Gray Day Roosevelt Beach

Last week, we went clam digging on the Washington coast on the last open clam tide of the spring.    It was a gray day with headlands obscured in clouds and mist.  This was painted on location at the end of Roosevelt Beach. The bluffs are steep and formed of barely compressed orange sandstone.  The orange sandstone color lends a warm tone to the sand of the beach.  I like the lost headland. On my ETSY store

Spent Rose and Two Rosebuds

These roses were left overnight in the studio and in the morning the open rose was starting to loose its petals, but the rosebuds were starting to show some pink.  I like the soft gray background color.

Madrona Study

A small study, 6 x 12, of the sun setting through the madrona trees in my yard.  The bark of the madronas is smooth and red brown on the upper limbs, and rough and lavender gray on the wide  trunks.  So when the setting sun shines through the trees, it sets the red bark afire.  A view I see often in the winter when gray clouds break at the horizon to let a sliver of sun shine through.  

One Rosebud - Single Rose in Square Glass Jar

From a flower that grew in my garden. This rose comes from the root-stock of a grafted rose.  The rootstock is very vigorous and now there are two different species of roses growing from the same plant.  This is probably rosa Canensis, or dog rose.  The rose is a pale pink and has a single layer of petals.  I like the pale gray green background and the softness of the shadows.   
On my ETSY store

Sailing Around Vashon SOLD

The sun is shining and this sailboat is heeling from the wind.  Nice way to spend a sunny afternoon. I like the way the sail disappears against the bright sky.
On my ETSY store

Yellow Rose Bouquet - Jar of yellow Roses, Father Hugo Roses in a Glass Jar, Spring Roses,

Another painting of the Father Hugo roses.  These roses are single - meaning they have only a single layer of petals.  The roses are also simple and clear in their pattern of lights and shadows.  The only difficulty is making a shadow in yellow - I usually aim somewhere between raw sienna and lavender, with perhaps a touch of green thrown in.  This one is a little larger 9" x 12"

Yellow Roses Glass Jar on Gold

The Father Hugo rosebush is blooming again.  Two weeks earlier than normal, and covered in small yellow single roses.  This is a species rose, originally found in China.  The small roses have a short blooming period and a delicious fragrance with perhaps a hint of cloves. I painted this from a still life I set up in my studio.  I used a spotlight and cardboard shields to throw the back of the still life into shadow and add more drama.

Three Chickens SOLD

These chickens were painted form photos I took of Joe's chickens several years ago.  I like the dark iridescent feathers with glints of orange and blue.
On my ETSY store

Oregon Headlands

A hazy sunny day along the Oregon Coast.  Tall cliffs and headlands with sandy beaches between.  I like the distant headland dissolving into the sea and sky.  Painted from photos taken along the coast. 

Daffodils Three Vases

For this painting, I used a palette knife to create sharply defined areas of white.  I wanted to mass the whites and the grays to create a clear pattern of light and shadow.  Slightly larger 12" x 12". 

Apple Blossoms Square Glass Jar SOLD

Another painting of crabapple blossoms.  I started painting this and was interrupted.  The painting sat drying for two days and by the time I got back to it, the flowers were gone.  But I realized the painting, though barely started, was almost done.   I had done a good job of massing the darks and lights into large shapes.  It took only a few minutes of adding several flowers, a few petals and the details of the stamens and anthers and I was happy with the result.  It has a loose feeling because I didn't overwork it.   On my ETSY store

Apple Blossoms and Jelly Jar SOLD

Actually I think these are crabapple blossoms; they're a little early for apples, and the flowers are smaller and more abundant on the stem.  These were a gift - a few of my apple trees have started to bloom, but I hesitate to trim any of my flowers because that means less fruit in the fall.  I like how the flowers are suggested rather than individually painted.  And I like the quilted design in the jelly jar.   On my ETSY store

Daffodil Bouquet in Top Lght

A bouquet of yellow and white and orange and white daffodils for spring. We have hundreds of daffodils popping up; enough for weeks of painting.  The yellow-centered ones are fragrant and the small orange-centered ones are an old fashioned variety with multiple flowers on a single stem.   The strong top lighting enables me to group the white tones and simplify the composition.  I like the yellows against the gray-it's a lovely combination.  On my ETSY store

Daffodils in Two Vases

Early spring is often a mix of these colors, gray, yellow, green, and white.  The first of the daffodils are here and of course they need to be painted.  16" x 12"  On my ETSY store

Dolphin Point

View from the Vashon -Fauntleroy ferry.  I like the last tree on the point--it is very distinctive- like the dot on an exclamation point!  The day was hazy, the  Northwest version of sunny.  8"x10" 

Dockton Marina Low Tide

A view of the Dockton Marina and Quartermaster Harbor at low tide.  Early in the morning the water is pale and calm and the pilings are reflected in the still water.    From photographs taken on location.
On My ETSY store.

Crabbing at Low Tide SOLD

When I first saw these guys out with rakes at low tide, I thought perhaps they were digging clams, but they were in water too deep.  Turns out they were looking for crabs.  Painted from photos I took on location.  6" x 12"On my ETSY store

A view of Tramp Harbor on Vashon Island.  Sand and Mud flats are exposed as the tide goes out, and often they are covered in soft green seaweed.  I wanted the flats to show the sparkle of sunshine and painted the vertical strokes to add a sense of vibration to the painting.  24" x 24" 

Bridge View in Aberdeen

A view from the highway bridge looking towards the railroad bridge in Aberdeen Washington.  Motorboats and sailboats are docked in the Wishkah River and late afternoon sunlight turns the bridge trusses yellow and casts complex shadows.  12" x 12"  Painted from photos I took on location.  On my ETSY store

Blue Teapot and Eggshells SOLD

A month ago I painted the teapot, last week I painted the eggshells, in this post I put them together.  I combined warm browns in the eggshells and cool grays and blues in the background and teapot.  The colors are subdued and desaturated so they complement each other nicely.  I like the pale warm color inside the shadow of the eggshells.

Three Eggshells SOLD

A very simple subject matter, painted in medium and high values, with very simple warm/cool contrast.  On my ETSY store

Nympheas

This was painted for a challenge on Daily Paintworks.  It's a subject I've painted before and always enjoy.  The challenge is trying to make all the lilypads recede in perspective and to lay flat on the water.  The trick is to remember that no matter the shape of the lilypad, it is an oval on a plane and the oval doesn't really tilt to the right or the left unless the plane also tilts. Its the same problem as drawing a bowl or cup on a tabletop- ovals that are closer to the horizon become thinner and flatter, and ovals that are at the bottom of the page in bird's eye view are closer to a circle.  A bit larger 24" x 30".  On my ETSY store

Three Eggplant, One in the Cup

One last painting of the eggplant from Uwajimaya's grocery store. I like the luscious colors of the eggplant.  And the metal cup feels very shiny.  I really like this one.   On my ETSY store

Three Eggplant Silver Bowl

These dark red-purple eggplants are elegant next to this shiny Revere-style silver bowl.  I like the dark lavender reflections on the bottoms of the eggplant.  Painted from small eggplants I bought at Uwajimaya's grocery in Seattle.  On my ETSY store

Pink Anemones Just Opening.

A painting from last fall when the Japanese anemones were blooming.  These were just starting and hadn't fully opened. For this one, I worked to lose edges and keep the whole piece light and high key.
On my ETSY store

Two Eggplant Silver Cup SOLD

This still life was the result of a shopping trip to Uwajimaya grocery in Seattle.  There they have the most amazing variety of produce, including these beautiful little round eggplant.  The stems are a soft fuzzy yellow green which is a delicious color to paint.  I like the reflections in the tabletop. 

Glass Bowl with Limes in Light and Shadow

Some subjects I paint over and over.  I love the translucency of glass bowls.  How do you paint glass?
You paint what's behind the glass, or what's in the glass first.  Then create the shape of the glass bowl by wiping out lights, especially along the rim and foot, and then add shadows and reflections. Last come highlights and bright whites. 

Black Cup Orange Slices and Magenta Wall

Another paintingh of a cup with orange slices, but this time with a little touch of magenta toliven up the color scheme.  I like the mirror on the table; it reflects the orange slices and the cup, but it is also obscured by bright light raking in from the right.  The light catches dust on the mirror surface and lightens the reflections.   I like the purple reflected on the right edge of the cup.  On my ETSY store

Cup Stack with Two Yellow Cups SOLD

I like the yellow cup in the foreground.  It has a lot of curves that are interesting in contrast to the straight sided cups.  I also like the strong contrast between the single large dark shape and all the high key cups, saucers, and background.  On my ETSY store

Cup Stack Yellow Bowl Blue Saucer SOLD

The light is above and slightly behind the cups, so much of the foreground is in shadow.  Just the rims and handles pick up the lights. This one has a lot of "glow" about it.  On my ETSY store

Blue Cup and Oranges on Mirror

The cup is so dark it's barely blue, mostly black, and the oranges are a bright high key complement.  I like the color of the background gray, there's a little yellow in it - it almost has a greenish cast.  I also like the slight orange reflection on the left side of the cup.