Millerton Point Grazer

acrylic on canvas, 10" x 20"

This painting was done from a photo I had taken at a pullout along Shoreline Highway, just north of Point Reyes.  It was either at or near Millerton Point, but I can't be sure.  I loved the halo of light violet behind the black cow provided by the distant hills.

Backlit Lola by the Barn

oil on canvas, 10" x 10"

Here's my little dog Lola sitting by the big barn on the property where my art studio resides.  She loves it there!

Lily Pads

acrylic on canvas, 16" x 16"

Here's another palette knife painting, a color study using lily pads as the subject.  

Hills of Nicasio

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

This plein air sketch was done the day before yesterday after the latest storm broke, leaving some neon green hillsides in its wake.

LA Skyline

oil on hardboard panel, 16" x 20"

This is a palette knife painting done from a photo I found online.  I've been wanting to do city scenes and high-rises in particular, and I really love palm trees.  So, it was very satisfying to combine the two in one image.

Winter Pond

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 8"

I was lying in bed the other night thinking of a color combination, of pairing a yellow ochre with a mauve or slate blue.  It got hold of me, for some reason, and when I awoke the next morning, it was the first thing on my mind.  So, I went to my studio and started laying down the colors I envisioned.  It turned into a landscape painting, and although not one based on an actual reference, I can see the influence of my many visits to Ellis Creek here in Petaluma.  The whole thing is an invention, really, and I am most pleased by what I see on the right side, where the blue/gray water of the pond meets the yellow ochre reeds, which are set against the dark red trees.  

Origami

oil on hardboard panel, 6" x 6"

An abstract palette knife painting that started and ended as a color study.  Sometimes these adventures lead me to something else, but this one stayed true to its origins.

Past Abstraction

oil on canvas, 8" x 24"

This was an abstract painting attempt that I eventually wiped off but thought to photograph before doing so.  I find it very informative whenever I do this, as often it turns out that I regret wiping off my work.  I do it out of frustration, usually, when I realize that my idea wasn't fleshed out enough or when technical setbacks and delays interrupt the flow of response in the act of painting, causing a loss of momentum.

Tomales Bay Ridge in January

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

A quickie digital sketch done yesterday late afternoon.  Just as I finished, the sky turned all sorts of colors -- pink, orange, violet, yellow -- and I managed to capture the gist of that scene with my iPhone before leaving, with the hope of turning that into a painting.  

Eye of Zebra

acrylic on canvas, 20" x 20"

A minimalist painting of the sort that I often resist -- namely, high contrast.  Not sure why, since I love high contrast in a painting.  Maybe I'll do some more.

Toucan Tango

oil on canvas, 8" x 16"

More big-billed birds.

Rainbow Sherbet

oil on canvas panel, 6" x 6"

Here's a little abstract using leftover paint from the palette I chose for another bird painting I've been struggling with.  I like the abstract, though.  In fact, I think it looks good enough to eat.

Toucan

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

Here is another in what is fast becoming an obsession with big-billed birds.  They are so exotic!

Marshall Petaluma Road in January

oil on canvasboard, 6" x 8"

The sun came out the other day and so I worked on this palette knife plein air sketch until the cold air forced me back into my car.  The grassy hills are intensely green now, after all the recent storms.

Flamingo Portrait in Profile

oil on canvas, 11" x 14"

Not my usual subject matter, but I've been thinking a lot about birds lately.  There are so many exotic species in the world, and this one, an American flamingo, is among my favorites.  

Pond Swan at Ellis Creek

acrylic on canvas, 18" x 24"

This painting was done from a photo I had taken at Ellis Creek not too long ago.  I painted it with a palette knife, except for the swan and the slim tree trunks in the mid-ground, for which I used a brush.  The black area surrounding the swan was left unpainted, having been primed with black gesso.

Monica

oil on canvasboard, 14" x 11"

This tonal study was an exercise in black and white, for which I used ivory black, payne's grey, and titanium white.

Ellis Creek Reeds and Trees in Winter

iPad painting, 10" x 14"

From a recent foray to one of my favorite spots in Petaluma.  The subtle color variations are so beautiful to me, especially when set against a gray sky.

Ballerina in Dark Blue Tutu

iPad painting, 14" x 10"

Was in the mood for a tutu, what can I say?  They're fun to paint.

Eclectic Love

iPad painting, 10" x 10"

I upgraded my iPad recently and noticed my go-to art app, ArtRage, had been upgraded as well.  This is my first digital painting in a square format, an unexpected perk of the upgrade.  I've only been able to produce digital art in a 10" x 14" format, for which I could choose either portrait or landscape perspective and nothing more.  Now that they've added the square format and a few other nice features (along with a few frustrating setbacks, imho), I'll be doing a lot more square digital paintings.  Now, if they would only upgrade again and actually give the artist complete control over format . . .