watercolors

A few watercolors from the past years I have recently framed.

"Cold Morning on the Colorado" 2013, watercolor $375

"Rock Curtain" 2012, watercolor $375

Untitled 2011, watercolor $200

Heber Series Frames

I have been working on making my own frames for some time now, partially because I can control the quality of the product, but also because I like having a hand in all aspects of the creation of my work.

"Cold Morning Shadow on the Colorado" 2013 oil 12x24 inches SOLD

This is a painting from Moab that I have reworked and re-framed. The original frame cut off the top of the rock formation and obscured the foreground.

I was disappointed by how it looked in that first frame, and I wanted to try out this curved corner frame I have been making. The finish on this frame is deep purple with an antique over it that makes it look rich black.

  This is a better look at the arched corner frames and the color and finish. I am leafing the inside lip and the outside edge with aluminum and toning it warm to look like 18 K gold... it is quite lovely in person, I don't think the pictures show the leaf off very well.

yes those are my feet...

This version (below) is a full arch on the top of the inside window of the frame. I have decided to call this series of frames the Heber series, with full arch or arched corners.

 I put this 9x12 from the Midway Plein air show in this frames ....

"Garden House" 2013 Oil 9x12 inches $625

Near the Lions back

Moab is famous for 4x4 and bike trails, one of the most notable obstacles in days past was the Lions back, a difficult descent and even harder ascent. there are some great videos of vehicles losing control and terrific crashes, this is possibly why they have closed it to traffic.

It has been a cold and windy week, the day I painted this it was humid and rainy. The Scene was all cool purples and violets... about 1/2 way through the sun came out and lit up everything with golden light. I might do more of these, I like the foreground, but it doesn't feel exactly right in this study, it needs a little more depth, in the color and value changes, and the shapes defining the contours of the landscape. Still an OK painting.

 

small paintings

I painted these 2 small paintings for the MARC (Moab Art and Recreation Center). The MARC uses them to raise funds and promotional things; but in reality it is because Laurie and Sandi (from the MARC) asked me too, and I would do anything for those two! They are little 5x7s, I spent a couple of hours on them. I think they turned out OK for quick, fun studies.

Watercolors....

I usually paint nothing but oil paintings when I come to Moab to paint. This time I thought I would mix it up a bit and enter 2 categories, Oil and Watercolor. since I can only enter 1 painting in each category I figured that entering two categories doubled my chances of winning an award. here are a couple of rough images... of watercolors I have done thus far.

Plein Air Moab day 1

It is cold here in Moab. I am usaully painting in shorts, a tee shirt, and sandals when I am here. Today I was working on a watercolor wearing a hoodie, knit cap and gloves! There is another weird complication that I can see affecting the entire event down here; the parks and campgrounds are closed because of the government shut down. I can't paint in Arches National Park, and I can't camp along the Colorado River. Since those have been the mainstay of my trips here in Moab, I am in new terrain.

 

Had my headphones on today listening to Les Miserables, my all time favorite book. It has been a long time since I last read it. I have to say I enjoy having George Guidall reading to me as a change. I heard these lines about work, written By Victor Hugo a Century ago, resonating in my mind today.

“He had stopped working, and nothing is more dangerous than stopping work. It means the habit goes, a habit that is easy to let go of, hard to get back…”

I have a parallel thought about momentum: In all we do energy is needed as a source of combustion to achieve forward momentum. When in motion energy needs to be expended to keep the wheels turning, with a constant application of earnest effort great feats can be achieved. 

A very good thing about Plein Air painting competitions is the artificial constraint of time that forces this application of effort, or at least creates a situation that necessitates moving out of your warm studio, and straining under sub-par situations. Struggle is good. Hard work is its own reward.

 

Plein Air Provo

This week has been really busy; I have two Plein Air competitions in this week, and I have been working on frames to supply them.

Plein Air Provo is running Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday (paintings due Friday before 1pm), So I have been in Provo painting the cool old houses in the Maeser and Joaquin Neighborhoods.

Update 10/4/13- this painting was awarded 3rd place in the show!
Update #2 (later) it was also awarded People choice!

Spring City Plein Air

The Spring City Plein Air event happened the last week of August; I am just getting around to adding some picture from the event... My bad.

 

 You can't help but be inspired around this place, the combination of old houses, farm land, and mountains makes for magnificent scenes.. pictures and paintings rarely portray the full beauty; you have to be there sucking it up to really get it.

 This was my first painting, felt sorta choppy, but I like the variety of textures not only in the garden but the home that was an amalgamation of many eras.

 Holly Hock with Shadow, I might paint this sometime....

 

Using the back of the Maxima for my studio, it has been a good car studio with 230K miles on it...

When I wasn't painting I took the time to go explore and find photos to work from later. I like these trucks, so retro, I bet I could get this green truck up and running again...

The mountain range in the back ground always seems to be an Ultramarine or cobalt blue that subtly changes throughout the day and into the evening...

 

I asked some very nice folks if I could paint this rock wall from the inside, as I could not see very much from the road








In the end this painting did not need the big red barn in the middle...



 

Here are the 4 paintings I completed for the main competition. Saturday was a tad rainy but the 3 hour paint-out stayed 99% dry. I was painting this old granary that was next to Randal Lake's Studio, about 1/2 way through the painting, just as I was feeling nervous about my composition and time left, Randal came out to talk to me and inspect my painting. He's a nice guy, but it was a little intimidating painting while he watched. (I have always admired his work, but only met him that day)

Progress shot.....and then I forgot to take more progress shots.....

 

My new collectors that bought both this painting, and the garden house at the top of this post. I went to their house before I left Spring City and got more acquainted, great people.

Every Tree with a Golden Lining

I know it is sorta a cheesy title, its a play on the the cloud/silver lining saying, and it seems appropriate in my life right now.

The frame is one of my own creations, a molding I have been building and a finish I have learned from my frame building guru buddy Rett Ashby.

here are a few of my favorite "moments" in this painting. I was sad to see it go, it was a commission.

Tetons

This is a painting I am working on. If the Tetons don't look quite right that is because they are painted from the west side of the mountain range (or as the locals say "the Drigg's side"). I am going to try and figure out how to make a movie of all the progress shots I have been taking along the way.

Update: I was not diligent in my recording of the steps of this painting.... sorry. here is the final image and some of my favorite "moments". Enjoy!