I drove by the Silverdale Waterfront Park last week and it happened to be a beautiful foggy morning just as the sun was burning off the haze. It's amazing how ordinary or familiar scenes are transformed by atmospheric conditions.
11x14 in. oil on stretched canvas $225.00
In the morning setting, and the evening, rising , has been the most beautiful full moon the last few days. I share a love for this moon and the One who made it, with a dear loved one who is on the other side of the world right now but who looks up at the same moon.
There is an interesting book in the studio called "Farm Life". It documents in black and white photos, the life of a farm family through two generations. The photographer and author lived with the family on and off during the life of a boy until he grew up, married and had his own family. I have looked through this book many times and find it not only a fascinating account of one aspect of American life but an inspirational source for painting subjects when I have forgotten my images and can't go outside to paint.
I added the painting in the drawing phase. Charcoal thinned with turps.
The awsome artists on "Daily Painters" website are all going to post a picture of their studios. You can check them out by clicking on the Daily Painters widget. This is mine. Most of you have already seen the studio that I work from most of the time ,if not you can go back a few posts to see the Knowles Studio. This is my small studio at home which I get a lot of use from also, it's just hard to back up from a painting when you only have about 5 feet to back up and that is when the studio is clean, which it never is.
This is the most interesting feature of my studio. The cats private bathroom, designed by me to exhaust all cat box odors and paint fumes from the painting area. On the other side of this hole, which is cut through the wall of the house, is a plywood box containing two large litter trays( we can go about 30 days) with one of those window fans set on top to suck out the fumes. I leave it on low 24/7 and it works great!......Thats Rosie's butt...she loves her "Kittie Kan"!..........oh and I did not pick the drapes......
Got to go back to this farm last week. Last year in November, when it snowed I got several successful paintings from the Bledsoe farm in Poulsbo on Pugh Rd. This year it was after our first snow. This truck was parked in the same exact position as last year so I painted it again from a different perspective.12x16, oil on stretched canvas $250.00
I finally finished the Mt Rainier painting, I decided to add a car for interest . I still havn't figured out if it is coming or going...... This could reflect metaphorically on the artist.......
1....the obvious...I don't know if I am coming or going..
2...I've had a mountain top experience and am now headed for the valley....or I've been in the valley and am now headed for the mountain....or my cars out of gas and I'm coasting to the gas station....
3....I didn't do a very good job on the car..
But the best thing is to let you ,the viewer tell the story.
18x24, oil on stretched canvas, $450.00
My job does have it's advantages. I get around a lot and always carry my camera with me. So when I can't get out to paint there is always a library of photos to pick from. This one is out on Bainbridge Island. 8x10, oil on panel, sold
Just a quiet scene I wanted to get down on canvas before I lost the feel of it. I go down this road alot in the mornings on my way to get gas. Its one of those magical valleys that hold a thousand paintings of every mood depending on the light... 8x10 oil on masonite panel $135.00
Another painting from the Hansville area. There is alot of cool stuff behind the Hansville store. About a mile down the beach from here is the Point no Point lighthouse. 14x18 oil on stretched canvas, $300.00
Got the day off today...yippi-ki-yea......because......well check out the picture of the studio below. That about says it all....and then behind that came...torrential rains and high winds.... The gov. declared the whole western side of the state a disaster area. Homes flooded, bridges out, roads closed. I feel actual pain when I see these homes flooded out because I was one of them several years back. Fortunately they replaced a culvert under the road that was the culprit and it swallowed all the water this time, P.T.L.
We ended up with about seven inches of snow before the monsoon hit. A one day winter wonderland.
Cutting over to Port Orchard from Belfair on Lake Flora Rd. I had to pull over and take a picture of Mt Rainier. It was awsome with the last light of day illuminating the snow on top of the mountain. 18x24 oil on canvas , paiting in progress . Sorry for the poor photo image.
Thought I'd post my first monotype print. This was done from a photograph taken on Bainbridge Island at the Texico station. A favorite spot for working guys to get their lunch during the day. If it's not me , sombody is throwing out french fries ,potato chips or something for the seagulls and crows. I always get out my camera and try for pics of crows with attitude.
This business is located under the 11th street overpass in Bremerton. I went by there again this week and they had spray painted the whole building... doors ,trim ,windows,... everything.... a kind of baby poo yellow ..So glad I got this painting before they did that. 18x24 oil on stretched canvas $450.00
Well I found a figure drawing class on Bainbridge Island. It will be good to get back to painting the figure...thats the best practice... I'll try to post what I do there. My first two paintings went to my friend Todd and I forgot to get pictures.
I remembered to pull out the camera on Saturday. This is an oil painting of a sketch that was posted a while back.
Lots of folks came by on Fri. and Sat. We sold many paintings and had a great time talking to all the people that were touring all the studios.
Out of my comfort zone painting in front of lots of people and working on portrait and figure work.
I have been super busy getting ready for "Arts in the Woods" plus my regular job and other responsibilities. Funny how work gets in the way of all the stuff you want to do. But..I have been thinking alot about painting, working out compositions in my head and doing pencil drawings of ideas. Also what I call dry painting. Thats when an artists paints in his head when you can't actually paint on canvas . You think of the colors and palette you would use, what you would mix and what mood you would set. Hope to be back painting soon.
Sometimes it takes me awhile to get my brain wrapped around an idea. I have had these pictures of Trinity Parish Church for over six months now and I am just getting around to working out some paintings. I did a photo shoot back in April for a commission painting and now I'm afraid they have forgotten about me. My procrastination began when I couldn't decide how to compose the photo that really stood out into a good painting, so I just set the whole project aside. I finally realized that while it might have been a good photograph it was not going to make a great painting and moved on to this image which I think works better. Sold
A quick sketch on the butcher paper covering the drawing table at the studio. From an old farm book.
Early morning headed to Indianola on Gunderson Rd. I don't advise stopping in the middle of the road to snap pictures on dark mornings unless you have a red flasher on top of your car.
For those of you who have inquired about my next show, it will be an open studio tour in Poulsbo called "Arts in the Woods" I will be at the " Knowles Studio", Leigh and Jim Metteer's beautiful studio on Noll road. From Bainbridge you can turn right on Noll rd off 305 and follow it till you see the studio signs for Knowles studio. If you are in Poulsbo head up Lincoln Hill till you come to Noll rd and turn right.
This is last years set up for Arts in the Woods. This year joining Leigh and myself will be Dave and Tom Layton, photographers Who have travelled widely in other countries doing portrait, landscape and nature work.
No story on this chicken painting except as soon as I painted it....It sold....kinda cool....
I worked about four more hours on the face of the vendor and I think that will do it. Now I'll set up the painting and live with her awhile, see where I need to make some final adjustments.
I worked all day, about 8 hours straight through on this painting today and it is almost finished. I am happy with the whole painting except the face of the vendor which is the focal point and key to the entire piece. hopefully I can put the spark of life into this painting that will make it exceptional.....stay tuned
Lets see, alot has been happening that has kept me from painting besides painters block and the fact that my mom got run over in the Albertsons parking lot by another senior citizen who apparently could not see over the dash board of her car. bad news is mom sustained a broken left wrist and right foot but she gained a new friend.
This is Aunt Bea from Perry Ohio. Seems my week was full of fiesty seniors. We had a great time!
