Floral Abstract of 8-8-2024

oil on canvasboad, 8" x 10"

Another to add to my series of floral abstracts using palette knife and other tools but no brushes.

Blackhead with Magenta Bird

 

oil on canvasboard, 14" x 11"

Yet another in a series of female portraits paired with little birds.  Again, I went over my time limit of 2 hours with this one, which clocked in at 2.5 hours.  These portraits are mostly done with a palette knife, eliminating the possibility of refined detail work.

Abstracted Landscape of 8-4-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 8"

It is what it is.

Abstract of 7-31-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

I started with the idea of painting a deconstructed American flag, and this is what I ended up with.

Floral Abstract of 7-29-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 8"

Another floral abstract, this one pays homage to one of my favorite flowers, the Mexican evening primrose, that grows like wild in my garden.

Abstract of 7-24-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

Another little abstract ditty.

Yellowhead with Orange Bird

oil on canvasboard, 14" x 11"

This is another portrait in the series done mostly with a palette knife.  I broke my own rule with this one of keeping to 2 hours tops to do it.  Took me close to 3 hours.

Abstracted Landscape of 7-22-2024

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

In the meantime, here's another quickie palette knife imaginary landscape ditty.

Deconstructed Portrait

 

acrylic on canvas, 24" x 24"
SOLD

This abstract piece was a release for me from the constraints of portrait painting.  Now I can go do another portait.  Ah!

Abstract of 7-18-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

This one was fun.

Abstract of 7-13-2024

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10

Another little experiment.  The more I look at it, the more I like it.

Two Palms

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

This little number started out as an abstracted flower painting.  I can still see the yellow echinacea in it that I was thinking of when I painted it.  

Pinkhead with Green Bird

oil on canvasboard, 14" x 11"

Here's the next in a series I've been doing pairing women with birds in portrait format.  I limit these exercises to 2 hours, tops.  This one took the full 2 hours.

In the Deep Blue

oil on canvas, 20" x 20"

I quite like this simple painting of a little pink fish.  I can get lost in it.

Abstract of 7-8-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

Another little abstract piece.

Japanese Paradise Flycatcher

oil on panel, 6" x 6"

Such a big name for such a little bird!  An exotic, beautiful bird with irridescent flashes of ultramarine blue, purple, plum, crimson, and magenta.

Floral Abstract of 6-30-2024

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

Here's another experimental floral abstract piece using a palette knife and wax medium to help create more textural effects.

A Social Distance

oil on panel, 12" x 12"
SOLD

This is a small narrative painting I decided to do primarily with a palette knife.  Certain strokes on the figures, however, were done with a brush. Not to get too fussy, I spent only a couple hours on it.

Bluehead with Pink Bird

 

oil on canvasboard, 14" x 11"

This is another head study done in under 2 hours.  It has its merits.

Abstracted Landscape of 6-23-2024

 

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

A palette knife painting using wax medium but no hot air.  It seems whenever I reach for the gun, it's not there, so I proceed forth without.

Floral Abstract of 6-20-2024

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

Another in the series . . .

 

Blue-eared Starling Study

 

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Another bird portrait here.

Floral Abstract of 6-16-2024

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

Continuing with the floral theme here, I used a bit of wax medium and hot air in one or two spots.

Abstract of 6-10-2024

oil on canvasboard, 8" x 10"

For this one, I added cold wax medium but didn't use the hot air gun.  One or two of these might serve as springboards to large abstracts.  You never know.

Floral Abstract of 6-6-2024

oil on canvasboard, 10" x 8"

This is the first of an experimental abstract series I'm doing to refamiliarize myself with tools and techniques I first learned in 2014 but dropped the ball on for reasons I cannot fathom.  So, I'm going back to the drawing board here.  More to come...

Seagull Study

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Another in my series of bird portraits.

Redhead with Blue Bird

 

oil on canvas panel, 14" x 11"

I set myself a task with this head study of keeping it loose, not getting fussy, keeping it under 2 hours to bash in, and using wax medium .  I didn't go the full monty with the wax medium; that is, I didn't use the hot air gun for this one like I thought I might.  I plan to do more of these, though, so I'm hoping I'll get more daring as I go.  I'm not displeased with this one, for what it's worth.  Might do it again larger as part of my bird girl series.

The Skater

 

oil on panel, 12" x 9"

This one slipped through the cracks, I'm afraid.  I painted it in 2013 and somehow failed to post it all these years, but to me it represents a direction I'd like to go in as a painter.  I dropped the ball at that time, but I need to pick it up again and carry on from there.  I'll carry on with my current style, too, but want to be throwing in experimental pieces as much as possible, given the time.

Baila Me!

oil on panel, 20" x 20"

This painting is about 75% done, but I'm posting it because who knows when I'll be able to finish it.  It won't be next week, that's for sure.  Update 7.10.2024:  I've swapped in the more-or-less finished painting.

Satin Bowerbird Study

 

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Here's another bird portrait to add to the mix, mostly done with a palette knife like the last one.  I'm trying not to take more than a couple hours to do these studies.  The goal is to keep it simple and not labor over them or get fussy.

Orange Fruit Dove Study

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

I'm racking up the bird portraits with another one here.

Bathing Beauty with Fairy Wren

oil on canvas, 24" x 24"

This is another addition to my "bird girl" series of paintings.  It was a fun one to do.   Updated 5/30/24.  I yellowed up the foreground on this painting and added a bit of shadow.  I wanted the color scheme to be more distinct primaries.  I think doing this has brought out the reds more, and I wanted that red bow to be more noticeable.  I'm happy with it overall, especially with her face.

Barn Owl Study

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

This is another in a bird portrait series I'm accruing.  All are studies, all are done on canvas paper, and all are fairly quick studies, given no more than 2-3 hours to do.  This one was done in 1.5 hours.

Anok

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a portrait of Anok Yai, a model, in preparation for a narrative figure painting featuring her that I've got in mind as part of my "bird girl" series.  Can't wait to do that one!

La Demoiselle

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 9"

The second in a series of bird portraits, this one of a demoiselle crane.

Scarlet Macaw Study

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 9"

Didn't want to take too much time on this portrait study of a scarlet macaw, as I am not very much into realism as a painter; I find it quite tedious and boring to do, and so I stopped once I felt I'd gotten the "gist" of this bird.

Two Birds: Catch of the Day

oil on canvas, 20" x 30"

This is the latest in a series I've been working on for quite a while, in pairing birds with women.  I associate the two with freedom, or lack thereof.  Women often remind me of caged birds, there solely for the pleasure of those looking on. Here, I borrowed an image from a Nan Goldin photograph entitled "Odalisque of the Bowery" and tried to suggest with the bed sheet a fisherman's net she had fallen into, yet another trap.

Cordon Bleu Waxbill

oil on panel, 6" x 6"

This fat little bird was painted mostly with a palette knife.  The beautiful two-tone color scheme of the bird itself was what captivated me.

Buika on a Break

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a study of one of my favorite singers in the world, Concha Buika, for her soulful, Flamenco-inspired vocals.  Here she is smoking what looks like a spliff, which might account for the huskiness in her voice.  

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

 

acrylic on canvas, 16" x 20"

This narrative painting was rather hastily painted, I'll admit.  The concept was more important to me than the execution, almost done in cartoon fashion.  I don't think a more refined technique would have altered the impact substantially.  I find it funny myself.  In fact, it cracks me up!  

Atelier des Chevaux

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a horse paddock on a 4.5 acre property in Sonoma immersed in a vineyard.  The central portion of the paddock was converted to an art studio and for a couple years I was in nirvana there.  I painted Kate there, a painting which seems to have vanished, which is strange, since I love this painting and had her hanging in my kitchen in New Mexico as kind of my badass alterego, someone who took no shit.  I remember carefully boxing her up, yet now that I'm setting up my studio and unboxing all my paintings, there are only a few left and she has yet to turn up.  Fingers crossed I find her.

Dignity

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

A study of the great Tracy Chapman.  I'm going to play with it some more when I have a bit of time.  

Tricolored Heron with Bonsai Cherry Tree

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Yet another study.  Didn't spend a lot of time on this.  Hopefully one day in the not-too-distant future, my pet sitter will be able to take care of my restless dog again and I'll be able to work in my studio undisturbed where I can spend a chunk of time on actual paintings.  I miss my studio so much, I could cry.

Penguin Study

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 9"

Another study . . .

 

The Caracal

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 9"

This is a study of the elusive caracal, an exotic wild cat found throughout Africa and Asia.  I punched up the colors but couldn't get them quite right.  Will retake photos in the morning and update this post.

Hola

oil on panel, 24" x 24"

This was a work in progress that stayed that way because it really was finished; it just took me a while to see it.  It sat in the time-out room for months because soon after starting it, I got pulled away for 4-5 days, during which time the paint had dried and I'd lost some momentum.  When I finally gave it a second look, it felt finished.  

Lavender Baby Rhino Study

 
oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

So I painted a pink elephant.  Why stop there?  Lavender is the perfect color for a baby rhino, don't you think?  I think this little guy is pretty cute.

Pink Elephant Study

 

oil on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

This one was just for fun.

After Ophelia

acrylic on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

The reference for this painting was a thumbnail.  I'm getting lots of practice painting cars lately.  Not sure what's up with that, but there must be smething, right?  This scene is from Wilmington, North Carolina as tropical storm Ophelia was passing through.

Hastings at Dusk

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

I painted this scene of a sunset in Hastings, U.K. from a photo I cribbed from my Facebook feed just because I I loved the colors in it.  I distilled it down to the basics to simplify the composition.  Needs a couple tweaks, but otherwise I'm happy with it.  

I've been relegated to doing only small works since last November, ever since my pet sitter went out of commission.  I cannot work in the studio with my dog there, where she paces incessantly, which drives me nuts.  And I cannot work on larger pieces when I cannot work back-to-back 6-hour days minimum.  So for the time being, I must work at home instead where I only have a tabletop easel.  Looking forward to the day when I can sink my teeth into larger works again.