Plein Air Easton Quick Draw and Island Hopping in the Chesapeake Bay

Hi Folks,
I am returning from a week long painting trip that included a ferry, getting to visit an island in the Chesapeake Bay that is known as the "soft shell crab capital of the world" Tangier Island. I never realized this island was right in our back door and had so much to offer for the plein air artist. Tangier island is actually loosing it's foot hold on the bay. Yes it's actually sinking into the bay, the island is growing smaller by 3 feet every year. There are several moodes of transportation once you get to the island- Walk, bike, or you can rent a golf cart. I think I only saw 4 trucks over there and I think they were just used to haul around the towns namesake, crabs and fish. I had the chance to stay at the Chesapeake house originally owned by the Crocket family. This B&B had the best island food to offer, until....about 2 wks ago they had a grease fire in the kitchen and destroyed the kitchen and a few of the upstairs bedrooms. We still got to stat in the B&B thankfully they have a second house across the street. I love this little town, if you interested, check it out. Tangier island

After Tangier I made a trip up to Plein Air Easton's Quick Draw
I was able to take part in this single day quick draw event that included over 200 artist taking 2 hours to paint a scene in downtown historic part of Easton Md. Always a pleasure to be with so many good artist and it's great to see friends from last years event that welcomed me back this year.

Anyway,
here are some paintings from all the travels down the road. See you all further on down the road!
Take Care,
Tom

Roxy
9 x 12
Oil on Panel
$650

Out of Water
8 x 10
Oil on linen
$450

Mores's Dining
8 x 10
$450

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

Accepting your Subject's

Hi Folks, I am following up with you tonight because I often come across info on the web and it forces me to think and dwell on issues and how paintings come to being. So often I come across these findings and makes me question and question why don't i post them on my blog to possibly stir up the blog and hopefully get a reaction from you guys. Maybe this will work....lol

Here is something I've been thinking about lately, “As you grow older, it dawns on you that you are yourself – that your job is not to force yourself into a style but to do what you want. I saw that if I would accept subjects, I could paint with more absorption, with a certain enthusiasm for the subject which would allow some of the esthetic qualities such as color and composition to evolve more naturally.”

What I take from this statement is this..... There are paintings that I go after that AAAH HAH moments and purely put down color. Those paintings are so much fun and easy to convey because you have that scene right in front of you. It's all spelled out. Then there are painting's that are for study...those scenes where you are there to study why this scene has wound up on your panel. This is why studies are so important. You are studying a scene to get answers, if you can answer that scene then you painted it dead on, if you are unable to answer all the questions and then your painting suffers, it's as simple as that.

So I pose to all of you this question. I'd love to hear back on your thought's about the previous statement. I for one do think in my opinion it is good to step back from doing that AH HAH scene and going with just what is in front of my right at that moment. These times often are the times that make you the best at what you do. You are forced to annalyze the scene in a whole different point of view because you are not going for an AH HAH moment. you have to get down to the brass tax of why you are painting. It's interesting to do these painting's for the mere fact of painting and finding out why you are painting that scene. Great things come from these subjects even if you never noticed.

here are 2 paintings that I'll post here.
One's from an AHH HA moment, and one's from a study for study perspective. Which one sings to you?

Cooler days are upon us

Hey everyone, things are starting to get a bit chilly, paint is getting stiffer from the tubes, fingers are going numb while painting. At what point do you take your butt inside and get cozy? Push on through, is what I say! Everything good is only achieved from pushing through all odds to the final product!
Here are a few paintings done with numb fingers. I hope you enjoy!

Full on Color! It's been peak here for color over the past wk. I have been fortunate enough to be able to get out and enjoy a few days of some of the best color of all year. I just ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!! Every year I am in amazememnt again at the sites around! I often forget how beautiful winter light is to paint. God is really great to our eyes!

The passing of Fall

Hi everyone. How is your fall going? I have been busy keeping work flowing and keeping things fresh here and at the galleries. I have been invited to show at the Chapmans Gallery here at Peninsula Town Center here in Hampton. Stop in sometime in November to see the new paintings! Also, coming this week is a HUGE PA757 paint out and wet painting sale on Sat. If you are interested in attening this great show you can find it at www.pa757.com to get tickets and all the goodies there. Here are a few paintings that are going into the gallery and some that I have done recently. Thanks for looking in! 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.

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