"Solitary Sentinel" Elephant on the Nile, Northern Uganda

I agonized over this painting, trying to get the light the way I remembered it......problem is there was no direct light that day just a light...presence.....a rich and saturated tropical light with no direction......so hard to communicate on canvas and I'm afraid I failed to render it with the power I was hoping for but all in all it's a painting I am satisfied with.......I wish the photo could give a sense of the scale........this painting is oil on stretched canvas 18x36..........This is one of the amazing scenes I took in,.. cruising down the Nile river on the way to Murchison Falls in Northern Uganda. click on the image for an enlarged view.......... email me at robinweiss@earthlink.net for information regarding sale of the original painting or quality reproductions of this or any of my work....
Heres a close up of the bull elephant that was standing as if "posing " for his picture to be taken.....What magnificent creatures.......and they run wild and free in some of the most spectacular wilderness in the world!....

Here's a sketch of my next painting, an auto parts seller in Kampala...........

"The Primary School" New Hope Kasana, Uganda, Africa

The very light and atmosphere is tropical in Uganda. So different from the cool blues of the Pacific Northwest.....The dirt roads are all a rust red color and the light is warm and saturated by the equatorial sun....This little girl was fascinated by the new team from America and ran over to greet us , still a bit shy...

The completed painting is 16 x 20 , oil on stretched canvas, Sold

Sketches from Uganda

Sketches of the kids playing around the primary school at New Hope Kasana in Uganda , Africa. I enjoyed watching them run and play , their laughter ringing out in the mornings, always so full of joy.
Kids would also run out and greet us as we were passing by on foot or in the vans.
This huge bull elephant came down to the rivers edge to drink and nibble on the tender grass as we were cruising down the Nile river at Murchison Falls in northern Uganda.

A Page from the Journal, Uganda

What an amazing adventure! Greetings!,.... and as they say in Uganda, you are most welcome! Thank you for visiting "In Plein Air" and for all the comments........It's good to be back even though I am experiencing some jet lag and a bit of post trip depression. My time in Uganda at New Hope was an awesome experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life......The people , warm and welcoming, the kids, despite the challenges that they face, full of joy and laughter.....and the land of Uganda, spectacular in it's beauty, diversity and wildlife........the very atmosphere, rich with the exotic heartbeat of a nation full of the hope and promise of Gods blessing....
Ann and myself at the top of Murchison Falls in northern Uganda. It was great to be able to spend time with Ann and to be able to encourage her in the work she is doing at New Hope. Ann serves as a nurse in the clinic there along with her coworker, Roget. There is always a steady stream of kids and villagers, coming in for various treatments,......malaria taking it's toll on many.

I am anxious to get started working on the images and sketches that I did in Uganda and will post more about my trip as I have time. Thanks again for stopping by!

The Same Moon, watercolor

Off to Uganda! I'm sure I'll be back to my regular posting schedule when I get back . Sorry I haven't been updating lately........but it has been very busy getting ready to go and see what God is doing in Africa! I will be taking lots of pictures!

Blessings

Spring Flowers in Watercolor, still lifes

Saturday unexpectedly turned out to be an awesome sunny beautiful day. Since I had to be at the studio anyhow to meet buyers I decided to paint as many watercolors as I could. Here are a few of the ones I did in the morning. I cut all these flowers, mostly Rhodie's, out of my yard and put them in buckets to take to the studio. 6x6 w/c on hot press arches paper sold
You can get a sense of the brightness of the sun. I have a white line on my neck from my painting apron 8x10 w/c on h/p arches sold
I have these dinner plate size Tree Peonies just coming out. I try to paint them every year and can never seem to get the vibrant color right. 6x6 w/c on h/p arches sold
14x14 w/c on Arches hot press paper. This is a blurry image, sorry. For purchase you can contact me at robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Rova Road" oil , landscape painting

This was a hard painting to get an accurate image of . It's about as close as I can get.

A typical scene driving down back roads in the Pacific Northwest with the sun just coming up in the morning. The towering fir trees cut back in the middle for the power lines to run through.
I take all this in on my morning run before work, thanking God for two good eyes to see the natural beauty of His awesome creation.

I seem to be drawn to these "lonely road" paintings.........maybe because I am walking a lonely road right now........My girl away in Uganda for another year, faithfully serving God in ministering to the needs of the orphans and village children at New Hope Kasana. Bringing the love of the Father to the fatherless. I will be joining a team from Calvary Chapel South going out to New Hope in June for two weeks. I will share my adventures and hopefully my artwork of the amazing people and beautiful land of Uganda with you all as I have the opportunity.

14x18 oil on stretched canvas, $385.00 sold

"Danjou"

Pears are just fun to paint!.........5x7 oil on stretched canvas $100.00........by the way all my stretched canvas paintings are painted all around the edges so they can be hung unframed if you like. sold

contact me at robinweiss@earthlink.net Thanks!

"Seattle City Street" urban landscape, oil painting

Walking to Pioneer Square from the ferry at Coleman dock you go right past this little side street with the old brownstone brick buildings. I love the color and texture of old brick.

14x18, oil on stretched canvas $385.00 plus shipping at about $30.00 for this size painting ....contact me at robinweiss@earthlink.net........sorry I keep forgetting to add the dimensions and price....SOLD

"The Old Plywood Mill 2 " Port Angeles , landscape , oil painting

Another view of the plywood mill in Port Angeles. There is something about this place that makes me want to paint it..hope I get to go back soon.

"Departure" Seattle Ferry ,oil painting

Anyone who has been to the Kitsap peninsula is familiar with this scene. The gulls follow the ferry out like banners crying "Bonn Voyage"

12x12 oil on canvas $250.00

"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

"Light and Shadow" landscape, oil painting

Looking at this painting I realized it could be a metaphorical image about the importance of remaining in the light and following the narrow road that leads to life........It's easy to get distracted and lost in the shadows but if you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, He will be "...a light unto your path...."

12x16 oil on stretched canvas SOLD

"Jim's Boatshed" plein air ,landscape, oil painting

We got a little taste of summer on Saturday. It actually got into the mid seventy's! A great day to get out for some PA. I didn't go far. This is Jim's shed where he is building a six meter sailboat to take to the worlds in 09.....Jim is Leighs husband and has his boat building business next to the studio.
Here's the preliminary sketch to fix the light and shadow position before starting to paint The big challenge in plein air painting is the changing light and conditions, so you need all the help you can get.

14x18 oil on stretched canvas $385.00

"The Reflection of a Pair" still life ,oil painting

I put my favorite coffee pot and a pear from lunch in the shadow box and was immediately drawn to the reflection cast in the shiny metal......I think this is my most realistic pear so far.

Me and Leigh, my painting buddy have decided to have a "Pear Off" I'll post both entries and let you decide the winner.Sold

"Boat Haven across the Marsh" Port Townsend, landscape ,oil painting

A favorite haunt of mine, the boat haven in Port Townsend. There is a wealth of interesting scenes here and several good restaurants tucked into the warehouses and buildings that make up PT's eclectic boating community.

9x12 oil on canvas SOLD

"Port Townsend Bluff" landscape, oil painting

This was one of those....use up the leftover paint on the pallet paintings.....from an image I took in Port Townsend on my way to the ocean

8x10 oil on panel $150.00

Point no Point Lighthouse

There will be a show of my recent paintings at the "Tree House Restaurant" on Bainbridge Island. That is in the Lynwood Center by the old movie theatre. It will run from Tue, April 8th till Sun May 11th...The Tree House is a great place to have lunch and check out my new paintings!


The Point no Point Lighthouse is a favorite place to go painting and beach combing. This is a view from the back side across the wetland marsh 8x10 oil on panel $150.00 SOLD

"Happy Cow" landscape. oil painting

This is the pastoral scene I drive by every day on my way to the studio. The cows in this field must be milk cows or pets because they have been here for quite awhile and seem very content in their "Cow Paradise"

12x16 oil on canvas SOLD

"Camelias with Teapot" still life , oil painting

I finally got around to constructing a shadow box for still life set ups. I made it to break down easily for transporting to the studio. I found an old drywall mud hock in my workshop, took the handle off and then drilled a hole in the base to fit the threaded bolt in my camera tripod. That made a nice lightweight table top on which I can rest my shadow box. The cool thing about using the tripod is that I can adjust the height of the still life to suit my easel set up....

This still life is made up of cut camelias that are already blooming in the yard and one of Leighs many teapots.

12x12 oil on canvas sold
You can kinda see the shadow box set up in my little corner of the studio where I work.

"The Last Snow" landscape, oil painting

This is the last little painting I did before surgery and I haven't done anything for over a week so I am very anxious to get back to the studio and start working again! Doc says to take it easy so it will be a slow process.

Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers I received! I am grateful that all went well and I am on the mend ready to push paint again!

8x10 oil on panel ..sold

"Saint James Cathedral" urban oil painting, Seattle

St. James Cathedral at night brings back some wonderful memories of a beautiful night and a lovely face. sold


Sketches of St. James C.
The work in progress

"Homestead" landscape, oil painting

This house is in Port Orchard. I used a warm pallet and added lights in the windows to give it an inviting mood. You, the viewer get to write the story behind the painting.....

8x10 oil on panel $150.00 Sold

"Crow Flight"

First I got food poisoning then I got the flu which developed into bronchitis which gave me a violent cough which gave me a Hernia which explains why I have a lot of time to paint right now while I wait for my surgery on Wednesday.......Sheeesh

I have a whole stack of crow pictures that I take at lunch time while I'm sitting in the truck . All you need is a handful of french fries or potato chips. It was fun working on this little composition in between paintings

8x10 oil on ampersand panel $125.00

"Out to Pasture"

This car is sitting in a pasture just down the road from where I live on Bond road in Poulsbo. It would make a nice project car that you could buy and park in your yard and then think about how you are going to fix it up for the next twenty years. I like the idea of painting a picture of it and hanging it on the wall. 12x12 oil on canvas $225.00 SOLD