Golden field

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

I just returned from a week in Nashville Tenn.  Got to meet and paint with Anne Blair Brown, an artist I admire, in a three day workshop setting.  Just what I needed to get my art juices flowing again..   Anne is very likable and fun to be with. Got to be around a lot of other artists, who were also nice people.  The area is replete with beautiful scenery and varied painting subjects, and I can't wait to go back again for a week or two, possibly in the fall.  The little sketch above is one I did of a field almost covered with small yellow flowers.  I did about six paintings, with decent results, but the last, a larger work from inside a barn looking out into the bright sunlight would have been the best.  Unfortunately when I pulled it from my wet canvas carrier later, it slipped, scraped down across another painting, and was badly damaged.  Had so much fun that week, it hardly upset me.

Last gasp

                                                      9"x12" Oil on linen panel

                                                              Sold

This is the last picture I have in my existing photo base.   I am going to shoot some of my recent paintings when I can find a little time.  The above small work was done (as usual) with my Cal Wednesday group on a day when there was a lot of mustard in the distance.  As I am sometimes wont to do, I spread it even more with my brush.  What I remember most about that day is a line of fence posts near me with a large San Simeon buzzard perched atop each one, motionless, with wings outspread.  The sight was a little awe inspiring.  It gave the appearance of a Roman legion approaching with banners uplifted.  More soon, I hope.   Mike

Study for Pat

                                                    12"x16" Oil on linen
                                                          Gift to friend                              
I frequently use small  paintings I have done on location  to scale up for for larger studio works.   This was the case with this one.   The larger version was posted some time ago in this blog.   I did this one on a beautiful spring day about two years ago.   A good friend saw and admired it a while back, and since she and her husband are warm, unselfish, people, who helped me a lot when I first moved into their community, I happily gave it to her.  Actually, I say happily, but I wish I were a better artist so I could have given a better painting.  Heading out to paint now, have a good day!            Mike

Mustard

                                                     8"x10" Oil on linen panel
                                                               Sold

This is a small quick sketch done in the California spring, when mustard plant began to cover the landscape.  It was the second of two small paintings I did that day.  I believe it was another attempt on my part to experiment with landscape color aside from green.  If I ever write a book, I'm going to title it  " If it weren't for green-I'd be famous".  ( Richard Schmid, who was already famous, thought of  "Do you think it's too green?", so I can't use that).  Today's painting wasn't too bad, might post it later.         Mike

Impressionistic???

                                     11"x14"  Oil on linen
                                        Gift to friend

This was painted many years ago in California, When I was just starting.   A friend and I were trying to paint like the impressionists.  This was my effort.   Looking at it today, my first thought was that I produced a painting that could only have been done by an impressionist who had had a little too much wine before starting.  I, on the other hand, had only coffee that day.   Doesn't figure!    My friend scraped his off later.   I should have, but kept mine, thinking I might work on it a little later.  The Mother of one my best friends saw it, liked it, and offered to adopt it, so I gave it to her. Today, the barn is gone, but the old house has been refurbished and looks better than ever.   Maybe I should get refurbished!                      Mike

Cambria Fishermen

                                                    16"x20" Oil on linen
                                                          Sold

Way back when I first got my blog going, I posted a painting of Leffingwell Landing, a beautiful promontory  jutting out into the Pacific ocean in Cambria, California.  I also noted that the local Chumash indians used to drag whales up onto the little cove beach there.  This is that cove beach.  Those are not indians, however.The fisherman are all members of the Cambria fishing club, and they were not intending to pursue whales that day.  They were actually practicing means of finding the beach in the event of a sudden onset of the dense fog that occasionally appears in that area, using police whistles and auditory signals.  The gentleman at the bow was my neighbor when I lived there.  Sigh!  I did a little 4"x5" sketch and took photos, then scaled it up in my  studio later.                            Mike

Remembering spring

                                                         8"x10" Oil on linen panel
                                                              Sold

I selected this this little painting of a fully leaved (Is that a word?) tree to renew my hope that winter is indeed over.  This past has been an unusually benign season.   I attribute this, as mentioned in a previous blog, to the purchase of a powerful snow blower my me and a couple of my neighbors.   As I have grown older, I am more and more inclined to paint in my comfortable studio than to saddle up and drag my gear outdoors.  Not this spring, I vow!   Today, I am heading out to catch some of the trees bursting with color in my  home town.                                                      Wish me luck!                                                                                Mike

Oreo

                                                   16"by20"   Oil on linen
                                  Swapped with fellow artist
A larger version of a subject I posted a few months ago ("Just a memory" Mar 3).   The title refers to the herd of Banded Galloway cattle in front of the barn, whose unique coloring is hard to believe..   As I noted in the earlier post, the buildings have since been demolished and the cattle removed.  This painting was done in my studio from earlier sketches.  Today has not been a good day.  Both of my computers have conspired to drive me crazy!  One has unwanted security windows popping up constantly, slowing me  and frustrating me.   The other changes fonts for no apparent reason, and all different from the one on the blog itself.  (Note the 16"x20" Oil on linen painting size above).  It's the same font and size on my worksheet, but different here.   Why?   I am a rotten typist on top of everything else.  AARRGGHH!!!

Old house in Marshall NC

                                                  9"x12"  Oil on linen panel 
                                                Click here to bid on this painting

This is the second painting I did last Saturday on my outing with two friends.  Hope someone likes it!   Next weekend I hope to drive up to that area and do a few more.   Weather here has been wonderful.   From now until the end of  May is when I should do many of my outdoor works because when hot, humid days arrive I revert to being a studio painter.  Eventually, September comes around again, I get my french easel out and Voila! I'm a Plein air artist again.        Mike

Farm sheds and junk

                                                     9"x12" Oil on linen panel
                                                 Click here to bid on this painting

Had a great Saturday painting outing with a couple of  fellow WNCPAP  members.  It was about 55-60 degrees, sunny, no wind, and not a cloud in the sky.   Perfect.   I did a couple of small paintings, the one above and another I'll post at a later date.  We painted in a beautiful little town called Marshall.  It is having economic problems, like the rest of the country, indeed the world, but I have hopes for it.  It looks exactly the way a small town should look, and I intend to visit again before the end of this month.  Below is a photo of me  sitting with three members of the group.   Linda and Peggy who were my companions Saturday, and Kelly, who did not make it that day.                                          Mike

Old Barn on Santa Rosa Creek road

                                                     16"x20" Oil on Linen
                                                             Sold

Another barn from a California paintout.   The farmer was trimming scrub oak with a chain saw ( I feel guilty sometimes when I'm out happily painting and some farmer is working hard right around me! ).  He enjoyed seeing the painting, especially when I included him in it.  The thing I remember most about that day, though was the sight of a huge eucalyptus tree lying flat about 50 yards behind my setup spot.   It had obviously fallen a long time ago, because three other fairly large trees were growing vertically out of it's trunk!   I've never seen that before or since.  Strange!                                                      Mike

Early morn, Morro Bay

                                             9"x12" Oil on linen panel
                                                  Sold

On the morning that I painted this scene, the fog that had blanketed the area every day for a week was not in evidence.   My friends and I fully expected it to come rolling in at any minute and deliberated whether or not to make the attempt.  We finally decided to start, but I put aside a larger canvas for the smaller one here and started sloshing on paint.  Turned out, as you can see, to be a beautiful sunny day.  It was a nice feeling to have the Weather God smile on us for a change.   The previous inland paint out was hampered by Santana winds, which are warm winds coming from the desert in a real hurry!   I wish I had a video of the umbrellas, canvases, and artists racing across the fields!   It was hilarious.  My work flopped face down near a farm wagon in dried horse droppings.  I picked it up, waited about a week, and just brushed it off.   No problem.  It had a certain air about it, but it eventually sold.   I'll show it soon, perhaps,         Mike

Glass works

                                             11"x14"  Oil on linen panel
                                                 Sold

This is a much visited artistic glassworks in the little town of Harmony, California.   I have painted the town both from the main road and from behind the group of structures comprising the whole.  One of those paintings I posted in the early days of this blog.  Harmony is a favorite location for artists and my group has spent many Wednesdays there.  On the day I did this particular work, I was painting with my friend, David.  We both did the same view, his turned out better, as usual, but he is a really accomplished professional.   He is also the "slower than molasses in winter" friend I have mentioned before.   Think I'll show a picture of him.

As you can see, it was chilly that day.   As much as I love California, I will admit that some mornings, although beautiful, are chilly.                             Mike                        

Walking the baby

                                                12"x16" Oil on linen panel
                                                   Sold

I was tempted to call this painting "Madonna with child", but decided it would not be accurate or nice, so I called it what it was, after a mother out walking with her child.  The old house behind her had a section removed and looked a little lopsided, but it was a beautiful morning and I was eager to paint.  She was a nice young lady who was not disturbed by my including her in the scene.  If I remember correctly, I was painting with my old friend, George Gibson, that morning.  Always pleasant.    Mike

Early snow scene

                                                12"x16" Oil  on linen
                                    Gift to family

This is one of my early snow paintings.  I can see so many things I would change, but the relative, who received it as a gift, likes it as is,so-----.   I am trying to get something for the OPA, but other responsibilities continue to interfere.   Still wondering what I'll do when my blog runs past my supply of paintings.  Perhaps I'll just try for humor.   I used to think I was indecisive, but now, I'm not sure.        Mike

Old favorite

                                             16X20" Oil on linen
                                              Sold
You've seen this building in previous paintings I've posted.   It is a favorite subject for local painters of the California coastal scene.  It was an old yellow when I first saw it ( I went a little crazy with the yellow in my painting), then .over the years, it aged to a warm ivory, then gray.   Although it has now been abandoned, it has been repainted a light blue gray, and hopefully will remain a Morro bay landmark for many years.   Next time I'm there I am going to try it again in it's new makeup.   OK! OK!    I went more than a little crazy with the yellow in this painting!                             Mike

Flatrock trees

                                            9"x12" Oil on linen panel

                                             Traded with another artist

When I first moved to NC, I leased a house that was surrounded by acres of land.   There were creeks, forests, and horse and cow populated fields.   When I got to know some local artists, I invited them to join me in painting on the property.  Later on, I was juried into and made a signature member of their Western NC Plein air Painters group. The little work above was done on one of our outings.  It was a crisp autumn day, and the jumble of trees attracted my interest.   I no longer live there , but it was sure nice to have a large, isolated piece of property to walk around and paint on.   Never end a sentence with a preposition!

Later I'll show a photo of some of us out on location.                     Mike

Tom's House

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

Met a gentleman named Tom at a local art show, talked art for a while, he said he thought his old house would make a good subject for an artist, and I took him at his word.   Did this small oil painting a few days later.  Weather in NC has been really nice.   Not like last years seemingly endless snows,which tend to keep me studio bound, as I noted several times in this blog.  I'm still looking forward to spring.  I don't know if it's the cold dry air or the constant hand washing, but in winter I always seem to get painful cracks at the ends of  my fingers alongside the nails.  They vanish in warmer weather, thank heaven.  Yea!   Warmer weather!   Mike

Another mistake

                                                      9"x12" Oil on linen
                                                        Discarded
Many years back I visited Europe, painted a little, took lots of pictures.   This small painting was from one of them.   I was much taken with this view of the old bridge over the Neckar river at Heidleberg, Germany ( hope the spell checker is working!).   In fact, I was much taken, as I guess most are, with Heidleberg.  What a beautiful city!   Back to the painting.  I painted essentially what I thought I saw of the scene, but was bothered by the conflict between the central subject matter and the ruins of the castle up on the hill.  My eye kept jumping back and forth.  I played with, softened, and actually considered omitting the ruins.  But then, it wouldn't have been Heidleberg.   Finally,I gave up, cropped it to make a small vertical, which I now hate, and wonder why I wasn't smart enough to realize in advance my design was bad.  One more avoidable mistake!                                            Mike

The old McCall Place

                                              16"x20" Oil on linen panel
                                                   Sold
I previously showed a smaller version of this scene.   It's one of my favorite subjects.  The Cambria group likes to paint there for many reasons, it's picturesque, the owners are very nice people who welcome artists,  there are shady spots to have our lunch/critique, and occasionally we can get free persimmons.  This particular work was purchased by a local restaurant owner who also owns a painting of her eye catching cliff top establishment I did years before.    Looking back on my art life is mostly fun.    Mike