Up for bidding!

Yes, yes. I know you just saw this painting recently. But I got curious about the whole EBAY thing. So I decided to put it up for auction. Call me a sell out, but I just wanted to see if I'd get a nibble.

You can bid on this painting here.

Creek near the house

There is a spot I drive by almost everyday coming home from work. It's one of those roads that, in it's day, was the major route of transportation. These days it has been replaced by a four lane divided highway that runs parallel to it. But I prefer to take the old road. It takes you down to a very old bridge that is only wide enough for one car. My neighbors and I wave each other across when we approach it.

Under this bridge is a beautiful little creek. I having been driving by it for the last seven years. As you can see (if I have done my job right) it is a wonderful little place. I wanted to capture it to share with all of you.

I learned a lot about landscape painting from doing this painting. It was like painting a room with four walls. I was trying to capture the three dimensional space within it.

More to come!

The Rock

Rocks seem to be a theme here, huh? Unlike the one from two posts ago, this rock is only bout fifty feet long from left to right. This is a farm near my house that has been a subject many times. I just love this place. The owner is wealthy enough not to have to sell his land to developers to raise more McMansions. It is pristine with barns, stables and a plantation style home. I hope to paint that sometime soon as well.

Oil on canvas 5" x 7"

On the South Rim Trail

Along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon are these beautiful wind swept trees. Their bent shapes give away the number of years they have yielded to the constant pressure. This sketch doesn't do them justice.

On the way to the Grand Canyon

We were rolling up some back road from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon in our thirty foot RV. Being from the East coast, the landscape was alien, but beautiful. We must have driven 200 miles with this large looming rock to our left. There was nothing but open space and fence between us and the mountains. I looked out at the vastness of it all and wondered who came out here and put up a fence? It seemed kind of silly. But I guess not if you're a rancher.

A little more light

Here's the next step.

Step 5 - first highlights

Some roof tops and cool shadows

Everyting still is pretty simple. Broad shapes of different colors...

Add a little foreground and blend...

Barn step two

I was able to spend a little time on the sky tonight. Just a background layer. I'll continue to work my way forward. At this satge it's easy to fall into "Bob Ross" type tricks. I must stay alert. I will paint what I see! No knife tricks!

Barn raising

Oil 36" x 12"

Underpaiting

My son's first oil painting

For Christmas my 14 year old son received his first oil painting set. After the holidays died down a bit we finally had time for his first lesson. We did a little bit of everything. Color mixing, bush techniques, "drawing" with a brush and a bit of knife work too.

I know I'm his Dad but I think he did a great job for his first time out. It was a wonderful way to spend New Year's Eve.

Happy Holidays everyone.