Tern, Tern, Tern

oil on panel, 8" x 10"

It's back to birds with this little study of three terns.  The title is a play on words of the title of the classic Byrds tune "Turn, Turn, Turn."  What can I say, I've had music on my mind a lot lately.

Amy, Amy, Amy

 

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

I must say, this was a fun painting to do.  Amy Winehouse was such a colorful character, in addition to her phenomenal talent as a singer, songwriter, and stylist.  I thought it befitting that her portrait should also be a riot of color.  She was completely unique, a singular force in a world that craved ever more of her, and in the end, it devoured her.  I hope the world will learn to cultivate and revere uniqueness such as hers, and at the very least, give a closer listen to her music.  I've titled this painting after one of her lesser known tunes but one of my absolute favorites for its sultry licks, clever lines, and fun sense of humor.  Give it a listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIz15iovRjE. 

Great White Takes Flight

oil on panel, 14" x 18"

I started this painting of a great white heron taking off from a lagoon a few years ago, then set it aside and forgot about it, until the other day.  Just mainly playing around with color combos on this bird, seeing how far I can push it. 

Smokey the Koi

oil on canvas board, 8" x 8"

Another fish study, this one of a "pet" koi fish dubbed Smokey, who lives in a beautiful pond at my friends' property near Mendocino, California.  My friends have a bunch of border collies as well, and one of them, a handsome dude named Prodi, actually has a relationship with Smokey.  They're friends!  They go nose to nose whenever they meet up.  It's quite something to witness, so this is a very special fish.  I may try and do a larger version of him (or her?) on panel some day, but for now, this'll have to do.

A Day at the Fair

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

This little abstract ditty reminds me of popcorn and cotton candy, two treats you would find at almost any county fair -- hence the title.  Not that I was thinking of edibles as I painted it.  These abstract studies are just fun, freeform exercises.

 

Merwin and Friend

 

oil on panel, 18" x 24"

I finally got around to painting a couple horses I encountered near the grounds of Taos Pueblo in the winter of 2018.  I'm pretty sure the light horse was named Merwin, as he looked just like the one in a photo I saw at Taos Plaza that year.  My heart went out to all the horses who had to tough out the long New Mexico winters without even a blanket for warmth.  At least these two didn't seem to be undernourished.

Snapper Study

oil on canvas board, 8" x 8"

Continuing with the fish theme, here's a study of a red snapper.

Trigger Happy

 

oil on panel, 6" x 6"

This quick little study of a colorful triggerfish was quite satisfying because it was something I could do within an hour.  I think he's happy, too.  Let's leave it at that.

Coastal Village

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Although you'd never know it from the colors, this abstract ditty was made from paint left over from the previous painting, Winter Garden.  When I finish a painting, if there is enough paint left over, I like to play with it and use it up because I customize my palette for the color needs of each painting and hate to waste the paint.  

Winter Garden

 

acrylic on canvas, 12" x 16"

This is a winter scene from the property in Arroyo Seco, New Mexico where I lived in 2018.  It was a magical 4-acre property, a sculpture garden with both natural and man-made sculptures dotted throughout, one of which (a wood totem) is visible beyond the stream on the right.  

Seahorse Study

 

oil on panel, 7" x 5"

With this quick little study of a seahorse, I'm just playing around a bit with composition, color, and techniques, using various tools for mark making, etc.  I find the seahorse to be such a magical little creature.  

Sunrise Over Pt. Reyes-Petaluma Road

 

oil on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Here's another landscape study of a local scene.  I travel this road frequently, and it never fails to enchant me with its ever-changing scenery and light conditions.  Thinking of new beginnings in 2022 here.

Denman Silo with Grapevines

 

acrylic on panel, 9" x 12"

Last year at Christmastime, I painted the one remaining old vine at Denman Ranch and donated it to the owner, Ulysses Torassa.  This year, I've painted the silo for her from a photo I had taken in 2014, before these vines were removed.  It was a charming visage, and while I'm sad the vines are no longer there, the white fence with the silo and the roof of the barn visible behind it remain intact.

Tucker

 

acrylic on panel, 10" x 10"

This is a portrait of my former housemate Christine's beautiful little Westie, Tucker, who passed away earlier this year.  He was a real looker, and a great partner in crime to my little dog Lola.  They were so much fun to watch together, and became the closest of friends and thick as thieves as they plotted their shenanigans in tandem.  He is sorely missed.  RIP, sweetheart!

Abstracted Landscape Study 12-8-2021

acrylic on canvas paper, 12" x 12"

Here's another landscape ditty from my imagination, done with a palette knife.

Lorna

 

oil on canvas panel, 12" x 9"

This is a portrait of Lorna Simpson, an accomplished Black American multimedia artist who is known for her groundbreaking work in conceptual photography, which I'm including in a series of paintings of Black American artists, musicians, singers, poets, dancers and other creatives, many of whom I've only recently become aware of.

Black-necked Stork

oil on panel, 16" x 16"

This is a study of a black-necked stork I had started months ago, then got interrupted and lost my momentum on.  So, I gave it a time-out, then revisited the other day and decided to wrap it up.  I was intrigued by the name because this stork's neck actually has a beautiful blue-green irridescence, which plays beautifully off those vermillion legs.

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!