I WORK EN PLEIN AIR, OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE… Welcome. I am back to painting again after a sabbatical that included a few pieces done for charitable fund raisers. I am continuing to make small, 6" x 8", landscape oils, but not every day. I am also working on larger pieces. Every time I finish a painting, I will place it here on my website. If you see something you'd like to purchase, email me. Thank you for enjoying my work and keeping me creating new pieces. Your interest stimulates and inspires me and has made me a better painter. Sign up for my emails and I will send you an image of each new painting. I love to paint and am happy to share my painting experience with you. Most of my work is impressionistic landscape oils, inspired by the beauty of the Island of Martha's Vineyard where I live.
You are currently browsing the monthly archive for March 2011.
“From The Top”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I began today thinking of a painting in the woods. Maybe a tree or stonewall would do. I wandered down paths and byways scouting. Each time I came to a high spot, there was a great view of this beach, but from afar. I finally had to give in and drive down to the beach and walk up this path. And, well, this is what I saw: hazy sunset and dropping temperature as an inclement weather front floated in…
“Tidely-Idely”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
Here is a friend’s boat I stumbled across the other evening. It is the work horse for the oyster farm out in Katama Bay. I did dream about oysters all night long…
“Fade To Night”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I’ve been working on a commissioned piece in my van facing the other way. When I finished I had to get out to put my tools away and was faced with this quiet view. I quickly sketched it in and was able to amplify it more before darkness fell…
“Meanwhile”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. $750.00 USD
The day was sunny to start, but not to end. I chose a Vineyard cliff experience from which to begin. I was looking for the contrast I had felt in my head the whole time I had been away, between an Australian seascape and my familiar New England scene. I suppose, being cloudy (and finger numbing cold) helped me to really feel the difference, too. The waves below sounded similar, but, oh, were the water colors and cliff tones two seasons and a world apart… (And yes, it is always nice to be back home.)
“Tide And Pool”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel.$750.00 USD
Amanda Malin and dog, Snoopy, drove me down from Melbourne to Cape Paterson to paint on a beach one day. There she, my brother and their children use to go when the boys were little. Besides being one of the closest southern capes to Tasmania, it also had some marvelous surf beaches for swimming. As the ozone hole down there causes bad sunburns, I slathered up with sunscreen and hugged the cliff shadow from which to paint. A slight breeze kept the green heads away, but wasn’t enough to rile up the sand from the cliff face onto my palette. The wind increased as I lost my shadow and I had to quit when I felt grit in the air. The now cool lamb chops Amanda had grilled before we left made for a perfect snack as I walked out to explore the volcanic rock slabs and tidal pools stretching out into the waters…
“Cape Schanck Light”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
My brother, John, and I went for a drive-about my last weekend in Australia to the southern tip of the Mornington Peninsula, due south of Melbourne. It is a rugged coast with sand and an overlay of ancient lava from past volcanic activity. We stopped long enough for me to paint this lighthouse. Moseying onward we got out and followed a rolling hill path to a seaside overlook. Discovering 200 well heeled revelers way out ahead of us on an ocean bluff, we turned to go and nearly walked into the bride and bridesmaids. They were in full attire gently gliding down the footpath to make her grand entrance. Farther along our journey, we found a helmeted man hanging onto a pair of wings about to jump from a cliff into a stiff headwind. He survived and soared off into the wild, blue yonder…
“Eucalyptus”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
I had some extra helpers while working on this painting out on the farm. Two yearlings kept prancing up behind me and giving me nudges while trying to rummage in my canvas bag. It took me a few times before I realized the apple smell in there was too much for them. Ah well, sometimes it’s good to share my snack…
“The Bend”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
This was the third day I have spent down at the Bend farm painting. The first day was mainly exploring as it is partially surrounded by bush/forest. The second day I was on tenterhooks from sun-up onward as rain came and went. After finding a very ripe blackberry patch and having to run to a big old gum tree for shelter, I ended up painting this from inside the horse run-in shed out of the rain drops…
“Hedgeley Dene Gardens”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
Back in Melbourne today and I found this wonderful public garden close to my brother’s in which to paint. Many dog walkers and curious children came by as I worked. But it wasn’t until my favorite Bull Terrier, Axle, came by with his master, Billy, my brother’s housemate, that I knew it was time for dinner…
“Beach Boxes”, this is a small painting, 6″ x 8″, oil on canvas panel. This painting has SOLD.
Some would call these boat houses, others beach shacks. Here on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia, the locals call these beach boxes. They are generally used to house beach towels and chairs, windsurfers, kayaks, fishing rods, grills etc. All are painted bright colors to help distinguish them from each other. I had hoped to paint a closer image of them, but the ocean had hauled away sand and cliff last year. The powers that be were moving in new sand and boulders to try to rebuild the beach and surrounding bluffs. My present view was somewhat blocked at this end of the shore…