Reflecting, A Contemplative Pear

Before I begin a painting, I like to reflect on how I will approach the subject. I always consider what kind of wash I will use, what kind of underpainting will take place, the color choices, mixes, composition, and what feels like a million other little decisions. This 5x7 inch pear painting represents those moments before I begin to paint when I'm contemplating the task before me. Sometimes a painting seems to create itself. Other times, not. Sometimes it turns out as planned, and sometimes I discover my plan was not well conceived. As I reflect on the outcome of my efforts, I can already see some changes that I want to make. Perhaps the subject will emerge again in a somewhat different composition, on a different size surface, with a different color combination, or with a different tint to the initial wash. There are a million choices that make painting a wonderful challenge, one I continue to enjoy day after day, painting after painting. When it dries, this painting will join some of my other small paintings at the Small Impressions Gallery at Etsy. Until then, I will be reflecting and preparing for my next challenge.

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Canvas Panel Painting, Color Mixing, Contemplating Art, Contemporary Fruit Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Green Pear, Oil Painting, Original Kitchen Art, Original Oil Painting, Original Painting, Painting of Pears, Painting on Canvas, Pear Art, Pear Painting, Small Art, Small Painting, Still Life Pear Painting, Still Life Pears

Slice It

After a very busy week, it felt good to get back in the studio. This little painting seemed to jump off my brush. I love it when the painting is easy because there are a lot of days when it comes hard and nothing seems to go right. The painting is a small 4x6 inches and I noticed when adding the photo of it to my collection, there are a number of other little paintings that would make great companions. This one and this one are two of my favorites.  I love to create fruit still life paintings.

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Citrus Fruit Painting, Contemporary Fruit Painting, Oil Painting, Orange Slice Painting, Orange Slices, Orange Still Life, Original Oil Painting, Painting on Canvas, Small Art, Small Painting

Puget Sound Morning

On a recent visit to the Chamber's Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington, I walked out on the newly opened footbridge to the beach and looked south toward the historic town of Steilacoom. The morning fog was still hanging low in the sky hiding the sunshine that was to come later in the day. I snapped a few pictures and was inspired to paint the scene when I got home. This 9x12 inch oil painting is the result. If you have a chance to visit the site, definitely take it in. It is one of the most beautiful locations in Pierce County.

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American Painting, Beach Town, Chamber's Bay, Coastal Painting, Coastline, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Evergreen Trees, Impressionist Oil Painting, Oil Painting, Original Beach Painting, Original Oil Painting, Pacific Northwest Artist, Painting, Painting of Shoreline, Painting on Canvas, Puget Sound, University Place

Autumn Riverside

Fall is upon us! Sunny days and cool evenings are warning that winter is around the corner. This painting of an autumn riverside was added to my Etsy Gallery today. Click here to view it in the gallery.

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American Painting, Autumn Painting, autumn river, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Fall Painting, fall trees, Impressionist Oil Painting, Oil Painting, Original Painting, Painting of Shoreline, River Painting

Apple Harvest

It is apple harvest time. Time for cider presses and pie. There's nothing like the crunch of a fresh apple to inspire a painting. This one is 8x8 inches on a gallery-wrapped stretched canvas. I listed it in my Etsy Gallery, Small Impressions Paintings, this evening. It can be viewed in the gallery along with some of my other small fruit paintings. Click here to view it in the gallery.

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Abstract Painting, American Painting, Apple Harvest, Apple Still Life Painting, Contemporary Fruit Painting, Kitchen Art, Oil Painting, Original Kitchen Art, Painting on Canvas, Red Fruit, Red Still Life

Self Portrait

Here's my first self-portrait. It is 4x6 inches, not quite life size. I can't resist painting these little nose portraits. I may have to put a few of in the Quick Studies section in my Etsy Gallery, Small Impressions Paintings. Until then, I'm just having a lot of fun improving my skill and creating little abstract portraits.

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Abstract Portrait, Contemporary Painting, Oil Painting, Original Oil Painting, Original Painting, Pacific Northwest Artist, Painting a nose, Painting a Series, Painting Facial Features, Painting on Canvas, Small Art, Small Painting

House in the Trees

Several months ago when my old computer died, I thought most of my reference photos had died with it. Thankfully I was wrong. The fact that I had backed them up on a portable hard drive had been forgotten until I opened a drawer in the guest bedroom and saw that hard drive I had forgotten sitting there in the drawer. I plugged the hard drive into my new computer and there they were, my photos. It was from my old photos that this little painting emerged. I was attracted by the coolness of the little white house sitting under a canopy of trees and was excited to find my old references. The painting is 5x7 inches on a gessoed hardboard panel and has SOLD.

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American Painting, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Contemporary Painting, Country House Painting, Farm House Painting, Green and Yellow Landscape, hand prepared painting panels, Oil Painting, Pacific Northwest Artist, Tree Painting

Marsh Grass

The weather is cold and damp and the green grass of summer has all turned brown. Today's painting reflects autumn marsh grass and the colors of fall. The grass was fun to paint in heavy impasto. The painting is 8x10 inches on a hardboard panel and is for sale at Small Impressions Gallery. Click here to view it in the Gallery.

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Autumn Painting, autumn river, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Contemporary Painting, Fall Painting, Impressionist Oil Painting, Lakeside grass, Marsh Grass, Oil Painting, Original Art For Sale, Original Oil Painting, Pacific Northwest Artist, Painting, Red Underpainting, Thick Paint

River Fishing

Today's painting celebrates fishermen who are casting their lines into Pacific Northwest rivers and hoping to haul in a salmon. When I was younger I spent many seasons stalking the rivers of Washington State with my father and angling for the big one. More often than not, I came home empty handed, but it gave me a real appreciation for the skill and expertise required to hook those ellusive fish that squirm their way up the rivers each fall. This painting was completed in oil on a 6x8 inch stretched canvas. It will be joining some of my other quick studies at the Small Impressions Gallery on Etsy when the paint has dried.

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autumn river, Carbon River Fishing, Contemporary Painting, Figurative Painting, Figure Painting, Fisherman Painting, Fishing in Washington State, Oil Painting, Original Oil Painting, Painting of Shoreline, Painting on Canvas, Salmon Fishing, Small Painting

Chow Chow

This is Bernie, a Chow Chow I met recently at the dog park. He is a furry ball of hair with a blue tongue--not black, but blue. It isn't just my choice of color, but his tongue was really blue. His face was so furry, it was hard to see his eyes. I was so enchanted with Bernie that I had to snap a picture. Then I had a lot of fun painting his mug. The painting was completed with oil paints on a 4x6 canvas panel. He sold through my Etsy Gallery, Small Impressions Paintings.

Animal Painting, Animal Portrait, Canvas Panel Painting, Chow Chow, Contemporary Painting, Dog Painting, Dog Park, Dog Park Painting, Dog Portrait, Oil Painting, Painting Facial Features, Pet Dogs, Pet Painting, Pet Portrait, Portrait, Small Painting

Carbon River Adventure

Yesterday I took a wonderful bicycle ride that paralleled the Carbon River in Washington State. When we headed up the trail, the sky was gray and few people were about. Then, as we approached the portion of the trail near the river, people carrying fishing poles were everywhere. As we passed the river, fishermen were standing shoulder to shoulder. I remember one man climbing up the bank with a big salmon hanging from each hand. As the scene unfolded, I cursed myself for having left my camera at home. Although this ride is one of my favorite, I have photographed it hundreds of times and with the gray skies I decided there would be nothing new. I was so wrong. As we pedaled slowly forward, enjoying the action, the sun came out. It was the most gorgeous morning and I cursed my lack of camera again. When the trip concluded and I was home again, I recalled this painting of the river from a previous trip. The painting is an 8x10 inch oil painting on a hardboard panel. It is a favorite of mine and is now for sale at my Etsy Gallery. View it in the gallery here.

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Abstract Landscape Painting, Abstract River Painting, American Painting, autumn river, Bicycle Ride, Bicycle Trip, Carbon River, Carbon River Fishing, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Evergreen Trees, Fishing in Washington State, Foothills Trail, Impressionist Oil Painting, Oil Painting, Pacific Northwest Artist, Pierce County Washington, River Fishing, River Painting, Shadow Painting, Small Painting

Incognito

I'm still having fun with noses. The variety of shapes, the color of the skin, and the elements that are part of our features are much more diverse when one starts looking close enough to paint. This painting was completed with oil paints and is 4x6 inches on a canvas panel--just about life size.

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Abstract, Abstract Portrait, Animal Painting, Contemporary Painting, Figurative Painting, Figure Painting, Nose, Nose Painting, Oil Painting, Original Painting, Painting a nose, Painting a Series, Painting on Canvas, Portrait, Small Art, Small Painting, Sunglasses

Tension

Today's painting is another one of my practices painting the nose. When I painted this guy I was struck by the tension that was on his forehead and his long wirey eyebrows. Getting up close and focusing on just a part of his face is a great exercise. Now I am busily cropping all my photos so I can concentrate on noses. It is amazing how even a nose in isolation can still express intense emotion. I hope you are enjoying viewing these little nose specimen as much as I am enjoying painting them.

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Abstract Painting, Abstract Portrait, Canvas Panel Painting, Contemporary Impressionist Painting, Contemporary Painting, Nose, Nose Painting, Oil Painting, Original Oil Painting, Painting a nose, Painting a Series, Painting Effects of Light, Painting Exercise, Painting Facial Features, Painting Loose, Painting on Canvas, Portrait, Small Painting, Tension, Wrinkles

Nose Practice

Portrait painting has never been a skill that about which I feel very confident, so today I spent some time practicing the painting of noses. It was fun. I didn't worry about getting all the features correct, but simply concentrated on noses. This one is my favorite. It is 4x6 inches on a canvas panel. With any painting, one gets better with practice. Now I need to try some mouths and eyes. Eventually I might be able to put them all together.

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American Painting, Canvas Panel Painting, Nose Painting, Oil Painting, oil sketch, Painting a nose, Painting Exercise, Painting Facial Features

Three Minus One

A visit to our local produce market resulted in the purchase of some beautiful pears. There were three, but I ate one. It was sweet and crunchy. My next painting may only be a single pear. This little painting is 4x6 inches. It will join some of my other small still life paintings of fruits and vegetables that are for sale at my Etsy Gallery when it dries. This afternoon I will probably create a companion piece.

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American Painting, Blue and Yellow Still Life Painting, Canvas Panel Painting, Contemporary Still Life Painting, Fruit Painting, Kitchen Art, Oil Painting, Original Art For Sale, Original Kitchen Art, Original Oil Painting, Painting a Series, Painting of Pears, Painting on Canvas, Pear Art, Pear Painting, Small Painting, Small Still Life Painting, Yellow Fruit