Sneak Peek "In Progress"

24"x36" oil on canvas

A couple of sections within a 24"x36" canvas currently in progress. The top image is actually the focal point of the painting and encompasses approximately a 6"x8" area. I used a palette knife on the tree next to the barn. Trying to keep it loose. Any refined detail that far in the distance would be a mistake,  Anything closer would have to have equal or more detail.

Wildflowers south of Johnson City

Oil on Gallery Wrap Canvas, 30"x40"

Painted from photos taken this past spring just south of Johnson City, Texas. I kept it pretty loose and impressionistic. I mixed most of my color before painting, mostly in the tertiaries and tried to create a flowing rhythm to the masses of color.

There is a little glare on the upper left side of this photo.

Late Afternoon View of the Del Carmens

Oil on canvas, 24"x48"

I have been wanting to paint this scene for quite some time. I thought a large wide canvas would work nicely, so I used a 24x48.

Fall Color

Oil on linen canvas, 16"x20"

I tried to keep this piece pretty loose. There are some nice impasto strokes of color scattered throughout the piece. I may try a larger version of something like this in the near future.

Sycamores in a Dry Wash (plein Air)

12"x16" Oil on panel

I painted this scene en plein air on the Rocker U Ranch, northwest of Del Rio, Texas on November 14th and 15th. I started it late afternoon of the 14th and had to come back to the spot the next afternoon for the same lighting to complete it. I was drawn to this scene by the play of light and shadow across the dry river bed and the beautiful shapes and colors of the Sycamores in their dressy fall foliage.

On the Rogers' Ranch

Oil on panel, 8"x16"

Another scene painted from photos taken on the Rogers Ranch in Montell, Texas north of Uvalde. I took liberty with the composition and added the bluebonnets.

Montell Creek on the Rogers Ranch

Oil on linen canvas, 24"x30"

Painted from a photograph I took on the Rogers Ranch north of Uvalde in Montell, Texas. I did one plein air piece while visiting the ranch, which helped me in completing this piece. The frame is not permanent, but it looked nice so I photographed with the frame.

Spring Creek (revised and completed)

Oil on linen canvas, 24"x30"

I have finally completed this piece after letting it rest then repainting portions of it. Still not sure about my photograph, it was taken outside so I think it appears a little blue and washed out. Hard to judge because monitors have their own color issues. But looking at the original i would say this does not do it much justice.

Sunflowers

Oil on linen panel, 14"x11"

Not my usual subject but it's good to break out of the norm and paint something different every now and then. Sunflowers were my mom's favorite flower. They are right up there, pretty high on my list too alongside the Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush. Fun to paint, I may do more.

Battered Barn

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

Once again I have revised this piece. It just was not up to par with what I wanted. I felt it had a few areas I could improve upon so I repainted several areas. I tried to keep a spontaneous feel while adding a little more detail in areas.

Tall Oak (revised)

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

I have brought this piece a more to a finish than the previous post which was more of a study. I felt it had some potential if I put a little more time into it. I have repainted just about the entire piece and have included a couple detail images to show the looseness of the brushwork. 

Deep Blues

Oil on panel, 10"x8"

I have not posted much lately but I have been busy working on several large pieces besides a few small ones. Some reworks and others are new works hopefully to be posted soon. This is a simple but fun painting of spring bluebonnets with a small cactus patch. A recurring theme for me, no doubt. Paint what you love they say.

On Montell Creek - Plein Air

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

Painted en plein air on the beautiful Rogers Ranch in Montell, Texas north of Uvalde.

Cactus, Oaks and Hills

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

A similar scene, painted a little larger. I added the cactus to this scene, but it was the hills that initially caught my eye.

Ranch Road near Johnson City

Oil on panel, 11"x14"
This painting was done pretty quickly. I found this scene south of Johnson City with yellow flowers sprinkled along the roadside.

Sunlit Oak on the Rocker U

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

This painting came off pretty quick and pretty much without a hitch. It is loose and has a nice spontaneous feel. The color works nicely and like all my photos, the actual painting looks much nicer.

Oaks in the Valley - completed

Oil on Linen Canvas, 24"x36"

There is a bad glare on the left side of this photo. As mentioned in my previous post, I have difficulties photographing larger works. I have had painting complete for some time while deciding if I was truly done with it and though I think there are things I could make better I have decided to leave it alone and move on.

Spring Creek

Oil on Linen Canvas, 24"x30"

This is a revised version of this painting. I still have trouble photographing larger pieces. I think I will have to invest in some photo umbrellas to help resolve that issue.

This painting was created using my smaller (11"x14") painting "A Creek in the Hills" as a reference. I also used photos taken near Johnson City this past April. It's very difficult to get the spontaneity in a larger piece you can get in smaller works. Painting trivial details tends to make paintings look contrived and tightly rendered rather than "painted". It all depends on what you like and what you strive for in your work. Personally, I would rather paint loosely and more interpretively. I consider myself a realistic impressionist rather than a pure realist. I want to achieve the look of realism with the brushwork of impressionism. I have much to learn but the pleasure is in the journey.

Tall Oak study

Oil on panel, 11"x14"

This study was painted from photos taken near Johnson City, Texas. It was painted rather quickly and has a nice spontaneous and loose feel.

Battered Barn

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

This is a revised version from the previously posted image. I pulled this barn reference from photos taken near La Grange and put it in a hill country setting complete with bluebonnets.

Oaks in the Valley (in progress)

Oil on canvas, 24"x36"

I had not worked on this painting for about a week before todays session. It is a large canvas and making any kind of impact takes a bit of time but it is progressing to my liking. This photo was taken with no light directed towards the painting so the saturation is a little week and actual color density may be a little closer to the previous photo.

Oil on Linen Canvas, 24"x36"

Although this is my first post of this piece I have actually worked on it several sessions. It is a large painting with quite a bit more work to do before it is complete. I will paint and repaint sections of this piece until I am happy with it as a whole. This is a bad photo as the lighting was very inconsistent on the canvas and it was taken with my iphone.

Battered Barn (in progress)

Oil on panel, 16"x20"

More refinements on this piece and it is getting near completion. I have made the barn slightly larger, and adjusted color, value and shapes all over the painting. I will continue to refine a few things including the foreground cactus while attempting to maintain limited detail. I welcome comments on this and all my blog posts.

 The forth stage of this painting is from my next session on it and I decided I did not like the initial weight of the composition and decided to enlarge the tree mass on the right side to keep your eye within the boundaries of the painting. I also decided I might add some interest, as in cactus, smaller trees in the foreground (bottom right). I am still toying with that idea and not sure if I will keep them, change the elements or remove them all together. It is my intent to keep this painting from getting overly detailed. We will see how that idea works out.

This third photo shows some color notes being added, still working very fast. I was purposely working about as fast as I could on this piece, hoping for some spontaneity to tie it all together. Total time up to this point about an hour and a half.

This second photo shows that I have blocked in some shadows and the sky, about 20 more minutes into the painting.

I started this piece very quickly as if I was outside plein air painting. The bottom photo shows the initial sketch, about 15 minutes in.

Mattatuck Exhibition

Here are a selection of photos from The "A Feeling of Humanity" exhibit at the Mattatuck Museum. Much thanks to Ken Ratner for forwarding the photos to me.

I have 5 paintings represented in the exhibit. Summer Chisos is visible in the 3rd photo in the grouping on the left.

Arroyo Vista and Canyon at Black Gap are on the left of the 4th photo and 'Till the Cows Come Home and South Texas Cattle on both sides of the Farmer in the bottom photo.

It is quite an honor to be included in this body of work.

Road Through the Blues

Oil on Belgian Linen Panel, 12"x16"

I know I had posted this as a finished painting a couple weeks ago but yet again I could not leave it alone. It lacked so much I can't begin to list all the things I disliked about it before. It barely resembles the image I previously posted. I have repainted every square inch and hopefully now I can leave it alone and be satisfied with it as is.

Details from "Road Through the Blues"

Desert Creosote and Ocotillo

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

Here is the finish of Desert Creosote. I have added quite a few Ocotillo, probably more than I should have. The foreground is much improved from the last post. I adjusted color and value all over the painting. 

Detail images from Desert Creosote and Ocotillo

Hills Near Bandera

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

OK, so... I know I said this painting was done last time I posted it but if you know anything about me from following my blog, it's that nothing is ever really done until I sell it. There were things I didn't like about it such as the dominant hill on the left was just to rounded with no character. I also felt the values were still to weak and it also needed more warmth. So here is what I hope to be the final, final version.

Detail of "Hills Near Bandera"

Desert Creosote (in progress_3)

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I thought I would be done with this piece after the third session but after repainting the sky I didn't want to paint the Ocotillo into wet paint so I decided to put it aside until it dries. I may also unify the foreground elements a little, I'm thinking I may have gotten carried away with rocks and small bushes. The eye should not get caught in this area, it is not a focal point of the painting and should not be overly detailed. In the final session I will extend the Ocotillo into the sky, add a few more of them as well and remove some of the foreground detail. I'm thinking I will push the mountains back a little bit too. That should complete this piece.

Detail of "Desert Creosote"

Sunset in the Bend

 Oil on panel, 6"x6"

I made a few adjustments to this piece and I can't say it's any better than it was but it is different.  I was searching for an ethereal feel to this piece, not so much heavenly but light filled. It's a small piece so I will call it done and move on.

detail from "Sunset in the Bend"

Hills near Bandera

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I have made the values of the hills darker and it definitely works better for me. Of course it is art, which is very subjective and everyone likes something different. I kept this piece pretty loose and resisted the urge to tighten up in the hills. I think it has a nice overall feel and will now call it done.

Desert Creosote (in progress)

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I have completed the second session on this piece, about an hour again. I have not yet added the Ocotillo plants that I mentioned in the last post of this piece. It needs the verticals elements to break all of the horizontal lines. They will need to be carefully placed and the shapes need to be interesting but not to dominant.  I will also repaint the mountains and sky in the next session. I can't say exactly what it is but I just don't like them and know they can be better. We will see. I also think I will add a few larger rocks in the far right foreground.

Hills near Bandera (in progress)

 Oil on panel, 8"x10"

I may have lost some dark values in the hillside to the left under the cloud shadow. I will most likely repaint that area along with the larger hill on the right side. I think placing the trees on the left foreground in shadow helped quite a bit. I made the patches of sunlight on the hills more prominent and totally reworked the sky. I'm not sure the sky is an improvement over what it was but its not a focal point and should not draw to much attention in this piece.

Detail from "Hills near Bandera"

Hills Near Bandera (in progress)

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

Session 2 on this painting and I am moving right along. It's coming to life nicely but I am still seeing a few things I would like to adjust as far as color and value. I am thinking I will darken the trees in the left foreground and place them in cloud shadow. A few other adjustments here and there and hopefully it's another completed piece. Below is a detail of some of my brushwork on this piece.