Beachy Still Life #5

11x15" Watercolor on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

This is number five, with a small Tun shell. I also collected this one in Bermuda. Tun shells are very fragile, and this one had a crack in it, so I guess it's proper that I did some sort of painting with it before it's too late!

Beachy Still Life #4

11x15" Watercolor on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

Still Life #4 features a Queen conch I collected way back when I was in the Air Force and stationed in Homestead, Florida. That was an awesome place to live when you are 20 years old and single. I was certified in scuba diving and we went out nearly every weekend. Homestead is 30 miles or so south of Miami, so it is situated between Miami and Key Largo. Heaven on earth. I was saddened back in the early 90's when hurricane Andrew flattened the place.

Three Nemcosky's

15x22" Watercolor on 300 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

Here is a just completed, long promised portrait of Uncle Bob, Aunt Sher and cousin Jeremy. It took me a while to get to. I think there was a confidence level of uncertainty going into this, not really knowing where my skills were with portraiture that counted. Since of late I have been "in-production" as much as I ever get really, so I thought now was the time to "just do it". I'm generally pleased with the results, but being so close to it, well, you know how that goes...now to ship and await the long anticipated response. But I have just begun the drawing of Beachy Still Life #4, which in theory will not have the same concerns that a triple portrait does indeed have.

Studio Production

A studio shot this AM. I'm trying to finish a triple portrait of some of my relatives, which I will post as soon as I'm finished. I have Beachy Still Life #4 all set up and ready to go, but I really want to finish the portrait, as it was promised some time ago.

Beachy Still Life #3

11x15" Watercolor on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

Here's number three. Sketchbook and old unclean palette in background, with a Tun shell I collected way back when we lived in Bermuda, while snorkeling at one of our favorite spots. Ann found the whale bone vertebra at Edisto Island a long time ago, and finally one of the bottles that I collect for this very purpose.

Hand Pan Man - At the Farmer's Market #5

15x22" Watercolor on 300 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

There's not much to say about this piece other than it is my 4th attempt at this particular image. I was doing some experimenting with my painting process and thus got into trouble with some of the materials - mainly the masking fluid. I blamed it on the product that I had, but we all know that is the craftsman blaming his tools. I learned some things I guess, mainly patience (yeah, right). So this is pretty straight forward painting. It got too dark too quickly and has a few spots of trying to recover lights and I scrubbed a bit too vigorously. So I was thinking at that point, what, would I even try a 5th attempt? I thought not so I just went with what I had going and will happily let this image go peacefully into the sunset.

Beachy Still Life #2

11x15" Watercolor on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

This is the second in this series, so now I can compare these first two in order to get an idea of where this may go - what to do, what not to do, etc. The idea of putting a painting in the still life came from Ann. I've done it before, but it has been a very long time. In this instance, I've clipped one of my open sketchbooks onto an old drawing board to use as a backdrop.

Beachy Still Life #1

11x15 Watercolor on 140 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

Once I realized that Ann's show in November/December was actually a two-person show it motivated me in a way that only deadlines can. The show will be up during the Christmas buying season, so the lady that runs the Rock School Arts Foundation in Valdese, NC indicated that the show should be of sell-able art, that that is what she had in mind. Well, it's been awhile since I have done work with that specifically in mind, but I thought what the hell, that will be fun. I work , usually on holiday relaxing with family and friends when I do landscapes and still lifes, etc. and I really do enjoy doing them. But usually the work that I do are like journal entries with personal notes, etc. on them, which in my mind renders them not for the open market. So I made a plan to do at least one still life on the quarter sheet size every week end between now and mid-November. That should give me about 16 to 20 of these babies. I don't plan for all of them to work out to be of show quality over the span of that time, or I might poop out on the idea after a short while - but what the hell...here it goes.

At the Farmer's Market #4

15x22" Watercolor on 300 lb. Kilimanjaro WC paper

Oh gosh, what to say about this one. It was one I had to do because I had failure 3 times in a row trying to do another piece and I was really frustrated with myself. I'm still going to do the image that I was attempting, I really like it a lot, but need a "cooling-off" period first. So this piece, yes, is another performer at our local Farmer's Market. I'm adding these pieces to a series of street musicians that I have the opportunity to meet.