When not working on commissions and works for themed shows, I love painting beach and ocean themed paintings. Some are only 8″ and some 36″. All are available.
beach paintings
Highly Textural painting of ocean
Recently I started to work on a textured semi abstract 36″ x 36″ gallery wrap. First I knifed in the modeling plaster with the shapes of the waves and bubbles sculpted into the plaster. Then after two days of drying I painted the entire canvas with a mixture of Micus oxide and burnt sienna. The following day, I was able to start painting and after many evolutions and tints and painting decisions, I finally completed this after a week.
This painting is available and would make a great piece over a fireplace or dining room.
Tropical Paradise painting
“Nearly Home” is a 24×48″ gallery wrap just completed. I was inspired by another painting I had completed recently. I cannot post the other one yet because it is a gift.
My goal was to use fluid and broad strokes and keep the landscape more impressionistic. Even though there are a lot of paint strokes, they are not entirely random. Making each stroke finite and not working into it and blending takes a lot of self control.
Details of some of the brush strokes.
Three Mermaid Paintings tweaked
Over the holidays, I had a bit of time to review paintings I had done in 2018 and decided to make a few changes in these three paintings. Sometimes, when I think a piece is completed, later on, I will notice something that bugs the heck out of me. SO, redoing the parts that could be improved is a good thing.
“Ginger Dreams” is a 40x30x1.5″ gallery wrap.
“Harmony” 40×30″ had an awkward bend to her tail so I fixed that, added jewelry to this whimsical painting.
“Twilight” is a 24×48″ painting that I had done last summer and felt that it was too dark. Repainting all of her skin and adding more light to the water was nearly like starting over. Her face changed in the process which took several days for the new personality to emerge.
Small accent paintings to sell in shops
WHILE WAITING FOR LARGER PIECES TO DRY IN VARIOUS STAGES I WORK ON SMALL GALLERY WRAP PAINTINGS. Some are sold through galleries and shops. These are 8″ square and can sit on a shelf or on a wall.
Ocean paintings with texture
Morning Surf is 36×24″ and has a lot of modeling plaster, heavy paint and layers of thin glazes mixed with acrylic glazing medium. I wanted to keep this rather abstract.
Breaking Onshore is 24×24″ and has a bit less texture. This painting went through many stages and the underpainting was so abstract with some fresh blues and shapes that were pretty simple. I actually loved that stage and told myself to leave it alone. But no! I started messing with it and pretty soon it was more realistic with a lot more details and glazes. Still some simplicity remains.
“From the Shore” Sailing around the islands is a larger piece 48×36″. I was bodysurfing an noticed the colors of the water being an olive green with the top of the water reflecting the sky blues. Originally it was just the waves at a low angle. Then I decided to add some islands in the distance with sailboats. Making up a scene from an original inspiration is challenging.
All of these paintings are affordable so if you know anyone interested, have them contact me. Thanks.
Tweaking older paintings
“Along the Shore” 40×30″ was originally done a couple years ago. After a couple more years of painting experience under my belt, I see things in my work that need improvements. Because my paintings are varnished, I cannot just paint over them unless I put a clear gesso on first. Wait a day to dry and you will notice a rather rough feeling on the surface. This allows you to revise any areas yet still keep the areas you like. After its revised, I varnish again.
This is the older painting for comparison. I do like the changes. Thoughts?
Playing with Dry Brush Techniques
Possibly I mentioned that I have been teaching seniors painting at our town’s local Senior Activity Center for over 15 years. In November we did some projects and lessons with various painting techniques. These are from the lesson on dry brush….and started with raw umber gessoed canvas. Most of the brush strokes were done with a ragged dry brush and acrylics. The sailboat one is 18×24″ and is called “Sailing Close to the Shore” The shell painting is 20×20″. These are rather small canvases (for me) and are quite affordable. I like the abstract qualities and sorbet colors.
