Paint what you love

“Ocean Sail” is a new painting that was recently completed after setting it aside for a year. It is 48×30″ and would remind you of the beauty of the sea hung on a wall. Most of my paintings are ocean related: mermaids, beach landscapes, tropical and islands, underwater, fish, and reefs. Growing up near the Pacific ocean and then living near the Atlantic for nearly 40 years, I feel that I have salt water in my veins. As a child, my family spent a lot of time sailing around the coast of Southern California and the islands from Santa Barbara to Ensenada Mexico. We dove, fished, sailed, and explored the islands.

AS an artist, I paint what I love. Last summer, I started body surfing again and noticed all the colors and reflections in and on the water. After working out problems with how to paint water so it appears liquid and also incorporating the reflection of the sky on the top of the water, I feel that I am finally figuring out how to create that feeling. Since I make the scenes up from memories, each painting is a challenge. I ponder for many hours in the struggle to mix the correct colors for the underpainting and all of the layers. You have to make a plan for how to do each layer in order to create the vision from your head.

Water Reflections on the Ocean

Recently, I worked on a series of water reflections on the ocean. Trying to achieve the fluidity of water and the color of the reflections from the sky on the top of the water.

“Message in a Bottle” a 40×30″ gallery wrap painting. There is a bottle floating on the surface with a note that says “I Love You”. Originally, I had way too much detail and decided to smooth out more highlights, especially the golden reflections.  Available.

Pink Clouds” is 36×36″ gallery wrap with a more abstract approach. I wanted to keep it with bold strokes and not overwork it. There is a little sailboat on the horizon and subtle pastels throughout.  I think this would look great above a fireplace or a room where a vision of the ocean brings you calm thoughts.  Available.

This is one of my favorites. “Surface Reflections” is 30×40″. The coloring is more greenish as I discovered while bodysurfing. Its abstractness yet visually still a bit realistic was the vision I had. Always, when I have an inspiration or working in a series, the challenges of how to accomplish the final painting. Its rather like drawing up a story board in layers. When starting, I use very large brushes and energetically add to the canvas broad shapes of colors. Each color is custom mixed for each painting and guessing how warm or cool I want the color to be. I like putting warm tinted gessoes and acrylic over areas that will eventually be cool.  Each phase needs to be pondered and then the steps to mix colors that give me the details that will eventually emerge. The use of transparent colors mixed with a glazing medium are what make the more realistic effect.Each layer has to dry before the next. It is part of the challenges that make being an artist so rewarding.

“Water Reflections” is a 36×36′ thick gallery wrap. None of these paintings need framing since I paint the edges as well.