in plein air

"White Face" cow, landscape painting by Robin Weiss

2012-01-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

I have this thing for cows...I keep going back to them for subject matter. Some people ask me why I never paint horses......I'm not sure...I like horses....I just think cows are cool...
Sometimes you can execute an entire landscape with mood and design and all it needs is that hint of a cow to add that spark of interest......Just sayin.
8x10 oil on panel

"Crossing over to Marrowstone Island" oil landscape painting .

2012-01-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

There is a spit of land that you cross on the way to Marrowstone Island that affords many painterly views. I like this one....Also Lagoon beach is nearby. Another great spot!
10x6 oil on panel

"Palette Knife" Artists tool, still life, oil painting by Robin Weiss

2012-01-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

These are kinda fun......
6x10 oil on panel

"Mop Brush" Artist tool, still life, painting by Robin Weiss

2012-01-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

I received a great response from the last chip brush study I did as a warm up exercise and it served as a good way to loosen up the hand before starting the days painting......so I did a few more! This is an easy way to do a quick study from life with out a lot of set up time.

Plein Air Painting magazine is doing an artical featuring messy palettes and are asking for painters to send in pictures....I've been considering it! They're going to receive a lot of pictures!

I have been working on large canvases lately...and that is my excuse this time, for not posting as often.... But I paint every day! I finally finished my home studio and am using it for working large...I still work and teach mostly at the Knowles studio with my buddy and colleague Leigh Knowles Metteer, but it helps to have a space I can get "in the zone" without a lot of distractions.

Speaking of Leigh,..she has just started a blog of her unique and stunning, monotype prints! Check it out HERE

"Night Alley" Seattle alley oil painting by Robin Weiss

2012-01-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I spent nine hours sitting at my computer, organizing my images into folders for the new year!..and I'm still not done yet! Although this is a tedious, time consuming job , it really pays off down the line when I am searching for an image for a show or publication,or reference. This is my last painting to post of paintings done last year, and now I will have a blog book made as a hard copy of my painting journey in 2011. There is a great site called Blog-to-Print that will import all your blog posts into a neat little book....Oh,.. and then to complete the deal I down load all the images onto a remote hard drive.
8x10 oil on panel sold

"Chip Brush" Happy New Year from Robin Weiss Fine Art!

2011-12-31T09:27:00.000-08:00

To all my blog buddies, friends, family and collectors, may you all have a very happy and blessed new year! I'm starting my new year post with a painting that is a little out of the ordinary for me hoping that this will remind me to branch out in new directions of painting inspiration this coming year. In spite of all the economic and other woes of 2011 it was a great year for RWFA! I want to thank all of my collectors who purchased work this year for investing in my journey as a full time artist! Also, my good friends Jim and Leigh Metteer at the Knowles Studio, Diane,and Tom at Alki Arts, Jack and Kim McLaughlin at the Directors Gallery and Christy and Russ Camerer of Bluewater Artworks who are representing me in Poulsbo with their new gallery opening January 14th!...I appreciate all your support and will continue working hard to improve the quality of my artwork.
7x7 oil on panel sold

"Off at Seneca Street" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-12-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not I worked for three days on this 8x12 panel trying to capture the motion and feel of this familiar scene in Seattle. One of the problems I encountered was my fault for not taking time to prepare the surface of the panel properly.....only one coat of gesso! The paint kept sinking into the wood.
So one of the things I have been doing over Christmas break is properly preparing surfaces!....and learning from my mistakes. There may be some things you can cut corners on but it is not gesso...Three coats! Four are better..
8x12 oil on panel

"Yakima Valley Farm" Eastern Washington oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-12-21T08:03:00.000-08:00

This scene is near a little town on the Yakima Indian Reservation called White Swan. It always amazes me when we cross the mountains, how dramatically the climate and landscape changes.

There are still wild horses in this area near Mt Adams!

"City Under Lights" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss.

2011-12-17T17:48:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure sometimes, why I choose the scenes that I do. My wife tells me that I often pick the photographs she would never consider good painting reference. On this one I loved the glow of the leaves in the trees and on the sidewalk under the artificial light of the city at night. The challenge was to render that light convincingly. My son Maury and I were out sketching and taking pictures. That's him in the scene.
16x20 oil on canvas.

"The Cadillac Hotel" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-12-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

Just down the street from the Cadillac Hotel is a great coffee shop where I like to sit and sketch while I am having an espresso. Seattle has a LOT of great coffee shops.....you can walk all over the city and whenever you feel like it's time for a Joe Break , there will probably be a coffee shop right next to you.
10x12 oil on panel (pic taken with my new Canon Rebel!...=)

"Cafe Bengodi" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-12-12T22:15:00.000-08:00

Long time between posts! I have been painting, just haven't been taking pictures lately...We purchased a new camera off Craig s List primarily for taking quality images of artwork. It's a Cannon Rebel EOS ....now I have to figure out how to use it! Hopefully I will be getting a lot better images of my artwork.
6x10 oil on panel sold

"Under the Viaduct" City oil painting by Robin Weiss, Seattle

2011-12-04T22:56:00.000-08:00

Soon the Viaduct will be torn down and the Seattle waterfront will look totally different....Until then I will keep painting it and recording the look of the city before the tunnel.
12x8 oil on panel sold

"Near the Institute" night city painting by Robin Weiss

2011-12-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

On the third Tuesday of each month I hop on the ferry and meet my friends from East/West Outreach at the Bread of Life Mission in Seattle. We serve a meal and conduct a service for the guys and gals who are staying the night. After, I usually walk down to Belltown to visit my son, Maury and that is when I have been getting these late night, rainy, city shots.
6x8 oil on panel sold

"Mario's" Pioneer Square oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-11-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

I am working right now on a permanent setup in my studio at home to take better pictures of my artwork. It's high time! Pioneer Square is a spot in Seattle where we go quite a bit to sketch and photograph. But it got a little cold so we went to the Seattle Art Museum to warm up and draw indoors.

My son Maury, working on a sketch at the S.A.M. Check out his digital work HERE.

"The Black Bird Cafe" Bainbridge Island oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-11-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

What better refuge on a cold, rainy day than a nice, warm and inviting coffee shop! This one is very familiar to all of us who spend a lot of time on Bainbridge Island, here in Washington State. The Directors Gallery, who represent my work and a lot of other fine artists, is just down the alley .
12x15 oil on canvas sold

We recently had our yearly studio tour called Arts in the Woods. It is a three day event and took all of us a lot of time to prepare for..The studio was all decked out with great art work from Leigh Metteer, Jim Metteer, Jessica McGreal, Wanda Garrity. and myself. I'm glad to say it was very successful for all of us, which is crazy in this economy, but for which, on this Thanksgiving day, I am very grateful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Capital Grill" Seattle city oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-11-21T09:05:00.000-08:00

There are a few paintings I have missed posting along the way, so I will try and tie some loose ends and post these lost paintings before I get back to my series of rainy night scenes. As most artists, I love the look of a great backlit scene. I removed some of the foreground distractions to give this composition a stark look.

I started this painting in my most usual way with a underpainting in Transparent Orange Oxide and Ultramarine Blue washes, using a "drawing brush" for line.

Here's the photo I used for reference.

"Night Reflections" nocturne, urban oil painting

2011-11-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

We just got through with our yearly studio tour and it was a great success! I sold quite a few paintings, several from this series that I realized too late, no photos were taken of them....sheesh! I will try and contact the very kind buyer and perhaps get photos to post for you. In the meantime here is another view of the last painting posted. Winslow Way , walking to the car from the ferry , late on a rainy evening.
6x8 oil on panel.

"Winslow Way" nocturne, urban oil painting

2011-11-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

I've done a series of these small rainy night city paintings that will be on display at the Knowles Studio this weekend for Arts in the Woods Studio Tour...If you are in the area be sure to stop by and say hi! The hot spiced cider will be on and the studio will be decked out with exciting new art work!
6x10 oil on panel. sold

"Passing Under the Viaduct" Alaska Way Viaduct, oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-11-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

If you live in Seattle then you know that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is being removed and replaced by a tunnel.It has been very controversial and taken a long time but they are now in the process of removing the structure. It is supposed to make the waterfront a lot "nicer" and free up a lot of valuable property for development. I guess that's true but I want to document in my artwork, the industrial, gritty feel that I love about the Seattle waterfront before it is gone forever.
8x6 oil on panel

"Chinese Lanterns" oil still life painting

2011-11-01T08:40:00.000-07:00

One of our students at the Knowles Studio brought in a bunch of Chinese Lanterns from her garden. I took some pictures and then set up this little still life with one of Leigh's custom ceramic pots.....looking for a blue that would compliment the orange. This is my last in a series of small still life paintings.... Back to my city scenes this week!...=]
This painting will be on display along with other recent paintings at Arts in the Woods Studio Tour coming up in a couple weeks.....See the Cultural Arts Foundation's new website with all the info HERE
6x6 oil on panel

"The Last Sunflowers" oil still life painting

2011-10-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

These are the free sunflowers! I put them in a ceramic teapot that belongs to Leigh. I have painted this teapot before in a still life. Since I have been posting work on this blog since 2006 it is always fun to go back and see how my work has changed and improved(or not). You can see an earlier version of this teapot HERE and again HERE.
All of these small still life paintings will be on display and for sale at Arts in the Woods Studio Tour this year. You can see the new website for the Cultural Arts Foundation HERE. All of the information you need about Arts in the Woods is on this site and all of the artists too.
7x9 oil on canvas

"One for the Sun" sunflower still life painting

2011-10-28T08:38:00.000-07:00

I picked this sunflower out of Leigh's garden. It was the last one left with all the petals...I had trouble getting the brilliant color but think I achieved a sensitive mood.....Hopefully. Enjoy!
6x10 oil on panel

"Rose Hip" oil still life painting.

2011-10-27T09:05:00.000-07:00

There is a great grocery store near us called Central Market. In the parking lot they have a lot of Regosa Roses which produce these wonderful Rose Hips. I cut a few off for painting and then went in to see if they had any good Sunflowers...They were right at the end of the season and getting rid of the leftovers....so they gave me a few for free!....Double score!
I wasn't happy with this until I softened all the edges except for the focal point.
6x6 oil on panel sold

"White Bowl with Huckelberries" oil still life painting

2011-10-26T08:12:00.000-07:00

These are the huckleberries I have been making the pies from! Mix with apples and you have a real treat! There is so much great fruit this year, Wish I could store it all....as it is, our freezer is stuffed with bags of apple slices!
6x6 oil on panel

"Sweetie Pie" Two apples, still life painting

2011-10-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

For some reason these two apples give me a sense of intimacy....but your right....apples can't be intimate...but they can be great in a pie! And these are!
6x6 oil on panel

"Three's a Crowd" pear, still life oil painting.

2011-10-24T08:28:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I set up to do a series of still life paintings. I'm having fun with it! The challenge is to push myself creating three dimensions using temperature and edges.
6x6 oil on panel......available at Arts in the Woods Studio Tour , November 11th,12th and 13th at the Knowles studio in Poulsbo!

"Rose Apple" fruit painting, from life

2011-10-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

6x6 oil on panel

"Yellow Apple" fruit still life painting

2011-10-21T07:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, ...This post starts a series of small still life paintings I have been rendering from life in the studio. Most of them are 6x6 studies of the fall fruit, berries and flowers found in the fields right around the Knowles Studio.I love this time of year and recently, for the first time,...have been making pies from the apples and huckleberries that are abundant this year. They tell me this is a Yellow Transparent. Delicious in a pie!!
6x8 oil on canvas

"Seattle Waterfront" and Arts in the Woods

2011-10-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

I walk by here a lot when I am in Seattle. It's just a little way down from where the ferry lets you off at Coleman dock if you are coming over from Bainbridge Island or Bremerton. Both of these boats do tour cruises. This painting will be on display for the Arts in the woods Studio Tour in Poulsbo coming up November 11th, 12th and 13th . Stop by if you are in the area! The Knowles Studio will be decked out with exciting new artwork!
6x10 oil on panel sold

"The Flower Vendor 2011" figurative, floral , oil painting, Seattle city scenes.

2011-10-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

It seems like every time someone sees this painting they say "I know that girl"! This is a familiar face and a familiar scene at the Pike Place Market in Seattle. The flower stalls at the market and the folks who create the bouquets are irresistible to me as an artist! I have painted this same girl before but I think my technique is improving from many "brush hours" . I am going to post a link to my last painting of this scene from 2007 (even though I am embarrassed to do it) just to show how much you can improve yourself by determination and practice(and prayer!). click here .....By the way, this is the same girl!
16x20 oil on canvas

More Sunflowers, plein air sunflower oil paintings

2011-10-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

I couldn't resist painting Leigh, painting the sunflowers! That's the studio behind her and the field all dry from the summer's hot days.
6x10 oil on panel

"Sunflowers" Plein air paintings by Robin Weiss

2011-10-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

I took my student, Mike, out to Leigh's flower garden for some plein air painting. We were using the three color palette, Ultramarine Blue, Quin Red and Hansa Yellow.

One of the challenges we talked about was simplifying your subject

and creating a good design.

If you live in the Northwest and would like to see the Knowles Studio for yourself, November would be a great time to do that! Arts in the Woods Studio Tour is always the second week in November. This year it falls on the 11th, 12th and 13th of November. The stunning Knowles Studio will be decked out with new and exciting art work for this three day event. I would love to see you there!

"Main Street Gyros" Seattle city scenes.

2011-10-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

A great place to get some good grub! Surrounded by the tall buildings of Seattle and located next to the Comedy Underground is Main Street Gyros. It looks as if somebody dropped the place out of an airplane and it landed in the middle of the city!
6x8 oil on panel sold

"Ferry Deck" Washington state ferry oil painting

2011-09-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

A very familiar view from the top deck of the ferry for those who commute or ride the ferries regularly here in the Pacific Northwest.
8x10 oil on panel sold

"Last Vendor Open" Pike street market, Seattle city oil painting

2011-09-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

As the sun goes down at Pike street market in Seattle, vendors try to attract the last of the tourist dollars.
8x8 oil on panel

"Stormy Day on Alki" Seattle city scenes, cityscape oil painting.

2011-09-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

We get down to Alki a lot more than ever now that the gallery there has been exhibiting my paintings.There are some great views of Seattle across the water and the atmosphere is always changing , sometimes very dramatically!.. If you get the chance to come to Alki Beach be sure to stop in Alki Arts and say hello to Diane. She will be glad to show you all the work that the many talented artists have on display.
8x10 oil on panel sold

"Morning Run" plein air painting, Juanita Bay Park, Kirkland, Washington

2011-09-24T08:46:00.000-07:00

I set up in the shade for my first painting at Jim Lamb's PA workshop in Kirkland. It was a beautiful day promising to be very hot and lots of folks were coming to the park. I tend to have a hard time painting figures into a plein air painting so I made a point to try and get them in this one. Jim gave me some good advice about adjusting values and a good tip that "rich ,saturated color(in the foreground and around the focal point) reads sunny day".
8x10 oil on panel

I tried to get one more quick 5x7 done at the end of the day. Sometimes these quick sketches can be the best ones, This one seems to be a bit washed out and flat. Overall a great day of painting with good friends, Emiliya, Janet, Dianna, and our excellent workshop host Jim Lamb!

"Backlit Willow" Plein air painting with Jim Lamb, Juanita Bay Park, Kirkland

2011-09-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

I attended another plein air class with Jim Lamb. Along with three other artists, we spent the day at Juanita Bay Park in Kirkland Washington painting on a beautiful sunny, summer day. One of the tips I picked up from Jim was to look for a backlit scene in the middle of the day when the sun is high.
8x10 oil on panel.

"The Copa" Seattle city scenes

2011-09-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Same day, same alley, same wife .....different view...=]
9x12 oil on canvas sold

"Cafe Champagne" Seattle city scenes

2011-09-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month I, my wife and her son Andrew went to the "Beauty and Bounty" exhibition at the Seattle art museum. Which was great! Amazing landscapes by some of the great masters.....Anyhow, after that we walked around Seattle a bit and I was taking pictures as usual....and my wife was walking in front of the camera....as usual...so I decided to include her and Andrew in my painting.....=] (I don't know the couple sitting in the cafe but it looks like they are having fun too)
9x12 oil on canvas sold

"Low Tide at Point no Point" Marine landscape painting by robin weiss

2011-09-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

The last in this little series of Point no Point paintings. I painted this one from a photo I took while plein air painting in this spot a few weeks ago. It was early morning, the tide was out and just a few folks were walking on the beach loving the fresh sea air and the quiet peace of early morning.
You can see a few wrinkles in the canvas as I painted this on loose linen. I will have it mounted on Gator Board and then framed.
14x16 oil on linen sold

"Boys on the Beach" at Point no Point, Hansville Washington

2011-09-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

These boys were getting a lesson from dad on how to rig a salmon lure. Sometimes it's elbow to elbow down at the Point no Point beach during salmon season. Especially on a day like this one!
8x8 oil on panel sold

"Lighthouse Trail" Point no Point Lighthouse, Hansville Washington, oil painting by Robin Weiss

2011-09-10T07:50:00.000-07:00

Another view from my favorite spot to paint! Still using (and loving) the three color limited palette. Heading off to paint PA with Jim Lamb today. If you have never seen his amazing work check it out here.
8x10 oil on panel sold

"Needle View" Space Needle, Seattle city scenes in oil.

2011-09-08T08:48:00.000-07:00

All over Seattle you get these peek-a-boo views of the Space Needle and you know exactly what city you are in. This one is from down by the stadium looking north.
6x6 oil on panel sold
FYI ..Fellow daily painter and founder of Daily Paintworks, David and Carol Marine have lost their home in a terrible wild fire down in Texas. A family member has started a fund to help them out. you can get more info here.

"Solitary Sentinal" Daily Paintworks, Help the Children of Africa Challenge

2011-09-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Daily Paintworks has started an Artists Challenge to benefit those suffering in one of the worst droughts in recent history on the Horn of Africa. This challenge has a special meaning for me as I visited my wife in Uganda when she was serving as a nurse in the clinic at New Hope Kasana .You can see my posts from that time by clicking here. I have decided to donate this painting to the challenge and will give 100% of the proceeds minus shipping to World Vision, who are doing great work to ease the suffering in this part of Africa and all over the world. To go to the Daily Paintworks auction and bid on this painting click HERE.

15x30 oil on canvas sold

"Lake Union Boathouse" urban marine scenes , Seattle

2011-09-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

There is an amazing variety of great scenes to paint around Lake Union in Seattle. We were on our way to visit our friend Emiliya Lane who owns the cool and eclectic gallery/gift shop called Frank and Dunya, in Freemont. We stopped to take some pictures of the boat house's on Lake Union.
I'm still painting with the three color palette that I experimented with in the Jim Lamb workshop from a few weeks ago.....I think I will stick with it for now ....so much easier than trying to sort through all those colors!
sold

"Outside the Friesen Gallery" Seattle city scenes, urban oil painting

2011-08-29T21:40:00.000-07:00

Being a full time artist and a daily painter has many challenges. Among them is keeping a good operating camera and taking quality pictures. (one of the reasons I haven't posted in a week) I prefer a moderately priced point and shoot so I can easily take it with me anywhere I go. Also a small camera is better for candid shots. Right now I am using a Nikon, Coolpix S8000. This is my second one. My first one began a slow decline after I slipped on a steel sidewalk grate in Seattle and slammed it into the concrete. I liked it so much I ordered a refurbished one for half the price on Amazon. It looks like brand new and seems to work great and now I have an extra battery.......which is another good idea in this business(always take extra charged batteries and SD cards). I have learned however that if you want studio quality photos of your work, you need a very kind and giving colleague who knows photoshop to take your pictures with her fancy SLR. THANKS LEIGH!

"Lake Agnes" Canadian Rockies,

2011-08-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

I have never painted a majestic mountain scene before. We were so inspired by the Canadian Rocky Mountains near Banff I decided it was time. I chose an image of Lake Agnes, a scene that I had sketched on location and took many pictures of . (see the sketches a few posts back) . If you hike up the mountain from Lake Louise to the Tea House, you can sit on the covered porch and take in the incredible beauty of this view as you sip a hot cup of tea.
36x30 oil on canvas sold

Plein Air Painting, at the Point no Point Lighthouse

2011-08-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

8x10 oil on panel sold

The morning started out foggy but was changing fast, so I had to set up and really get to slinging paint to try and capture the atmosphere. My palette here is Titanium White, Hansa Yellow, Cad Red, Alizarine Perm., Trans. Orange Oxide, Veridian, Cobalt blue, Ultramarine Blue.

I found a good spot to set up on a bird watching platform! Nice flat stable footing with a great view from three directions!

Juan Valdez all coffee'd up and pushing paint...=]

8x10 oil on panel

All of these paintings were done before the Jim Lamb color workshop on Saturday....Jim told us if there is a problem with a painting (and the design is good) it is one of four things;

Hue- (color)
Value- (dark to light)
Temperature- (warm/cool)
Intensity- ( amount of pigment)

This painting has problems in all four of those areas.....but I think the design is pretty good?

My last effort of the day. You can tell I'm sun burned and rummy.....time to pack it in...

Plein Air Painting, Brownsville marina

2011-08-15T09:02:00.000-07:00

Brownsville Marina Boats 6x10 oil on panel

A lot has been happening the last couple of weeks and it has been hard to find the time to post. For one I have been getting out to paint! I have given a workshop in watercolor plein air painting for nineteen brave souls who belong to the Poulsbo Art League and I have taken a color workshop with Jim Lamb.

Sometimes I feel a little guilty about doing so many studio paintings and posting them to my blog called In Plein Air....I'm sure there are some smirks from the hard core PA guys..When I started this blog in 2006 the idea was to do more outside painting ...but life kinda took over and I gained galleries and they requested certain types of work....you know how it goes....I have thought of re-branding my blog and may still. ....I would like to have your input on that. What do you think? Should I start a new blog of studio work and keep IPA..or just rename this blog to Robin Weiss Fine Art?

I usually start out a painting session by doing small thumbnail sketches. Lately I have been using water brushes. One has clear water and one has 50% India ink, and water soluble markers.
In the sketch above, the sail boat with the dingy sailed away just as I was getting started painting! I hate that!...but it is part of the challenge of PA ....I think the resulting painting (Top) is missing a good focal point.....I have pics, so I may be able to pull off a good studio painting from this effort.. that is what plein air is all about for me....getting all the reference and color information you need to take back to the studio.

"River Cascade"

2011-08-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

We stopped for a break at this river as we traveled from Banff to the Columbian Ice Fields.The sun was just coming out of the clouds, illuminating the spray and pulling the colors out from the rocks beneath the water.

18x14 oil on canvas.

"Water Hole" Grand Prairie, Trans Canadian Highway

2011-08-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to convey the vastness and distance of Canada's Grand Prairie here. These small studies may be used in larger paintings down the road.
10x8 oil on panel

"Evening Train" Trans Canadian Highway

2011-07-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was a little kid I have loved trains! My dad helped me build an "N" gauge railroad layout with an engine similar to this Canadian Pacific engine. That was our project to work on together for a few years. I am still fascinated by them. This painting depicts the trains we saw rumbling across Canada's great plains while driving the Trans Canadian highway.
12x8 oil on panel

"On the Road" Trans Canadian Highway

2011-07-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

We are back on the road again.....headed for the Canadian Rockies...Stay tuned, we have miles yet to travel but the destination is spectacular!...=]

12x8 oil on panel

"View from Kerry Hill Park" Seattle city skyline

2011-07-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

I took a break from the Canada images to paint this view of Seattle from Kerry Hill Park in Queen Ann. My solo show at the Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island has been very successful but has left Alki Arts in the lurch for work....so this painting will go to them along with a few other recent paintings.
20x16 oil on canvas sold

"Cut Field" along the Trans Canadian highway.

2011-07-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

We spent two days driving across seemingly endless prairie. Huge vistas of big skies and distant horizons.Cattle were scattered across the landscape and the Canadian Pacific Railroad followed along most of the highway. I love the stark beauty of those scenes and now it's my job to try and take my memories, some sketches and some flat lifeless photos and create the mood and feeling I had while traveling through Canada.
10x8 oil on panel

"Close of Day" on the Trans Canadian Highway.

2011-07-20T08:17:00.000-07:00

I'm working my way slowly back into my normal routine at the studio. Yesterday I did three small paintings as studies for larger work......This was a quick sketch in oil of some images taken while traveling along the Trans Canadian Highway ....somewhere between Calgary and Banff.
10x8 oil on panel

"From the Sketchbook" Amish family, Holmes county, Ohio

2011-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Every time we get the chance to visit Ann's parents in Ohio there is always a trip to Amish country..This time we visited the town of Berlin and stopped for some ice cream. This young mother and her daughter were selling baskets along the road and took the opportunity to cool off under a large fir tree.

"Sketches from the Canadian Rockies"

2011-07-13T09:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you can finish a sketch and sometimes you just have to get back on the road. The top sketch is the highway coming into Banff. We stayed at at a camp site with a great view of HooDoo mountain..From there we were able to trek to Sulpher mountain and the hot springs, Lake Louise, Moraine lake and the Columbian Icefields.

The picture (above) is the view from about two miles up Sulpher mountain. It encompasses the town of Banff and the Bow river valley. We didn't want to pay the exorbitant fees for taking the tram so decided to hike the four miles (vertical) to the top! That was the first day in Banff and got me broke in for the rest of the trip! Fortunately they allowed us to ride the tram down for free!

This tram cost about $30.00 canadian per person and takes about 15 minuets to get to the top(as opposed to the two hours it takes to hike) but you miss a lot of great mountain scenery on the way. Before we started, the sign at the bottom stated that you need to buy a ticket to ride the tram down. At the top we really didn't want to hike back down so I asked the operator if we could ride and she said "Sure"! If you don't ask you don't receive....I'm just sayin....

"Lake Agnes" Canadian Rockies , from the sketchbook

2011-07-12T08:54:00.000-07:00

I did this sketch after hiking 3.7 km up the mountain from lake Louise to lake Agnes. They had a beautiful tea house built at the lake fully staffed with tea and light lunch options....It was very refreshing after the long hike, but the best pay off was the spectacular mountains surrounding Lake Agnes.

"Approaching Alki" sketches from 2011

2011-07-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

It's never a good idea to post on your blog or Facebook page when you are leaving for an extended vacation....That's the reason why it has been so long between posts! We flew to Ohio and picked up the vehicle that will replace my old red van....A nice new..(Well....new for us)....custom camper van, graciously donated by my in-laws and drove it across Canada and back home....We had a short break and then off for Camp High Rock 2011...a yearly summer camp for kids off the Yakima Indian reservation....We had a great time!! ....and I have lots of reference photos and field sketches to work from! In fact, I will be posting sketches for awhile until I generate some paintings....I have spent some time stretching large canvases and preparing panels ...so I'm all ready to go!!!..Stay tuned and thanks for following I.P.A.!!

This is a pen and wash sketch from my sketch book. I have been using a soluble marker and india ink mixed with water in one of those water brushes to sketch with and sometimes a little watercolor.

"Market Lights" Seattle city scenes, urban landscape

2011-06-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

Okay, Wow! It's been a busy month! We took two weeks to go back to Ohio, where we picked up a van that our folks gave us and then drove it back across the Trans Canadian highway, stopping to camp for five days in Banff..The country we traveled through was spectacular and I can't wait to get started on some larger canvases from the pics and sketches that I made there!
Next week we take off again for camp High Rock, a summer camp for kids off the Yakima reservation in eastern Washington . This will be our fifth year serving as camp counselors along with folks from our church, Liberty Bay Pres., Harrah community church and Sacred Road ministry.
Finally, please come to my solo show, opening this Friday, 7/1/2011 at the Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island . I will be there from 6:00pm till 8:00pm and would love to say hi if you are in the area.Winslow Way is still pretty torn up from road construction but there is a really nice outside sitting area right by the gallery and the weather is looking good!! Yea!
See ya there and thanks for supporting In Plein Air!!

16x20 oil on canvas sold

"The Argosy" Seattle waterfront, oil painting

2011-06-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

It is getting close to "Show Time" folks!!! If you would like to see this work up close and personal.....and maybe even take it home to hang over your fire place...come on over to the Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island the first week of July.....I will be at the gallery for the first Friday art walk and would love to meet you!
The gallery will be full of my recent original paintings of Seattle and the surrounding regions of the Pacific Northwest.
16x20 oil on canvas sold

"Sunset over Elliot Bay" Washington state ferries, marine landscape

2011-06-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

Not too many ferry paintings make it to my easel....but I just had to try and capture this dramatic sunset over Elliot bay.....the ferry gave it that sense of interest and location.
12x9 oil on canvas sold

"Flower Barn" Skagit Co. tulip festival, oil landscape painting

2011-06-07T17:22:00.000-07:00

I found one more painting of the Tulip Festival that I forgot to post......Here it is!....I like the way that the mountains were rendered in the back ground ...but when I showed it to my wife, she said "nice clouds honey"...At least they receded into the distance the way I wanted...
14x11 oil on canvas panel sold

"Apple Blossoms and Garden Chairs" oil landscape painting

2011-06-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

This painting was inspired by the view outside my window at the Knowles Studio. I had been watching the apple trees blossoming and wishing to paint them but every time I got the chance, it would cloud up and rain...or hail...or snow...or drizzle..or blow a gale....Sheesh! What a spring we have had!...Any how, I finally turned my easel around and painted the garden chairs under the apple tree... that no longer had blossoms...... but I remembered them...I painted these same garden chairs last year, en plein air......when we had much nicer spring weather..
12x36 oil on canvas

"Home Pasture" cows in the landscape, oil painting..

2011-05-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

One more for the cows!! This time I combined some of the images that I took in LaConnor ...Using an old barn from one pic, the pasture from another and one of my sketches of the cows, I was able to put this composition together.....I think it could go bigger...=]
6x8 oil on panel sold

By the way, if your wondering why I am not offering these little paintings for auction it is because I am saving some work for my solo show at the Directors Gallery in July . I hope you can make it for the opening, First Friday Artwalk in July!.. There will also be larger recent work!.... I will start with the auctions again after the show....

I keep thinking of more things to say....Publish, edit...publish, edit...you know the routine....But....I wanted to add that my friend and fellow plein air painter, Darrell Anderson...(actually he is a much more dedicated PA painter than me!) will be offering a painting give-away on his blog and all you have to do is comment to enter!! The more comments the better your chances....Great idea !
8x6 oil on panel sold

"LaConnor Cows" cows in the landscape, oil painting

2011-05-28T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is the second small painting that I did of the cows in this pasture....trying to capture the spring green of the grass and contrast of the cows grazing.
8x6 oil on panel sold

"Skagit Cows" oil landscape with cows

2011-05-25T09:28:00.000-07:00

Cows are endlessly fascinating subjects for me to paint...especially the Holsteins with their black and white markings. I jerked the truck over to the side of the road at the end of the day when the light was saturating the colors to capture these guys.

8x6 oil on panel sold

"Tulip Girl" Skagit county tulip festival

2011-05-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

This is the same little girl that was in Sea of Color..She was having a blast in the fields of flowers and so full of joy! It was fun trying to capture her Happy Dance..=]
6x8 oil on panel

"Daffodil Farm" Skagit county tulip fields.

2011-05-20T09:05:00.000-07:00

I loved the profile of this massive barn with the daffodil fields in the forground and the mountains behind.

10x6 oil on panel. sold

"Sea of color" La Connor, tulip festival , figurative oil painting

2011-05-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

At the Tulip Festival in La Connor the kids were loving the colorful flowers(especially the girls..=]) They seemed to be floating on a Sea of color and the mom's were having a tough time getting them to come out! No one was supposed to walk between the rows.......but how could you resist!!
This painting will be offered on Daily Paintworks auction. Click HERE if you would like to bid on this painting. 10x6 oil on panel

"Tulip Time" figurative,flower oil painting

2011-05-14T22:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my Main Motivator I was able to scoot over to Skagit county and catch the last of the tulips before the season was over. We have had a very long winter and wet spring so the sunny days have been few....I managed to catch one and spent the whole day loitering around the fields, snapping candid shots of the folks and kids tip- toeing in the tulips....=] Enjoy!

12x12 oil on canvas

"Brothers" figurative oil painting

2011-05-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Not sure if these guys are brothers....but they are "Brothers"....hence the title of this painting.....I get the sense that the older guy may be a mentor for the younger but I don't know their story ....I just enjoy documenting with paint the faces and places that I encounter on my travels around the Pacific Northwest.
8x6 oil on panel

"Water Jewel" water lilly painting

2011-05-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

I painted this little study a few weeks ago as a warm up painting . I am trying to get all the little paintings that I have neglected posting, on to my blog before I start posting a new series of paintings done from a trip to the tulip fields in Skagit county.......It's amazing how much orange, yellow and red there is in most greens!
I think I will try the Daily Paintworks Auction with this painting. If you are interested in bidding on this painting you may do so by clicking..... here .....=]...and Thank you for your support!
8x10 oil on panel

"Port of Seattle" Seattle city scenes, marine scape oil painting

2011-05-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is the view of the Port of Seattle and Elliot bay that you would get crossing over by ferry from Bainbridge Is. I have entered this painting in the Edmonds juried art exhibition and hopefully it will be accepted. I patiently await notification....okay, maybe not so patiently....
22x29 oil on canvas sold

"Stand in the Light" Seattle city scenes, urban landscape

2011-05-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

I am jazzed to announce that I will be having a solo show at the Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island in July! The show will be called Stand in the Light and this is one of my recent paintings that will be in the show. I will be sending out reminders as time gets closer.....If you are in the area come on down to the gallery on the First Friday Art Walk in July and meet me!
18x36 oil on canvas sold

"Sleet Storm" oil landscape painting, Poulsbo, Washington

2011-05-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

This was the scene a week ago on my way home from work.......just before the sun popped out!..What a wild and wet spring we are having in the Pacific Northwest! I am just very thankful ...No tornadoes, earthquakes,tsunamis, or other real catastrophes! My prayers go out to those who have lost loved ones and are trying to get their lives back together after all the recent natural disasters.
I have submitted my painting "D is for Daisy" to the Daily Paint Works, Japan challenge...The proceeds will go to the Japan Red Cross you can bid on the painting here.
Also, I am happy and honored to be invited to join the fine artists at DPW! Thank you David and Carol Marine!

"Lime Kiln Lighthouse" San Juan Island, lighthouse oil painting

2011-04-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

I have painted this lighthouse many times. Last summer I spent several days in the San Juan Islands plein air painting.......I grabbed this photo out of the archives for a little warm up study . It was done on linen rag paper, a fun surface to work on but the paper really absorbs the paint at first.
The weather is finally getting nicer, so I will be going out to paint soon.....Can't wait!
12x9 oil on linen paper.

"City Bus" Seattle city scenes, urban oil painting

2011-04-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am posting this painting mainly to get some input on what folks think about it....I haven't decided yet if it is finished. It is often a struggle for me to know when a painting is completed. I have made mistakes and ruined paintings by overworking them before....on the other hand I have given paintings the spark that takes them over the edge of mediocrity by going in one more time with another layer of paint....I like this paining a lot and don't want to lose it....yet I also don't want to wimp out and miss the opportunity to achieve a really great work......The artists dilemma!
24x24 oil on canvas sold

"Capturing Post Alley" Seattle city scenes, urban oil painting

2011-04-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

I keep coming back to this alley in Seattle...On the left is the famous "Gum Wall"......decades of chewing gum stuck to the brick wall , on the right, the Alibi Room....It is an easy short cut if your coming from the ferry and walking up to the Pike Place market.

"Midnight Coffee" Seattle city scenes, urban oil painting,

2011-04-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Folks in Seattle love their coffee! They drink it all day .....even in the middle of the night....I'm back to painting city scenes. Enjoy! .....with a cup of coffee! Lets see....Starbucks or Tulleys or Seattle's Best or..................=]

9x12 oil on canvas sold

"The Hansville Truck" truck oil painting, Hansville, Washington

2011-04-18T07:54:00.000-07:00

I love painting old trucks!.....I have painted this one before(here)....It sits like a sculpture by the store in Hansville...For those of you who are not from around here, there is only one store in Hansville.....Right across from the church...For a long time Hansville has been the same sleepy little northwest town ...it's claim to fame, the Point no Point lighthouse.....But...things are changing ...and I hear of some big development plans for the area.....This truck will probably not be there for long.....
8x6 oil on panel sold

"The Ajax Cafe" Port Hadlock, Washington state, oil marine scape painting

2011-04-15T09:30:00.000-07:00

This view of the Ajax Cafe in Port Hadlock is from across the bay at the Hadlock Hotel....Ann and I were visiting The gallery there on our way to Port Townsend. The Ajax is the smaller yellow building. The other building close to the water is a wooden boat building school....The whole area has lots of interesting possibilities for painting!

14x11 oil on canvas sold

"Approaching Seneca Street" Seattle city scenes, urban landscape

2011-04-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

For some reason this painting got passed over in my posting....I painted it several months ago and was satisfied with the results...The reason I am posting it today is that it sold yesterday! The gallery that represents me in West Seattle is Alki Arts...The owners, Tom and Diane, alert their clients that follow my work when I am coming in with new paintings and some were there to meet me!...I sold three paintings as Ann and I were standing there talking with folks.....I feel very blessed to have faithful collectors and followers of my work and that includes you all!..Thank you for your support! ... I love my job!!

18x36 oil on canvas sold

"For Sale" trucks in winter landscape oil painting

2011-04-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

There is farmer who likes to sell old cars in his field near our home....They are usually there for quite awhile before they sell......I saw the trucks and mentioned them to my wife who then stopped and took some pictures during a brief snow......They were great!!....I did this 9x12 oil on linen paper from the pics...Two weeks later they were gone!....Click here to see another painting I did of a car in this field.

"Rose Light 3" flower oil painting, rose oil painting

2011-03-27T17:33:00.000-07:00

This is the reason that I cut up a whole sheet of hardboard when I make my panels for painting......When you get on a roll and the paint is flowing and your hand is in tune with your head .....and your head is full of the beauty before you.......better have enough canvas or panels and paint on hand to let the inspiration run it's course.......

8x12 oil on panel

For more info on how I prepare my foundations or for purchase info contact robinweiss@earthklink.net

"Shasta Daisies" flower oil painting

2011-03-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

I had to try the daisies one more time.....I really like the play of light and shadow on white flowers.....and it is a challenge to paint the petals with one brush stroke.

6x8 oil on panel sold

"Bee Balm" flower oil painting,

2011-03-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Bee Balm is another great flower.. It is sometimes called Oswego Tea and has a very distinct fragrance when the leaves are crushed...And the bees love it! So if you would like to attract more pollinators to your garden and add another interesting texture(and painting subject) to your landscape try this guy!
6x8 oil on panel. sold

"Three Red Roses" flower oil painting, roses

2011-03-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Someone told me that three red roses represented the Trinity for them....That's not what I had in mind when I painted these.......but I like the analogy...I painted them because roses are such a challenge for me ...and particularly red roses.....Challenging but beautiful......Like the Christian walk.......

3x7 oil on panel

"D for Daisy" flower oil painting

2011-03-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

I love this flower because it will grow anywhere..... with profusion! These are Shasta Daisies and I don't even remember planting them...they just started coming up.....=]

6x6 oil on panel sold

"A Rose Called Peace" flower oil painting, roses

2011-03-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

I finally had to pull this rose from the garden this year.....Although I love them, I don't seem to be able to grow them very well....They always start out great and then sort of turn black and eventually stop producing blossoms. This variety is called "Peace" and it was lovely and fragrant..My problem is mostly the micro climate we are in here.....low and wet.....not good for roses...Oh well....If I can't grow them at least I can paint them!
6x10 oil on panel

"Rose Light 2" flower oil painting, roses

2011-03-17T09:34:00.000-07:00

I don't seem to be able to settle on one subject or genre as an artist. I realize that some artists are able to build a following based on their style or subject matter..... and that can be a good thing.....There is just so much beauty in this world that God has created and so many interesting things that I want to paint them all.

There is a young lady from Palestine who has friended me on Facebook. I asked her how things are going in her world.....Her answer to me was "Something good, something bad, ....but your paintings make me peaceful"......A good reminder and confirmation that I should continue to paint what moves me .

10x8 oil on panel sold

"Occidental Park" Seattle city scenes, cityscape oil painting

2011-03-11T18:57:00.000-08:00

I bring you one more cityscape of my hometown Seattle before I start posting a new series of flower paintings. Another rainy day scene, this time heading west on South Main St. by the little tram depot. Since most of this painting is foreground with a high horizon, the challenge was to get enough interest into the textures,colors and reflected light to draw the viewer into the scene.
16x20 oil on canvas sold

"Eatonville Farm" oil landscape painting

2011-03-08T23:16:00.000-08:00

I found this cool barn on the way home from Mt Rainer. I pulled right over and took some pics. Then I made some sketches and took them back to the studio.

8x6 oil on panel.sold

Swallows on Whidbey Island" oil landscape painting

2011-03-06T22:42:00.000-08:00

We found this old barn while exploring Whidbey Island.......I added the swallows for fun....
10x6 oil on panel sold

"Yellow Bird" oil landscape painting

2011-03-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

It's been so wintry.....cold and rainy/snowy/sleety/blustery outside.....I have been wishing for summer......so I painted some for myself....and for you!
8x6 oil on panel

"WinterTwilight on Big Valley Rd." oil landscape nocturn painting

2011-03-01T09:42:00.000-08:00

We have had some late (for the Puget Sound anyway) winter snow and cold temperatures lately. This house is a few miles away on Big Valley Rd. It seemed an inviting refuge of warmth on a cold winter night.
6x8 warm-up painting, oil on panel. to purchase, email robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Starboard Tack" oil marinescape painting

2011-02-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Sailboats are a pretty common sight where we live. In fact Leigh's husband Jim builds them and works on them in his boat shop right next to the Knowles studio. This one is heading out for some day sailing up on Orcas Island in the San Juans.
7x5 oil on canvas panel. sold

"Cows on Whidbey Island" oil landscape painting

2011-02-27T21:02:00.000-08:00

I am going to post warm-up paintings that have been accumulating in the studio for the next several days. Between larger work I like to keep my hand in tune by doing smaller studies from life or from photos. This one is from a photo we took on Whidbey Island last summer.
10x6 oil on panel sold