Ocracoke Watercolor art sketch: "Open For Business"

I previously mentioned that Ocracoke has a beautiful little harbor in the center of town called "Silver Lake". The hotel where we stayed had a view of Silver Lake Harbor, and and each morning we could sit outside,  sip our coffee and enjoy the peaceful relaxed beauty of scenes like this one:

"Open For Business" Watercolor & Ink on Paper

The only morning activity we saw was that of people strolling near the water, and fishermen quietly preparing their boats for the day's outing. But at one time this area was harassed by the infamous pirate known as Blackbeard. Blackbeard wreaked havoc all up and down the east coast and into the Caribbean. But his reign of terror was brought to an end when he was finally caught near Ocracoke by the British Navy in 1718.

Back from Ocracoke

Both painting and internet were sketchy down at Ocracoke, so this is a recap now that I'm back home. We really enjoyed our stay at Ocracoke! It has gained some popularity due to the great reviews of its pristine and natural beaches, but it remains a sleepy little 16 mile island only accesible by boat or ferry. No McDonald's or Starbucks there! Just lovely little harbors, small local restaurants, and shops ranging from artisan/galleries to a few peddaling souvenir schlock and surf gear. It is a great place to ride bikes, photograph, paint/sketch (if the wind is calmer) and watch the sunrise and sunsets. If you are into fishing, surfing and other watersports it seems like it is great for that too. We stayed in the village along Silverlake harbor and had all different kinds of weather. The last two days of our stay were absolutely gorgeous, though the wind was around 20-25 miles an hour so often that I decided to forgo the oil painting and stick to sketches like the one I did here of the Harbor:

"Flying Colors" Watercolor & Ink on Paper

Ocracoke- Painting in the Wind!

I don't know if you've been watching the HUGE storm pattern that has been tormenting the Southeast lately, but it's a doozie. Luckily, Ocracoke has had only a mild version of the storm that has wreaked havoc on its neighbors.

We have had sun, rain, sun, rain, clouds, sun and clouds.

Changing light and most especially wind are the nemesis of the plein air painter, but then again, that is part of the fun of it.  Here is a scene of the harbor on a sunny and very windy morning.

Obviously this painting isn't finished. In fact there is LOTS to do if I want to develop this piece. The mast and water need work, as does some shading on the boat. But considering that I had to catch my panel mid-air!! before it went splat in the sand due to the high wind (did I say this was fun?!)  I think I got a fairly good impression of my subject matter. In any event, my companion seemed much more interested in his plastic water bottle-toy, and pretty much unfazed by all of my antics (alas, we were never properly introduced!)

Aside from the wind and a few moments of summer showers, we've made out pretty well. Noses are sunburned, and we've enjoyed the wild beauty of this area. The beaches aren't too bad either!

Ocracoke Island

Yes, I am still here! Not much opportunity to post new work yet because this week turned into "clean the studio and ship paintings" week. And today we are heading out to Ocracoke Island for what we hope will be a long relaxing weekend.  We have been to the Outer Banks of North Carolina (Nags Head, Corolla) many times, but I have always wanted to go to Ocracoke and have never gotten around to it, as it is about a 40 minute ferry ride from Hatteras. From all accounts the word most often used is "quaint" in describing this island village. It is a very natural beach with no major hotels or developments -- a real rarity these days. And for what it's worth, "Dr. Beach" has this year rated Ocracoke #1 as the best swimming beach nationally.

We're driving so I can load up the van with my paint gear! Hooray! Hope to post whatever plein air paintings and sketches I do while there.

Preliminary plans for workshop

Just a quick announcement that I have been in conversation with a workshop and tour organizer for a landscape painting workshop in  southern France in the late spring/early summer of 2008! It should be an incredible time to be there when the poppies are in full bloom. I will supply more information as the plans become solidifed but for now, please get in touch with me with your contact information if you are interested in this workshop and I will send you the details as soon as possible. Update: After much discussion we have agreed upon a projected spring/summer workshop in 2009 instead of '08. This will give us more time to do the proper planning and promotion. It will also enable me to fulfill the commitments I've made in relation to my new studio/gallery during its first year of business. I'll post all information and updates at this link and on the blog regarding the 2009 workshop as soon as they are available.

Plein air painting demonstration: Conclusion

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to see this demonstration from the beginning, click here. 8. I really have to look hard to see the subtle variations in the green shades, but once I start painting in the ground and the vineyard, my picture begins to take shape.

9. The clouds called off their threats so I was able to relax a little and put the finishing touches on my painting right there on the spot.

"Vineyard Patterns" Oil on Canvas, 12x16"

My process for painting in the studio is very similar to my process on location. The exceptions are that I don't have size limitations, nor do I have to deal with the changing light, bugs, and sunburn! On the other hand, painting on location is an exhilarating challenge and helps me to develop my observation and decision making skills. It also gives a far better understanding of the play of light on the landscape.

Depending on the lighting conditions, color temperature changes dramatically. In a session of  changing light like the one I had, I needed to make a decision early on about which lighting condition I wanted to go with, and then commit that to memory in case the sun went away completely!

Painting on location, (or "en plein air", as the Impressionists used to say) is a wonderful complement to my studio work. I often use my plein air sketches and studies along with the many, many photos I take on site, to develop larger paintings in the studio.

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to see this demonstration from the beginning, click here.

Plein air painting demonstration: Part III

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to start at the beginning, click here. You can see the rest of the demo at the following link:  Part IV (conclusion). I look again at my subject and notice a little tree in the field. To be honest, I am not sure that I had noticed it before. I decide to play up this element and use this as my focal point or center of interest:

The light is really changing a lot now. Sun shines intermittently on my scene, but behind me there are some pretty threatening clouds. I decide I had better not dawdle around any more if I want to get this painting finished!

6. To help my process along, I try and pre-mix large piles of the various colors I see in the rest of the landscape.

7. I add a little more detail to the focal point tree than I do the background trees, which will help to push the little tree forward in the picture plane.

Stay tuned for the conclusion!

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to start at the beginning, click here. You can see the rest of the demo at the following link:  Part IV (conclusion).

Plein air painting demonstration- Part II

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to start at the beginning, click here. You can see the rest of the demo at the following links:  Part III, Part IV (conclusion). 3. Lay in the sky: I like to lay in the sky as early as possible in my process. The sky is the source of light and generally it appears to have the lightest tonal value in most landscape paintings. By laying in the lightest value first I can more easily judge value relationships (the relationship between lights and darks) for the rest of the painting.

4.  With my sky in place, I can now judge how dark the mountain range should be. I begin to block in the distant mountains and trees, still with very little detail.

5. After I've blocked in the distant trees I step back and begin to reassess my composition. What is my focal point? The eye tends to like to zoom in on something when looking at a composition, and up to this point I've been focusing more on the abstract shapes of the vineyard to move the eye around the painting. This is good, but is there something more? I'll let you know what I decide in the next installment!

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".  If you'd like to start at the beginning, click here. You can see the rest of the demo at the following links:  Part III, Part IV (conclusion).

My Approach to Painting on Location (a demo)

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns".You can see the rest of the demo at the following links: Part II, Part III, Part IV (conclusion). 1. Step one: Choose a scene.

I often head out to the Virginia mountains to do some plein air painting, and on a morning last week I visited Veritas Vineyards in Afton Virginia. This is a beautiful winery and there are many possibilities for painting subject matter. However, my umbrella broke and I hadn't yet purchased a new one, which can make painting on location in an open field a bit difficult. If the sun is shining directly on your canvas, all you see is a bunch of glare and your paintings end up turning out way to dark and muddy as a result.

Having said that, I can't stress enough how important it is to take the time to choose a scene that excites and interests you. You have a better chance of producing a much better painting as a result. Luckily I came upon a nice shady spot in a private area off of the main road past the winery's tasting room and became excited about this scene:

Okay, so it loses something in my photograph, perhaps! But what I liked about this scene was the abstract shapes and patterns formed by the sweeping lines of the vines and ground. The light was constantly going back and forth behind cloud masses, making painting with consistent lighting very difficult. But that is the fun challenge of painting on location!

2. Lay out the design.

My paintings usually begin very inauspiciously, I'm afraid! All I want to do at this point is plan my layout and get the elements of the scene down in very abstract shapes.

As you can plainly see, I have to work quickly with the changing light, so I don't do a lot of detailed drawing. In fact, I'd say I do far fewer details in the plein air drawing stage than I do in the studio, and if any one were to come upon my painting at this stage they would hardly be impressed! But the marks mean something to me, and I guess that's what matters. In the coming days I will continue to unfold this plein air painting demo, so stay tuned!

Note: This is a four part plein air painting demonstration of my painting "Vineyard Patterns". You can see the rest of the demo at the following links: Part II, Part III, Part IV (conclusion).

Little Shop on the Corner

Here is a recent inquiry I received from a fellow artist: "I, like you, have been lucky enough to be in Provence  during Lavender season, and i have been back several times. My question  is....that color of "blue" on the shutters and doors you see everywhere...what color is that, and how can I mix it.  William Alexander  got me hooked on painting several years ago, and I even have my own Mt  Ste. Victoire hanging in my house.  Any help you have with this color is  greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance. -JH"

To which I replied:

"Hi JH- could you be more specific? I've seen a particular blue/gray and also a more vivid blue in the shutters. But both are a challenge to mix. If you use pure local color, the shutters tend to look too bright and candy-like. However, I've had some success with mixing combinations of Rembrandt's Sevres Blue + Cobalt Blue + white and a *touch* of cadmium orange to gray it down as needed. How much of each in the combination depends on the value and hue of the shutter. Try that and see what you think."

...And here's my own bit of experimenting with just that very challenge:

"The Little Shop on the Corner" Roussillon, Provence, France Oil on Canvas, 16x20"

Getting ready for tomorrow night's art opening

I'm busy today doing the last minute touches for a show that opens at my Richmond, Virginia studio tomorrow night. Read here for the details. No oil painting in the last couple of days so I thought I'd share a sketch of Venice, from one of my sketchbooks:

"Gondolas Near Piazza San Marco" 6x8", Watercolor & Ink

Bridge of Sighs

Here is a still-wet painting I've just finished of the Bridge of Sighs.

 

Built in the 1600's, the Bridge of Sighs (Il Ponte dei Sospiri) was so named because it connected the inquisition room in the Doge's Palace with the Doge's prison. Crossing over the bridge to their confinement the prisoners would give out one last, yearning sigh as they looked out at beautiful Venice before they went to meet their fate.

A rather sad and poignant story! But a beautiful bridge nonetheless, and one of the many landmarks of Venice. I've gone on a tour of the palace and the prison and it is fascinating.

This painting is 24"h x 18" wide (without the frame). It is oil on canvas, priced at $1200 unframed or $1350 framed. For more information, please contact me.

Villa Balbianello

It's been about a week since I've been back from Key West and I've not had time to unpack and photograph my third painting from that trip, which I shipped back home before I left. Right now, I'm getting ready for a show at the gallery this Friday called "Italian Waterways". This show focuses on recent paintings of Lake Como and Venice. Here is a new painting I did for this series of the Villa Balbianello:

Dave and I took a private boat ride and tour out to the villa in Lenno while we were staying in Bellagio. The villa has had an interesting history. It was built for a cardinal in the 1700's on the grounds of an old monestery. It passed through the hands of several owners since that time; the last of whom was Guido Monzino. Monzino was an explorer and led the first Italian exedition to Mount Everest. Upon his death he bequeathed the villa (and apparently a lot of booty from his explorations) to the National Trust of Italy, which is why people can visit it today.

While the story of the villa is interesting, what fascinates me most are the beautiful grounds and gardens, and it's excellent position on the tip of a peninsula. Apparently it has captivated the imagination of many artists and filmmakers as well. It was the setting for several films, including Star Wars Episode II.

Any way, back to the painting! It measures 24x36" and is oil on canvas. For more information about this painting, please click on the painting or contact me.

Simple Brilliance

Here's a plein air painting I did of a lovely little spot on Fleming Street. The bouganvellia is in full bloom everywhere. This is a beautiful time to be in Key West!

This piece measures 6x8" and is oil on canvas. For more information, please contact me.

The Window Above

It rained last night but by morning we had clear breezy air and bright blue skies. I wasn't sure what the wind was going to do, so we took care of some errands in the a.m. and then rented bikes to ride around the island. I am afraid I am not a very good biking buddy, because I kept yelling "STOP!" to Dave every 10 feet so that I could take pictures. That is only a slight exaggeration! Finally I couldn't stand it any more and I went back the room at our guesthouse and gathered up my paints. I left Dave to nap and swim in the pool while I found a nice shady spot with a big wide sidewalk to do a little plein air vignette. The whitewash on the fence and house proved to be a little blinding after staring at it for a while, but I got it down well enough I think. What drew me to this scene was the shadows on the very simple building and of course the vibrant bougainvellia and other tropical flowers and foliage.

This piece measures 6x8" and is oil on canvas. For more information, please contact me.

Key West Getaway

Well we have stolen away in the dark of night (actually very early in the morning but same diff!) for a little visit to one of our favorite places. Here in Key West we were greeted with a balmy 79 degrees. We spent the evening watching the sun set near the pier.  Big billowy clouds hovered  but never overtook the sky. If they don't obscure the light too much,  clouds can make the sunsets dazzle, and tonight was no exception. The sky changed in every moment giving us a dazzling array of color contrasts and brilliant combinations. Golden to orange to deep rose. We enjoyed the sky for some time as the sailboats came in, even long after the hour of sunset. The gold horizon lingered even as the sky softened and darkened to a deep velvety blue.

It's hard not to gush and mush after enjoying something so beautiful. But gushing is about all I have energy for right now! No painting tonight... we're pooped. But I did bring my toys, so if the weather cooperates I'll paint while we're here. If my computer cooperates I'll also post here on the blog during our stay!

Long Shadows on the Villa

I have been under the weather and it has been too long since I have blogged. But I'm finally back to painting again and it feels good! This is a painting fresh off the easel of beautiful Lake Como. This was one of the views from our hotel balcony.

 

The painting measures 30x40" and is oil on canvas. I did watercolor sketches of our views and took many pictures. But I also spent a good deal of time just sighing and looking and drinking it all in. Every evening the light differed and provided me with a slightly different spectacle.

For more information about this painting, please click on the image or contact me.

Bellagio Vignette

With this cold February weather, I naturally long for warm, sundrenched places. So lately I've found myself pouring through sketches and photos from our last trip to beautiful Lake Como. This is a little watercolor/pen and ink sketch I did from the balcony of our hotel in the lovely lake town of Bellagio:

We had great mountain views on three sides. This brings back some warm, sunny memories for me, painting and listening to the water lapping on the lake shores below. The image size is about 6x8", done on 7x9" paper. For more information about this painting, please contact me.

The Chariot Awaits

Here's another little square gallery wrapped painting of Venice for my mini collection. 

This vignette is of a quiet canal in the Dorsoduro. We stayed in this neighborhood when we visited Venice and it was nice because it felt like a more residential  area and not overrun with tourists (like us!) 

This painting measures 8x8 inches. The edges are painted a solid color that compliments the painting, so no extra framing is needed.

More paintings of Italy can be seen on my website here.

Autumn Afternoon at Lake Lure

 

This was another plein air painting I did on my mountain trip. I did this painting during John Budicin portion of the workshop. I was in full sun but it was windy so I didn't want to mess with my umbrella. John commented that I'd better shade my painting from time to time or else the values would be too dark. I tried my best, but when I got inside and looked at my painting it was indeed darker than I had expected. I may yet touch this piece up a bit, but I'm not sure. I do like the way the water looks, so I wouldn't want to mess with it too much.

In some ways John's style was very different from Ken's. John used little #3 round brushes, where Ken used #8 filberts. John had a more expansive pallete and Ken's was pretty limited. I found this interesting and it also confirmed to me that there is no one "right way" approach. What the two had in common, though, was an emphasis on design, value, and seeing everything in shapes and planes. I think these ideas were starting to solidify with me especially during the days when we painted outside.

This painting measures 9x12" and is done in oils on canvas mounted hardboard. I haven't uploaded it to my main website yet, so please contact me if you would like more information.