terns

                           11x14

                               9x11

A couple of sketchbook pages from a photo I⁸ took of some terns. No drawing, trying to capture the shape directly, simply.

I'm always coming up with ideas of things to try to make my paintings, or maybe my painting practice, better. (My follow-through often leaves something to be desired.)

Always comes down to, basically: paint more. Sometimes I think I'm hampered by wanting to produce a "painting."

Looking at the work of artists whose work I love--eg Lois Dodd or Richard Diebenkorn, and so many others--it seems to me their works must be the end of a process of distillation. (Hockney in Yorkshire just went out and nailed it en plein air, but by then he had his style; he had internalized the disillation!)

Through observation and then practice, they get the essence, and a painting that is great because you can almost feel the work and thought that went into it--but you can't see it.

dunes

                             8x10

Trying to get back to painting ... again.

I've had a lot of work to do, and then the heat! Not conducive to painting or thinking!

Also looking at sketchbook pages from a class i took with Susan Abbott a couple of years ago. Her classes focus on process: something i need to do rather than just blundering in!

papaya

A couple of studies, painted with no drawing, on hot press paper.

Feeling overwhelmed of late and not too happy with my painting.

I need to remind the quiet space and the joy ... Spending an hour or so painting simply may be the answer.

lemons

                             10x14

Had to have a huge, disruptive, unexpected and hugely $$$ home repair here almost 2 weeks ago. Hard to paint!

But I hope I am getting back on track.

more lavender

                              6x8

Two small paintings from my class with SaltyWaterArt.

I did the bottom one first and overworked it: the paper was too wet, but I kept dabbing away at it regardless.

Tried not to do that in the second one!

lavender fields

Painted in class with SaltyWaterArt.

We used a limited palette--quin gold, sap green, cobalt, winsor violet and perm rose--and timed each painting: 15 minutes.

peonies

My friend Gina came over and on a rainy day we painted peonies from my yard.

I have five peony plants but they're no very old so I don't get the profusion of blooms I'd  hope for, but every year I do get a few more.

another challenge

I set myself another little challenge ... and I may actually be able to keep up with this one.

I love giorgio morandi's paintings, still lifes and landscapes, and especially of course his watercolors.

His water colors are wonderfully simple and often our constructed through the painting of negative space.

I'm hoping that copying some of his watercolor still lives will help me get more into a mode of painting that way myself.

So here are my first two tries, my copy of morandi on the left and my painting of a similar still life set up in my studio on the right.

plein air

Pages in my sketchbook from a little plein air outing the other morning.

Forecast calls for rain for the next five days, so no more plein air till next week!

iris

                         10x14

Another iris, many blooming in the yard right now.

Dried up tulips and amaryllis.

travel palette

                             11x15

Made a little chart of the colors in my plein air palette. Had the paints out so I painted an iris from my yard and a couple of persimmon, which are so pretty, and delicious.

When i filled the palette i made a map of the colors but i can't find it now. Some colors i can ID, others i can't--like the 2nd from the left in the top row: is that quinicridone gold? Doesnt seem bright or transparent enough? So many yellows!

Going to eliminate some redundancies.

And finished my sparrow.

diversion or groundwork?

Lately I've been playing around in my sketchbook-- low effort, less time- and mind-consuming?--rather than making "paintings."

Idk: maybe it's all in preparation ...

Started two bird paintings this a.m. after a little sketchbooking.

My favorite: a sparrow.

And some gulls. This one is a good lesson in why you should never walk away from a wet watercolor.

beach scene

                             10x14

Painted along with a Paul George video on YouTube.

morning painting

                           10x14

Now that it's getting warmer, and I'm getting up earlier, I'm going to try to spend 30+ minutes painting every morning.

This morning I painted along with a session of Birgit O'Connor's plein air class.

She used Winsor blue red shade for the sky and water. I think the one I have is blue shade, but I rarely, if ever, use it ... I always thought it was too intense. But I kinda like it!

And below: yesterday's mess. My first attempt, top, with the reflection of the far shore scraped out--the paper was to wet when I started adding foliage, and it was a swampy mess.

And the start of a second attempt. Letting it dry!

I'm never happy with my foliage shapes! Wish I could figure it out.

Painted this along with a Paul George video on YouTube

birds with John Muir Laws

Sketchbook pages from a 2-hour online class with John Muir Laws. Lots of great tips for drawing birds fast.

You can get a recording of the class, and others, at Wild Wonder Foundation; the classes are pay-what-you-can, which is a beautiful thing.

assateague ponies

                              8x10

Made my reservation to camp at Assateague National Seashore in October. My brother and had camped there every October for about 5 years; had to cancel for one reason or another the last two years! Hoping we make it back this year.

classwork

                                 9x12

Tonight's class with SaltyWater Art. I need the wet in wet practice!

Now that I've painted it, I should paint it again-- faster, looser.

Below, practice paintings to try out color.

sketchbook pages