River Rocks

oil on gessoboard panel, 6" x 6" 

These are just a few of the many colorful rocks to be found in the Eel River and its tributaries.  The big yellow rock looked like a gold nugget under the water, so, of course, I had to paint it!  This is a fun exercise in loosening up and going with the flow, as it were.

Apple of My Eye

acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"

This started out as something entirely different.  I wanted to produce a high key abstract painting, and was trying to come up with a composition using certain color pairings, such as viridian and magenta, or lemon yellow and a tropical blue.  I had spring on my mind, though, and one thing led to another, then out popped an apple.  I've also been wanting to do a New York skyline painting, and this has traces of that thread in it.  Ironic, the apple, innit?

Victor

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

A quick little iPad sketch of my friend Marilyn's thoroughbred horse Victor, done from a photo I had taken on their property the other day.

Ron's Barn

oil on gessoed hardboard panel, 6" x 12"

This palette knife painting was done on site at my friends Ron and Marilyn's ranch in Covelo, looking south to a brown barn just over the property line that Ron had built and lived in years ago.  

The Lake in Central Park

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

Back to New York here, with a digital sketch from a day I spent in Central Park.  I loved the faint view of San Remo in the distance.

The Golden Hour

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 8"

This little study was done from a photo I had taken in Anderson Valley last fall when the sun was sinking on the horizon, creating that late afternoon golden glow in the hills.  My favorite time of day to capture in a painting.

Coy Koi

acrylic on canvas, 20" x 20"

There is a little koi pond off the front deck at my friends' ranch and I love the juxtaposition of the green/gold algae against the purple fish, which in reality is more gray than purple yet the same or similar in value.  I painted this from a photo I had taken, just to get the hang of koi shapes.  I don't believe I've painted fish before, but it won't be my last attempt.  They're fun to paint, and I may try a plein air sketch of them at some point.  

Three Sheep

iPad painting, 14" x 10"

I'm back at Covelo Ranch, where sheep abound, getting some practice painting their sheep shapes so that when I attempt a plein air painting in the spring I will have a better handle on it.  Sheep, like cows, move surprisingly fast when you're trying to capture their essence.