Girls on the Dune

I think everybody that has done more than 2 paintings has had a trainwreck. With mixed emotions we watch our hopes and dreams vanish one by one across the canvas. And when we have lost all our hopes and all our dreams have died, we look for something else to fill our lives.  I host a painting workshop in my studio. One of the ladies that paints with me showed me a painting that we both begrugingly loved. She looked at me and said,...."yeah, its a real trainwreck, isn't it." "Indeed....good call" I said. "That artist gets big money for those." She said. "Oh" I said. "yeah" she said.

 This is Number One of a series I will call my "Trainwrecks in SloMo"
Thanks for looking. I am still painting on this.

Oil on canvas 10"X24"

Bring it with you when you come(SOLD)

Take it with you when you go.

oil on canvas 8"X16"
this painting is sold.

Don't pay any attention to those fools (SOLD)

These little birds are always so much fun to paint. They make me smile and then I'm sad.

Oil on canvas 8"X16"
(SOLD)

Sweet Avalon (Avalon Fishing Pier) Kill Devil Hills, NC (SOLD)

Avalon Fishing Pier
Oil on Linen Panel 12"X16"
(SOLD to a repeat collector in Holly Springs)

Here they come. Act normal (SOLD)

A strange thing happens to me when I paint these little birds. They make me smile.

oil on canvas 8"X24" (SOLD to a repeat collector)

Old Guy on Board (SOLD)

This was a fun painting.

oil on canvas 14"X10" (SOLD)

Beach Essentials (SOLD)

This was a fun painting.

oil on canvas 8"X16"

this painting is sold.

The Lifeguard (SOLD)

Oil on canvas 16"X22"
This painting is sold.

The Summer House (on coming from grey) (SOLD)

fin.

This is an under painting. I find it is easier for me to control the paint if I start with a grey scale such as this and then add color. I think it has something to do with my training using markers. If a painting is as complex as this, adding white too soon, for me, is like inviting certain failure. I have probably washed away more paint than I have put on this piece thus far. I think this is a distinct advantage that linen has over canvas when using oil paints, and for me represents the biggest difference between oil and acrylic paint. The process of painting that I use is probably the brand of a studio painter, as opposed to painting on site. The next time I paint on site, however, I will do a line sketch with markers on paper to establish the composition and the contrasts before I begin painting. I read this in a Kevin McPhearson's book. I have been working with the oils more of late because it seemed better suited for painting outdoors. The type of painting that I have been doing in oils, of coming from grey to color,(shown above) as opposed to coming from color to the correct shades and intensity of color, was brought to my attention by Mike Rooney. (It made sense to me at the time),but I did not distinguish myself as that type of painter. I realized later that he was describing my style of painting. I don't know if this makes any sense to you. If it does or doesn't you owe yourself a painting demonstration or a workshop with Mike. I learned a lot of interesting things about other ways of painting from Mike. I welcome every opportunity to talk smart with other artists. Hey, it works for me! He has a lot of video's here Jerry'sArtaRama Check out his free stuff and his cd's.

Oil on stretched linen 14"X14" (SOLD)

Prancing Shrimp (SOLD)

fin

I am trying to stay true to my original rodeo sketches. I have not yet used any white on this. I find that I can make more revisions without getting to battleship grey if I keep white away until I need it. I read somewhere that it was easier to make a painting lighter. So, I have a pretty open field in front of me. I really like this mixing the equine or bovine with the crustaceans. This is a work in progress 18"X22" Oil on linen
This painting is sold.