#22 "Selma's Living Room" 8x10 oil

After visits to the TC Steele home, ("The House of the Singing Winds") outside Nashville, Indiana, I decided to paint an impression of the living room inside the home. There have been so many wonderful paintings of the exterior including the gardens that I decided I wanted something different. One of TC Steele's most famous paintings is of his second wife Selma in her garden. It certainly is one of my favorites. For some reason, when I toured the house, I thought of Selma. Well, I didn't have her, but I did have her living room, preserved much as it was when she and TC shared their home in the early part of the 20th century. I'm sure she sat in one of those chairs and enjoyed a book or conversation with TC. The House of the Singing Winds, the grounds, gardens and the museum are a must see if you're in the Nashville, Indiana area. Be sure to take a peek inside the house. I did and this is what I found!

#21 "Garlics" 9x12

Finally completed this still life that was started in Victoria's studio at the Stutz building in Indianapolis this past August. Just haven't had time to get out the paints this fall but that's gonna change. This is my first still life. It's so much fun to paint with someone.... Victoria and I painted, talked, laughed and did a lot of, "talking to ourselves" as we worked! Thanks Victoria for inviting me once again...... you're the best!!

Completed this painting on October 19, 2009

#20 "Summer at the Lake" 8x10

When you sit on the deck at mom and dad's cottage on Sweetwater Lake in Brown County, Indiana, you gaze across the cove at Bill's dock. Bill is a grandpa to triplets! On my annual migration to the lake, I've watched the triplets fish off of Bill's dock every summer. Once again the grandkids along with some friends were visiting a couple of weeks ago,.... Ahhh... "Summer at the Lake."

Completed 8/27/2009

"Summer at the Lake" has a new home at the Ah Kum On INN on Sweetwater Lake.

#19 "The Sweetwater Swan" 5x7

This is a painting of the, "Sweetwater Swan"..... this guy (the swan ... not me) comes in to mom's cove and hangs out once in awhile. He sat motionless and the water was pretty glassy except for the drip from it's beak causing a small ring below.

"The Sweetwater Swan" now has a permanent home at Sweetwater Lake!



I wrote a song a few years back called the "Ah Kum On Inn" song. It's about my mom and dad's life at the lake. When you, "sit on the deck and watch the ducks and squirrels," you look across the cove and see Bill's dock and you just might see the, "Sweetwater Swan!".

CLICK ON THE ARROW BELOW TO PLAY THE SONG....

#17 and #18 "Country Road," 8x10

I'd be interested in opinions here so feel free to comment below. 

This is a little study of style. I've painted two small 8x10s of the same thing. I will do a third in the near future. In the first painting I tried to stay loose and not get trapped paying attention to trees, mountains, roads etc. Just trying to see values, color shapes etc. The second is an attempt to tighten things up a bit. Overall I'm happy with both because they've served a good purpose. I certainly have my opinions about each but I'd like feedback. I'll post the third when I get to it. Below is the story of the paintings...

While driving through the Santa Barbara County wine country just outside of Los Olivos, we happened upon this view of the countryside. We had the top down in Linda's little convertible and it was just a picture perfect day! We pulled over to just take in the views and appreciate the solitude of the moment. We had traveled about 5 miles up this road and didn't pass one car! (Far cry from the 405!) Next time I go there, I want to know where that curve in the road takes me......

Completed on August 12, 2009

#16 "Wedding Table" 9x12

Linda and I were married on May 17, 2009  at the Ojai Retreat in Ojai, Ca. http://www.ojairetreat.com/index.html  It was just the two of us, a minister and a very kind lady whom we had met earlier in the day and invited her to take some pictures. 

That morning Linda and I went shopping for table decorations. We purchased a vase, flowers and a white table cloth. 

The day before we had been wine tasting in Los Olivos (of Sideways fame). We happened on to the Saarloos & Sons wine tasting room. We learned about the history of the family and their wines. Upon mentioning that we were going to be married the next day, we were given this lovely bottle of wine as a gift. Depicted on this label is the wedding photo of the union in 1945 that created SAARLOOS & sons. On the left Bertha Saarloos on the right Gilbert Saarloos. Linda and I thought it would look great on our table. We felt it was very appropriate. 

If you're ever in Los Olivos, stop by... they are wonderful people and produce great wines!!

http://www.saarloosgroup.com/SAARLOOSANDSONS/Welcome.html

Completed on July 27, 2009.

#15 The Shed 5x7

This is a painting from a photo taken from Wendy and John Lusk's deck (June 2009) on our recent trip to Montana. We were guests of Toni and Jim Lusk (sister and brother in law) at their beautiful Montana Ranch. I was waiting for the sun to come out and capture some of the ambience. It did briefly and lit the countryside with so many different colors and the Rocky Mountains appeared far off in the distance. The little shed in the foreground was a nice contrast to the vastness of the landscape. BTW, the steaks were great as were Cori's peanut butter cookies!!!!!!

 This painting, "The Shed" has now found a new home in Reed Point, Montana!!

Completed 6/18/2009

#14 Pelican Bay 8x10

Visited our friends Dave and Diane Harrison in Naples, Florida this past April. They live at Pelican Bay. It's a beautiful beach community and they have a lovely home there. One thing that continued to catch my eye was the red and blue umbrellas. Most of them were blue but the lifeguards had red ones. It was a nice contrast with all that blue. We sure had a great time...... when I think of the beach at Pelican Bay, this is what I think of......

Completed this painting on 6/13/2009

This painting, "Pelican Bay" has now found a new home in Naples, Florida!

#13 The Greenhouse 8x10

This is an 8x10 of my sister and brother-in-law's greenhouse in Alaska. It's just a great place to hang out in the morning with a cup of coffee. Every year they plant flowers and vegetables in their raised gardens. A very special place! I look forward to getting back there soon! Trying to practice one thing Monet teaches and that CW is teaching me. Monet says when it comes to impressionism, I'm gonna tell something but I ain't gonna tell ya everything! The emphasis here is on the hanging pot of flowers but the greenhouse is ever so present. What is that in the window?

This painting was completed on 5/24/2009.

"The Greenhouse," now has a new home in Cooper Landing, Alaska.

#12 Tall Ship 8x10

It's been a month or more and I haven't really had an opportunity to get out the paints. I made time today and did this little 8x10 of a brigantine that comes by every so often. There are two of them and they provide training adventures to at risk youths. It was a rather quiet, marine layer kinda day..... not alot of wind... just kinda like what you see here....

Painting was completed May 12, 2009.

"Tall Ship," has a new home in Columbus, Indiana.

http://www.brigantines.com/

#11 Trans Pac

After, "tweaking" the lighthouse, I just had to try something else. I was frustrated. I had some paint left over and hate to waste it (recession you know). So I decided to try something very different. The fact that I didn't overthink it or put so much pressure on myself seems to have worked to some degree. I just sketched it out and started, "marbelizing" like crazy (CW, you would be proud... I just loaded the brush and hit the canvas!!) I let the paint stay where it landed and how it landed. I, "overdid it" a bit when it came to the marbelizing the sky but I needed to just do it and not back off which is what I've been doing. Now that I've done that, I can tame the next attempt at this technique. But for now, what ya see is what ya get. I know I could go in and tweak this one but I ain't gonna. I'm leaving it just the way it is. (I lied, I just "tweaked it" but not all that much and I'm thinking about going back in again!) Somebody save me from myself! I think that the painting lacks a focal point.... a place where the eye just goes automatically. I'm not sure how to incorporate that at this point but I'll keep thinking it thru and IF I can, I'll go back in and see what I can do. I'm thinking I've gotta, "pop" one of those sailboats! Any suggestions?

The painting is from a photo I took in July of 2005 at the starting line of the Trans Pac. www.transpacificyc.org. The Trans Pac is a sailboat race from So Cal to Hawaii and it's held every other year. I woke up that morning and looked out the window only to see many large sailboats grouped together on a very overcast morning. I grabbed my camera and headed for the cliffs where I sat and watched the boats jockey for position. This is the very start of the race. Within 20 minutes, the boats had all disappeared into the heavy marine layer on their way to Hawaii.

Competed on 3/14/2009

UPDATE! 3/16/2009 I've added a little, "highlight" to one of the sails to hopefully draw more attention to a point on the canvas. At Victoria's suggestion, I lengthened the sail a bit and arched it along the left side to give it more motion. (Hmmmm, I wonder if it won!) Can you tell which boat I'm talking about? It's subtle but it's there. Thanks for the tip Victoria!!

#10 The Pt. Vicente lighthouse in the morning..

This is my 10th painting. It's a 16x20 of early morning at the Pt Vicente lighthouse in in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Pt. Vicente Lighthouse The more I do, the more I learn and the more I learn that I don't know alot. I can plan and plan in my head and visualize the end result BUT, I can't nail one yet. I have mixed emotions about this one. I know some things I did right and some that I did wrong. I like the flag mast shadow on the lighthouse and the way the morning sun hits the side. Might rework the sky someday but I need some expert advice first..... it isn't what I was after but I've decided to leave well enough alone for now. I did "go back" once before and absolutely destroyed a painting! (*see #3) I reserve the right to TRY this one again at some later date!! For now, I'm going to try something completely different . Little frustrated......

Still trying to nail one!!! Completed on Friday the 13th! March 13, 2009

June 14, 2009 ..... I had put this painting in the closet..... there were just too many thing wrong with it in my opinion. Without going in to detail, the easiest thing to rework was the sky..... I changed the sky and it works a little better now.... gonna leave it like this for the time being....

#9 Greg and His Strat

This is my first attempt at doing people! This is my son Greg playing in his band, "Retro Transit Authority." www.retrotransitauthority.com The focus of this painting is primarily Greg's stratocaster..... the long curving black of the guitar against his shirt that has a very light value to it. The big lesson I learned on this painting was to NOT be tempted to make Greg's face, "look like" Greg. It would detract from my light/dark value contrast. The bass player in the background was alot of fun. Basically, all that is painted is his face, neck area, both hands, and his guitar...... all against a blackish background.

#8 Point Vicente Lighthouse

This is a 5x7 of the lighthouse at Point Vicente in Rancho Palos Verdes on a calm, clear morning. www.palosverdes.com/pvlight/ This was my second attempt at this painting. My first was very similar BUT, it was fractured. My ocean was too dark as was Catalina in the background. This painting is better in that regard. Tried to show the early morning light hitting the side of the lighthouse. The painting was completed in 2/2009.

#7 Hermosa Beach Lifeguard Stand

This was my first attempt after working with CW. I did a little of the marbilization process that CW taught me. Painting was completed in January of 2009. I like the sky, sun and foreground. If I did it again, I would really play down the "wave action." The lifeguard stand might be a bit edgy.

#6 Painting with CW...

In November, (2008) I was once again in Indiana. CW CWMundy.com invited me to paint with him. Needless to say, I was excited but somewhat "intimidated." CW put me at ease and we proceeded to paint side by side. He just told me to do what he did. I learned so much that day, just as he said I would. I learned his technique of, "marbilization," how to mix pots of paint and how to, "load" my brush among other things.

He got me to focus more on values and shapes as opposed to the actual subject matter. A lesson learned but the implementation of which, still seems to elude me. I understand it, just can't do it well........I am trying to incorporate the, "lessons" I learned that day. It's a slow process for sure BUT, I will get it! Thanks CW for a great day spent with an old friend!!!

#4 and #5 Paintings of paintings

These are two paintings from paintings..... I did this in an attempt to see how others use color, brush strokes etc.  It was suggested that I do this before I start painting from my own photos. It was a great suggestion as it gave me some confidence and early on experience. They are 9x12s and were completed in October of 2008. My mom has the one on the left framed and hanging on her wall.

#3 My first attempt at a landscape...

My third painting was my first attempt at a "landscape." It's the Pt. Vicente Lighhouse in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. I liked some things about it BUT, it was too fractured, proportions of tree to lighthouse were not correct and my "ocean" horizon was way off..... I am trying to paint, "loser," trying not to be so literal..... if I can learn that lesson, I will progress. I went back and tried to fix it...... BIG mistake...... the painting no longer exists.........! I didn't and still don't have the ability to rehabilitate a painting after most of the work is done. Trying to recreate the values with new paint is a skill I don't have yet. Plus, I tried to "overthink" it. I created a monster and really messed it up. However, I will attempt this one again. I wished I had kept it in it's original form as shown here. It was what it was... Painted in October of 2008....

#2 Yellow Flower

Painting #2 is a 5x7 of a yellow flower. It's the first painting I did after working with Victoria. I painted it from a photo that I took several years ago. I liked the yellow, green and darkness of the photograph. This little painting took me 8 hours! I think it will always be special to me because of what it represents. ....Kinda like it. ...... It was completed in Sept of 2008.

#1 My first painting... August 2008

At the ripe, "young" age of 62, I decided to try my hand at oil painting. In August of 2008, I was fortunate enough to be invited to paint with a good friend who had encouraged me to try something I had always wanted to try but, NEVER in a million years thought I would.

Linda bought me an easel for Christmas, 2007 and it sat in the closet for months. I really didn't think I would ever use it.

While in Indianapolis last summer (2008), we decided to go to an exhibit at the Stutz building where Victoria Gillieron had a couple of her paintings displayed. Afterwards, Victoria, Lou, Linda and I went to her studio. I decided to purchase one of her paintings. In the process, Victoria suggested I come to her studio and paint with her! She knew of my "secret" desire as she had assisted Linda is selecting an easel.

The following week, I joined Victoria Gillieron: http://www.victoriagillieron.com/ at her studio in the Stutz building. Victoria was also a student of CW Mundy, a very close and long time friend of mine. CW Mundy's art can be seen at: http://www.cwmundy.com/

I spent 7 hours in her studio that day. Victoria would come by take a look, offer some advice and then go back and sit patiently while I threw paint at a canvas for the very first time. When I was done, I had my very first oil painting. It was very exciting and changed the way I saw the world and everything in it! Thanks Victoria!!