Tyler's Nissan Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bb1Cqsceos&feature=player_embedded

Jellyfish Fields

Oil on panel 9"X12"

Seagull Sampler (SOLD)

Oil on panel 10"X10"

This painting is sold.

Wide Open

I did this sketch sitting down watching my dog sleep. I have to get a life. Briefly she held her leg up in the air.

Oil on canvas 11"X14"

A Leg Up (SOLD)

I think the blue heron has a "leg up" on being coolest bird on the planet.

I bought some of the smoothest panels I have ever painted on. A Gessoed Art Board by Speedball.

This is my first time using these. They are so slick that it seems something must be wrong.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

this painting is sold.

FishWish

I never know when to stop painting on any particular piece of work. Often for me, less is more. I occasionally use my drivers license as a pallet knife.

Oil on canvas 18"X18"

I have donated this painting to the Dare County Arts Council

thank you DCAC.

Sunflowers (SOLD)

I started this blog originally to remind myself  that I was indeed out here most days, trying as best as I could, to craft this skill of being a painter. I made a pre-commitment to myself  in 2007 to do my best to excell at this. To be the best painter I was capable of being.  I never expected more. I never expected less. There was never a clear understanding of what my goal was. The appearance of success was never a distinct image or place or state of mind. It's a journey and I am pleased with most of the steps I have taken and with the progress I have made to date.

I found some dried sunflowers in my attic and plopped them in a vase and painted them.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

and now as this journey continues I sold this painting.

thank you.

Crawfish (SOLD)

no explanations pending or given.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

this painting is sold.

Cherries and Chiquitas (SOLD)

I painted a still life of fruit.

Oil on panel 6"X9"

this painting is sold.

King Craw

I bought crawfish. Not to fish with or to eat.

Just to taunt.

Oil on canvas 22"X28"

Under Wing

Oil on panel 14"X11"

Send me an email. I will sell you this painting of two seagulls.

$225 shipping included

ricknilson@gmail.com

Beyond Here Lies Nothing

These oceanfront houses on the beach road along the Outer Banks.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

Turtle Still Life

I painted this as a still life of baby turtles figurines coming out of the sand until, (for reasons unclear to even me) I moved them. Its always a good idea to leave your still life in the same place as you paint it. Much easier that way.  Lesson learned.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

Jumping at Shadows

This piece has so much transparent color on it that it does not really photograph very well. This scene had so little light that it felt like I was "jumping at shadows". 

It used to look like that and now it looks like this.

Oil on canvas 16"X20"

Nothing Works Out for Me with Tuna on Toast (SOLD)

Here Captain Wrongway shows an excellent example of what to name a painting if you want google to help others find it.

I liked the way this blue heron was scrunched up with his long legs out.

Oil on panel 12"X18"

Through a very odd set of circumstances this painting is sold.

FlashPan Dancer (SOLD)

Oil on panel 11"X15"

This painting is sold

Body Count and Delphinius (SOLD)

Not sure why someone would name their boat

"Body Count"

Oh well, here she is.

Oil on canvas 18"X18"

I donated this painting to the Outer Banks Hospital Cancer Resarch Center.

thank for looking.

Pelican on a Stick (SOLD)

Oil on canvas 16"X20"

ricknilson@gmail.com

This painting is sold.

Painting Kaylee Fisher (SOLD)

One morning I met my friend Mick in Wanchese.  We planned to do a plien aire painting of these guys painting their fishing boat, the "Kaylee Fisher". We got there a little late. When we arrived it  was obvious.  The painters had set up in the wrong place, just under the only tree on the lot. They failed to see my painting would have been better if I  was set up exactly where the boat sat. The dappled shade felt welcoming in the morning sun and threw odd shadows on the hull. The scene was not up to my artistic standards. I hesitated  asking them to move their job site from under the tree. I feared  they would not have seen validity of the request. 

None the less, I mucked on like a good soldier. Since, I have lamented not doing something with the images I photographed that day. I tried the same piece as a studio work in a larger size and moved the boat out into the morning sun. I think this is my best work to date,  I am quite pleased. And it's not just the pills talkin'.

Oil on canvas 16"X20"

this painting is sold.

Pink on the Outside. Wild on the Inside. (SOLD)

Good News Everybody.

I have been given one million pounds in the BT Millionares Sweekstakes.

Oil on canvas 8"X16"

This painting is sold

Nags Head Beach (SOLD)

This was kinda fun.

Oil on canvas 12"X16"

this painting is sold. thank you again.

Buy this painting on PayPal

Price: $250 USD plus $15 USD s/h

Or, send me an email

Elephant Rodeo

Scribble with no warning.

thank you all for looking. 

King on a Stick (SOLD)

For reasons unexplained.

Oil on canvas 9"X12"

this painting is sold

Big Shrimper (SOLD)

This is again Capt. Ralph docked in Wanchese Harbour.

Oil on canvas 16"X20"

This painting is sold.

Stone Crabs Two (Sherri's Crab)

In the McMaster's Collection

A stone crab painting by Outer Banks Artist Rick Nilson

Oil on Panel 9"X12"

Thank you.

Stayed for Yellow (SOLD)

I painted this crab a while ago and then just kept adding paint.

A bluecrab painting by North Carolina Coastal Artist Rick Nilson

Oil on panel 11"X14"

this painting is sold.

Mad Cow Moan

Here is yet another still life of my dog's toys. This one sort of squacks.

(Something else I learned chasing windmills), panels are a lot more forgiving as a painting surface and easier to wipe paint off of than canvas. I also have been using more walnut oil to thin the paint. 

Oil on panel 9"X12"

Squeaking Lion (SOLD)

Now for something different.  I am of the opinion that your painting skills can not exceed your drawing skills. That is one of the things that I learned in La Mancha. Another, is that I do not need to rely so heavily on photographs. I painted this as a still life of one of my dog's toys. It squeaks.

Oil on panel 12"X9"

thanks for looking.

this painting is sold.

Restless Farewells

I hope I have left this behind me. I loved doing these, but they did feel a bit sad or something like that.  I have learned a lot about painting in general with these ficticious works. Thats about all I will say.

Oil on panel 12"X9"

An Uncloudy Day

Oil on panel 9"X12"                                             Oil on canvas 6"X8"                         

Don speaks to Sancho of an uncloudy day.

Everything is Broken (SOLD)

" Take a deep breath, feels like your chokin', tell the truth now, everything is broken" eecummings

I knew this was going to be a challenge. I had only my last scribble to follow. I like it.

Oil on panel 9"X12"

This painting is sold.

Tuff Enough to Crow (SOLD)

This was fun. 

Oil on MDF panel 9"X12"

This painting is sold.

Hens in Purple (SOLD)

Without a clear focus regarding exactly why I should,  I painted 3 hens in purple.

?

Oil on canvas 12"X16"

This painting is sold. Thanks Rick.

minute scribble

I don't sketch. I hate to sketch. Sketch is what chickens do when they dig in the dirt. little timid lines without commitment. I scribble until my eye sees the shape and then I scribble harder along the shape. I liked this 1 minute exercise in scribbling. I thought you might like to see it also and the way I sketch and paint.

Thanks for looking.

Nickel Back (SOLD)

A buffalo in thick paint.

Oil on canvas 6"X8"

this painting is sold.

Hotdog and Petie in the Danger Zone (SOLD)

Good News Everybody.

By my specifications this is my 1000th painting and post. Had I spent 10 hours on each and every painting, I would consider myself proficient with this skill. (I am of the belief that 10,000 hours crafting a skill puts you somewhere in sight of what you can be.) I don't lie to myself and say that I have spent 10 hours in each, maybe 4 or 5.  It works out to about 250 post a year for 4 years. Thats 5 a week. I believe I see improvement in my work.  I guess I will keep doing this for a while. Honestly, I hope to paint on my dying day.

What an extraordinary life.  I love the way these gulls are just...".in your face".

Oil on canvas 6"X12"

this painting is sold.

Texting

This came out of nowhere.

Oil on panel 12"X12"

Blue Heron Over Water (SOLD)

I like the way this turned out. The greens in the water seemed so....you know.

Oil on panel 10"X18"

this painting is sold.

Fishing Avalon

For reasons unexplained, a fishing scene on Avalon.

Up close Avalon Pier looks pretty solid. From afar it appears to be held together with bubble gum and duct tape.

Oil on canvas 12"X24"

Just Enough (SOLD)

I have met lots of funny men that would  describe "just enough" as "a little more than what you got"

Oil on canvas 10"X24"

This painting is sold.

So Close to Ewe

Good News Everybody.

This morning I am digging a hole with my toe  like a bashful schoolgirl.

An art critic, Tony Moffit, said  nice things about my art in his blog. I am humbled by his words and by the company I am referenced with. Here is a link

http://artistblogcritic.blogspot.com/

Oil on canvas 16"X20"

Home of the Blues (SOLD)

I struggled with this. Trying to decide if this was indeed an attempt at an architectural rendering or just colored shapes. This blue home in Kill Devil Hills is on the oceanfront. I believe that this painting now hangs inside of this house.

Oil on canvas 16"X16"

thanks for looking.

this painting is sold.

Horseplay and Disease

............are killing me by degrees.

This horse used to roam Wake County. Thanks for the picture Kathy.

Oil on canvas 12"X16"

The Fisher King (SOLD)

I like these birds. Kingfishers. They appear so oddly proportioned. They fish sometimes in my back yard.

Oil on panel 11"X14"

thanks for looking.

this painting is sold.

East of Eden (SOLD)

This oceanfront home in Kill Devil Hills is just east of Eden Street.

 You can't make up stuff like this.

Oil on canvas 18"X18"

this painting is sold. 

Garden Variety Ducks

 Your average garden variety ducks.

Oil on canvas 18"X18"

I donated this painting to Empty Bowls.

Shadow Lands

A coastal marsh landscape thingy with bayberry trees.

Oil on canvas 12"X24"

Backlit Gull (SOLD)

This seemed so easy, and I love the easy ones.

Oil on canvas 12"X24"

You might like to buy this, perhaps?

this painting is sold.

Call Letter Blues (SOLD)

When I don't want to think much, or don't know what else to say, I can still paint maybe a crab.

Call Letter Blues

Oil on canvas 11"X14'

this painting is sold