8/04/2010

Cloud #21 - Boston Evening Star


Oil on paper, 5" square
This is an image I have worked and reworked many
times. It is the view from my studio (and after that,
my newborn daughter's room...) when I lived in
Boston in the 80's and early 90's. Like some figure
poses, there is something about the shapes in this
image that I find endlessly intriguing. I witnessed
many sunsets from this window, and I could prob-
ably do 25 more of these paintings and never get
bored, mining my memory for colors.
This was supposed to be a "daily painting", but
ended up being a "two-day daily painting" because
I needed to create two layers.
Thanks for visiting today.

7/29/2010

Cloud #19 - A Potomac Afternoon


Oil on linen-covered panel, 5' X 7"

I really enjoyed doing this painting on linen panel today. I have
painted this composition before in gouache, and I'm happy with
the way it came out in oil. More colors, more complex water in
some ways. It is fun to make it up using what I know and remember.
Things like this aren't always successful, but it's a wonderful feeling
when it is.

7/28/2010

Cloud #18 - Storm over Fields


Oil on Belgian Linen, 3.84" x 7.15"

I decided to paint on some of my canvas today for a change. The
texture of the Belgian Linen is so fine - it is just beautiful. It was
a nice change to work with bristle brushes instead of soft hairs.
Thanks for visiting.

7/23/2010

Andy in Color (hand-colored drypoint etching)


Drypoint Etching and Colored Pencil
2.6" x 3.8"
Andy was a great model who used to pose for
my figure drawing class. He had a beautiful
profile, and that is why I was inspired to do
this drypoint of him. I decided today to enhance
the print with colored pencil, and I am very happy
with it.

Italian Twilight


Oil/Mixed Media, 3.74" x 2.86"
This tiny mixed media piece depicts the last rays of the
sun illuminating a building in an Italian piazza. I lived in
Italy many years ago, and have always been fond of
depicting Italian scenes.
Thanks for visiting today.

7/14/2010

Cloud #14


Oil on gessoed ragboard, 4.75 x 4.75" SOLD
I know it has been a long time since I have posted
anthing at all. A broken wrist and a nagging physical
problem, unfortunately, conspired to keep me from
painting. But, I am better now, and glad to be getting
back to work.
This is a continuation of my cloud series - apparently
I am not done with these yet. They are fun, I have to
say. Just free and easy painting on a small scale --
a good way to ease back into the discipline of regular
working.
Thank you for visiting today.

4/15/2010

Wave and Reflections


Gouache (opaque watercolor), 4 1/4 x 3"
I'm teaching gouache again this quarter at school,
so I've been practicing the medium in order to be
able to give demonstrations in class.
I was quite pleased with the overall appearance of
this piece - particularly the reflections. (love those
little pieces of blotter paper!)
All of my work in this medium is small, and as a
matter of fact, I keep it all in notebooks. This was done
on Fredrix watercolor canvas, which I love. I cut
it out and pasted it in my landscape notebook with
all the other paintings. I love my collection of notebooks!
Thanks for visiting.

4/11/2010

Woman from Giza


Pencil Drawing, 2 1/2 " x 3 3/4"

I went to Egypt in 1972 - many years ago. But
I still vividly remember the women and their
sometimes ornate, but usually, black, clothing.

I found this image in an old book about Egypt.
There was no credit for the photo, or I'd give it
here.

Thanks for visiting.

4/07/2010

Reworked Iris


Oil on Archival Rag Board, 7" x 11"
I actually presented this piece quite a while
ago in my blog, but, the other day I was looking
at it and realized that it was not done yet.
So I got out my paints (particularly transparents)
and went to work finishing it off. There is not quite
as much pink in the background as it appears in this
photograph.
Every spring I get the urge to paint flowers - well,
actually I like to paint them all the time, particularly
in gouache. They have such wonderful shapes and colors,
and it is always a problem to figure out how to portray
their delicacy and ephemeral qualities, as well as the
color. This is especially fun in gouache, which can be
used either opaquely or transparently. One can
communicate a lot of information with this combination.
It is great.
Thanks for looking. Sorry about the lack of postings recently.
I've been on a small "vacation" from my work. Hope to be
getting back into it now.

3/17/2010

Cloud 14 - Caribbean Cloud ll


Oil on Gessoed Ragboard, 4" x 4"


This photograph does not do this painting justice,
unfortunately. The blue is very intense, and the purple
strip in the middle practically vibrates.

Cloud 13 - Caribbean Cloud


Oil on Gessoed Ragboard, 4" x 4"
I am still preoccupied with clouds. I like working in this
size format. Perhaps they'll get bigger with time. I like
painting over a color. This was painted over dark orange.
Thanks for visiting.

3/12/2010

Cloud 12 - sunset over a lake


Oil on Gessoed Rag Board, 4" x 4" SOLD

click here to bid


This was painted on an orange-primed piece of rag
board. The picture does not do it justice, unfortunately.

Thanks for visiting.

3/08/2010

Head of Achilles in Oil Pastel Sgrafitto


Oil Pastel and Crayons, 4" x 5 " NFS
In this technique you cover a stiff piece of paper or
card with Crayola crayons in different colors.
If you think about the color that will be the last
layer on your piece, you can choose the crayons and
you can choose your color scheme before you even
start working. For this I also used a metal ceramic
tool that had a rod with six pieces of very strait
wire at the end. This way you coud draw two to six lines
exactly the same each time you draw. It was very
easy to create cross-hatching this was.

3/07/2010

"Baroque Spirit"


Softground Etching, 7" x 9" NFS
I thought I would show a piece that is in the same
vein as my pastel drawings. I did this a while ago.
As a matter of fact, it was my first softground etching!
This is a statue behind the villa where I went to
graduate school in Florence. It was sticking out of
the end of a staircase leading to the garden behind the
villa. This was in San Domenico da Fiesole, halfway
between Florence and Fiesole. We had a beautiful
view of Florence rising out of the mist. It was a
beautiful place. We did not live there, we just had
classes there, and lived in apartments in Florence.
Anyway, I love this piece, partly because it was
a happy accident on a first try!
Thanks for visiting.



3/05/2010

Cloud 11 - the storm breaks


Oil on Gessoed Board, 4" x 4" SOLD


I painted this during a class last night.
I worked on an orange background
and really enjoyed it. Although this is
just a sketch, I feel it has a sense of
depth. It makes me wish I were in the
Caribbean.





3/03/2010

Reworked Greek Venus Torso


Pastel and vine charcoal on white paper, 10" x 13"
I actually thought I had finished this drawing, but
when I looked at it today I realized I hadn't. So I
worked on it again and am happy with the results.
Thanks for visiting.

3/02/2010

Marble Head of Pompey


Pastel on Frankfurt Cream, 11" x 14" NFS




This drawing is actually similar to what is underneath
my previous post, "Head of Achilles". This drawing
has been covered with acrylic medium, as I was
planning on painting over it in oils. However, I decided
that I like it like this - a very faint, mysterious image
in delicate colors.

3/01/2010

Danielle in Profile


Oil on Heavy Paper, 7.5" x 10" SOLD
This is a friend of my daughter's. I have
done four paintings of her to date.
I like the simplistic, abstract qualities
of this painting. It is something I would
like to explore.
Thanks for visiting.

2/25/2010

Head of Achilles - mixed media


Oil over pastel drawing - 12" x 14"
I didn't actually do this drawing/painting
today, but I've never shown it, and decided
that I want to. If for no other reason than to
inspire myself to move on to something
else for a while that I love to do -
pastel drawings.
This particular piece is interesting in that
it is a mixed media image. It was done
on Frankfurt Cream paper, first a pastel
drawing was done, and then I isolated that
with acrylic medium. This particular paper,
that has been around for centuries, literally,
is very resistant to warping or wrinkling when
it is wet.
After the medium dried, I used my oil paints
and those little squeegee things called
"Color Shapers" to finish the image. I was
very happy with it.
I hope to have some new images in the same
vein in the near future.

2/24/2010

Christina with a Shawl


Oil on board, 5/14" x 7 1/4 " SOLD

This is a sketch of a friend of my daughter's who
has an incredibly beautiful head. I have painted
and etched her several times. This is not a detailed
image, but I like it just the same.
Thanks for visiting.

2/23/2010

Oil Sketch over Grisaille of Sharon Posing


Oil on Linen, 4 1/4" x 6 1/4"

click here to bid

This is a loose color study over
a black and white oil grisaille
(underpainting).

Painting this way is really fun,
because you do a black and white
version first, let it dry, and then
paint over it.

This is the way oil paintings were
first done in the 14th/15th Centuries.

I painted into a wet glaze of Gamblin's
Transparent Earth Red, a wonderful,
all-around useful color that I have used
many times for this same technique.

Cloud X


Oil on gessoed ragboard, 4" x 4 1/4" SOLD

click here to bid


This may be my last cloud. I have something else
to post that I did today.

Thanks for visiting.

2/17/2010

Cloud V


Oil on Canvas, 4" x 6" click here to bid SOLD
This is another in the series. I am really caught up in doing this, and
can't seem to stop painting clouds. I'm hoping to follow this up with
full landscapes. I'll just have to see what happens.
Thanks for visiting.

2/15/2010

Cloud III


Acrylic on Gessoboard, 4" x 4"
click here to bid

For this painting I used the new Interactive Acrylics,
and was pleasantly surprised. They come with several
different bottles of mediums. One that keeps the paint
wet longer, another that makes the paint dry really
fast, in case you want to use it as an underpainting.


It was easy to apply, brushed out nicely, had lovely
colors, and even blended easily, with the ability to
create soft edges. All in all, a very nice product. You
should try it.

2/14/2010

Cloud II


Oil on panel, 5" x 5", click here to bid
I think this is becoming a series. I love imagining the
sky. When I arrive at something that seems "real" to me,
it is so exciting. As though I am really "seeing" it.




2/13/2010

Cloud



Oil on Gessoboard, 4" x 4", click here to bid SOLD


After all this snow, gray skies, cabin fever, S.A.D.,

etc., etc., I just decided I had to paint myself a cloud

that would remind me that spring and summer will

really be here some day. As a matter of fact, I have

daffodils sticking out of the ground in my front yard-

only right now they're buried by three feet of snow.

It's a good thing they are hardy plants!


This picture just makes me feel happy, and I hope it

helps your mood too.


Thanks for visiting.

2/03/2010

Thunderheads











Gouache sketch on blue paper, 3" x 4"
I have been working hard on several paintings that are more
complicated . They require a lot of concentration, but leave
me little time for daily painting right now. I don't want to go back
on my resolution, but being preoccupied with painting is the point
here, I think(?). Not a daily race to see who can publish first.
So, I've posted one in the series of small landscape sketches in gouache
that I have been doing all along. Gouache fascinates me, because you
can use it either like watercolor (transparently), or opaquely, the way
it is really meant to be used. I like the leeway that gives me to experiment.
This particular study doesn't have any transparency in it, and was painted
fairly thickly, kind of like an oil painting. Anyone who loves oil painting
would love working in gouache!
Thanks for visiting today.

1/29/2010

The Vision


6 1/2" x 9", SOLD
Oil over prepared underpainting
(unfinished piece)

I am happy about the direction in which this
is going. It is a variation on a pose that I have
used before, and with which I am endlessly
fascinated. In this version the red dominates.

1/28/2010

The Beautiful Parakeet


3 1/8" x 4 7/8" - Pastel Pencil on Wallis Sanded Paper
I am working on some more complicated
paintings right now, and cannot be a "painter"
as such, every day. As everyone knows who
uses them, we paint when we use pastels.
I am very fond of this little drawing. I'm thinking
of going to the pet store - I asked them if I
could photograph their birds and they said
"yes" - to get some more material.

1/27/2010

Monotype of Spring in the Blue Ridge


Oil Color Monotype, 5" x 4" , painted on zinc, transferred to
Rives BFK using an etching press. click here to bid
This is a small monotype done in a loose fashion. I love this tech-
nique, and wish I had more time to do them. They're tricky though-
for every five that you do, maybe one or two are keepers... Although
this isn't my favorite - I've done so many - it has a nice feel
to it, I think.
Thanks for visiting.

1/22/2010

Figure Sketch in the Studio


Oil on Belgian Linen monted on board,
5.75" x 7.5" , click here to bid
This was really fun to do. It started out as a quick
sketch in mechanical pencil on some linen canvas
that I had. Then I coated that with polymer medium
with a little turquoise acrylic in it.
Then I painted in the light areas with a little white
and yellow oil paint.
After letting it dry over night I glazed it with Liquin
and Gamblin's Transparent Earth red, and it was all
stream-of-conciousness after that. I know it is loose,
but I rather like the effect, particularly the balance of
the bright turquoise blue and the bright spotlight.
Unfortunately, the beautiful effects of the paint don't
really come across in this photograph. Belgian linen
has a tighly-woven, exquisite surface that is unlike
anything else. It gives a delicate quality to your paint
passages that you sure can't see here! Just try to imagine
it....

1/21/2010

Monotype of a New Orleans Fountain Statue


Oil Color Monotype, painted on zinc, printed on BFK
Rives printmaking paper using an etching press
4.5" x 5"
NFS
I didn't have the time to do anything new today, so
this is my offering. I've always been fond of this.
Thanks for visiting.

1/15/2010

Sunset Sketch


Oil on Gessoed Wood, 5" x 7.5", click here to bid
I photographed this right after I finished painting it, so that explains
the glare. This was really fun to do. I used a different medium today,
which was essentially just linseed oil with some solvent in it. I usually
use Winsor & Newton's Liquin, and have for years, because it is such
a good glazing medium. But, this is a very frank sketch, so something
where you can just push and smear the paint around is best for
something like this. It's really fun.
Another good sketching medium is Dorland's wax medium. It also has
the advantage that it dries almost instantly, and, it can be buffed up
with a cloth when it's dry. How weird is that? Mix a little Liquin with it
to make it more fluid, and it's really great. By itself it's good for palette
knife work.
Thanks for visiting today.

1/13/2010

Christina

Oil on Board, 7 " x 9.5 ", SOLD
I have been working on this image over a series of
years, actually, and am glad to have finally resolved
it. The contrast of her almost-black hair against the
turqoise background is something that has always
obsessed me, but I couldn't rectify the colors in her
face with the rest of the painting. I finally decided to
just "go with the flow", and I'm pretty happy with the
results, which aren't really true to life due to my
camera. Her face is really more colorful than this.

1/08/2010

The Young Egon Schiele, a pencil drawing


Graphite on paper, 5.5" square, NFS

I've been getting ready for my weekend workshop all
day, and haven't had time to paint, so I thought I would
"cheat", and post something I've already done.

I love this drawing. I love Egon Schiele's work, bizarre
and idiosyncratic as it is, there is so much beauty there.
I know some people have a difficult time finding that
beauty, but for someone who loves to draw as much as
I do, it is very evident.

Poor thing, he died at a very young age (early 20's I think)
of the pandemic flu in 1918. What a waste of a great talent.
Well, he certainly produced a lot while he was alive.

This was done from a photo of his face at the age of about
sixteen, and clearly shows his intelligence and sensitivity,
I think.

Thanks for visiting today.

1/07/2010

Sophie by the Window II


Oil on Canvas on Wood, 7 1/8" x 10 1/2" SOLD

I did not paint this in one day. I have been working
on this painting on and off for a few months now.
It is a copy (in reverse) of a painting I did of my
daughter about seven years ago. I just love the
composition and colors so much that I had to do
another one. It was painstaking, but worth it, I think.
I love the orange/gold/yellow kimono jacket contrasted
with the purple/blue/white kimono robe, and the light
in her hair. Isn't she beautiful? (on the inside, too)