Firing on all Cylinders ....

Hi folks,
I hope this blog finds you well, and the summer heat is not keeping you down. My time has been split pretty equally between events in Richmond, Richmond Plein Air 2014, in Hampton at the frame shop, and here at the Thomas Bradshaw Fine Art Gallery/Studio. I have even had time to paint on an almost daily basis. I am so thankful for this talent that God has given me. I am such a lucky person to be able to not have to punch a time clock anymore....AAAhhh, back to the blog....
I have been making huge progress in the gallery. Main gallery has been painted! YES! I am doing trim work now for the next couple of days out in the halls and the stairs, and maybe even get all of that painted as well. I think at the end of all this gallery and in my memoir's I am going to have to write about "how to open your own gallery on a shoestring budget!" But here's some photos from paintings and other happenings. Maybe even one from the gallery!!
Take care, stay cool!
Tom

Fresh Cut Grass.....

Hi Folks,
Now that we are full on into the summer season here in Virginia countryside I like to say how green everything is. We are getting rain on a nearly daily basis. It's tough for the painter in more ways than one. All this green that is out there reminds me just how important mixing your greens are vs. the boring ole technique of pulling out Varidian and just using green from a tube. I have stood by my color palet system now for almost 8 years and now it is more important than ever when out mixing greens. I found this system from a class I took from Scott Christensen. He teaches a large group of students the fundamentals on color theroy and composition. His goals are to go small, time limit, and mixing accurate color. All are so vital in plein air painting. If you ever want to take a top notch workshop (I think the best in the country) look up Scott. He has a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for all painters. Oh, his palet is unmatched and I think I'll be using this palet for the rest of my life. It's so much fun mixing color and it always get's the juices flowing from the start of any scene!

Here are a few paintings from my limited palet of
Ultramarine Blue
Cadminium Yellow Light
Permanent Red Medium
and Titanium White

Thanks for looking in!
Tom

Thomas Bradshaw workshop preparations!

Well, apparently my Blogger app on my iPhone 5 is not working right. I have put 2 post into that app and niether of them were ever posted...So here is the more recent one that I did just the other wk. This will catch you up with a bit of my history, Hi Folks, I want to let folks know who follow my blog that my workshop preparations have begun for 2013.Currently I am teaching a basic landscape class that is meeting every Monday afternoon at 4pm out of Blue Skies Gallery in Downtown Hampton. Blue Skies gallery is a wonderful place to teach with plenty of room to spread out and discuss my topic on color theory, composition, and value studies. Although this class is already underway, you can be put on a mailing list for my March class's which will be taught at the Chamberlin. Details are still being hashed out for this.We are also planning a workshop in April, still early in the work stages. Charles Talor Art Center in Hampton has inked me in for April 28, and May 5th. This class is deeply discounted and is only $50! so Call The center for more details. Charles Taylor Art Center,4205 Victoria Blvd, Hampton, VA 23669Many more to come so if your interested in getting involved, shoot me a line and I'll keep you updated!Spring is around the corner, so let's get out there and paint!Tom

Beginnings of fall

Here is a recent plein air I did with a friend up in Richmond, Va. I always learn alot about philosophy and a little about painting when I paint with him. Tomas' is quite the philosopher and a mighty good compositional painter... here is a few of our more recent journeys around Richmond.

Announcing.... thomasbradshaw.net !

After nearly 2 years of not being able to easily find me on the net I have gotten a domain name just for me. I hope it will direct more traffic to my blog and in turn direct more people who love my art and inspire me to create more. Fall is in the air here along the coast. We have had 2 wks now with mid 70's temperatures consistently keeping the summer heat at bay. A few announcements for everyone to become aware of is a new Gallery Representation coming in October to The Chapmans gallery here in Hampton at the Hampton Peninsula town center just off of Mercury Ave. Also I have put together a plein air painting workshop geared around my style. I have it set up to meet at Blue Skies Gallery in Old Town Hampton on October 8th, and October 15th. Both are Monday meetups and I will give an hour lecture about my process, then we take a very short walk to waterside pier and do a painting for the next 2 hrs. Call Leslie at Blue Skies gallery for more info....(757) 727-0028, or just shoot me an email. Here is a few paintings done over the course of the last couple of weeks. Hope you like! Take care

Some recent plein air's and a couple of studio pieces fresh off the easel's As always, comment and critique. It always helps! Thanks, Tom