My Dad

My Dad is 82 now. He was always my hero and role model, and he still is. He took me fishing as a boy, and he still does. He is the best man I have ever known. This was painted from a photo before he had eye surgury. He doesn't need glasses anymore, but this is how I always picture him.

Drawn By Another Love

It has been some time since I last posted a painting. Recently, instead of painting, I have been pulled back toward a former love that has lain dormant for many years - writing. Actually, it was my first love. For the past few weeks I have been spending most of my free time writing. I have no firm direction in it really, I'm just writing for the pure enjoyment of it.

Someday I will try my hand at magazine articles to see if I can get published. Maybe a booklet or two after that, and if I can stay the course, a book. Or maybe I'll just sit on my patio and write for my eyes only. Who knows? All I know right now is that I've laid down the brushes for a bit and picked up my wireless keyboard to see what I can paint with it.

Actually, there is a lot of common ground between painting and writing. You can create pictures with both. Maybe I'll post "word pictures" in the future instead of oil paintings. The keyboard, however, seems a lot more complex and daunting than my oil painter's pallet. It contains far more color combinations.

Sylvie the "Got Milk" Cat

This tuxedo cat has been our companion for about 9 years. Her mustache is the first thing that catches most people's eye. Although it looks like milk, she never drinks it. She just lays by the pool and sleeps away the day - and night - and the next day....what a life!

Silver Bowl - Yellow Apples

I like painting metallic objects, like this silver bowl. They reflect colors and light from many directions and are a challenge to paint convincingly. These yellow apples were sitting on my kitchen counter just begging to be painted in the summer sunshine.

Apples of Gold in Silver Bowl

Sold (on eBay March 2011)

Golden apples in a silver bowl reminds me of the Scripture: "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver (Prov. 25:11). I need to always be mindful of the words Ispeak and make sure they bring blessing and not curses.

White Cup & Rose

 

I like white things in paintings. They take on colors from their surroundings. Sort of like people, huh? We get "colored" by things and people around us - hopefully the colors we take on are beautiful.

Girl in a Red Dress

This is a quick study I did yesterday. I like the loose sketchy feel of it - I want my work to become more painterly. Tell me what you think.

Ready For Spring



Here is lovely Nicole again, ready for Spring. With an inch of snow on the ground this morning, I'm ready too! I can't wait to open the windows again. She did a great job modeling for this. I spent far more time on this painting than I planned, but I didn't want to paint her poorly. What do you think? How did I do? 

Red Onion & Green Pot



 

Red onions are among the favorite things artists love to paint. This one contrast well with the green of the pot.

Teddy

This is my youngest Grandson Teddy Jones. He lives with my daughter and her hubby in Florida. Teddy Bear is as sweet as he looks. His mommy is a Veternarian and his daddy is an artist. With a dad, a grandpaw and an uncle who are artists, he is doomed to paint!

Oriental Vase and Orange

Sold (on eBay Feb 2011)

 This is one of my favorite vases. I love the color and shape of it. I've painted it many times. The blue goes so well with the complementary orange color. I'm still working on my oranges - they are so tricky, with all their little delicate parts. I hope to continue getting better with each mile of my brush. 

Two Pears & Grapes

This painting sold on eBay 2/2/11

This is an older painting that I was not happy with, so I have reworked portions of it. I am now much happier with the results. I love pears - to paint or eat! These two are in love - can't you tell?

Luke

This is my Grandson Luke. He is older now - this was painted about two years ago. He looks like he is pondering what adventure he will pursue next. He is all boy and full of energy.

Audrey Grace

This is Audrey Grace, my youngest Grandaughter. She is now walking, talking, running, grabbing and laughing most of the time. Unfortunately, she lives in Florida so I don't spend nearly enough time with her. But I have lots of photos and paintings to remind me just how beautiful she is how blessed her Grand Paw is!

Zoe

I painted this a year or so ago from a photo I took of my Grandaughter Zoe one Christmas. She was unaware of the camera. The best shots are those "unposed" ones, when the subject does not know they are being observed. This beautiful and super smart young girl is now a preteen wearing makeup and driving all the boys mad! So, her dad keeps a loaded gun close by and he is an expert shot. :) :) :)

High Fashion Model

I painted this last year. This is Nicole (same model for "Beauty in Black"). She loves to dress up and pose. I think a family member of her's now has this painting. My wife said it looks like it would be at home on the wall of a New York apartment. I don't know about that - Nicole is more at home in Alabama.

Oriental Pitcher and Fruit

 

I'm working on looser brushwork. I usually paint too tight for my own taste. Probably something in my upbringing about being neat and clean?? My goal this year is to find myself, that is, my "voice" or my "style", and I want it to look like a painting, not a photograph. How am I doing? The bird's nest beside the pitcher was the hardest part of this.

Tea and Berries

 

 I'm loving my new-found motivation to paint more often. But this scene makes me want to sit down, stop working and pour a cup of tea. 

I'm always working on solving the problems a painter faces. A white pitcher against a white backdrop is a challenge! I'm also working on figuring out what my "style" is. The main idea I suppose is to get better and better with each new painting.