New Split Figure

I keep experimenting with figures in my rough palette knife split figure style. There is something I love about the mystery of the figure when separated by the field of the canvas. Will keep pushing this to its limits, including more in wax too. Haven't tried larger sizes yet but that is a direction to try too. This one is 13x13 on hard board.

Last Hawaii Painting

This is another small, 8x10, painting of a scene from my Hawaii trip. It was done with the palette knife so has a nice texture. One difficulty is putting in people at this size and level of detail. May have to use a small brush to finish up with that.

Door Project

I have spent several days painting a mural on a pocket door. It is 6x3 feet in size and I painted it in acrylic. The design is a Van Gogh countryside painting with a few modifications. It was a fun project. It fits its place well as the walls of the kitchen are painted yellow.

More Hawaii

I'm still working from some of my Hawaii photos. Here is a beach scene that is 9x12 inches. I also have another one in progress. This is painted mainly with a palette knife for the thick texture I want. By using the water soluble oil paints, I am able to get the texture and the painting also dries to the touch in a few days at most. This process encourages me because with normal oil paint, I'd have to wait many days to touch up thick paint whereas now I can finish a work within a week. The ablility to go from idea to completed work in a matter of days is a reason I took up the wax painting too. I guess I don't have the patience to wait weeks for paints to dry. When working wet into wet, I can just keep moving as the water soluble oils "set up" in a short time so I can blend without over mixing the colors together. I am more and more liking the idea, like the impressionists, of setting dabs of paint side by side and letting the eye do the blending.

New Work

Have had a minor knee surgery and been working on the political campaign so not as much time for the art but here are a few recent works. One is a drawing from my life sessions. Paintings are an 8 x 10 inch nice thickly painted Hawaii Dunes, and a small 4 x 10 inch Green Lake Bathhouse Theater work, both done in oils.

Have also attended a few free art demonstrations at the local Daniel Smith art supply store. These are very motivating, especially since I find I know as much as the instructors about many issues, just need to keep at the work.

Grand Canyon

Have been on vacation in Maui and did a few small paintings there. Here is a Grand Canyon scene I had done previously in wax and now did an 8 x 10 inch oil painting of it. I have several other small works from the trip, a few needing touchups.

Have been busy since I returned working on the political campaign as a volunteer. Figure if I don't help, who will. Political art is one thing but getting in the trenches is another.

New drawings

Here are two figure drawings made recently. I'll be taking some photos in Hawaii and love those sunsets. Should be some new work online soon from these.