Heading Out

Heading Out

 

Pastel on Multimedia Board, 9x12

When the tide comes in, the sea gulls take wing and head out past the breakers.  The surf is high, and the waves tumble over each other as they break.  The water turns green with the foam from the waves, and the sunlight paints the churning water with the delicate shades of blue, pink, and purple.

Putting Down

Putting Down

I have been going through boxes of  paintings that needed something, and I found this one.  I have retouched the color and values, made the image more crisp, and refined the context.  The "new" painting accomplishes all that I wanted to gain originally.  

The following is my original description for painting this seagull.

"On rainy days, I go through my old paintings, reference photos, and drawings looking for things that interest me.  For some reason, I often find myself drawn to sea gulls.  I admire their freedom and exuberance. 

"This particular gull is actually from a photo of a large flock, but his form and sense of presence attracted my attention.  I pulled him out for this study and first called it "All Alone" which is a little ironic because gulls are rarely alone.  "Putting Down" is more descriptive."
 

Winter Shadows on the Marsh

Winter Shadows on the Marsh

Pastel, 9x12 on UArt

As morning breeze begin to push in from the coast and the warm creeps into the shadows of the pines and live oaks that stretch across the golden marsh grasses, the promise of spring can be felt in the air.