Soft Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 7th (completed at 8:00am)...$95 including shipping....The clouds were banked in a myriad of colors as the sun struggled over the mountain. Photography of this particular painting was difficult. The yellows are much softer and purples are more muted in the original. Apparently I'm entering the 'purple period' of my painting career...it seems to emerge in my more recent works.

three this morning

I did 3 plein air pieces this morning, but photographic conditions were terrible after I got them home. I set them into frames and shot them with indoor lighting...bad indoor lighting. The next best thing was to render the image into black and white, and hope for better photographic lighting soon.

blues, yellows, reds

7"x5" oil done while playing around with blues, yellows and reds. The morning sunlight was absolutely orange when it hit the hay bales and crib corner. Beyond the distant misty field, the mountain was blue/purple. The tree bark was shining almost red. This was a fun little piddly, cartoony way to spend time listening to the birds.

Kaleidoscope Morning

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 3rd (completed at 8:25am)...$100 including shipping...What a wonderful morning to be a plein air painter! It was perfect, perfect. I chose to include just a few hay bales which were scattered across the meadow. The sun hit the red foliage just as I was adding the final touches.

Morning Shadows

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 25th (completed at 8:15am)...$30 including shipping...The early morning sunlight cast a wonderful yellow/orange glow...but it was gone in a flash. Just enough time for a small one.

Exploring What's There

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on Tuesday June 30th (completed at 9:55am)...$85 including shipping...Sandra and I explored Crown Gardens and Archives in Dalton (GA) and found a painting in every direction. This small addition to the main structure was set deep in shadows and as the sun crept in, I began painting using only yellow ochre, alizarin crimson and ultramarine blue (and of course white). I had challenged myself to use a very limited palette. Next time I think the mixing will go faster.

Early at the Tunnel

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed at 8:20am)...$35 including shipping...The historic Tunnel Hill railroad tunnel is hidden in this plein air study, but is somewhere beyond the darkness on the lower left side. The sun had cleared Chetogeeta Mountain, turning the sky almost instantly from a golden haze to a clear blue. Taking the road to the left carries the viewer to the mouth of the tunnel.

Hay's In

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 24th (completed 8:00am)...$85 including shipping...Getting outside to paint in 95+ degree heat is nuts...so I get out really early to miss the heat. The early sun quickly rose to show its orange light on the recently baled hay. It's hard to believe this was just 3 days into early Summer.

First Hay of Summer

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 18th (completed at 9:10am)...$85 for painting only, $120 framed (as shown)...The hay was freshly cut and the meadow lay golden in the morning sun. Crickets and birds were the only sounds heard, except for the westbound freight train.

Among the Tree Shadows

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on June 17th...completed at 9:30am...$85 including shipping. The house hidden behind the trees is the Clisby Austin House, located in Tunnel Hill GA. The adjoining property hosts the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment in September. As shown in the painting, the hay was ready for mowing. I'll return soon to capture the bales.

First Hay of Summer...progressing

We were there before 7am to begin painting the first cutting of Summer hay. Getting an early start to beat the heat is a must. It was 97 degrees later in the day. This is an 8"x10" oil on RayMar panel painted en plein air. At the time of the photo, it was still progressing but was finished alla prima. I just haven't taken the finished photo yet. Since this area seems to be famous for its "North Georgia green green", I often push colors into their blue or yellow zones.

Beyond the Lilies

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima on June 10th '09...completed about 1:45pm...at Barnsley Gardens just outside Adairsville, GA...$85 for the painting or $125 as shown framed. It was my first encounter with the magic that is Barnsley Gardens...what a feast for the eyes of an artist!!! I'll definitely return for another art day outing.

Water Before the Bridge - process

This is a 10"x8" oil (June 6th) which I feel still needs some touch ups. I always try to finish my plein air paintings at one sitting (alla prima) without tweaking or 'noodling' them after I get them home. This one, however, needs a little more work. I'm not satisfied with the reflections and the foliage needs some value change. If the changes seem drastic, I'll post the noodled result.

Sailors' Delight

9"x12" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on 4-24-09 (completed at 8:10pm) showing part of Lake Lanier near Buford GA. - $118 for the painting only (including shipping), but if you'd like it framed (as is, $140 including shipping). Usually I prefer my comfort zone of painting during morning light, but I liked this challenge of late afternoon. The breeze was refreshing after a long day of plein air work.

Rainbow River

Here's an 8"x10" oil, painted en plein air, alla prima, during the Buford paintout on June 24th ( completed around 1:15pm). Here, just below the Buford dam, the fish hatchery had just stocked rainbow trout. The title "Rainbow River" comes from the trout, but also because the light was dancing off the swirling waters. It was a totally wonderful day for fishing, kayaking...and painting. $85 including shipping for ONLY the painting...but if you'd like it complete with frame, $115 will do it.

fun 'twofer'

The word 'twofer' is short for "two for the price of one", or "this one time is the first and last time". In this case it's the former meaning. Last evening between 7:15 and 8:30, I threw caution in the creek and did a side by side on this 8x10 RayMar panel. It's not meant to be anything other that catching some whimsical late afternoon light. I was seeing lots of alizarin crimson and cad oranges. When I picked up the wet panel to shoot it, it fell jelly side down on the studio carpet. I had to laugh out loud. It picked up grit, cat hair, and an interesting carpet design on the far left. Nothin' but fun.

Harry Griffin Park - Early

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on Saturday May 30th - completed around 9:00am - $85 including shipping - I had driven to several favorite painting spots and couldn't decide where to set my easel. I almost took photos and returned home (shame on me). But then I heard me, telling me --- out loud --- "Good grief! Just get out and paint!" And so I did.

catching the light at Harry Griffin Park

Poor, pitiful plein air painter that I am...trying to catch the light and put it to canvas. Neither paintbrush nor camera can catch what the eye can see of God's wonderful creation. But I had a great time beside the creek in Harry Griffin Park this morning...painting away as the creek gurgled to the robins' tune. My, how the light can change in just an hours time!! I'll make a few quick adjustments and photograph the painting for posting soon.

North from Snodgrass Hill

May 22, '09, just before noon...it was overcast, then sunny, then drizzly...in short, painting en plein air was a bit of a challenge. The light was changing by the minute/second and capturing the correct colors was almost impossible. This is a slice of what I painted that day. Going too dark with my darks is something I need to work on, especially in such changeable light. This was a 6"x12" mini canvas, but I think a larger version would have better captured the meadow's expanse. Gonna work on that.

Confederate Memorial Wreath

9"x12" oil on Raymar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on Tuesday, April 28th '09, at Old Stone Church near Ringgold GA.
The wreath on the door commemorates Confederate Memorial Day which is a state holiday in some states in the US. In Georgia, it was April 27th. It gives people a chance to honor and remember the Confederate soldiers who died or were wounded during the Civil War in the 1860s. Old Stone Church was used as a hospital.

UPDATE: This painting has been donated to the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Catoosa Chapter 1987, who placed this wreath.