Early Light

Oil on oil primed linen panel, 8"x10"

My last painting for the year. I am finishing with a hill country piece and will start 2013 with a painting from Big Bend National Park which has been the theme for the last few years. Oil primed linen is a very slick surface and not the easiest to manipulate, it lends itself nicely to loose work. I am fairly pleased with the color saturation I achieved in this piece.

Falling Apart at the Seams

I have revised and reposted this painting with the above image. This weekend was spent repainting several pieces that I thought could use a facelift.

Oil on linen panel, 11"x14"

Another barn scene from La Grange. This one had a clear view of a pasture and distant hill behind it. This barn like many others in the area has seen better days and appears to be falling apart at the seams.

Sunset

8"x10" Oil on linen panel

This is of course a Texas Hill Country sunset with springtime bluebonnets.

I hope that everyone had a safe and happy holiday. I'm looking forward to the new year but also want to finish this year strong so I'm hoping to post a few more finished paintings before the year ends. I was busy this last month with several projects and of course the holiday shopping which all had an impact on lowering my blog activity. 

Moonlight and Snow

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

Tis' the season, so I decided to paint a snow scene even though there isn't a snowballs chance in you know where for it to snow here in Houston. At least painting snow would help me get into the Christmas spirit! Happy Holidays to all!

Sunset Blues

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This painting I actually rescued from the trash. I had worked it into something I really didn't like and had tossed it in the garbage. There is sat until the next day when I grabbed it out and decided to go a totally different direction with it. I massed in the large foliage areas and popped in the sunset behind the tree, added an indication of a fence and thought, hmmmmm I may have something here.  Glad I rescued it and gave it another chance.

In the Grapevine Hills (repaint)

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

The Grapevine Hills is one of my favorite areas of Big Bend National Park.

This is one of those paintings I just wasn't happy with and since it never sold I decided to make it or break it. I actually learn a lot when I repaint a finished work. Making alterations to improve a painting requires deep analysis of the work and the ability to view with a critical eye. It is often difficult to see problems that you have stared at for long periods. Our eyes and minds begin to fool us into believing that what we have created is good and that can cause complacency. I am beginning to understand it is as important to make a painting beautiful as it is to make it believable. That idea is the catalyst that enables me to modify what I see into what I want. I know there is more I could do with this piece but it is far improved from the previous version and time to move on.