A Bouquet

I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.
Henry David Thoreau

Tonight I visited these flowers ~ not sure where this one is going.

The Steward 4

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but, when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.
Henry Ward Beecher

Today I worked on giving the jacket sleeves more dimension. Surprisingly, the photograph I'm working from makes the entire figure look flat ~ perhaps the steward was standing in direct sunlight. Anyway, I'm taking an artistic license and adding some deeper shadows to give the painting more depth. I also changed the hue of the red cuffs ~ was a little too purple for my taste. I like the idea of painting figures from the back and am on the lookout for some other occupations that would be good subjects.

The Lipstick

Is dishwater dull? Naturalists with microscopes have told me that it teems with quiet fun.
G. K. Chesterton


Today I organized my studio. What sounds like a dull job was actually very fun. I didn't organize my paints and brushes and my "hazardous chemicals" ~ but I did organize all the projects I've had sitting around for months. Now I know what needs framing, what needs, varnishing, what needs finishing, and, sadly, what just needs to be put down. Anyway, this little painting is going on a new page I hope to add to my web site. I'm going to be posting small (very small) paintings for sale. Duane Keiser a very well known artist from Virginia began a "painting a day" craze on the internet. I love following his works! At any rate, while I won't be able to produce a painting a day I am hoping to be disciplined enough to get a few new paintings up and on the web every week. Keep posted!

Evening Sunset

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.
Oscar Wilde

This painting was originally going to be a ship in the middle of the ocean. It is now on its way to being a picture of the sun setting at the Wakodahatchee Preserve. A beautiful place to take an evening stroll, Wakodatchee is the home to herons, ducks, turtles, alligators and a whole assortment of other wildlife. A boardwalk winds its way among several lakes dotted with small islands. At dusk white herons come from far and wide to claim a sleeping spot for the night. Its one of my favorite places to visit and fortunately is very close to my home. Anyway, this painting has a long way to go ~ am debating about adding a few ducks or leaving it as a simple landscape. We'll see.

The Pear

He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.
Proverbs 15:15


After working on and off this pear for several months I finally decided to lighten the background and darken the bottom of the tablecloth. Using the same palette for both sections of the painting really pulls it all together. Unfortunately, the stem seems to disappear into the background so I'm going to have to go back and darken it considerably. I also think the perspective is off as there is too much of the table top visible and the ribbon on the right is coming out too high ~ adding a bit of abstract to the overall composition. Almost done!

The Bride and Groom

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery


This is a drawing I recently completed of my daughter and son-in-law. I worked from a photograph they particularly like that was taken on their wedding day. At first I wasn't happy with this pose because their eyes are downcast. But now, after working on it for several weeks, I love it. The quote above captures their relationship perfectly. They are remarkably suited for each other and very much in love. I think this drawing captures that and also reflects how happy they are together.