Another "I give up" blog

In the "Gull cottage blog" I posted a few minutes ago, I wanted to add a paragraph between the "Sold" and the text saying thay I have been sick with with a miserable cold for the last two weeks and managed to survive.  I then wanted to say that I would post that one final 2011 painting, and wish you all a "Happy New Year". For some reason, I could not get the above edit to appear in the blog, so I finally gave up and did this one.  Happy New Year to all!!!  Mike 

Gull cottage sketch

                                                  12"x16" Oil on linen
                                                       Sold


Some months back, I posted a larger painting of this subject.  I like this small sketch better.  It's an old farmhouse with a water tower perched on the edge of a bluff overlooking the Pacific.   Now it is a gift shop.  Every artist who sees it wants to paint it, and many do.  The only problem is that morning light leaves everything you see in deep shadow, and much of it's appeal is gone.   Bacause of that, I come back in late afternoon, and still have to manipulate the light a bit' to get the feeling I want.   Still fun!     Mike

Brevard NC Farm

                                                  8"x10"  Oil on linen panel                                                     
                                               Click here to buy this painting

I have driven by this property many times, stopped a couple of times, and finally got permission to paint there.  The owners are very pleasant people.  On the morning I did this sketch, it was sunny but chilly with gusting winds.  I took many photos and with them and this sketch, I intend to do a large studio work later.  Well,  Christmas is near, my terrible cold is starting to ease a bit, and I think I'll take a week or so off.  Wish you all a happy holiday season!  Let us hope that next year is better than 2011 and that we are all healthy and happy throughout it.        Mike

Bayshore

                                                            18"x24" Oil on linen
                                                                  Sold

I've painted this California scene quite a few times.  Clouds darkened the hills on this day and the contrast caught my attention.  I did a small sketch and then painted this larger work in my studio from the sketch.  If I remember correctly, I was alone that day, but a couple of watercolorists who were strangers to me, joined up and painted along side.  Plein air painters meet a lot of nice people.       Mike

Misery

Dod mean to complain, but Ib in bed with a bad code.  My node is all runny ad my throat puddy sore.  No work today.    You hab a good one.     Mike

Trees on hill

                                                        8"x10" Oil on canvas
                                                    Click here to buy this painting

A setting a few miles from my home in NC.  Most of the time the ground is pretty green around here, but there is some yellow clay occasionally, and I imported a lot more than was actually there for this painting.  Looking at it now, it looks somewhat empty, I'm going to start putting figures in more of my work   I've watched so much football lately, my first thought was --cheerleaders.   No, I don't think that would work. I'm thinking-------                              Mike

Blog blab

No painting posted today.  Family matters require my time.  Maybe tomorrow.        Mike

Cambria hilltop home

                                  
                                                         9"x12"  Oil on linen board
                                                                 Sold
I did this small painting on a beautiful California morning.  The sun was bright, the air was crisp and clean. and life was good.  The house belonged to an aquaintance of mine who came out and watched.  Some artists say they are bothered with onlookers, happily I am not.  I mostly enjoy talking to people and it doesn't seem to interfere with my concentration at all.  That's a good thing when I'm painting with my friend, Joyce Pike.  Paint won't come off her brush unless she talks.  Hee Hee.           Mike

Busy busy

I'm doing my christmas shopping today.  It will probably continue into tomorrow, so I won't be showing any art until Monday, at least.  Next week I will be starting a large commissioned work, but I'll make time to post a couple of paintings.  I  really enjoy this season, hope you all do too.           Mike

Flatland Nursery

                                               11"x14" Oil on linen panel
                                                     Sold
The title simply was a flippant gesture to indicate the building was not in the mountains.  It was  a cluttered and interesting subject.   Where I now reside, oddly enough, trees are a problem for an outdoor painter.  You search and find an interesting  structure, and there are trees blocking the view from every quarter.  That is nice, if painting trees is your goal, and I enjoy that, but an unobstructed shot of an old home is nice, too.  Just an observation.          Mike

For those who can't make contact.

If you have followed my blog from the beginning, you know that I floundered setting it up.  I'm still not sure what's going on half the time!  Quite a few people have told me they are unable to comment on my daily blogs, or to contact me on the blog..  I am busier now than I was during my pre-retirement days, but I will try to figure out the "comments" glitch.  In any case, I can be reached at malonzoartworks@yahoo.com.  Now, all you untold thousands of buyers can finally get through.  I'll be waiting!          Mike    

California Harbor Scene

                                                   8"x10" Oil on linen panel
                                              Click here to buy this painting

A while back, I was with some artist friends doing small paintings of fishing boats in harbor.  This is one of the two I finished that day.  Painting wise, it was a  really  productive, fun day.  Unfortunately, just as we were sitting down to our lunch on the end of a wharf, I saw a blur out of the side of one of my eyes, and felt a slight impact on the front of my windbreaker.  I looked down and found I had been targeted successfully by a pelican with apparent intestinal problems!  What a mess!  And what a critic!  After the laughter (not mine) died down, I doffed the windbreaker and cleaned up the mess.  Luckily, I had a lot of paper towels.  Just one more of the problems plein air painters face.          Mike

The old red farmhouse

                                                  9"x12" Oil on linen
                                                     SOLD

When I first moved to North Carolina, I lived in a house on a fairly large acreage, surrounded by many really paintable subjects.  This is one of them.  A few local artists and I set up happily for a day of painting, and about a half hour into it, about two dozen large cows showed up in our midst.  There was no bull in sight, but some of the ladies with me were not happy.   We did manage to finish our work. however, and this is mine.  Cows are almost always nice.                                   Mike

Barbados beach scene

                                                        6"x 8"  Oil on board

                                                              Sold

I was on a Caribbean cruise some years ago, and this scene was on the left as we entered a harbor in Barbados.   I took a quick photo, and later painted this little sketch while sitting on the top deck with my pochade box.  I don't do many small paintings like this any more.  I like using my old french easel, and doing 8"x 10" minimum size work.  In the field, I usually go no larger than 14"x 18".  In my studio, I do anything up to 30"x 36".  Maybe I'll start doing small pastels, when I travel.       Mike