Civil War Cannon - unfinished

I decided to add figures to my paintings now.  This is one of my first attempts.  I am hoping to complete this within the next couple of days.  It has been a challenge but I am happy so far with the results.  I may do others with people in them. The last one was in pastel with a little girl at the ocean. I will replace this with the finished version soon.

Latest Portrait - Alesha

Daniel came to my house yesterday to request that I do a portrait of his girlfriend from a photo.  Here is the result of an emergency gift creation - 45 minutes.

"Beaver Brook Falls"

I found an old photograph from my youth when I lived in the mining district of Colorado.  My grandfather had a beryllium mine up a gulch named Beaver Brook.  I made this painting imagining the colors added to an old black/white photo. I completed this today. This one is a 8"X10" oil.

"O Highway Barn" - An interesting barn from the Ozarks

This is a barn similar to the ones that will be found driving around the Ozarks hills. Unfortunately many are being taken down as the push of the cities into the traditional farmlands.

I did this painting in 1984.

"Samurai Couple"

Nishimura Sensei is a very good friend who comes from Isesaki Japan.  His family has been teaching the samurai arts for over 450 years. He is an expert with the sword and demonstrated his skills at the Japanese Gardens in Springfield Mo.

This portrait is not quite finished and I believe I sent it to him without taking a finished photo.  I will look to seee if I did and will update this page then.

"Repose"

"Watercolor Wave"

"Lady in Blue"

Mountain Sunrise

Vincent Van Gogh

Many years ago I was looking at the art on Ebay and in the process I saw a picture that caught my eye. It was a very small photo of Vincent Van Gogh. One of the very few that was taken of him.  Please notice the brushes in his hand and the sunflowers over his shoulder.  He made very accurate self-portraits of himself. This picture sold for many millions of dollars if I remember right.

"Old Matt's Cabin"

This painting was done in the summer of 1980 after I spent 10 years as a tour guide and was in the Shepherd of the Hills Play. If interested, you can read the information here:

http://oldmatt.com/html/

This is the famous cabin of the family who were the basis for Harold Bell Wright's Novel.

San Fransico Bay - Balclutha

This is the large Mural I painted at the Lighthouse.  It was 12 feet tall and 25 feet long. I used just primary colors in acrylic latex house paint from Walmart's. One and two inch bristle hair brushes were used. Interesting learning experience especially painting on a ladder.  Maybe the Sistine Chapel next . . . lol

"Fisherman's Wharf"

This is the second mural at Lighthouse Coffee Shop.  This is the very recognizable sign at the Wharf and was posted at the entrance of the Coffee shop. In this case it is the rope cording that presented the challenge.  This about 5 and a half to 6 foot tall.

Comparisons

There is little to say comparing these 2 paintings.  The Coit Tower was one of several murals I painted on a friend's business walls.  Even though it was in the Ozarks, he wanted to show his appreciation of how much he enjoyed the San Fransisco atmosphere.  

The "Old Gets" from Gloucester

These are the portraits of some gentlemen I made in memory of their friendship they extended to me.

Don

Tom

Don

Martin

Malcolm

"Tammy"

A friends wife  - - -

Happy Shared Memories

Another happy couple - - with many memories!

Heath Ledger

A tragic story and he will be remembered more for his Joker interpretation in the "Dark Knight".  I wanted to do the portrait of just the man behind the actor.

George Clooney

All in the eyes - look up his aunt Rosemary Clooney a very classy lady and a beautiful voice too.

Johnny Cash

We all miss that voice - . . .

Catherine Zeta Jones

An early portrait of a very beautiful lady.

"Marilyn"

Many artists do their interpretation of Marilyn Monroe - here is mine.

The Preacher

A young boy I knew was so proud of his Grandfather and wanted a portrait of him.  He was a very kind man and shared so much of his life in the ministry.

Happy Couple

I did this portrait of a lovely couple I know. Zach is now in medical school following his dreams with the support of his fiancee Clairese.

Spring Creek

This is one of the first paintings I did. As one may see by the rocks and the water style it was done shortly after the  previous post with the tower in the center.
  At that time I was happy with the sky and the background.  I am now starting to pay more attention to the foliage - more practice, but it will be necessary for future works. The water is beginning to look wet in a rudimentary way.

Winter Dawn

I felt like doing a loose and painterly type work.  Just an impression that I wanted to express.  As with many of my paintings over time I just make them up in my mind and then go for it.

Moon on the Fogbank

I was very happy with this seascape in that all I have done until now is starting to make painting more enjoyable and less tedious. The colors and the interpretation of the Moon in the background with a limited palette is still a challenge I enjoy.

Seascape Practice

This is a seascape that I started.  After letting it set on a shelf for a couple of months I just could not get back into it.  So I trashed it but as one can see I had made significant advances in seascape paintings. A lot of brush work to get here tho. Also I  went to the library and the internet to study what made the waves act as they do and why there were breakers.  Interesting study and it sure helped me understand and make my rendition of them more credible.

Journey into the Past 3 - Early Landscape Scene 3

Now time to add a building into my works and it was quite a lesson. More expressive sky and freer brushstrokes but trying to tame it or the trees.  A touch of red in the shadows of the tower building also the attempts to make the rocks look hard and the water look wet.  I am developing a feel for composition but a lot more to go, not just the physical drawing but the light, values and of course the hue all play a part. Ouf, practice, practice, and more practice!

Journey into the Past 3 - Early Landscape Scene 2

This is the second attempt.  It is very similar but I had to be gutsy and try a larger size.  The previous post was a 5" X 7" and this one is a 16" x 20".  Wow! What a difference in a change of size can be. Maybe it is for this reason I developed a preference for miniatures. This represents my attempts at bluebonnets.

Journey into the Past 2 - Landscape Scene

While working at the Shepherd of the Hills as a tour guide, I met an very interesting artist who was doing arts and crafts in a small booth.  In my free time between tours I would watch him paint.  I did not know it then but I was subconsciously absorbing much of his techniques sort of like filing it away. I seemed to do my practicing in my head rather than on paper.  One day I pulled out the paint box that my father had given me and laid some color down and this is a sample of one of my first attempts of any painting.

Journey into the Past - Beach Scene

This is one of my very first attempts at seascapes.  At the time I was very happy and felt I had accomplished a good painting.  Now in retrospect, it was just one of the first steps into the world of art.  I had more successes than failures down the road but the important thing is to not let your last mistake be your last attempt or you have failed. I used a very limited pallete.  As I remember it - it was Prussian Blue, Cadmium Yellow Pale, Grumbacher Flesh, Brunt Umber and White - primary palette type. I also used the palette knife to get the hard rock effect.  More practice, practice, practice!

"Praying Hands" by Albrecht Durer

One of the most recognizable art pieces of Albrecht Durer is his famous "Praying Hands."  My father, who studied under Angelo Di Benedetto in Denver at the Denver Art Academy of the 19050's, told me that the person who can draw 4 basic shapes - pyramid, box, ball and ribbon with proper lighting and values; make a rock look hard and water look wet; and draw the human body with those building blocks can draw anything.  In this case it is a very excellent model to use for the human hand.

Sandy Beach

I enjoy painting miniatures.  It has the complexities of the larger paintings; however , one must be cautious too as a mistake in this size can surely dominate the work.  Each painting I do is a study of some particular aspect.  In this case it is the movement of the water in the background as contrasted with the still water in the sand and the reflections of the light in them.

Deep Woods

  As I continued my journey in the world of art, I wanted to do a mood painting.  This one was done to give a feeling of rest and assurance that all will be well.

Breaking through the Line

   Living near the Wilson's Creek Battlefield, I decided to start art based on themes that reflect the struggle that was witnessed here 150 years ago. Throughout this year there will commemorative events that will remind us of that day.  Later this year there will be a reenactments of that battle and I intend to attend them.
   This pencil sketch is a first in a series of works I will do this year.  This represents a mounted CS soldier who is riding his horse through a break in the line firing his weapon.

Sheer Window

Going back to my roots of drawing I drew this one evening as I was studying my notes on anatomy. Just a fast impression of a lady longingly looking through a window with sheer curtains.

Ocean Princess

   The power of the ocean being gently touched by the hand of a child playfully splashing the water at the edge is a theme of many artists and photographers who recognize  this beauty.  I decided that I likewise needed to express my interpretation.  I recently did this pastel drawing one afternoon as I was organizing my pastels and charcoal box.  I had not seriously attempted pastel as I would become frustrated rather easily. Even mid-way through this work I was ready to throw it out and put the pastels away.  A little self-coaching and persistence and I accomplished my first pastel painting.  Please enjoy it.

First Pet Portrait - "Sweetie"

I have done numerous portraits over the years; however,I had never been requested to do a portrait of a pet. I was at first intimidated by the prospect but I picked up my pencils and said it is no different than one of a person just the proportions are different and art is art . . . just go for it and this is the end-product. I may just advertise to do more.

Emeralds

   Emerald Curl is a painting I did in 1990 as part of a matching set. One of few Paintings in the large size,  I prefer to do those that are in the small or miniature range.  It is easier for many people to find space in a hallway or small room for a miniature.

   Emerald Hope was done to give hope that the Sun breaking will be a sign that the waves will calm down.  Also the seagulls in both paintings show a touch of life in nature's scheme of action.