Oh, to See the Light!

oil on hardboard panel, 12" x 9"

This is a plein air painting of the south end of a rustic barn on the property where my art studio is located, which is now called Denman Ranch.  Robert, a wonderfully upbeat and creative man, makes high-end lighting fixtures inside that barn.  Ironically, the narrow opening in the lower left illuminates nothing of the interior space, rendering it all the more mysterious.  The barn is graced by irises, grapevines, and a privet tree, and the lawn in front is one of my dog Lola's favorite hangouts.  Denman Ranch is a special place for sure.

Purple Honeycreeper

oil on wood panel, 8" x 8"

This was meant to be a work in progress, but knowing that I won't be able to get back to it for a few days means I may have a totally different idea about it by then.  Or I'll just leave it as is, having done it in one session with the same palette, which helps with the overall harmony.  The purple honeycreeper is native to northern South America, from Colombia to Brazil.  Love his yellow feet  (yes, it is a male)!

Update 9/13/17:  I finally got around to working a wee bit on the background, so it looks more finished now to me.

Bodega Bay View from Doran Bluff

iPad art, 10" x 14"

Another perspective on another day at Bodega Bay, this digital sketch was done from the opposite end of the bay.  I had to work faster than ever, as it appears my dog is losing her patience whenever I whip out my iPad and lose myself in it.  This one took about 5 minutes, a record for me!

Labor Day at Bodega Bay

oil on wood panel, 8" x 10"

I came upon this enchanting but rapidly changing scene at Bodega Bay, and was glad I snapped a few photos before I had to pack up and leave so that I could add those fleeting elements in the studio later.  I was frustrated with the gessoed surface, which had vertical grooves left by the brush, but decided to use those grooves to help me create some interesting textural effects.  I loved watching this photographer pursue her labor of love in an area of low tide to try and capture in closeup a very large white bird, probably a great egret.  The fishing boats were returning from their day's outing and various smaller white birds were dotting the shallow end of the bay, an altogether charming scene.

Tomales Bay Triangles

oil on linen-mounted gatorboard, 8" x 10"

This is a plein air palette knife painting of a scene that I simplified in order to emphasize the triangular patterns I saw in the cliff, the trees, and the two sailboats floating on a quiet Tomales Bay.  I have to say, it's quite a challenge to paint boats with a palette knife.

Naked Ladies of Salmon Creek

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

I took an impressionistic approach to this palette knife painting, which was done from a photo I had taken at Salmon Creek the other day.  Didn't have time to paint the scene on site, and by the time I get back there, those pink ladies will likely be gone.  I will get back there some day and paint whatever is there, as it is quite a lovely spot, just north of Bodega Bay.  Update 9/11/17:  I've been informed by someone in the know that these flowers not called Pink Ladies but are, in fact, Naked Ladies -- a far more catchy label, don't you think?  So, I hereby retitle my painting to more accurately describe this scene.  I stand corrected!

Night Owl

oil on canvas, 12" x 9"

Another bird painting, this one of a barn owl on a black gessoed canvas where all the black you see is unpainted canvas, except for the eyes, which were painted in ivory black.  To create this painting, I used a limited palette of indian yellow, burnt sienna, ivory black, and titanium white.

Flower Power

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

Here's a colorful little composition using leftover paint from Falkland Barn.  I enjoy these little freeform experiments.  This one has grown on me over the last few days.

Point Arena Plateau with Red and White Pagoda

oil on wood panel, 8" x 16"

This plein air painting from yesterday was worked on a bit more in the studio this morning.  It was a strikingly brilliant day at Point Arena, around 82 degrees, with a slight, soft sea breeze.  It was a challenging scene to paint, but I couldn't ask for better painting weather, or better company in the form of my good friend and fellow painter Joyce Creswell.  This plateau is part of Stornetta Public Lands and sits just to the north of the famed Point Arena Lighthouse. 

Snowy Egret Portrait in Profile

oil on canvas, 12" x 12"

This is the second in a series of bird portraits I've had in mind to do, the first being Flamingo Portrait in Profile, which I posted to this blog on January 14 of this year.  For this portrait, I was experimenting with a tool I recently purchased, called a brayer, which I will hopefully learn how to use with more skill in an upcoming workshop with a fantastic painter, Lindsey Kustusch.  A brayer is a rubber roller typically used for printmaking and to achieve decorative effects on surfaces.

Falkland Barn

oil on wood panel, 12" x 12"

I stumbled on a photo of a red barn in a cornfield online a while back while searching for something else, and knew I just had to paint it.  

European Goldfinch

oil on panel, 8" x 6"

I've been wanting to warm up my palette since the last few paintings have all been cool-dominant.  So, here's a warm little painting of a colorful goldfinch, native to Europe, North Africa, and western Asia.

Perchance to Dream

oil on canvas, 24" x 12"

This painting came together more like a sculpture than a painting, in that I painted the negative space first and gradually whittled it down to the bird, and the rock on which the egret stands somehow morphed into a fish, as if in a dream.  There is an ethereal quality to this piece that I find quite appealing.

Algae-covered Rocks, Waimanalo Beach

oil on canvas, 6" x 8"

Waimanalo Beach is maybe my favorite beach in the world.  It is a gorgeous, pristine expanse of white sand beach on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  I've been feeling a bit nostalgic for it, so here's a small memento.

Goat Rock

oil on canvasboard, 9" x 12"

A seascape painting of Goat Rock, which sits along the coast near Jenner.  It was a light overcast day when I took this photo.  

Chileno Valley Oak

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 8"

This was a quick little plein air sketch done from a pullout on lower Wilson Hill Road, looking north to the hills that surround Chileno Valley.

A Terning Point

oil on wood panel, 11" x 14"

This painting was done in the studio, a subject I've had in mind for a while.  I love the peaceful feeling I get when gazing at shallow still waters and grounded boats, and of course, I had to include a few birds to complete the picture, in this case crested terns.  This scene takes place at the edge of Lake Victoria, Uganda, with Bugala Island off in the distance.

Curiosity Called A Cow

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 6"

I was hoping to paint some cows in a landscape yesterday from a pullout on lower Wilson Hill Road, and was delighted to spy a bunch of them off in the distance.  When they saw me setting up my gear, though, the entire herd came running up to the fence.  I switched my focus to portraiture instead, and God bless her, this Holstein cow held perfectly still with this gaze for the 20 minutes it took me to bash in her portrait.  That's a first!  I finished it off in the studio later, and will definitely return to that same spot again to paint more cows, one of my favorite subjects (aside from birds, that is).

Russian River at Jenner

oil on gessoed textured hardboard panel, 6" x 12"

This started as a plein air painting on a mostly overcast day, but I was none too happy with my effort, so I reworked it in the studio.  It didn't help that the panel I had chosen was damaged in the upper left corner and was one of those textured surface panels made to emulate canvas that I don't care for, but it was the only 6" x 12" format I had brought with me.  It seemed that no matter how much paint I applied, the texture still showed through.  I prefer to work on actual canvas or a smooth hard surface, the simple reason being that I want the paint application to form the texture, not the prepared surface.  Lesson learned, in the future I will either sand down the textured surface or gesso a layer or two over it so as to smooth out those ridges.

Another Little Piece of My Heart

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 6"

This little abstract piece was done with leftover paint from Swanderful, for which I had used a palette consisting of cyan blue, alizarin permanent, vermillion (all used up, so none in this painting), permanent yellow deep, and white.

Abbott's Lagoon

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

This rough color study was done with a palette knife from a photo because I couldn't figure out how to haul my painting gear to this spot, as I've been told there is a long sandy path to get here from the road.  I really wanted to paint that light caramel colored water.  

Swanderful

oil on canvas, 20" x 20"

I've been itching to do some figures lately, and portraits in particular, but I'm not yet over my bird fascination.  So, a light bulb went off with the thought, why not combine the two?  This was a fun project.

Happy Hooters

acrylic on canvas, 20" x 16"

This is a work in progress, and now that I've covered the canvas, it goes in the time-out room until further notice.  You get the idea, though.  Another addition to my theme-within-a-theme bird painting series.

Lay Lady Lay

oil on canvas, 16" x 20"

This is my third bird painting with a Bob Dylan song title, and I have at least another one in mind to do.  This piece features a blue crane who has made a nest and laid her eggs in a hay field.  I love the elegant curves and lines of this exotic bird.  The blue crane is the national bird of South Africa and is in decline and now considered vulnerable to extinction.

Giacomini Wetlands, Summer 2017

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 8"

This little plein air palette knife study was done the other day in late afternoon at a pullout near the little town of Inverness, my second attempt at this scene, albeit a different time of year.

Bosom Buddies

oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

Here's another addition to my theme-within-a-theme bird painting series.  As a child, I wanted a pet penguin really bad.  I ended up with a pet duck, which is not quite a penguin.  I'm afraid this is as close as I'll ever get to realizing my childhood dream.

The Third Bird

oil on canvasboard, 9" x 12"

This piece started as an abstract meant for pure experimentation.  At some point, I started playing around with a brayer, just as a way to add a different textural element to my backgrounds.  Then I felt the urge to place a little bird shape in there, which led to a second bird, and then the finishing touch -- the third bird!  I quite like this little painting.

Ravenous

oil on wood panel, 9" x 12"

This palette knife painting of a raven eating a spider must have come from my subconscious mind.  A psychiatrist could probably have a field day with it, since I was working intuitively and not terribly concerned with accuracy or detail.  Still, I'm pleased with the bird and the overall composition.  For this one, I used a limited palette of ivory black, ultramarine violet, naphthol red, and yellow ochre, plus white.

Estero Americano

oil on wood panel, 6" x 12"

This was a plein air painting I did recently at one of my favorite new spots in west Sonoma County that got reworked a bit in the studio.  It was done on a pre-gessoed wood panel with a primed canvas texture that had quite a bit of tooth to it.  I have a few more of these panels that I will gesso again before using to see if I can smooth out some of that tooth.  This spot is a treasure trove for an outdoor painter, and I will return to it again.

Take 'im Away, Baldy!

iPad painting, 10" x 10"

A digital bird painting, this one a fantasy of mine.  I thought it apropos for America's symbolic protector -- the bald eagle -- to do the job.

Gretchen's Silver

iPad painting, 10" x 10"

For a change of pace, this is a practice piece, painting reflections on a metal bowl in this little digital still life based on a Gretchen Hancock painting.  I'm a big fan of her work.  I don't do a lot of still life painting, not because it doesn't interest me -- it does; but there's only so many hours in the day and something's gotta give . . .

Pied Heron

oil on canvas, 24" x 12"

This beautiful bird gravitates toward wetlands and wet grasslands.  I love to paint unusual and/or exotic birds' feet, such as those of the blue-footed boobies, jacanas, and various egrets and herons.  

A Little Birdie Told Me

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

Here's another cartoon I thought I'd share.  The color yellow is fraught with meaning, both positive and negative, depending on the context.  To name a few on the positive side, it connotes joy, optimism, hope, happiness, summer, and sunshine, while on the negative, it can signify cowardice, deceit, dishonesty, danger, betrayal, and warning.  Context is everything.  

Lucky Lola

oil on canvasboard, 9" x 12"

I painted this portrait of my little dog the other day while she was getting her teeth cleaned at the vet. I find her to be extremely challenging as a subject due to all the different colors in her hair, not to mention the elusive but powerful look of love that emanates from her eyes.  She is my constant companion and I was relieved and happy to learn that her teeth are in excellent shape at 10 years of age.  Lucky girl!

Black and Yellow Broadbill

oil on canvas, 8" x 6"

This odd looking but colorful little bird is found in parts of Indonesia and is currently threatened by habitat loss.  I almost let it go, but then gave it a bit of the "Lindsey" treatment (to be elaborated on in a later post) and now I like it much better.  Go figure!

Heart's Desire Beach

oil on gesso board panel, 8" x 10"

This rough plein air painting nearly lost its life at the beach when a gust of wind flipped it over face down onto my palette, but I managed to salvage it in the end.  There were a couple of other distractions for me at this location, what with my pizza box (which doubles as a wet painting carrier) flying away and getting slapped against a picnicking family down the beach, and somebody wanting to photograph me painting.  Oy, the joys of outdoor painting!  Still, I considered it a fun experience, as I had my friend and fellow painter Joyce Creswell with me to laugh about and share it with.

Rise and Shine!

oil on linen-mounted gatorboard, 6" x 8"

This little plein air painting was done mid-morning from a pullout on Shoreline Highway near the town of Marshall, looking west across Tomales Bay.  Seems the people aboard were having a sleep-in.  

The Cheese Factory at Dusk on the 4th of July

iPad painting, 14" x 10"

Like many dogs, my dog is terrified of fireworks, so we high-tailed it to the countryside in West Marin on the evening of July 4th to get a bit of respite from the boom booms going on in town.  We stopped at the Cheese Factory, which was nearly deserted, so we had the whole place to ourselves.  The scene was incredibly peaceful and exquisite, complete with a nearly full moon over the pond and all the various colors of foliage shown to best advantage and with a fog bank coming up over the trees.  I am itching to revisit this scene at the same time, from 7:30 - 9:00 pm, to do a plein air sketch.  

Purple Glossy Starling

oil on wood panel, 6" x 8"

This purple starling inhabits tropical Africa.  I am so drawn to colorful birds, and not surprised that most of those are found in tropical regions of the world.  I've always loved the tropical locales for their brightly colored vegetation, so it makes sense that I would be drawn to birds like this one.

Le President des Pirouettes

iPad painting, 10" x 10"

Just doin' my bit.  I had to squish him in a little box.  Feel much better now.

Pompadour Cotinga

oil on hardboard panel, 6" x 8"

Not much is known about this beautiful iridescent bird that inhabits Central and tropical South America, but I just love the brilliant rich red of this bird and thought it might be well served to set it against an abstracted neutral gray background.  

Estero Creek

oil on hardboard panel, 8" x 6"

This palette knife plein air painting was a rather hurried attempt to capture the golden light of late afternoon in a sweet pastoral setting that I discovered the other day in West Sonoma County.  I will definitely go back for another try, as I found it to be enchanting.  There were also black cows dotted here and there, but I didn't attempt to capture them.  Maybe next time.

Great Tits

oil on hardboard panel, 8" x 10"

For anyone interested, there is a theme within a theme emerging from my bird painting series.  Can you guess what that theme is?  These little birds are found throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North Africa.

Comb-crested Jacana

oil on canvas, 10" x 20"

This jacana, or lotusbird, as it is otherwise known, is found in parts of Australia, the Philippines, and several other lesser islands of that region.  I love lily pads, lotus blossoms, and the still warm waters that bring them to life and symbolize for me the feeling of peace and calm.  This delicate little bird is like a flower itself, so perfectly matched to its environment.  Just another miracle of nature.

Red-billed Blue Magpie

oil on hardboard panel, 12" x 6"

This one practically painted itself.  Initially, I was frustrated by not having any ultramarine blue on hand, a color I considered essential to the success of this painting.  I ended up using a mix of ultramarine violet, cerulean blue, and prussian blue, and was pleasantly surprised by the results.  Another member of the crow family, this blue magpie is found mostly in the Indian Subcontinent and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Spread Eagle

acrylic on canvas, 10" x 20"

My idea for this painting was not fully realized and so it stands to get partially reworked at some point.  I might be lying about that, as I seldom "partially" rework a painting.  Once the brush hits the surface, one thing always leads to another, and before I know it, I'm looking at an entirely different painting.  For this reason, I can't approach it until I have a better idea how to achieve the desired result.  I do like the bird, so I may just switch to oils and start a new one, an easier proposition.

Rufous Treepie

oil on hardboard panel, 12" x 6"

In my recent research of bird species, I came across this one I'd never heard of before, with a beautiful long blue/gray tail.  The rufous treepie is a member of the crow family and native to Southeast Asia.  Had to paint it! 

Cattle Egret

oil on canvas, 20" x 10"

Yet another bird painting.  I can't seem to stop myself!  The cattle egret is fond of hitching rides on cows and feasting on insects to be found among them.  This egret is in mating mode.

Green Jay

oil on hardboard panel, 8" x 10"

Another bird painting, this one in the blue jay family.  I loved the yellow underside and the pale green back feathers.

Birds of Ellis Creek

acrylic on canvas, 12" x 24"

This is just a small sampling of birds to be found at Ellis Creek on any given day, a local wildlife sanctuary that I frequently visit.  On this particular day in spring and after a good rain, there were a number of egrets, along with the usual swans, Canadian geese, and even a great blue heron adding to the magic of the place.  I love Ellis Creek!