#107 "The Point" 8x10 oil on linen panel

"The Point" 8x10 oil on linen panel

Picked a picture perfect day to sit out on our dock and do a little plein air of the view. It is very difficult to paint green. I learned a few tricks from Scott Christensen last April in our work shop in New Harmony, IN.

#106 "Fruit and Brass" 11x14 oil on linen panel

Back home again in Indiana and have had a couple of opportunities to paint. This was done in my good friend Victoria Gillerion's studio at the Stutz Building. We always seem to get together and paint a couple of times while I'm here. CW's studio is right around the corner and of course he dropped in for a critique of both our works. He wanted me to bring the painting back to his studio the following day as he felt it had potential to be a very fine painting. The following day we set the painting on his easel and both took the time to critique it and decide what finishing touches I should add. I've taken two photos of this painting and neither correctly show the paint stokes, values and colors accurately so I will have to wait until I'm home to photograph it again. Until then, I'm very excited about this one!!!

Victoria now works part time in a framing shop and we decided I should spend a little extra for this one.

#105 "Copper Pot and Fruit" 8x10 oil on linen panel

"Copper Pot and Fruit" 8x10 oil on linen panel

Well it's been awhile. I've really been in a rut and haven't found time to paint!  Seems I can't get to my studio lately! Found some time this week and decided to do another still life. After the plein air class last April, I was totally discouraged. I didn't complete one satisfactory painting the whole week! Looking back, I can see a couple of things that I would have changed. First of all, I used my alkyds. They are fine in the studio but outside, they dry too quickly for me. I'm slow which is another reason I have trouble. dIn a still life, I control the environment. Plein aire.... not the case! I need to practice over and over outside in order to "get it!" Hopefully I will make myself do it.

The reason I say all of this is because, when I'm in a rut, I go back to creating a simple still life. There is nothing like painting from life. I get to think about exactly what I want it to look like, compose it carefully, choose my key and then lay out my pots of paint. Usually 2 or 3 pots that I will use for my values. In my studio, lighting doesn't change and, clouds and shadows aren't moving etc. like that!

I've practiced with fruit quite a bit. This time I decided to add a copper pot that I found in a thrift shop in Palm Springs last February. The biggest challenge here for me was to make sure I drew the pot correctly! The pot had a handle and a spout. I never did paint in the handles but I did have the spout. After looking at it I decided that the spout added nothing so... with a few strokes of the brush, gone!!! Once I felt I had what I wanted...the fruit was pretty easy and I was off to the races!!!

The second biggest challenge was creating a combination of values and colors that gave the impression of copper. For my first attempt, I'm very satisfied. I bought a few other copper pots etc. that day. I have a feeling I'll be doing more!

#104 "Waiting Patiently" 11x14 oil on linen panel

"Waiting Patiently" 11x14 oil on linen panel

WORK IN PROGRESS!

This is a piece I've been working on. I've spent a lot of time just looking at this painting in this state. I have some ideas and I think some big changes are to come. When I get back to this piece, much other than seated lady and one dog will be eliminated. The background will be come dark. This piece has demonstrated to me what NOT to do. At this point, it's merely a project for experimentation.

My high school classmate, Julie, rescues Schnauzers. We are friends on a social media site. One day she posted a photograph that just caught my eye and I thought it would make a fun painting. I'm going to look at this one for awhile and may go back in.

I love the way two of the   Schnauzers are sitting there waiting to see if anything might be coming their way while one just couldn't wait. I wonder if they got a table scrap? I'll let you know if I find out!!!

#103 After "Purple Forest" by Paul Jean Martel. 12x16 oil on panel

This painting is based upon a painting by Paul Jean Martel, called "Purple Forest." Martel was a post impressionist born in Belgium but later moving to the US. He died in 1944. His works are gaining notoriety in the  art world. Interestingly enough, his daughter lives here in Palos Verdes and had the opportunity to meet her. I took a class today offered by local artist, Rodolfo Rivademar. We first visited the exhibit, discussed technique etc. and then set to painting. I really enjoyed doing this painting and felt like I captured the spirit of the original.

#102 "Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil on canvas

"Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil on canvas

Taking a workshop tomorrow so I went in to my studio to get some supplies and decided to do a quick still life of three pieces of fruit. The reason I really like doing these is because of the shadows and the ability to control the composition. Composition is always a challenge. Probably will go back in and tone down that reflection on the green apple and a couple of other minor adjustments. 

This was really fun! Looking forward to the works shop, Reimagining Paul Jean Martel (1879-1944):

A painting workshop with California Art Club member Rodolfo Rivademar.

This is my first workshop ever and I'm nervous but excited. In April I travel back to New Harmony, Indiana for a 4 day work shop with Scot Christensen. 

Will be taking this workshop and can't wait! Plein Aire is a real challenge for me.

http://www.christensenstudio.com/Artist.asp?ArtistID=40189&Akey=72569C3T

                                                                           
For information regarding purchase please go to:
http://jim-cahill.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

                                                                            

#101 "It's 5 o'clock Somewhere" 11x14 oil on linen panel

"It's 5 o'clock Somewhere"

Back to my studio! Not much to say about this other than I set up the still life, photographed it, gridded it and then painted it up side down from the photo while having access to the actual still life. Not sure if that's allowed, but I did it anyway!

For prices regarding this or any other piece go to:

http://jim-cahill.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Hawaii Paintings #98, #99, #100

Just spent an amazing month at Kawela Bay on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii with friends and family. We rented a beautiful old home and guest house. The home was the first home built on the north shore and that was in 1908! The owner, Marilyn Radzat http://wwwmarilynradzat.blogspot.com is an internationally known artist and her north shore home reflects her eclectic tastes. They have managed to maintain the original integrity of the home. It is located just a few miles from some the the worlds best surfing spots. We spent hours at the Pipeline watching the worlds greatest surfers catch up to 20-30 foot waves! Saw John John Florence win the Volcom Pro 2015 contest and Kelly slater's perfect 10.. Such amazing atheletes. It was the perfect month of rest, relaxation and I feel very fortunate.

Had the opportunity to do a couple of paintings. #100 "Wine Time" is my wine glass sitting in the sand with the base buried and the water approaching.  Wine is something we indulged in believe me!!!

#100 "Wine Time" 11x14 oil on linen panel


#99 "Pipe Waves" is an impression of the large waves that rolled up at the Pipeline. Their awesome power was hypnotic.

#99 "Pipe Waves" 8x10 oil on linen panel

#98  SMALL STUDY "hors d'oeuvres"  represents the hours of food preparation that was spent by some amazing cooks/chefs etc. Believe me, I was not one of them but sure enjoyed the fruits of their labor. I did a bit of kitchen duty.  I will use this little study to create a larger version of this subject matter. 

#98 "hors d'oeuvres" 8x10 oil on linen

Iconic Views and Remembrances

Our House for the month on Kawela Bay

Kawela Bay Rainbow from our deck

The Master

Wine on the deck before dinner

Amazing dinners night after night with great friends!

It was just as good as it looks!

Kelley Slater's 10 at the Volcom Pro 2015 held at Pipeline

Huge waves hitting the reef out front. You could hear the distant
roar all day and night. At the house, mostly what you'll hear below.

Did some of this!!!

#96 & #97 "Women of the Maasai Mara"

"Women of the Maasai Mara" 12x24

This is the second and the largest so far of the, "Women of the Maasai Mara." paintings. This 12x24 oil on canvas depicts a group of eleven Maasai women from a photograph taken while on the Women Like Us Foundation trip last June of 2014. I'm not sure which of the women on the trip actually took the photo but when  I find out I would like to add her name to this post. It was that photo that certainly got my attention as I looked at it over and over, visualizing exactly how I wanted this subject to be portrayed. My goal was  to "pop" the colorful dress against a dark background to display not only that color but also the design. 

I think there is a second trip back to Kenya being planned and who knows, maybe I can go along!

If you would like a brief glimpse into the Women Like Us Foundation's trip to Kenya,  

                                                 

                                                                     Click here -->  http://youtu.be/a8oQgfNzdXE

"Women of the Maasai Mara" 5x7

9/14 Every since my wife Linda returned from her humanitarian mission to Kenya with the Women Like Us Foundation, I've been fascinated by the very colorful dress of the women in many of their photos. I've decided to experiment a bit and see if I can capture some of that vividness. I really hope to do more of these women and do them in various sizes. This 5x7 was my first attempt.  The boat in the foreground was built and given to Linda by some of the students in one of the schools they in which supplies delivered. I thought it added to the overall ambience of the small painting.

#95 " On the Turnagain Arm" 8x10 oil on linen panel

"On the Turnagain Arm"

My sister Deb Carlson and her husband Jim live in Alaska. I've visited many times. Each time I'm blown away by the beauty. No other place I've ever been compares. Deb and Jim have 5 acres in the woods outside of Cooper Landing, which is about 100 miles south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. They have a great log home they built in the 80s along with several other buildings that serve different purposes. My favorite is the green house which sits in the garden. Jim and Deb prepare salads from the garden while salmon sizzles on the griddle. Complete with fine wine... It just doesn't get better!!!

This particular painting, "On the Turnagain Arm" is a spot between Hope and Sunrise, Alaska. They are situated on the Kenai side of the Turneagain Arm. They were both boom towns during the gold rush. Now, only Hope, a town of 180 survives. It was a cool, cloudy day with occasional light rain. The Turnagain Arm was so filled with atmosphere. We stopped and I caught this particular view looking up the Turnagain Arm. The next day I set up my paints. As I was painting, I noticed a large painting leaning against the wall. I walked over and saw that it was painted by my Grandma Clara (Neupert) Schuyler in 1914! exactly 100 years ago when she was studying art and music at Valparaiso, University. Got a big smile on my face...

I am extremely happy with this painting on many levels! 

Here's a brief video of some of the highlights of my recent trip to visit my sister Deb and her husband Jim in Cooper Landing Alaska, June 2014

Fresh Sockeye Salmon on the griddle!

Sockeye Salmon at Russian River Falls

Grandma Schuyler's painting from 1914

Sister Deb slaps on the paint in the green house!

The greenhouse and raised bed gardens.

Grandma Schuyler's Bell at the entrance to the garden.

Painting at Thumb Cove

#93 and #94 "Three Pieces of Fruit" cont. 5x7 oil on linen panel

#93 "Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil

#94 "Three Pieces of Fruit" 5x7 oil

This is a continuation of my, 

"Three Pieces of Fruit"

 project. 

The quest continues...

#90, #91 and #92 A study using, "Three Pieces of Fruit"

#1 5x7 on oil linen panel

Well I'm getting real tired of looking at fruit and the right brain, left brain battle continues! The transition from painter to artist remains illusive but it's attainable and I get an occasional glimpse...

#2 5x7 on oil linen panel

That said, this is an experiment for me. I've decided to do a series of small paintings that consists of three pieces of fruit. The idea here is to  mess with value, chroma, design, paint manipulation and the play between light and shadow to see how they all influence each other. It's VERY challenging but fun. These are the first four in the series of still life paintings that I've done attempting to address the above. I'm going to change the palette for the next series of three pieces of fruit.

#3 8x10 oil on linen panel

My post after painting #1 in April of 2014

After a couple of days on the sidelines at an amazing art workshop in New Harmony, Indiana earlier this month, I've been motivated to "experiment." I get caught up in the same old trap time after time, allowing my left brain to dictate when I KNOW it's my right brain I need to pay more attention to. It's a constant battle! With this little 5x7, I attempted a couple of things. One of my goals was to demonstrate 3 different values with various degrees of chroma. To this, I partially succeeded. Another goal was to breakaway from too many edges and allow the edges that I do allow to have meaning. Again, I partially succeeded. Finally, how to use chroma effectively. As with the values, degrees of the use of chroma is very important. If all of your subjects have the same value and same degree of chroma, then there is nothing to draw attention to the part of the painting that you're trying to draw attention to. This painting was a real attempt at doing all of the above. It's a first step! So much room for improvement!

One thing "relearned" was always solve all of your problems before that first brush stroke. I thought this little painting out, prepared and then painted. Now, with that said, that doesn't always mean you're going to get a Monet! What it does mean is that IF you do it over and over, your chances of a successful painting increase tremendously. I want to thank my good friend CW Mundy for allowing me to observe a couple of days at the workshop. It was very, very rewarding. I hope that next year I can attend full time!

* Side note... I was so excited over the "relative" success of this little painting that I couldn't wait to get back to the studio. The following day I did just that. The results..... I scraped it! Why? Because I really didn't take the time to solve all of the problems. I got sloppy. It was a total mess...

#89 "Palos Verdes Bluffs" 5x7 oil on linen panel

Palos Verdes Bluffs

Quick little 5x7 study from a photo I took a couple of days ago while on my walk.  

#88 "Cheers" 11x14 oil on linen panel

Patrick James Cahill

"Where Everybody Knows Your Name, and They're Always Glad You Came"

This is my Grandpa Patrick James Cahill. He was my dad's father. He died when I was pretty young but I have a couple memories of him. One  day when I was probably 11 or 12, he stopped by the house to see us. I was a hot shot little league pitcher and Grandpa Pat being a huge baseball fan, wanted to play catch with me in the backyard. He said show me what you've got! To me he was my grandpa but he was still an old man, probably in his 50's or early 60s at the time. I was a little concerned that he wasn't up to the task. He assured me that he was so I leaned back and fired one at him. Much to my surprise, he caught it just fine!!! Mostly I know that he was a drummer during the vaudeville years. He played  drums in the pit at the Terrace Theatre (101-05 E North Street) in Danville, Illinois. Built in 1907, this was Danville's largest theatre for nearly 20 years. In fact, it was too large to be profitable; it was torn down in the early '30s to make way for a supermarket. The site is now a parking lot. Whenever the big acts would come through Danville on their way to and from Chicago, that's where you would find Pat and my dad whenever he could sneak in to watch. Grandpa Pat was known to have a drink or two. Perhaps that was the Irish in him. In his later years, sometime during the1940s  he was a bartender at the grand ol" Claypool Hotel at the corner of Washington Street and Illinois Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. This painting is from a photo of my Grandpa Pat tending bar at the Claypool. (101-05 E North Street)

Claypool Hotel

Contract signed in 1934 by Grandpa Pat to play double drums with the Barnett Brothers Circus...

#87 "Turn, Turn, Turn" 9x12 oil on linen panel

Pete Seeger, (May 3, 1919 - January 27, 2014) had a profound influence on my generation.  During the 60s, it was his music that many of of listened to. We played and sang his songs and were inspired by his wisdom and conviction. He was a "giver" and for that I am thankful. The world lost a great man, but his songs  will always be with us.

"Cheers"  

I went to the studio yesterday, turned on Pete Seeger songs and painted this. What a great day... listening to his music and painting his image. A very good day indeed....

#86 "Greg at the Roxy" 8x10 oil on linen panel

Not sure what to think about this. First of all.... I loved painting it. For me, this was about light, shadow and color. Not sure exactly how all that works from a technical aspect but this is what I painted. I'm finally trying to paint what I see and feel instead of approaching everything from a technical/science aspect. Sometimes I lose me in that process of painting how and what I'm supposed to paint. I guess at 67 I'm going through my terrible twos! Having never been formally trained as an artist, much of what I do is by the seat of my pants with the addition of support and critiques from a couple close friends and fellow artists. So here's the risk. Paint by feel or proven technique? I'm sticking my neck out here and going by instinct. I can then evaluate what I've done by the science of painting that I've been trying learn. Have I mastered that science? By no means BUT I've certainly gotten better. So it's time to throw in a few "experiments" for better or worse. I'm hoping that throwing caution to the wind and combining feel, and inspiration with the technical/science, my personal style can evolve. I think when, as an artist you can combine all of those elements... Bingo!! Not there yet but I can see it coming! I'm determined to get there.

Since I was at the performance that night, this is especially significant. Greg is currently playing with a band called Illumination Road. They are an excellent rock band and we all hope they have a bright future! Here's a sample of their music and a video of photos from that night!

#85 " Sail Away" 9x12 oil on linen panel

"Sail Away"

Just wondering where these people came from and where they were going? One of the things that fascinates me about living on the coast are boats. We have such a variety that pass by. Nothing is more intriguing to me than the large sailboats. I always wonder, just who are these people?

I was particularly struck by the light passing thru the sails on this  two masted sailboat. Were they headed down the coast to Mexico, Central or South America? Maybe just to  Catalina for the weekend or perhaps a journey around the world....

#84 "Spoonflection" 5x7 oil on canvas

"Spoonflection" 5x7 on canvas

Well it's been awhile! We visited our good friends Tom and Lana Cochrun up on the central coast a couple of weeks ago. It was for our west coast, "Chill." It's always great wine, food and fun! We were all seated at the table getting ready to "partake" when I looked into my spoon and was mesmerized by the reflection of the chandelier in my spoon! Don't ask me why but I became fixated on that darn reflection. Lana was seated next to me and looked at me kinda funny and asked what I was looking at? When I told her, she got it!!! She could have been just humoring me... not sure.  I've been thinking about that darn spoon for a couple of weeks now so I decided to paint what I saw. I think on this one I've broken most of the rules for how to create a great painting. Well I don't care.... this is what I saw! So here's to ya!!!

#82 and #83 "Lemons and Vase"

8x10 oil on linen

A couple of still lifes done over the summer.  Both done at the Stutz Building in Indianapolis. The smaller one (8x10) was done in 45 minutes as Victoria and I were trying to stay loose after spending far too much time on the 9x12. Would have loved to have stayed with it but the idea was to do something in a short amount of time so as to now get so carried away with detail. Very hard to do a still life in 45 minutes but it's a great exercise! Oh how I would love to go back and mess with it!!! But, it is what it is!!!

The larger one took more time and my good friend CW Mundy added a few strokes when he came down to check on us. Learned a bunch in a short amount of time!!! Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing with a brush in my hand!!! Gotta keep plugging along!

9x12 oil on linen

Indiana Icons

SOLD!
 The "R.H. Ledbetter" has found a new home at 
Lake Maxinkuckee!

 This is the "R.H. Ledbetter."  It's an 18x24 oil on canvas. The "Ledbetter" is the tall ship that can be seen on Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, Indiana. She's an icon on the lake and belongs to the Culver Academy.  We were spending the weekend with our friends Todd and Cindy Leuck who have a charming  cottage on Maxinkuckee.  We spent several fun hours on the lake in their boat. Crossing the lake, CaptainTodd circled the Ledbetter several times enabling me to get a few shots of her. This is pretty much what she looked like on that beautiful summer day! 

"R.H Ledbetter 
Unavailable

The second painting  is of the interior of the TC Steele home in Nashville, Indiana. The "House of the Singing Winds" has been the subject of many well known artists throughout the years, including TC Steele himself. To the best of my knowledge, no one has ever painted images of the interior. This painting, a 16x20 oil on canvas is called, "Selma's Living Room." Selma was the wife of TC Steele and the subject of one of TC Steele's most well known paintings, "Selma in the Garden."  

"Selma's Living Room"  

The third painting is a 9x12 oil on canvas of the infamous, "Broad Ripple Canal."  During August of 2012, while crossing the canal on a very hot August morning, I was struck by the reflections and shadows cast upon the canal's edge and the the calm water of the canal itself. I pulled over, grabbed my camera and caught this image.  

"The Broad Ripple Canal 

my912c1@mac.com

If you are interested in previewing any of the paintings, I would be happy to arrange a showing.

Jim Cahill