Tide Lines

Oil on panel - 12x9

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After a severe northeaster storm last winter, the beach at Ponte Vedra was eroded with some spectacular tide lines. The erosion cut a clear line in the beach. The extreme high tide had left its mark. The "fresh" sand and coquina shell showed spectacular color against the blue and white of the waves.

Morning Watch

Oil on canvas panel - 12x9

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When the morning is bright and the sea breeze is silent, it's as if the palm trees are standing guard - keeping watch - over the salt marsh.  These are fall colors for the marsh when the grasses turn golden before the other vegitation picks up their winter fashions.

This view of two palm trees alone in a hammock in the salt marsh is one of my favorite views, and I have painted various versions of it before.  Each time I do, I am drawn to new appreciation for the beauty of this place.

Gull's Beach

Oil on panel - 12x9

The concept behind this painting was some sketches and photographs I took last winter when the beach was all but deserted by all but a flock of sea gulls - thus the title, "Gull's Beach."  The weather was calm, but a swell was coming in from the Atlantic. The sunlight on the gulls cast long reflections in the wet sand.

I began this painting on March 23, but coutless interruptions and changes and wipe-outs delayed its completion until today.

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.

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.