"Eglon Beach" Jim Lamb workshop, pleinair landscape painting,

Third day of the workshop we got down to a great location by the water on a little out of the way beach with a view of Mt. Rainier. Jim emphasized again the importance of designing your space and unifying the composition with color and value. We started out with a two hour demo and I did my best to apply what I learned. Basically I painted the same scene in the same manner that Jim did. (His was a lot better). His suggestion to me was to push the color which I did and I think that improved the work.

Jim's starting to block in his under-painting for the demonstration.

The gang watching the progress....I think we all learned that you need patience to produce a good painting.

"Living Water Farm" Jim Lamb workshop,plein air landscape painting

The second day of the Jim Lamb workshop was on location at Living Water Farm in Poulsbo, WA. It was another fantastic day with temps in the 80s and intense sunlight casting rich shadows. Jim wanted us to focus on designing our composition to allow the eye to enter the scene, linger at the focal point and then provide an exit leading out. Not sure if I achieved the objective, but I had fun trying!

10x6 oil on panel

This is the view I chose for my morning effort. The paint box seems to be working okay but my idea for attaching a roll of paper towels to my easel didn't work so good. If I was not paying attention the wind would catch the end of the roll and string it out across the field like a prayer flag!

"The Butterfly Bush" oil landscape, plein air painting with Jim Lamb

I recently took a plein air painting workshop with internationally known artist, Jim Lamb. It was great to get to know Jim and a pleasure and privilege to attend his workshop. The event was hosted by Rockwater Art Center, a new venue for art education and promotion here in Poulsbo.

My first days effort....8x10 oil on panel sold

Fellow student, Sharron set up in the shade right in my scene!(don't blame her a bit!) so I just put her in my painting and I think that added a lot of interest.

Jim started out the day with a demonstration. We learned about keeping it simple, edges, designing your space, what you can do with a limited palette, mixing your mother load and lots of other cool stuff!

"Waterfall at Cayuse Pass" oil landscape painting, Mount Rainier national park

Well, I'm way behind AGAIN on blogging....because I have been taking a workshop with artist Jim Lamb. I want to catch up a little so I will be posting the work that I did in the next few days.



Lots of good things have been happening. Three of my recent paintings have been accepted into the North Kitsap Arts and Crafts show...."Deception Pass" , "Flatbed Blues" and "Call for Rest".



A new gallery on Alki beach in West Seattle....called Alki Arts has accepted my work.



For those of you who are local, another Jazz Canvas is coming up at the studio! You won't want to miss this one with jazz great, Hadley Caliman on the ticket!!



8x12 oil on canvas

"Sunrise over Clear Lake" oil landscape painting, White Pass, Washington State

I've been neglecting my blog and I am supposed to be a daily painter!....=/....Actually I have been working every day ....except for a week off to go to Camp High Rock.......which was a blast!... I was able to take some good images to work from....This is one of the beautiful scenes that greeted us in the mornings on Clear Lake near the summit of White Pass in the Cascade mountains of Washington State.

14x11 oil on canvas sold

I was helping as cabin counselor to nine boys along with my friend Grant . Ann had her own cabin of four girls and also served as one of the camp nurses.

Here we are playing guitar and singing praise songs for morning chapel. You can see more of our camp pictures by friending me on FaceBook...=]

"Rain Walker" Seattle city oil painting

A typical drizzly Seattle day... Which I love!!....This painting was done from a photo taken on a trip over to the Seattle Art Institute to see my son Maury.When I'm planning to go I try and go on Wednesday so we can attend the figure drawing class together.

12x12 oil on canvas

Oh , and Camp High Rock was awesome! What a privilege to help serve as counselor to 9 boys in our cabin!...90 kids in all! It keeps growing every year....PTL! sold

"Indian Island" from Shine Tidelands Park, Washington State , Plain Air painting

I got the chance to go plein air painting with my son Maury who is on break from The Art Institute of Seattle.....The day started out cloudy but then the sun came out and we had a great day painting on the beach. I enjoyed the solitary clouds floating by and tryed to capture their buoyancy.

Annie and I will be gone for a week as we serve together at summer camp for kids off the Yakima Indian reservation. We are really looking forward to it especially since the weather is finaly turning here in the Pacific Northwest.....looks like next week will be in the 80s! Yes!!

See ya all next week!

10x8 oil on panel

"Point No Point Lighthouse in Spring" Washington state , oil landscape painting

Annie and I took a walk on the beach a few weeks back when we had a miraculous sun break. It's been a very wet spring in the Pacific Northwest!

Point no Point is where we had our first date. It is amazing to think of all the adventures we have been through since that first date and how God has blessed us in and through it all. Go back to the archives July 2008 to check out where we were then....=]



20x16 oil on canvas sold

"Rainy Day Rhododendrons" oil still life painting

There have been so many rainy days this spring that I have been spending a lot of time painting in the studio..Often I will set up a still life and paint from that . I cut these Rhodie flowers from giant bushes out in front of the church..They were just hanging down and in danger of being washed away by the rain so I didn't think anyone would mind if I borrowed a few .....and now those beautiful blossoms will be permanently displayed in this work.

I spent quite a bit of time on this painting layering the color in the blossoms and trying to get the glow of the light through the flowers.....I was in danger of over-working it when I finaly threw down the brushes.

14x18 oil on canvas panel

"Apple Warm Up" oil still life painting

Sometimes I do little warm up paintings before I get serious......and sometimes those paintings turn out the best!

6x6 oil on panel

"Clouds over LaConner" oil landscape painting, tulip festival

The day we went to LaConner was a typical northwest day with weather changing by the hour. Bright beautiful sun with intense color in the shadows and crisp light bouncing off all the wet surfaces.....to overcast with wind blowing the dark clouds across the landscape.

10x6 oil on panel sold

"Kites over LaConner" oil landscape painting

We went to the tulip festival in LaConner Washington this spring......but the tulips were all gone except for one field crowded with tourists and tour buses!.....we didn't even stop there but went on to explore the town and surrounding area. These kites were flying over the one remaining field of yellow tulips.
8x10 oil on canvas. sold

"Deception Pass" update, marine oil painting, seagulls

Here is an update on the Deception Pass painting.....I was able to get all the fold marks out of the canvas.....finally.....by gessoing the back and letting it dry....Sheesh! That was close!!...Now I need to decide whether I will go in and fix a few things that are bugging me.

I have entered this piece in the North Kitsap Arts and Crafts show in July. Last year I won first place, best of show and viewers choice .........so this year I have to step up the game....=]

16x32 oil on canvas

"Red Peonies 2" palette knife , oil still life painting

I did two peony paintings ......a pair of .....no ...a perfect pair of passionate, pink, peony paintings........=]..........you get the picture.....

6x8 oil on panel

"Red Peonies" tree peonies with apple, still life oil painting

Every year our tree peonies are spectacular......and every year I attempt to paint them.....usually in watercolor......their true color is an impossible red....unmixable!!!.....(well.....I'm sure Richard Shmid could do it)........This year I got so frustrated trying to paint them in oil I finally resorted to using a palette knife and paint squeezed straight from the tube. Checking out my work the next day I thought " I need to try this palette knife stuff some more"......but I'm not sure that it will work as well if I'm not MAD...

8x10 oil on panel sold

watercolor from 08

one from 07

Detail views of "Deception Pass" oil marine landscape

My sketch was composed of several different photos taken on location, and field notes. I then had it enlarged to twice it's size and transferred it to the canvas. I use all my reference for the final rendering. The work is still progressing and I am trying to work out some bugs.....Tip for the day........never use folded canvas for a large painting!!

16x32 oil on canvas

"Deception Pass" Washington coast,oil painting in progress

I've been hoping for some good reference photos of seagulls in flight and my hope was answered a few weeks ago when Ann and I went camping up at Deception Pass by Anacordes. We found a great spot and went for a hike down the beach towards the bridge that spans the narrows of Deception Pass. These seagulls were hovering in the pressure created by the wind coming over these rocks . I'm working on a 16x32 oil painting using this sketch and reference photos. I will be posting my progress as we go along....

8x12 graphite on paper

"Waterfall at the UPS Garden" Seattle city oil landscape

There is this wonderful garden with a beautiful water feature right by Pioneer Square in Seattle that was constructed by The United Postal Service for an anniversary, not sure which one...I took a few pictures and notes while Annie and I were out wandering the streets a few weeks ago. Here is the resultant sketch and painting..... sold

After that we went to a great restaurant called Marsalas and had boiled crayfish and beer...=]

8x12 oil on canvas

"Apple Blossoms and Fruit" oil still life painting

We have been getting so much rain here in the Pacific Northwest!...and it is still pretty chilly....The blossoms are out on the apple trees but I'm not sure if the bees will be out to pollinate......but it seems nature always finds a way.....I love spring!!

6x6 oil on panel sold

"Flatbed Blues" old truck, oil landscape painting

This old truck sits in the field by the driveway of the farm right next to the Knowles Studio where I work. I have been watching it weather away, outside my window for several years now, thinking I should paint it some day......Well....the day arrived...For some unknown reason I was inspired to paint the old truck. I took my easel outside and did the pencil drawing, took some color notes and photos and this is the result.

16x20 oil on canvas sold

The sketch was 12x16, but since I didn't have a canvas that size I painted it on a 16x20 and added the foreground.....what the heck...

Silver Teapot and Flowers oil still life painting

I found this old silver teapot up in the attic and set up a still life. The flowers are faux from Wal Mart and look like it in this study.....sort of lifeless....I see a lot of areas for improvement in this piece.....but that's what it's all about!.....practice, brush miles, and working out challenges on canvas with brush and paint!...sold

"Gnarly Head with Roses" oil still life painting

I have been working on several projects but it has been a few days so I will just post this little still life I did a few weeks ago. I purchased this bottle of wine for my still life set up because I liked the label. It is called Gnarly Head, referring to the Old Vine Zinfandel grapes used to make it. Turns out it is pretty good with roast beef...

9x12 oil on canvas

The Washington Coast near Shipwreck Point...oil marine landscape painting

I ran across a photo I took almost twenty years ago of a trip up the Washington Coast when I was fairly new to this area. I can still remember hopping out of the car at every turn in the road and taking pictures of everything....I was so amazed and excited by the beauty surrounding me in my new home state....I still love Washington state and now I have the privilege of spending time painting that beauty every day!

10x15 oil on canvas, un-stretched 2010 robinweiss@earthlink.net

"The Barn on Marrowstone Island" oil landscape painting, Pacific Northwest

My day trip to Fort Flagler for some plein air painting paid off in a lot of good reference material for studio painting as well. I took the photo for this painting out the window of my truck as I was exploring some rural roads off the beaten track.

16x20 oil on stretched canvas sold

The field sketch.

"Tea Kettle with Cup" oil still life painting

I set this up in my new still life cubicle.....then put a florescent light low to the side....then painted it late at night...

9x12 oil on canvas sold