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.