Monday, March 12, 2012

Beauty And Age - Descanso Gardens (work in progress)

Work in progress
"Beauty And Age"
16" x 20" on canvas

I laid this out very quickly a few minutes ago in acrylics.  My intention is to finish it in oils.   This is a scene at Descanso Gardens a few years ago. These gardens are in a suburb of Los Angeles, California.  I have always meant to paint it, and it feels good to finally begin work on it and also to do a larger canvas for a change.   I can see I need to work on the angle of the bench; like I said, this is a very rough quick lay-in of color and shapes.   Below is my reference photograph.


I believe that twisting vine is a wisteria plant not yet in bloom.   Please correct me if I am wrong.  

Now back to the easel !

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Peach Elegance (Orchid)


"Peach Elegance" 
4" x 6" Acrylic on canvas on panel
$195.00

This orchid had many subtle shades of pink, peach, and orange but I believe I captured it pretty close.

Thank you for visiting !

Everything's Peachy (Waterlilies)


"Everything's Peachy"
4" x 6" acrylic on canvas on panel
$195

Waterlilies are a favorite subject of mine to paint.   This is a study for a larger painting in the future.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Orchids and Waterlilies - Works In Progress

I have been painting, but other obligations are making the going slow.   I am working on 3 miniatures right now; here are two of them.


Both of these 4" x 6" acrylic miniatures on canvas on Raymar panel are still very rough, especially the orchids.    I still have much more work to do on them, but wanted to make a post today to let you know I am still busy painting.   Thank you for visiting !

Monday, March 5, 2012

Hamakua Marsh - Kailua, Oahu (photos)

A few minutes ago I made a new post on my photography blog with photos of Hamakua Marsh and some of the birds found there.  For you bird lovers, go here to check it out.  Below are a couple of photos I did not post at that site.




The top photograph is of the Black-Necked Stilt or Ae'o and the bottom shot is of the Common Moorhen or 'Alae'ula which are both endemic to the Hawaiian islands.   I recently made another trip to Hamakua Marsh and got some great reference photos for future paintings.   All this makes me want to paint wildlife right now(!!), but I need to finish some other work I have started first.  

Hope to have completed some new work to post by tonight so check back soon.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Taking It All In - Makapu'u Lighthouse (completed)


"Taking It All In"
(completed work)
6" x 4" acrylic on canvas on panel
$225

I finished this today and the color in this image is much truer than my first post the other day.  There are no seagulls in Hawaii but we do have, among other seabirds, the White Fairy Tern and I added the terns in the painting for more interest.  The white fairy tern , or  Manu-o-ku in Hawaiian, are very lovely and when I am able to finally get some good close-up photos of them I will paint "portraits" of them.

Below is my reference photograph for this painting.

 Other paintings are in the works, so please return often.  Thank you for your visit today!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Taking It All In - Makapu'u Lighthouse Oahu

"Taking It All In"
6" x 4" Acrylic on canvas on panel
$225

This painting needs some more work- after I go tomorrow and buy some new smaller brushes !  It is almost there, however.   Makapu'u Lighthouse is on the Windward side or East side of Oahu.  It was built in 1909 and automated in 1974.  There is a 2 mile path to the lighthouse and in the winter months it is an excellent spot to watch Humpback whales. 

The man was really sitting there in a chair when I took the reference photo for this painting.  There needs to be some slight color correction in this work; I will post the image again after tweaking it a bit.