Michael and Avery Playing at the Fair

What a good memory of Michael and Avery playing music at the San Juan County Fair this past summer.
24 x 30 acrylic, copper leaf on canvas.

Portrait Drawing, Wet Canvas!

Working with the On-line group over at Wetcanvas, for the weekly drawing event. Here's last night's efforts on a portrait done with prismacolor pencils. 9" x 7"

I'm working on getting the Sunday Morning Art class up and running for January and Feb.
More to follow as to times and location. Also considering an afternoon painting class on Sundays too.

The Manhattan Bag!

My friend Sarah Hart has one of these bags, hers is made out of Phifertex, a lightweight, but very durable outdoor fabric. I liked it so much that I wanted to have one too. She told me where and we proceeded to look at several locations in New York, but each place was out. Back home, I found the same phifertex fabric, and created the same bag, as I remembered it. I added an inside pocket and used heavy-duty zipper and pull to give a slight industrial look.

What can you put in a Manhattan bag? A sketchbook, a laptop, files, your lunch, an overnight bundle, Farmer's market produce, what ever you like.

I just finished making 8 bags. They measure approx 17" x 17", straps for over the shoulder, walking up 7th avenue, or South Beach. Cost, $80. I have them at Funk & Junk, or email if you are interested in one.

Figure Painting

New work from this week's figure drawing session. 2 quick oil sketches and a long pose 24" x 24", all in oil.
The big painting has been changed, copper leaf, and deep blue glaze over the dress. I'm working on a big canvas of the standing pose. Will post some updated pictures as soon as I can.

Portrait of Long-time Islander, Al Sundstrom

This week our figure drawing group painted Al Sundstrom, long time San Juan Island farmer. Al brought a portrait that Ernie Gann had painted of him 40 years ago and hung it on the wall behind his chair. Here's my 12" x 12" oil on panel portrait, a 2 hour sit.

Updates, Fall on San Juan Island

Out on location, a start on a fall painting near an island pond. The colors of foliage here are olive, gold, red and mustard. Though, it's not like fall in New England, the fall colors here in Washington have a certain kind of beautiful feel.
Hopefully the weather will cooperate for another day or 2 out on location.

Good news, our weekly figure drawing group is hanging a show at the Island Arts Museum this week. The opening will be on Friday , Oct 17, 5 to 7 pm. Participating artists include Ann Walbert, Paul Chadwick, Bryne Barnard, Richard Barnhart, Linda Degnan-Cobos, Matt Dollahite, and myself.

I was just informed that one of my 100 Soldiers series was choosen to be the featured artwork on Artdoxa, an international website devoted to contemporary art.

Flower Bouquet, Reverse Painting on Glass

Enjoying the end of summer bouquet grown by Margaret Thorson from Waldron Island.
This is a reverse painting on glass, a new technique for me, best done in the studio, using a big sheet of glass to paint on. I used oil paints and painted in layers, going backwards, no corrections...... I've been inspired by Gabriel Munter to try this.