A New Year and a New Approach

I just noticed that it’s been two months since my last blog post! Actually more than two months…the last one is dated November 7^th 2011! No one can blame me for clogging up their inbox with update after update!

I’d like to begin by wishing everyone a Happy New Year. I hope everyone enjoyed their Holidays and that, like myself, you haven’t already broken those New Years resolutions?

As the Holidays are over and the studio is back up and running I have a couple of new paintings to share. All of you know that I normally only paint outdoors directly from nature and very rarely paint from reference in the studio. Painting on site as much as I do is a great discipline because you learn so much and can then, hopefully, bring that information back into the studio with you. The on site work “informs” the work done inside. At least that’s the hope! I took the time to set up a computer and a largish monitor right next to my easel so I can work from digital images that I (or others) have shot. Being a confirmed and dedicated on site painter I have to say…I’ve rather been enjoying it! I’m also planning to do larger, more “finished” paintings this year and think this will be a good set up and approach for me.

First is an image that friends of mine took while traveling recently in Venice. They posted some of the pictures on Facebook when they got back home and I was really taken with this one. I loved the way the shadows and the perspective in the buildings seemed all to point at the one moored white boat in the canal and asked them if they’d mind if I “borrowed” the image!

“Venice” 11 X 14 oil on canvas. In the collection of Mr. and Mrs. G. Galluccio.

Next is an 11 X 14 done from reference shot down in Oyster Bay Cove. I was wandering around looking for something to paint when I saw this small skiff tied up just off shore. These small rowboats are used by the working oystermen to get out to where their power boats are moored. I wasn’t too crazy about it when I saw it but I shot it anyway and am really glad I did. I fell in love with its lonely look when I got back home.

“Skiff and Autumn Grasses” 11 X 14 oil on canvas.Available. Click on the link to view purchasing details.

The next painting is also a bit unusual for me. I was teaching my regular Thursday night class at The Art League of Long Island and decided to paint along with my students. One of them was working from a photograph she shot while traveling in Surrey, England. I usually make quite a few rounds during class; offering advice and comments/mild criticism on their work so I didn’t have much time to put into this. I guess I got in a total of about 45 minutes but was quite happy with the result. I’m trying to get a bit looser, a bit more impressionistic with my approach and this little painting is one of my first steps down that road.

“Surrey Snow” 9 X 12 oil on canvas.Available. Click on the link for purchasing details.

Finally, well...I would feel bad if I didn't have at least one on site painting to offer. This one was done a couple of years ago out at Caumsett State Park. Whenever I see these they remind me that warm weather is coming and that I'll soon be packing the Soltek into the plein air mobile and heading out to feel the sun on my back again!

"Summer Color" 11 X 14 oil on canvas.Available. Click on the link for purchasing details.

Note that all of these small sketches are available for sale directly from me via this website. Simply click on the link under each image to view purchasing details. The price includes shipping costs.