Pages

12/29/2011

Christmas and New Year's Greetings



India ink, acrylic and gouache on paper

Wishing everyone a joyful Christmas and happy new year.

8/31/2011

Tomales Bay

A page from my sketchbook, Size 8x10-7/8", Pencil and watercolor.

8/25/2011

Doyle Park Corner

Sold
8"x10"
Oil on Canvas
A study of trees in the neighborhood park.

8/22/2011

Oklahoma Red Rock

















"Red Rock Canyon"


This is a small painting I did a while back.  It is a view of the sandstone formations in Red Rock Canyon, (located south of Hinton, Oklahoma).  I recently added this painting to my  Etsy store.

8/20/2011

A Rainy Afternoon on My Street

















Medium:  Oil on Panel,  
Size:  10 x 8"  Sold

Here is another view from my studio.  The day was too wet for outdoor painting, so I did the next best thing from the comfort of my studio, standing at my easel looking out the window. This painting was recently purchased by a local art collector.

8/13/2011

Art Notecards on Etsy


If you havn't yet visited my new Etsy store, please take a look at the notecards that I'm offering for sale there. My notecards are...

  • quality digital prints of my artwork
  • individually signed by me 
  • blank inside to write your own message 
  • with a matching white envelope
  • individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve for gift-giving 
  • "affordable art" and suitable for framing

See below some cards that I've listed for sale.  
(Click on each title/link to go directly to the item in my store).











8/09/2011

My Pocket Drawing Kit



I have always been fascinated to learn about what other artists consider their essential tools to carry with them at all times. Currently, I have been making it a habit to always have a sketchbook and drawing supplies with me wherever I go.  In this post I want to share a little bit about the drawing kit that I have put together and carry with me, and how I use it.



The drawing tools I've selected allow me to make basic monochromatic sketches and drawings which can be developed into more finished pieces later on.  I use pencil, charcoal,watercolor and gauche, which allow me a range of media to capture different transient effects of light and form. At the very minimum, a few quick pencil lines jotted in a sketchbook are of more value to me than a photograph for recording the fleeting impressions that I may later develop into a painting.


My drawing kit consists of a "Moleskine"-type notebook and a small metal tin to hold my drawing tools.  Together these two items easily slip into a jacket pocket or side compartment of a courier bag, etc.



Everything must fit inside this tin, or it stays home.  Since there is no room for pen and ink, I learned that if needed, I can add ink-work to drawings later on at home.

















Inside:
  • 1 small "Altoids" tin with four colors of watercolor pigment 
  • 1 tube of opaque white gouache
  • 3 "Utrecht" brand travel-type watercolor brushes, sizes 1, 5 and 8
  • 4B Conte crayon
  • an eraser
  • BBB charcoal pencil with pencil holder
  • Hardtmuth flat sketching pencil
  • No.2 pencil stub
(the ruler is for scale)





The watercolors that I use are sepia, Naples yellow, Venetian red and Payne's gray.  I use colors for laying in cool and warm neutral washes to establish masses, rather than to record particular colors.  Since finding containers and water for brush washing is usually easy, I normally don't carry these, unless I know that I am going to be out in the field somewhere. Drawing and painting away from home still require some planning.


8/02/2011

Lanuched my Etsy store!






I have just launched an Etsy store to handle all my on-line art sales!
Visit me at this link: http://www.etsy.com/shop/paletteandeasel to see the wares that I have recently listed for sale.  I will be adding more pieces soon and plan to add note cards and other items that are in the works.

7/23/2011

South Jetty Beach























Here's another page from my sketchbook.  This is a view of the dunes on the south jetty of Humboldt Bay on a cool, misty July afternoon.  (My wife and I had just traveled from a part of the country undergoing a massive heatwave and drought).  What a contrast!

Size 8-1/2 x 11"
Watercolor and pencil

7/19/2011

Pier 39 Sea Lions























This is from one of my sketchbook pages where, at my wife's request, I did some quick sketches of sea lions that gather around Pier 39 in San Francisco.  It was a while back and the first time that I saw these sea lions.  I was impressed by their interesting postures and movements; not to mention sounds.

Size 8-1/2 x 11"
Ink and Conte crayon on paper

7/15/2011

Entrance to Doyle Park



















Medium:  Graphite stick on paper
Size:  9 1/2 x 6 3/4"

One of several recent sketches I did of this view for a possible future painting.  Over the summer I have been doing a series of on-site sketches of places that I may later develop into paintings.

6/04/2011

Pewetole Island Sketch

Here is an older (circa 2000) watercolor sketch I did of Pewetole Island near Trinidad, CA.  A camera malfunction meant that none of my photos of this scene developed, so this sketch is all I have to record this trip.

5/31/2011

New Paintings

I will be showing my new paintings during the month of June at Louies Coffee in Santa Rosa.
















"Sunflower Array"
Oil on paper, Size: 12x9"

5/18/2011

Mount Olive Tower






















"Tower on Mount Olive Drive"
12x9" Oil on Panel

This is a recent painting of an old water tower just up the hill from where I live.  It is one of those interesting buildings that I see every day and think what a good subject it would be to paint.  At the end of April I finally decided to do just that.  I worked from the tailgate of my truck, standing with my easel out in the road. This was the result.

3/26/2011

Sketch of Surf at Bodega Head












Ink and sepia wash on paper, 5 1/2 x 8 inches

It was a cold, windy day when I made this sketch of the winter surf at Bodega Head.