Tomorrow's Dream

Tomorrow's Dream

30"x40"x1.5"

Acrylic on Canvas

Every once in a while things just click in the studio. That's what happened last week when I painted Tomorrow's Dream.

I started the painting by washing in the undercolors with a natural sponge. I glazed thin layers of color, diluted with Golden Glazing Liquid, over the base color and let each layer dry slightly before applying more glazes. With a slightly damp sponge, I started to create texture by subtracting color with the sponge. Several layers of glazes down the road and the painting was finished.

I listed the painting on eBay and was pleasantly surprised that someone met the reserve price of $325.00 almost as soon as it was listed.

Check out my website for more original paintings.

New Works on Yupo

Yupo is an amazing material to paint on. I know that it was "accidentally" discovered by some poor artist who must have run out of watercolor paper. It is not paper at all but a synthetic film that is used for many graphic applications. When paint is applied to Yupo, it tends to swim around creating all sorts of interesting swirls and puddles. You never know what you'll get when you paint on Yupo but the results are always fun.

I've managed to accumulate several sheets of Yupo from an experimental workshop I took years ago. Yesterday I decided to look around in my flatfile drawer and "discovered" the Yupo. I had almost forgotten how much fun it was until I started playing around with the Yupo and fluid Golden acrylics.

I cut the large sheets into 8.5"x11" pieces and started painting away. After a couple of hours, I had completed 14 "masterpieces". When I placed a mat on each one, I was really impressed with my efforts. That Yupo is great...it does most of the painting!

This is one of the paintings. I'll be listing it and the other 13 on eBay for $45.00 each. I'll ship it out to you for free. All you need to do is buy a standard 11"x14" frame at your local Michael's and you're all set.

Keep an eye out for more new paintings!

New Commission

Tribute II

Mixed-media on canvas

18"x18" each

I completed this painting today for a buyer who had purchased a painting from me recently. He decided to commission this pair based on a painting he saw on my website. It was a real treat to spend the entire day in the studio with few interruptions...finally.

I love to use scraps of rice paper, skeletanized leaves and other bits of materials I've collected over the years. Most artists are packrats. We hate to throw anything away that might be incorporated into a painting sometime in the future. As a result, we end up with massive amounts of material that most people would have discarded long ago. Searching through my storage boxes of these "treasures" brings back memories and inspires ideas for more new works.

Visit my website to see my entire portfolio.

Picking up again...

Golden Sunset

Acrylic on Canvas

24"x36"

As usual, life has gotten in the way. Family visits, sick parents, etc. have prevented me from my usual schedule of painting, blogging and sending out my monthly newsletter. But, that's the way things go. We have to put first things first.

A couple of weeks ago I completed a pair of abstacted seascapes for an art dealer I frequently work with. She was impressed with the outcome, as was her client. Actually, I was too and decided to add something new to my usual repertoire. I've been working on a series of seascapes and "Golden Sunset" is the most dramatic one so far. It reminds me of the glorious Florida sunsets we used to enjoy nearly every evening. Every night, as the sun was setting, nature would dazzle us with a spectacular light show. Now that we live here in Texas, I miss those daily displays but not the oppressive humidity and mosquitos.

I'm hoping for a free day without interruptions today and maybe even a lovely Texas sunset.

Visit my website for more original paintings.

Distant Memories

Distant Memories

Acrylic on Canvas

24"x30"

I decided yesterday to break away from the usual color palette I've been using for a while. I seem to have gotten into neutrals and earthtones lately. As I looked at my wide selection of paints, I decided on a monochromatic color scheme accented with bronze metallics.

I started out by texturing the canvas with a heavy coat of gesso. Using a notched tool, I scratched and scraped texture into the still wet gesso. When the surface was completely dried, I began painting in washes of turqouise and umber. After applying stamped elements and spattering with water, I was able to see the structure of the painting begin to develop. I applied a thin veil of diluted gesso to create more texture and then continued to add more color glazes. I think the metallic bronze "frame" helped pull the whole painting together.

I have "Distant Memories" available for sale right now on eBay. You can see my entire portfolio on my website.

Give Me A Sign

Give Me A Sign

24"x36"

Acrylic on Canvas

Sometimes finding a title for a painting is more difficult than actually painting it. I always try to find a title that somehow expresses what the painting is trying to say. With abstract art, that may not always be clear. But, I think I may have discovered something that helps me come up with a good title...and, I'll share it with you!

I love to listen to music when I paint. There's something about the rhythm or beat that helps to loosen me up as I paint. Almost any type of music is great, but I love country. Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn , George Jones and other country oldies are fun to listen to. The stories they sing about tell tales of lost loves, drinking or "walking the line" - what ever that means. Most of the story lines are pretty sappy but still fun to listen to.

Anyway, when I'm stumped for a title, I listen to the music that's on my radio and usually a phrase or word jumps out. I forgot the name of the song that "Give Me a Sign" came from, but it was playing on my radio when I finished the painting.

Just wondering, how do you come up with a title for your paintings?

This painting will be available on eBay for a short time.

Visit my website to see my entire portfolio.

Lunch with good friends

No Exit II

24"x16"

Acrylic on canvas

It's always nice to get away from the studio every once in a while. Yesterday I met three of my good artist friends for lunch at Sandella's, a neat little cafe at Southlake Town Square in Southlake, Texas.

Judy Mackey and Nancy Medina are great palette knife painters. Their lovely florals and landscapes grace the walls of the cafe. Although they work with the same materials, their styles are completely different. I hope you'll check out their websites.

Kim Norris is a potter. Her amazing, hand-crafted works are popular at all the local art festivals. I'm impressed that she is able to create a huge volume of work, teach, garden and also work part-time for American Airlines. Her energy comes through in her work! Be sure to see the pictures of her 2007 Garden Show. I missed it last year but definitely will be there for her next show!

After a couple of dreary, stormy days here in Keller, I'll be spending this beautiful day in the studio. Getting together yesterday is motivating me to get back to work again!

No Exit II is available through eBay. Hope you check it out.

To see my entire portfolio, please visit my website!