Red Shovel

I took lots of photos when I was at Hampton Beach.  But the sun was so bright I couldn't see what I was taking.  In this photo, the top of her head was cut off.  The operation was a success.

Watercolor  14X11

Gallery

Summer is a good time to drag out the paintings that were done plein air.  This is one of them.  I added two people, adjusted the color green, and redrew the house.  I like the design with the road going into the picture. 

Watercolor  21X14

Sentinel

All kind of subjects at the beach.  Capture the moment.

Watercolor  Framed 20X16

Watch Out

I have been working on this painting the last two days at the art center.  I took the photo of the two boys and I put them in a garden of daisies. 

Acrylic on stretched canvas  11X14

Beach Girl

This painting was from a photo that I took at Fort Myers Beach.  I love her eyes.

Acrylic on stretched canvas  29X16

Dixie Fish Co

I had a new artist painting with me this morning.  We followed Tony Couch's instruction on Water in Motion.  The water is painted with "dry brush".  Squeeze all the water from the brush and quickly brush across the paper.  The paint skips and leaves white sunlit areas on the water.

Watercolor  14X10

Bonita Bills

The last post & this painting were done with Paint the Beach in mind.  http://fortmyersbeachart.com/forms/2011plein_air.html.  I can't use these paintings.  The paintings for Paint the Beach must be done Plein Air and during the week of the festival.  But it is easier to paint a subject the second time.  I will simplify the drawing.  I must squint.

Watercolor  22X15

Three Shrimp Boats

This painting was painted with acrylic on board.  I finished it with a coat of gesso but you can still see the wood texture.  A lot of old paintings were painted on board.  Next time I will glue on some canvas.

Acrylic on Board  16X12

Artist Feature of the Week

I was chosen as Artist of the Week in the Florida Weekly.  They sent us a long questionnaire to fill out.  I am happy with the results.

Jazz Band

Another of the Charles River Festival Series.

Watercolor  15X11

Sanibel Pier

Pure watercolor at it's best.  Look at the sky.  I wet the sky area first.  I mixed the peach color and made a puddle.  With the paper upside down, I painted across the horizon with the peach color.  Next I dipped the brush into clean water and added it to the puddle.  Again I painted across the paper just barely touching the first row.  I continued until there was clear water.  I let it dry, wet the sky again, turned the paper upright and painted with blue the same way. 

Watercolor  14X11

Peach Rose

Another watercolor painting on prepared hot press watercolor paper.  You can just wipe off a color and replace it with another.

Watercolor  11X11

Shadows

This painting is an example of mingling.  Put one watercolor on the paper and beside it put another color.  When the two colors meet, the colors mingle making a third color. 

Watercolor  10X10

Selected for the Florida Watercolor Society Show

My painting "Harvard Square" was selected by Juror John Salminen for acceptance into the 40th Annual Florida Watercolor Society Exhibition to be held at the Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, Florida from September 6 through October 29th, 2011.

Framed watercolor 38X30

Red Banana Leaves

After posting my painting yesterday, I reworked the background.  Susanne Brown suggested I needed more dark.  I drew more banana leaves in the background with pastel and painted them the dark maroon color that is in my quilt that my daughter Karen made me. 

Banana Leaves

I started with 140 Fabriano Aristico Hot Press paper.  I put two coats of Acrylic Gel on it.  After drawing the banana leaves with pastel crayons, I painted around them using only different red shades of Daniel Smith Quinacridone colors. 

Watercolor  15X15

Step Falls

About once a year I take the watercolor paintings that were not successful and paint over them with gesso.  Now the watercolor paper is no longer absorbent.   This painting was painted on this coated paper that I added  a layer of acrylic gel.  I painted Step Falls at a demo.  When I pulled it out today, I did not like it.  So I took it to the sink and washed some of the paint off to brighten the water.  It did the trick.

Watercolor  14X22

Sunlit Coconuts

Two of my coconut paintings were sold this year.  So here is another one.  I mostly painted it with a palette knife. 

Acrylic on canvas  12X12