"Next to Compton's" 12x12" Acrylic
Tuscany is known for its huge fields of Sunflowers. I figured this would be good practice for my upcoming workshop. Several people have asked if the workshop is acrylics only - I will be demo-ing in OPEN acrylics (the slow drying paint) but it is for all media - oil, watercolor, pastel too. Join us if you can!
"Lavendar Lane" 12x12" Acrylic
This street is in Nyack, NY, looking east towards the Hudson River. I believe this street is First Ave., but I think it should be "Lavendar Lane". I love repainting homes in lively colors, changing street names, trimming trees ... Artistic license, it's the best!
"Nyack Houses" Acrylic 12x12"
Yesterday I was sitting in a doctor's office waiting, waiting and...waiting some more. I was looking out the window and suddenly it hit me. My view was incredible. But more importantly, all I had to do was walk outside and I would be immersed in extreme beauty, like everywhere. Why am I not painting this gorgeous town? It offers everything I love to paint - urban setting, color, charm, structure, flowers, landscapes, etc. Here is the first of hopefully many paintings of Nyack, NY, Edward Hopper's hometown, and mine too.
"Pink Sunset in Tuscany" 8x10" Acrylic
In contrast to what I wrote in yesterday's post, there are times when there is absolutely no reason to push or change colors one iota. This scene would be that. In order to maintain some type of color unity, I allowed myself only 3 colors (4 including white): Quinacridone Magenta, Thalo Blue and Cad. Yellow Light. The good 'ol imited palette concept - a little more mixing but it keeps the harmony, not to mention lot less schlepping!
Green Lakes Trail 7x7" Acrylic
One of the most common issues with painting plein air landscapes is...all that green. Everyone loves lush green landscapes, but we also have a backpack full of colors that we are dying to use. This setting is in a beautiful park in Syracuse, NY, called Green Lakes. Not only is the lake green, but everything else is too. Sometimes when I'm trying to introduce more excitement to a monochromatic scene I either choose a harmonic color scheme to base my interpretation on, or play with temperature relationships, or use the setting as a springboard to design a more interesting composition and modify the shapes accordingly. The one given is a quick value sketch, so I can stay on track no matter which path I choose. Below is a photo of the landscape. Altho the colors may look dull in the photo, it was actually inspiring, dramatic and colorful, and thats what I hoped to communicate.
There are still a couple of spots left for my workshop in Tuscany in late September - it's sure to be fun!
"Beach Bums" Oil 14x17"
'Tis the season for sun and surf, hope you are enjoying your summer
Upcoming Workshops:
"Beach Scene" Acrylic 24x36"
This was a commissioned painting. I was supplied reference material of all the elements that the client wanted included the photo. It's not exactly what I would have chosen, but rarely are commissions what I would do if left to my own ideas...on the other hand often it is a learning experience, on some level.
"Soho Watertower" 8x10" Oil
These watertowers, such a NYC fixture, and quite endearing somehow. They are like little mushrooms sitting atop of buildings everywhere. I heard that no other city has these? How tragic - they're so cute!