The Crevice

acrylic on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Working from a photograph for this one, an exercise in creating distant atmosphere.  Not much painting this month, as I came to the sad conclusion I could no longer afford the art studio I've enjoyed for the last 22 months.  However, I may have found a happy solution to my dilemma by moving to a smaller space on the same property, with a great view and lots of light, that is sharable and will still allow me the peace and privacy I need for creative inspiration.

Bolinas Marsh with Eucalyptus Tree

acrylic on hardboard panel, 12" x 9"

This sketch was painted en plein air in acrylics, which means I had to work even faster than with oils.  It was really just an excuse to paint that eucalyptus trunk with all its beautiful color variations.

Oneanta Gorge

acrylic on canvas, 30" x 15"

Well, I decided I didn't like the painting of my previous post, Pierce Point Cypresses, enough to drive to the art supply store and buy another 30" x 15" canvas, and so I painted over it with this, which took me all of an hour to do.  Oneanta Gorge is situated near Portland, Oregon, along a section of the Columbia River Gorge.  Mystical.

Pierce Point Cypresses

acrylic on canvas, 30" x 15"

I painted this sketch from a photo because I loved the shape of these trees with their pale trunks and wanted to see blue and yellow together, another color pairing favorite of mine.  

Plum Trees with Vineyard

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

From my imagination, once again playing with the color pairing of aubergine and olive green.  They even sound good together, no?  

While Visions of Sugar Plums Dance in My Head

oil on masonite panel, 6" x 8"

Another abstracted landscape. The thought of certain color pairings sometimes pulls me to my easel.  This was one of those times.  I love the pairing of purple and green, or to be more specific, aubergine and olive green.  I find aubergine a tricky color to mix, so that it's dark enough and still has red in it.  I tried and failed here to execute my vision, but I still like the result.

The Hills are Alive

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Like all artists at one time or another, my inspiration dries up and I am left with a void.  When this happens, I can reclaim it only by becoming like a child again and resort to just playing with paint.  That's what happened with this one.  This is no place in particular, just a simple scene from my imagination of hills and sky.