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

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,

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

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

Brownsville Marina Boats 6x10 oil on panel

"River Cascade"

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

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