Sandy Pathways

Oil of canvas panel - 12x9

En Plein Air

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These converging / diverging paths in the woods caught my attention as did the live oak with the yellow/orange leaves. At this time of year, the live oaks lose their leaves - some before others - and the contrast of dark green against the golden yellow was the part of the scene that caught my eye.

This panel was painted en plein air at the Ringhaver Park as part of the First Coast Plein Air Painters paint out. This particular scene is well off the paved path, and I only saw one other painter all day.

Last of Winter

Oil on canvas panel - 12x9

En plein air

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I captured this scene across the Intercoastal Waterway. It was early morning with the tide way out when I started, and I finished just at lunch time and the tide was almost high. That's one of the difficulties of painting water.

I did the sky and water first because I knew thy would be the first to change. Then I blocked in the shadows for the deepest values. Next I blocked in the broad shapes and masses of color. Then I finished with details and edges.

I had to work quickly because the sand gnats have arrived.

Winter Rain

Oil on linen 10x8

May be a work in progress

I had planned to take my French easel out today, but it rained all day. I have long been intrigued by the corner of my landscaping with a statue of a little girl feeding some ducks. It is overgrown and waiting for spring cleaning, clearing, and trimming.

The view I selected is from the front porch across the driveway. Everything is wet, and gray, and golden brown. The shadows are deep, but the values are muted by the rain and overcast sky.

This painting may need to be touched up or elaborated later. The wind came up and started splattering rain onto the easel and the painting. I discovered that when water gets on the oil, painting over pulls up the original layer of paint. That could make for some interesting effects, but it's not a good surprise.

Boat Channel II

Acrylic on gessoed Masonite - 20x16

This painting represents a new direction for me in a number of ways. It is in acrylic which I have done before, but it is with larger brushes. I have kept to a limited pallet - cadmium yellow med. cadmium orange, permanent rose, alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue, ultramarine violet, burnt umber, and white.

I have deliberately exaggerated the forms, limited the color and detail, and focused on shapes and glazes to define the scene.

I am going to give this piece a rest for a few days before I sign it and put it away.

Morning Fog on the Marsh

Oil on canvas panel - 12x9

I began this painting en plein air yesterday morning, but when I got the "thing" home, I decided to rework it. This is the result.

For this work, I used almost exclusively cadmium orange, ultramarine violet, ultramarine blue, cadmium yellow medium and a touch of some burnt umber with lots of white. For a medium, I found that Liquin works best en plein air for me because it dries quickly and it spreads with a texture I can manage.

This view of the marsh is from the Atlantic Boulevard causeway on the beach side of the Intercoastal Waterway. I parked my truck next to the guard rail and set up just on the other side. One guy honked as he passed - I jumped and had a mark to paint out.