Deltaville Virginia

 11"x 14"

 11"x 14"

11"x 14"

Three more from the recent trip to Deltaville Virginia.

 11x 14 oil

11x 14 oil

These 2 I did in February during the Chadds ford historical society plein air event. Off to Deltaville , VA. Saturday for a week of plein air painting and more video from David Oleski. Stay tuned...

 Alright! The book is now available and I'm proud to say that I am one of the 100!. Gary Pendelton put together this wonderful documentary of plein air painting in fine fashion. There is going to be a book signing at Mcbride gallery in Annapolis MD on Nov. 15. I will be there as well as many others doing a paint out and signing books which are available there as well as on Amazon. Speaking of plein air the 2 below are new from a friends farm close by.

 11x 14

11x 14

New plein air work

 6"x 6"

 6"x 6"

 10"x 8"

 12"x 12"

 14"x 11"

 14"x 11"

8"x 10"

These are some new plein air pieces that I will be showing at the upcoming soiree. The event is at Italian lake Saturday, June 21st. I will have other work also as well as fellow artists Julie Riker, Steve Wetzel and Jonathan Frazier. For more info check out the art association of Harrisburg website.

New work

 

Yes I've been working. I'm struggling with arranging photos in the blog so I'll break down each piece individually. The theme of this post is "If a picture is worth a thousand words than 2 words are worth a thousand pictures". The two words are self discovery.

This 16"x20" started as a plein air piece. Got it home and started fiddling in the studio. I think I managed to keep the light but completely changed the composition. It reads as a Harrisburg scene but really is a collage of many local perspectives. I'm certain that in the end what we see matters little and what we want to convey is critical to the individual. (Google Jungian Individuation)

 

 So this 8"x10" I did this evening. It's another backlit Harrisburg scene that I haven't touched in studio. It's from the same spot as the above piece almost. I'm trying to get some work in while there is a bit of color left in the foliage. Would I like to tweak this one? No

This 11"x14" was quite different on location. Too tight. A fellow artist said the original reminded him of Hopper. I suppose that was so. I tried to destroy any affiliation. Not because I don't like Hopper.

 This piece was posted before. I added some egrets for composition and visual interest. I think it works well as a painting. The plein air work has a more noticeable feel and light.

This is an untouched plein air piece from a few days ago.The Rockville bridge is a local historical object. I think that it's the longest stone railroad bridge in the states.

 I'm quite happy with this piece. It was done entirely en plein air. I heard a great interview with singer, songwriter, producer Joe Henry yesterday. When asked how he approaches writing he said basically he just sits down and starts writing having no idea where it's going. Much like writing a letter to his brother. As he starts writing the things he wants to say come to him. I feel the same way. Once paint hits canvas the dialogue begins. PS It's worth youtubing Joe Henry. Try the song Trampoline. Pause.... I haven't yet looked....

Backlit Harrisburg

8"x10" oil/linen

It's interesting. The more I challenge my own thoughts towards observation the more abstract the work becomes. I start to feel space and total disregard for what is actually there. At least literally. Doing plein air work I get an overwhelming feeling to catch light and apply basic things learned through study. Intuition is king.

Susquehanna plein air

                                                              8"x10" oil/linen birch

 

                                                           11"x14" oil/linen birch

 

 

8"x10" oil/linen birch

Did some quick plein air work with Steve Wetzel yesterday evening . A nice summer evening to paint and it felt good to be back along the river moving paint. Off to set up my Double booth at Mt Gretna. I'm at booths 217-218 for those in the area.

plein air speed work

12"x12" oil/panel

8"x10"oil linen/birch panel

8"x10"oil linen/birch panel

11"x14" oil linen/birch panel

Finally had an evening to paint. Decided to shed some cobwebs, stay loose and go for it. Sling paint. Friends were there too and it's a new place to paint. Exciting!

Off to the Syracuse art and craft show this weekend. Should be another sweat fest but hopefully not as hot as Ann Arbor.

uptown Harrisburg, really?

14"x11" oil/canvas

plein air

There is a very interesting landscape as you drive north out of Harrisburg, PA. this is a view from north front street....almost.......The scene from the top of canvas to about 3/4 's down is generally how it appears. The bottom 1/4 in reality is a McDonalds, lawyers offices and massive traffic at rush hour. I painted it plein air but couldn't allow myself to put in the traffic and McDonalds. I've always liked the cliffs up there and they remind of the scenery out west.....but to a much lesser degree. It's like a gateway to new topography. City to country. I opted for country and manipulated the foreground. This is always an issue for me. I spent many years painting out of my head... Good art therapy. But in the last decade I get an incredibly uncomfortable feeling when "making things up". I now have goals for each and every brushstroke and a non visual approach is quite difficult for me. The minds eye certaintly should be credible information. Right? Maybe it's time for more therapy...........

I will do a large piece of this scene with the traffic. I think it could be a strong dichotomy. McDonalds however, won't make it through editing.

Capitol Dome Nocturne

11"x14"
oil/board sold















So much for new subject matter. Went back to the same place as previous spot but at night. I thought it might be interesting to do a nocturne there. It was pouring rain,yet I was sheltered very nicely in the sprinter. Opened the side door and proceeded to paint. Had fun with this and am really appreciating the van. I think it was a good decision to buy it. I've included a photo with the light setup.

I've reshot the painting in natural light.

Capitol Dome view

9"x12"
oil/canvas



Headed out this morning with a plan of doing a 16x20 view of Harrisburg from the west shore. The park was closed so couldn't take the van in. Drove around a bit and ended up in a business for sale parking lot with a great view of the river and the capitol."yeah, it's a sketch and I have a hard time seeing the dome too. And I painted it!" Anyway, the light was changing fast so I had a 9x12 in the van and mixed rapidly and sketched this. I didn't quite get the light but felt good about freedom of brushstroke. I may do a purple/yellow complementery color larger piece from this study. The backlit scene was really nice and want to capture it. At any rate I found a new place to paint.

Rockville Bridge Deluge

10"x10"
oil/canvas



Ok. So I went to a favorite spot yesterday to paint the bridge during a very heavy rain. Stayed in the van to paint and rain was blowing in through the door. Felt excited to be able to paint in deplurable conditions and remain dry. I asked myself though, "What are you painting ? There's virtually no color, all cool conditions and very little definition." I answered myself "atmosphere." So here is my attempt at atmosphere....during a rainstorm....on the Susquehanna............

Susquehanna winter

12"x12"
oil/panel




This morning was cold...real cold... So cold in fact that iguanas are falling from the trees in Florida. Sorry, I couldn't resist. It was on NPR.I think they would be dying here in Pennsylvania. I did this one out of the van again. I had the propane heater going so my right hand was warm my left was numb. That's the difference a foot makes when the wind is blowing directly through the door and it's in the single digits. I do love the river when it's about frozen over. Not sure I quite captured it but the morning sun hitting blue mountain was quite nice also. The house.........well it's chilly....not frozen... just chilly. The space heaters are preventing a disaster from occuring. New furnace tomorrow supposedly. I never count my chickens before they hatch.

messiah overview

"Messiah College Overview"
12"x12" oil/board





















I'm distraught with painting lately. Even in the comfort of the van, I can't make heads nor tails. Maybe it's the wind...maybe the fact that the furnace is sucking huge volumes of fuel... Frankly I hate winter these days. I do find beauty in winter landscapes so I will soldier on.

Messiah College

rockville bridge

rockville bridge
12"x12" oil/panel

a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_-9LU2fgpYOWDnC6JQ1z38EamYi4i6fNFxG6RTojEo9DFvwrO4hYvcL01vfxVxiDnWDIOwaHN34fXlRafkkBXi7JGJn4ghWppZSwUr6lsL4GZu8RTHk0Ve-ao9-Vu9unQsrtmIQmz9xU/s1600-h/IMG_1122.JPG">

inside the sprinter. note the propane heater. it's 20 degrees outside with a 25 mph wind blowing.

see the easel and stool. the propane heater is keeping things comfy.

Brutal wind and cold today. Looks pleasant. It's 20 something degrees with a huge wind, plus I'm along the river at fort hunter. Big wind along the river. Inside the van.... nice..... propane heater is kickin.....I'm parked so the wind doesn't enter the truck. This piece is ok but I'm more excited about future work out of the van. Come summer the van wil be full of show stuff but for now it makes a great studio!

Busy, Busy , Busy

11x14 oil/board




I'm back home from the Peoria show. I'm excited that a couple of paintings found new homes in the midwest. The show was great and the people wonderful!


I'm off to the Colt's Neck New jersey show this weekend. If anyone is in the neighborhood please stop by. I like meeting new people at the shows and it keeps the days interesting. I also will have 5 paintings on display at Gallery Blu in midtown Harrisburg. The opening is Friday evening 6pm-close. Unfortunately, I'll be in New Jersey but if anyone's in the area check out the show. I just saw the pieces and it will be a very good show. Gallery Blu 1633 N. 3rd st. Harrisburg, PA.


I've been insanely busy lately and painting time has been limited. I'm posting a piece I did last year in honor of the season. It's titled "corn harvest".

Paint Annapolis 2009

16"x20" oil/canvas
plein air

I'm back from the exciting Paint Annapolis 2009 compettition. No awards for me but thats alright.
I did this one during the Saturday morning quick draw competition. We had bright sun and I picked a less than usual subject for me.
Saturday night was the artists party and it was great to meet up with friends made last year and new ones made this year. Thanks Jane, you know how to entertain!

At 5:00pm I was honored to be one of 6 artists selected by Kenn Backhaus to do a round table type discussion aimed at educating collectors and the general public as to what plein air painting is all about....how our differing styles developed....the importance of the plein air movement to each of us.....etcc... I really enjoyed the evening and hearing the other 5 artists comments. They were... Lee Boynton, Abigail Mcbride, Stewart White, Lisa Egeli, and Mary Pritchard. Due to the timing of this event I didn't get an afternoon painting in, however, I'm very honored to have particpated in the group discussion and would do it again in a heartbeat!





20"x16" oil/canvas
plein air

I did this one Friday afternoon when the sun finally made an appearance. After I finished painting, a local fellow docked his sailboat . We talked a bit and he took me to a local Eastport pub for a beer. A nice way to cap off the evening and yet again meet interesting folks in an unfamiliar town.










20"x16" oil/canvas
plein air


This is from Friday morning. Still low cloud deck and gray day conditions. I felt good about the location and liked how the boats lead the eye to the Annapolis side of Spa creek.













16"x20" oil/canvas
plein air

I did this nocturne Thursday evening. I scraped down 2 paintings during the day. I was struggling with staying loose and just about everything else. So as night fell I headed back to Eastport. I completely let loose, mixing and applying paint like a madman. I use a little battery powered light that actually illuminates my palette more than my canvas. Basically you don't know what you have while you're painting. I just trusted my eye and mixing skills. I use cool colors for nightlight and warm colors for the darker areas. I realised the next day that parts of this are quite difficult to read, however I have not touched it since the session. I didn't want to kill the blurred, energetic night scene that I had witnessed.

Gallery walk river paintings

3 6x6" panels
plein air

I went back to the river today and did these. Paint Annapolis begins Thursday so I'm heading down tomorrow to check in and find some painting locations. I may or may not post during the competition, but will take the stuff along just in case.









3 6x6" panels

I no more than got home from the Bethany Beach show and found out I had one first place in the Art Association of Harrisburg members show for my painting of the Louvre. Yes, I was excited but I wasn't able to paint everything I wanted to for gallery walk. I attended the awards ceremony and decided to focus on the river for my painting. I taped up 3 little canvases and ended up scraping down 6 versions and ended up with these pieces.