"The Pond at Allair Farm" oil , landscape painting

Still obsessed with this little pond at Allair.....something about the afternoon sun striking the old growth cedar stump out in the water. If you live in the Pacific Northwest and get out in the woods at all, you would be familiar with a scene like this ......the huckleberries growing atop old stumps hundreds of years old.....This is a studio painting using pictures and sketches from my last field trip to the farm.....not quite sure if I am finished with it yet...Thinking about adding the Mallard duck that I observed landing in the water.

14x18 oil on canvas...

"Spring Day" landscape, oil painting

I have spent a wonderful week getting reacquainted with my fiance, Ann, who has just returned from an eighteen month commitment to serve as a nurse, helping in the clinic at New Hope Kassana in Uganda. I am very thankful to have her home and look forward to serving as a couple in the work that God will lead us in the future, beginning with a week in July, as nurse and cabin counselor at camp "High Rock", a summer camp for kids from the Yakima Tribe in White Swan, in association with Harrah community church and Sacred Road Ministries.

In between I will be trying to keep up with my painting!.......I couldn't resist the sunlight illuminating this flowering plum tree on Lemolo Shore Dr.

12x12 , oil on canvas , sold

"A Little Dingy" oil marine painting

I was sketching in Gig Harbor several weeks ago and took a long distance photo of this little boat. When I got back to my computer and downloaded the image I zoomed way in and got this little composition which I then painted. I was having so much fun with the palette knife on this one I left it as is.

12x12 oil on canvas 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

Plein Air Painting Tips. Haven't been posting but I'm not slacking!

With the nicer weather beginning I have been wanting to get set up for plein air painting out of the studio and out of the car......so I have modified my old backpack into a P.A. pack with all of the stuff I need to do four paintings and bring them safely out of the woods. I took some of my ideas from Tom Browns excellent P.A. tips PDF which I highly recommend downloading if you are interested....I took it out for a test drive today and did a couple paintings out in the woods......everything worked perfectly..... this time.......and I didn't find that I was out in the middle of nowhere with out paper towels or my white paint ....or my camera....sheesh!!!....or my coffee or garbage bags!!

"White Trillium" 8x8 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

Here's the palette. Modified clip board connected to a drywall mud hock screwed into my camera tripod. ....say that ten times fast....

This shows a funny looking guy squinting at something in the trees.......Oh , and there's the backpack.....I used a piece of pvc pipe to make a third leg, there by giving me an extra table to put my brushes and stuff on. you can sort of see the box behind the backpack that holds three extra panels. They slide in and are protected from damage.......There you have it! Ready to go for the summer.......

Here's the second painting I did. I was attracted by the spring flush on the huckleberry bush surrounded by the tall fir trees. 8x10 oil on gessoed card sold

I will be doing a lot of painting outside this year, but also taking time off to be with my girl when she comes home from Uganda , April 30th....Yea!!! Only 11 days!.....I can't wait to see her again! See my archived posts from July 2008 to see Ann and the paintings and drawings I did from my time at New Hope Kasana in Uganda.

"City Squall" oil on canvas

Been having trouble with my photo downloading program so I don't have the pictures of the plein air painting trip I took with my son Maury this weekend......I am posting this painting I did in the studio today. Think I achieved the looseness in brushstroke I was trying to get.
A typical scene in Seattle on a typical rainy day!....

12x16 oil on canvas....... winner of the Viewers Choice Award at the North Kitsap Arts and Crafts show SOLD

"In the Lead" oil on canvas, commission painting

It was fun working on this commission painting. I spent quite a bit of time working on this one so it will be good to get back to some projects I have in mind....unless , of course , you have a picture or portrait you would like me to paint....=]......contact...robinweiss@earthlink.net

20x24 oil on canvas sold

Portrait , oil painting

I'm posting this painting as what can happen if you don't take care to be sure the foundation of your painting is properly sealed. The only thing I can figure is that something on the panel that I used bled through the paint and caused the dark lines to come through on her face. I was using some masonite like material that I picked up for free , cut up into panels and then gessoed front and back to seal. Think I will stick to Ampersand brand panels from now on.

8x10 oil on panel

"Tide Flats" oil landscape painting

I know I promised some portrait work but I had some problems with a panel I was painting on..Evidently there was some bleed through of something on the panel....For now this landscape of some tide flats out on the Key Peninsula..

I'm also working on a commission....I'll keep you updated...=]... sold

"Vase of Peonies" floral oil painting

Funny how I get on a roll with a subject or color......One more floral still life to round out the group.......I have moved on to some portrait work, thinking I need to strengthen my skill in that area......Thanks for stopping by!

8x10 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Lilies" floral oil painting

I guess it's florals for awhile......been so cold out I haven't had a chance to try out my new plein air paint box.....more on that later.....The idea comes from artist Tom Brown's "Tips on plein air painting".....In the mean time I am enjoying the warm company at the studio on Noll rd. By the way we are open on Saturdays from 10:00 am till 3:00pm and you are welcome to come in and have a cup of coffee and talk with the artists....get more info on the Knowles Studio.

8x10 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Rose Light" floral oil painting

I went through my floral reference photos for something to paint....Just can't wait for spring to come!...These roses were in the garden last summer.

5x7 oil on panel

"Tree Patterns" oil landscape painting

A little warm up painting.

6x8 oil on panel oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Puzzled Cow Fenced In" oil landscape painting

I've painted this cow before too!......I call it the "Puzzled Cow" because it looks like it is made of puzzle pieces the way the spots interconnect....Also I'm sure she was puzzled by the artists guy invading her space.....she never moved!......The Puzzled Cow lives at Milky Way Farm out by Hansville

6x8 oil on panel sold

"Red Barn" oil landscape painting

I have painted this farm and these cows before.......I go right past here on my way to the studio and love seeing this field in all the seasons and different light..

6x8 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net sold

"Cold Morning" landscape oil painting

I got permission to walk a lovely farm on Big Valley road called "Living Waters", owned by friends , Bob and Betty Nielson. It was early on a frosty morning. All was quiet, fresh and beautiful.......I felt very close to the One who offers us living water , from which we will never thirst again...

6x8 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net sold

"Below the SafeCo" Seattle train yards, oil painting

My last exploring trip to the city brought me to the train yards under SafeCo Field......lots of interesting scenes down there!.....This back lit view of the tracks and distant buildings captured my interest and I had to try and portray the hazy nostalgia of distant places connected by miles of rails.....

6x8 oil on panel sold contact robinweiss@earthlink.net


From the sketch book.....=] (most pencil sketches can be purchased for $25.00)

"The Banjo Player" Seattle city scenes, oil painting

A familiar scene down by Pike place Market in Seattle are the street musicians. I love to stop and listen.......and I have always wanted to go down with my guitar and try it but haven't worked up the courage yet........But I might have to pretty soon......

12x12 oil on canvas sold

"Port Townsend Boatyard" marine landscape, oil painting

A bit of a different pallet for me........It's my interpretation of the sketch posted earlier using a lot of red and lime green........Don't ask me why , that's just how it turned out......I guess I was groping for complimentary colors .....anyhow I may paint the composition again, I like the way it divides the space.....

11x14 oil on panel contact robinweiss@earthlink.net

"Pear with Knife 2" still life oil painting

This is the other painting I did before I ate the pear....

10x10 oil on stretched canvas sold

"Pear with Knife" still life oil painting

I set up a still life in the studio with the weather turning nasty again..........I loved the snow the first time around but now I just want spring to come!

10x10 oil on stretched canvas sold

Heres the setup. I used my drywallers mud trowl turned into still life platform on this one. It's pretty handy!!....screws onto my tripod so I can easily adjust the height.

Drawings from the Sketchbook

Seattle city scenes

Big Valley Rd.

Port Towndsend Boatyard

Bremerton

"Three Callas" flower oil painting

Drawn once again to the light....I have passed by this photo several times and finally decided to paint it....These are from my garden last summer...I'm missing the color of flowers in the yard but spring is right around the corner and so is my favorite flower ........I can almost smell her fragrance.......=]....

4x6 oil on panel

Paint Tubes , warm up oil paintings

Thought I would post a couple warm up paintings of the paint tubes laying around the studio.

Lots of other artists paint these and some even sell them. I give them to my friend Jim, Who has a little collection going.

"Green Light" Seattle city scenes , urban oil painting

Worked on Saturday and did some smaller format paintings. I painted fast trying to capture the motion and the light.

5x7 oil on panel