Mare with Mustard

 

acrylic on canvas, 20" x 20"

This painting was meant as a companion piece to another horse painting I did a while back, a portrait entitled "Just Horsing Around."  

Gold Fish

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This was a quick study of a koi fish, and a great subject for limited time, which is all I seem to have lately.

Red and White Roses

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Sometimes I just need to paint without the least concern for details or the viability of the end result, and such was the case with this palette knife painting.  The inspiration for it came from a photo I had taken of a vase of roses on my outdoor table, and I wanted to see if I could push it toward abstraction.  As far as that goes, I think I achieved what I was after, which was a very satisfying experience.  Update, 11.22.2021:  I revisited this painting and felt the urge to add a few leaves, which I did with a brush.  Now it's done!

Hot Lava

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

I've learned of yet another great under-appreciated Black American artist, Stanley Whitney, an abstract colorist painter.  Pouring over images of his beautiful paintings drove me to my easel to create my own colorful abstract piece.

Desert Flowers

 

oil on panel, 10" x 10"

This is a quick warmup painting for returning to oils after a long stretch of painting almost exclusively in acrylics.  Also a warmup for returning to landscapes, which I prefer to do in oil.

Beauford

 

acrylic on canvas panel, 12" x 9"

I was completely unaware of the great Black American painter Beauford Delaney (1901 - 1979) until I recently read an article on him in the New York Times.  He was a modernist painter and a colorist, and so I felt compelled to paint a colorful portrait of him as a way of paying homage to someone who should have been recognized and admired for his singular contribution to art long ago. 

A Warm Sunny Day

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Here's a little abstract composition I doodled the other day while bemoaning the end of summer.

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."