down parka and gloves....

It's always an adventure...