"Tulip Fields Forever" LaConner flower field, oil painting by Robin Weiss

"Tulip Fields Forever" 18x36 oil on panel

I have been watching the early fruit trees coming into blossom the last few weeks and wanting to paint them. Every time I got out the PA gear with a break in the weather hoping to paint, the sky would go black and the wind would pick up and I would be back in the studio looking through my reference photos.  I found my images from a trip to LaConner in 2010 and decided to paint a few spring inspired paintings.

"Res Dog" paintings from the Ned Mueller workshop

sold

Okay, Wow,... it's been awhile since I updated my blog....but a lot has been happening....good stuff!! .., I took a trip to White Swan, Washington to help out Sacred Road Ministries for a project on the Yakima Indian Reservation,...I have several commission projects in the works, and in the middle of all that I took a workshop from artist Ned Mueller. Ned helped us with painting from photos,..emphasizing composition using your photo just as limited reference....which helped me a lot since I tend to rely too much on the photo. The top painting was done entirely by me ....as you scroll down, the paintings have more of Neds work in them as he is one of those instructors who likes to show you what needs fixing by actually going into your painting and fixing it.

Ned added a few touches to this one darkening the trees behind the house to define it better.

Here is Ned working on a demo at Rockwater Art Center where we took the workshop.

Ned worked more into this one using his extensive background in illustration to proportion the figure to work better as a painting.....wish I had a pic of the painting as I had it before Ned worked on it, to show the difference.

This beach scene was completely wiped out by Ned as I had it painted....the figures brought more into the forground , the horizon, softened , and the color unified.....Over all I learned a lot and see how far on the journey I have to go!.....Brush miles!

"Fall Palette" oil landscape, Arboretum series

Next in the Arboretum series. The challenge was painting the glow of the leaves in the indirect , suffused light of an overcast, Northwest day. I had to dial down the background values enough so that the application of the cad. red and yellow leaves would pop. Sold

"Green Pastures" oil landscape painting with cows

I have one more Ohio painting to post and then I'm done with this series......pretty sure.......Cows are just too much fun to paint! These are Holsteins.....ready for milking!...hanging out in the green pastures of southwest Ohio. The challenge was adding interest in the foreground grass by varying color, texture and brush stroke.

14x18 oil on canvas

Prelim sketch

"Passing Through Orville" trains in the landscape , daily oil painting

Orville is the little town where Annie's folks live in southeast Ohio. I saw this locomotive parked on the tracks in a side train yard as we were walking to town to find the library .....and a good coffee shop....=].....I'm not sure if someone is trying to restore this train or it has been forgotten and left as a relic of the past.....It was fun trying to paint her as if she were still in service......the lonely train whistle sounding on the way to some distant destination.

12x16 oil on canvas sold

From the sketchbook.....

My next show is coming up in November. It will be here in Poulsbo and I will be joining four other artists in the Knowles studio on November 13th, 14th and 15th for the Arts in the Woods studio tour put on by the Cultural Arts Foundation.

I will be telling you more about the other artists and reminding everyone about the show as the dates get closer. For more info just click HERE

"The Lime Kiln Lighthouse" and plein air painting in the San Juan Islands

I have just returned from four days of whale watching and plein air painting in the San Juan Islands. I did six paintings in four days and lots of sketches......also I had many adventures and met up with friend and fellow painter J Matt Miller.

When I came home I received a phone call congratulating me on winning First Place and Best of Show at the North Kitsap Arts and Crafts juried show for my painting "Kingston Ferry Dock". A nice confirmation of my decision to quit the job and paint full time.....=]....PTL!

Lots to do so I will be posting my paintings and pictures from the trip every day for awhile ....Stay tuned!...=].........and thanks for following "In Plein Air"! sold

"Queen Anne Poppies" oil on panel

I am privileged to announce that I will be an artist showing work at the Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island. If you live in our area be sure to go down to Winslow for the "First Friday" artwalk and visit the gallery located at 126 Madrone lane.

This change in venue will affect the way I will be selling my work. You can contact me at robinweiss@earthlink.net for more information. At this time paintings will be sold through three galleries that offer my paintings....The Knowles Studio, (see links) The Directors Gallery on Bainbridge Island and "Crow Valley Pottery" on Orcas Island. I will be offering smaller format panel paintings 6x6 and 5x7 for $200.00 from this blog when available. Thanks for your patience as I work out the progression of my career as a full time artist.

This painting was done from a photograph I took up on Queen Anne hill when Annie and I went over for a dinner and picture taking excursion....=]... 8x10 oil on panel sold

Allair Farm, Plein air landscape

Another awesome day of P.A. painting at Allair Farm in Poulsbo. In the morning I met with the owner Barbara. She kinda reminds me of Katherine Hepburn....She graciously allowed me access to the grounds for painting..They have beautiful horses there and each one had a cute little baby...

8x10 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net sold

I found a good spot by a little pond that afforded a great view of the farm with the horses in the distance.....well you can see for yourself in the picture!...=]

This was my second painting of the day and the scene that first attracted me to Allair....I saw this stump of what must have been old growth fir sticking up out of this little woodland pond. The afternoon sun was hitting it at about 4:00 pm and just lit it up ......I almost started to cry out there because I could NOT capture the scene....=/......But I have to try again!!....When I told Barbara I was going to paint this pond she said..."Why on earth would you want to paint down there!"

8x10 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Winter Deer" oil painting

I really enjoyed painting this deer who is standing in the woods on the side of the road. Totally unafraid she stood there while I snapped this shot......

And her friend , who walked out first , just walked down the middle of the road as if looking for Santa.....

6x6 oil on panel

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men.....John 1:1-3

"Misty Morning at Moms" oil painting

I have been busy working on my kitchen getting the house ready for my sweetheart. She comes home from Africa in May......=].... At the end of this driveway is where my Mom has her little house and where Annie will be staying until we get married............How can time go so slow and so fast at the same time!!!...??? sold

"The Tree Fort" landscape, oil painting

I'm not sure what attracted me to this scene to begin with.....the play of light on the pail that was hanging on the side of the tree fort or all the blackberries growing up and taking over residence......it's sort of nostalgic because I have one of these in my back yard that I built with my son who is now 22 years old and going to college at the Seattle Institute of Art.........It's days of laughter and pine cone wars are over ,the blackberries soon to enter the hatch door.........

This one is right off Miller Rd on Bainbridge Island........Don't forget my show of recent work is still going on at the Tree House cafe.....(I should have this one in that show!) in Lynwood center by the old movie theatre..till May 11th........ 9x12 oil on canvas $200.00 sold

"To The Lighthouse" landscape,oil painting

Got a little glare from the light in this photo, sorry about that. This is from our last visit to the Lighthouse at Fort Warden in Port Townsend. The day was blustery and cold. It felt good to get back to the woodstove at home. ..

12x16 oil on stretched canvas $275.00 Sold

"The Manure Spreader"," Boat Haven Painters", " Dalias on the Deck", oil landscapes,marinescape and still life

This plein air painting of the "Manure Spreader" kinda sums it up for me this last week. Painting has been such a struggle for some reason. I think I'm gonna step back and take a breather for awhile. ....11x14 oil on panel done down on Big Valley road at the Veterinary clinic.. $200.00
Saturday down at the boat haven in Port Townsend. This guy saw me painting , came over and said, " Hey if you like to paint I'll give you a job", and tryed to hand me his respirator. 8x8 oil on panel, $135.00
These dalias on my deck just keep drawing me in. I can't help trying to paint them even though I don't want to....10x8 oil on panel $135.00

Field Study in Oil

Trying to get to the essence of my subject here, one hand holding the brush the other tearing my hair out.

8x8 oil on panel $125.00

Queen Anns Lace

I'm pretty sure this will be my last post untill I get back from Yakima , Aug 3rd. I'll be leaving Sat. for a 7 day camp in the Cascade mountains. This will be my first chance to be a" camp counseler" for a kids camp . The camp is being hosted by Liberty Bay Presbyterian Church and Harah Comunity Church for the kids in Harah and White Swan Washington. White Swan is on the Yakima Indian reservation. I'm excited to be part of a team who will be having a positive influence on these young people.

See ya in a couple weeks :)


10 x 15 , oil on masonite panel.....$250.00 Sold

Another go at the Spirea

Its been awhile since I spent any time at the studio so Monday afternoon I packed up the paints and went over for some plein air painting. The spirea is in bloom again. Its a lovely native bush that has lavender blossoms sort of like a butterfly plant. I remember painting them last year. It's interesting to go back a year on your blog and see what you were doing and how you have improved...... or not. 7x7 oil on panel , $100.00
My plan was to do several paintings but it was nice to hang out with Jim, Leigh and Pete showed up too. I'm adding a couple sketches I did back when we had life drawing classes going. the top ones are Pete who filled in for a model one day and the bottom one is Leigh who filled in another day when a model didn't show. ( The reason we don't have life drawing anymore, can't find reliable models)

By the way if your a reliable model who needs work , email me maybe we can get our drawing class going again.
Note...... The hand gesture at the lower right corner of this drawing was completely unintentional and I didn't realize it looked that way until I stood back and someone brought it to my attention. .........Then the silence was broken by hysterical laughter.

"Seans Rental"

It will be interesting to get the feedback on this painting.... Another disaster that got saved .........at least its not a frisby. Heres the process of how NOT to paint

Started the painting late after work , and tired.

Used an image I was uninspired by but thought had potential

Used a palette of old paint left over from two days ago.

Put the paint on quickly without a plan and cursed, cryed, tore my robes and put on sack cloth and ashes because the painting was CRAP.

Went to bed, read " The Hope " by Herman Wouk till I calmed down and fell asleep.

Got up at 5:30 stumbled into the kitchen and got coffee stumbled into the studio to see the painting..............still CRAP

Decided I was not going to waste a panel so I grabed a drywall knife and scraped the paint horizontally with allot of pressure (still mad)

Amazingly the image of the shed remained. even the detail on the windows , scraped it again, .. still there......Wow ... looks allot better! Went back in with some more old paint and touched it up a bit......

I'm sure I learned something useful during this whole thing. I don't recommend this process for any serious artist , especially the crying and cursing part , but hey... whatever works... SOLD

Home through the fields, landscape oil painting

I did this one on Sat. The bushes in the middle ground are called Spirea, they are beautiful in all seasons.