Revisiting a friend

Water and Light

"Morning on the Sound" (24" x 12"). When I create wall art, I sometimes start by experimenting with a brand new idea for the piece. Other times, I revisit an older idea I've already completed but look for ways to create a new oil painting that is both like and unlike the original (hey, Monet did that all the time). "Morning on the Sound" was such an effort. I did a painting similar to this composition awhile back and really enjoyed it -- but the scene depicted was of a coastline on a misty morning. This time, I wanted to go back to the same basic idea but...I've sent a strong east wind and blew the fog away.

"Morning on the Sound" (24" x 12")

My Cluttered World

My "inner studio" behind the curtain...

I've Been Busy!

This photo shows what a slob I am. "Santa's Workshop" has never been busier, with 21 oil paintings currently underway (that's more than I ever have worked on at one time). I'm SO THANKFUL! I'm working right now on several commission pieces and a dozen new landscape and abstract paintings for my Asheville studio wall. Okay, enough social media...back to work. —

Beginning my "marathon" painting: Cullasaja Falls

Where do I begin?

Because my panel is actually larger than any canvas I can get my hands on, I had to prep the panel itself to receive the texture, inventing the gloppy substance that will readily receive the texture I will apply. So here's the recipe:  1 c. gesso, 1 c. wood glue, 1 c. modeling compound plus a tablespoon of secret sauce. Mix thoroughly (no tasting), pour into paint pan and roll on the panel. Viola! (see -- half artist, half mad scientist). 

Puzzling and Playing

"The first assembly"

Assembling a Painting

This is the beginnings of a new "intarsia" piece I'm working on. Each piece (there are 76 of them) is cut out, texturized, painted and then assembled and resined. The photo above shows the first actual assembly of the piece before the first layer of paint was applied. Photos below are just a couple to show what they look like with the first layer of paint. They will get several more layers of paint...so stay tuned. 

First layer of paint

First layer of paint

"How do you get the aluminum on the painting?"

Aluminum Leaf Application

My big new tropical fish / giant kelp painting is basically half done now with the application of the aluminum leaf (and I haven't even begun to apply the paint). That's the next step but the hard work is now complete. Painting is the fun part. 

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