Ringed Kingfisher

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 9" x 12"

Yet another bird study, this one is of a ringed kingfisher.  These little guys with their long beaks are found in habitats ranging from the southern U.S. to Mexico.  I think they're really cute.

A Perfect World

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 18" x 12"

This is a study of a flamingo resting on one leg, something flamingoes love to do.  I wanted to get the colors just right, but seeing as this is just a study, I stopped short of my objective.  I have enough to go on, though, if I want to try this again on panel.

Red-crested Pochard

acrylic on canvas paper, 6" x 6"

This is a little study of a male red-crested pochard, which I wanted to paint because I was charmed by the red beak set against the yellow-orange crown and cool green water.  The red-crested pochard is found in southern Europe and I have never seen one but would love to.

Pearl

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Pearl is the sole rooster at Denman Ranch, with a brood of about 7 hens (I think), and he is a standout in more ways than one.  Aside from his striking colors, he has a reputation, shall we say, of assertiveness and has been known to slam into human legs for no apparent reason other than as a crude form of greeting.  Some even find it charming.  This guy is full of attitude, and he's not bad looking, either!

 

Abstracted Landscape Study 9-16-2021

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This was just a quick study using a palette knife, having a bit of fun using a palette of cad yellow, cad orange, light green permanent, pthalo blue, viridian and ivory black.  I've had very limited time to paint these last few days, so when I went to my easel, I had to work fast and furious.  Let's just say I'm not unhappy with the result.

Landscape Study 9-13-2021

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a study of a scene I pass by often while walking my dog along the Lynch Creek Trail in eastern Petaluma.  It is a study of the particular light that hits these hills at dusk, creating beautiful grays, with an intense strip of sun glow at the top of the hills.  I had a difficult time getting the values that I wanted, mostly because I was using ivory black in my color mixes to dull the colors down a bit, which tends to darken as it dries.  If I paint this scene again, I will do it in oil, not acrylic.  That'll solve that problem!

Springers in Spring

acrylic on panel, 10" x 20"

I've heard young cows who have yet to give birth referred to as "springers."  I've been wanting to paint these springers in this scene since last spring, in fact.  So, now I've done it and I kinda like it.

Landscape Study 9.6.2021

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a simple landscape study done without a reference.  It's been a while since my last oil painting, and whenever I feel the urge to get back to it, I often opt for palette knife compositions where detail work is discouraged.

Peggy

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Just for fun.

Oropendola

acrylic on panel, 12" x 9"

I've been fascinated by exotic birds for a few years now, and it seems I'm always finding new ones.  Here's one I stumbled across recently and, of course, I had to paint her!  The Oropendola is part of the blackbird family and native to the forests of Central and South America.  There are variations in color among them, but they all have a bright yellow tail.  The face is what I'm most drawn to, however.  How does Nature come up with these designs?  Amazing.

Another World

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This is a study of a tropical scene that I am playing around with, hoping to adapt it to a larger composition.  Fish are fun to paint, so I'm betting I'll be painting more of them.

Light on Light

 

acrylic on panel, 12" x 12"

This simple study of a snowy egret on sand was trickier than I expected it to be.  The subtle color gradations were problematic because of the drying properties of acrylic paint, in which some colors darken slightly as they dry.  Still, I'm happy with the overall effect.

Jazz Queen

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This portrait of Ella Fitzgerald is the last in a series of four portraits of Black American singers who served as early inspirations to me as a singer.  Ella was often referred to as the Queen of Jazz for her supple, horn-like voice, impeccable diction, and awesome improvisational chops.  Among many others, I just love her swinging version of one of my all-time favorites, "No Moon at All." 

Pete and Roy

acrylic on panel, 24" x 12"

This painting of my deceased partner Roy and his great friend Pete was done from a rather poor quality photo I had taken of them walking down a lane in Bodmin, Cornwall and approaching a group of Morris Dancers off to the right.  I loved how in sync these great friends were in their body language and movements, complete with hands in pockets, strides, and visual focus, as if they were choreographed!

From China, with Love

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Another hollyhock painting, this one of a crimson hollyhock that I planted by the white fence in my front garden.  Hollyhocks originated in China, and I will forever be grateful that they made their way here.  Hollyhocks make me happy, and I just love this particular rich dark red against the various warm and cool greens of leaves and their shadows surrounding it, and all of that offset by the white fence behind.

The Watchman

acrylic on panel, 10" x 8"

The Watchman hollyhock is a dark, almost black maroon flower which, when it hits the light just right, shows an array of colors ranging from ultramarine violet to plum and even magenta.  I've painted hollyhocks a few times before, and I'm not done with them; I just love their tall stalks, large leaves and prolific blossoms.  So majestic!

Rosefinch Study

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 6" x 6"

Life's demands have yanked me away from my easel again, and I won't be back in the swing of it until this weekend.  Oh well,  In the meantime, here's a study of a little rosefinch I did about a week ago.

Wonder Boy

 

acrylic on canvas paper mounted on board, 12" x 12"

This is a painting of my musical idol, a young Stevie Wonder.  I love this man so much, not only for his incredible R&B pipes, staggering body of work and virtuosic mastery of songwriting, but for his activism and social conscience as well.  You don't need eyes to see his genius, just a heart and an open mind.

The Coolest Cat

acrylic on canvas paper mounted on board, 12" x 12"

This portrait of Nat King Cole is the second in a series I'm doing of Black American singers and musicians, and I've decided to expand the category to include Black artists of all stripes.  This one was painted with a very limited palette of burnt sienna, ultramarine blue, ivory black, and white.  The portrait of Billie Holiday was also done with a limited palette, the same as this with the addition of Indian yellow.  

Nat King Cole is one of my all-time favorite singers, and his version of "Nature Boy" is, quite frankly, one for a time capsule; it is the definitive rendition of one of the most poignantly beautiful songs ever written, and NKC's voice lifts it to the heavens.

Songbird

 

acrylic on canvas paper mounted on board, 12" x 12"

Changing gears here with a portrait of Billie Holiday.  I have it in mind to do a series of portraits of Black American singers and musicians as a way to honor their colossal contributions to American music.  I was once a singer myself, and Billie Holiday (aka "Lady Day," aka Eleanora Fagan) was a great inspiration in my younger days.