9.24.2012

Powell & Market

Powell and Market
Oil on Canvas
12x12 (2012)
Firstly, I've got to apologize for the quality of the image...Owen...and my camera...need I say more?  So now I'm in the market for a new camera, and in the mean time, I'm using my old iPhone 3g camera.  Speaking of which, iPhone 5 is on order - cannot wait!

"Powell and Market" was inspired by a trip to San Francisco with Eric a few years back.  We met up with a friend and native of the city and he took us on a great little tour.  I saw this streetcar from the back seat of his car and made him pull over in traffic to let me out so I could get some good reference photos.

After the holidays, there are two more San Francisco based paintings that I can't wait to get going on.  Another street scene - but it's totally different then anything you've seen from me so far, and a harbor scene.

Price - $300
Comes framed in black float frame.
Currently available...message me if you are interested.  

9.19.2012

Inner Harbor

Inner Harbor
Oil on Newspaper Covered Canvas
20x24 (2012)
It was such an unbelievably hot day in Baltimore when I painted this outside in the Inner Harbor.  I was there for the Inner Harbor Art festival in mid August.  We had a great time despite the heat and I really loved the spectacular views and architectural details that exist here. A perfect mix of old and new.

Currently available for Purchase, message me for details.
 

9.18.2012

Palette

I was just getting ready to wipe my palette from my last painting that I worked on outside (plein air).  I've had a few people inquire as to what type of palette I use with my plein air easel, and what paint I typically pile on.
Plein Air Easel Palette (Julian Full)
Brand is Gamblin unless otherwise noted. Starting at the bottom left and working counter clockwise...
Titanium Zinc White
Mars Black (rarely used but like to have a little dab)
Burnt Umber (only used in my under painting to establish values)
Raw Umber
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna (primarily used in my under painting to establish values - I love to mix with ultramarine to get my darks)
Cadmium Red
Alizarin Permanent (above Cad Red)
Cadmium Red Light
Cadmuim Lemon
Cad Yellow Deep
Cad Yellow Light
Indian Yellow (Inside left of Cad Yellow Light - great for tinting and making greens)
Sap Green
Azo Green (M Graham brand)
Permanent Green Light (Rarely use - don't typically have it on my palette)
Veridian (mix with Alizarin to make blacks)
Phthalo Turquoise Blue
Cobalt Turquoise Light
Cerulean Blue (W&N brand)
Cobalt
Ultramarine

Medium -
OMS - Gamsol - used for thinning and creating my under painting with
Liquin - once I establish my tones and values I start building up with liquin mixed into the paint

I have the turquoise blues on this palette specifically because the piece I was working on had a lot of bright water and sky.  They normally don't make an appearance.

On my studio palette, I've started reducing the number of paint colors on my palette.  I'm finding on my own what I've been reading about and what people have been saying about color - that the less amount of tube colors in front of you, the more control you have and the better harmony and balance you have in the painting.  Sometimes you have to learn the hard way :).  I'm finding  - like with anything - the more confidence I gain the more willing I am to try new things (like a limited palette, new surfaces, more complicated subjects).  Eventually, it would be great to get down to a warm and cool of each primary and white.  I think I'll challenge myself with a painting doing just that - 6 tube colors and white.  More to come.

9.17.2012

Modern Mountains
Oil on Canvas
20x24 (2012)
Here is another piece that I did live at an outdoor exhibition - this one during the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival a couple of weekends ago. While I was working on it, some new friends stopped by and gave me some great ideas for future paintings. After the show, he emailed me an idea for the name of the piece - "Modern Mountains". I thought it was perfect. The image is of center city Philly from i76. For those of you that live here in Philly know it well as traffic usually is at a standstill right around this point. 

This piece is currently available, message me for more details.

9.16.2012

Genesee

"Genesee"
36x36
Oil on Canvas
Over the summer, while visiting family in Rochester, I decided to take a drive down to Charlotte and see the marina and walk along the beach on Lake Ontario.  I lived in the area in my early 20s and spent a lot of time there growing up.  I especially like the walk up the old pier.  Back in 2004, they replaced the old rickety Stutson Street Bridge with a new model.  The old bridge was metal and had those grates for the floor.  I remember riding over it in the back seat of my parents car and hearing the hum of the tires on the grates.  Sometimes, we would get stuck on it when tall boats had to pass through and it shook and swayed with traffic. I remember hearing about a police chase which headed over the bridge.  They started to raise it up to prevent the man on the run from crossing, but instead of stopping he gunned it - and made it across.  Talk about "just like the movies".

The vantage point of this piece is from the top of the new bridge looking over the marina on the Genesee River.  The river empties into Lake Ontario which you can see in the background. I started this piece during the Park Ave Fest in August, and just finished it up over the weekend.

Sold - Private Collection.