Robert

8 x 6 Oil on Archival Board

SOLD

This is what happens when a certain master photographer isn't able to come and sit for us during our painting session!  Having nothing else to paint and being programmed to paint his portrait, I was happy to have his Facebook photo to use as reference.  Thank you, Jean, for allowing me to use it.  He might be there next time, so I will hopefully have another chance.

Sea of Dreams

9 x 6 Oil on Archival Board

Sometimes when I go into my studio to paint and don't have a definite idea of what I'm going to start, I look through my photos and see what appeals to me at that particular time.  I think I've said it before, but if I don't have a real interest in the subject, the outcome is not as good as I'd like it to be.  This little painting is an example.  I like it now a lot, but it took me a while to get into the process.  I wasn't sure where I was going with it, kept changing it, and finally decided to leave it as is and look at it again later.  When I did, I was happy with it.  I've discovered over the years that, for me, I have to have a real passion for the subject and can see the painting even before I put the first stroke on the canvas.

Albert Teske Farm, Circa 1900

6 x 9 Oil on Archival Board

SOLD

This certainly is a departure for me!  My Daughter-In-Law was here and brought this photo of her family's farm.  As soon as I saw it, I wanted to try painting it.  It is much more involved with lots more people, machines, and structures so I broke it down.  My plan is to do it in sections, but this was my first attempt at it.  Now that it's done, I'm going to tackle the rest.  I don't do machines and have no idea what I'm painting, so I just painted shapes.  I actually did that with the people as well.  It was extremely hard to see their faces.  I just wanted to get their "essence".   

Better Than the Library

6 x 9 Oil on Archival Board

My son and Daughter-in-Law are visiting from Singapore this week, so I didn't have much time to paint.  A very good reason to take a break!  This was a very quick one I did while they were out.  A really limited palette.  This woman was reading on her float right off her dock.  She had it tied on a long rope so the wake from the passing boats didn't send her out into the middle of the lake.  When I snapped her photo I told her she was going to become a painting.  She said "Oh No!" but did smile.  I read that as permission to proceed :-)

Three in a Canoe

6 x 12 Oil on Archival Board

Usually it's the person in the back that gets away with not paddling :-)  She could blame it on her paddle, I guess.  The longer paddle is for our kayak.  I'm not sure why we got the shorter paddle.  This is what happens when your dock house is a mess and the girls are anxious to get out on the water.  Trying to find anything is impossible!  It's Fall.  Now's the time to start cleaning it out in preparation for next summer.