Sunday, June 17, 2012
Are you driven by the smell of Roses
When I am out painting in the field I often realize how many people just drive by beautiful everyday paintable journeys,or "spots" I call them, and they never really realize what is in their own backyards. Life being an artist is really about stopping and smelling the roses. If you don't stop and absorb what we have around us, how can we really appreciate what we have? Have you ever smelled a rose and not gotten this clean pure tranquil smell? I ALWAYS smell that smell after every time I have painted! It may sound funny, heck it sounds funny to me while writing this...but,
I use that as my sign of if the painting is done or not. Why do you think I smell it?
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sunny days, or rainy days, it's painting time!
Spending some day's inside.
Spending some luxurious days outside...
I have had my time while painting plein air out in the elements. It's not so much fun! So when the weather has taken a turn for the worse around Hampton, I tend to stay inside. Here are a few painting's from those days....
Here are a few paintings from my journeys around this state of Va.
It's been a fun couple of wks!
Here are a few paintings from my journeys around this state of Va.
It's been a fun couple of wks!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Coastal Reflections
Hey everybody!
The weather is here!
Wow, how the weather cures the soul. It's been some great painting weather along the Virginia coast. I almost forgot how nice it is to be around water again, and how much at home I feel being in a more humid climate. Here are a few paintings I have been working on over the past couple of wks. Things are in full color here and now with the sun higher in the sky for longer periods it makes it much easier to sneek in a painting after work! More to come shortely and hopefully as time allows more to be posted here as well!
Don'f forget to always chime in on my art! it's good to get feedback!
Tom
The weather is here!
Wow, how the weather cures the soul. It's been some great painting weather along the Virginia coast. I almost forgot how nice it is to be around water again, and how much at home I feel being in a more humid climate. Here are a few paintings I have been working on over the past couple of wks. Things are in full color here and now with the sun higher in the sky for longer periods it makes it much easier to sneek in a painting after work! More to come shortely and hopefully as time allows more to be posted here as well!
Don'f forget to always chime in on my art! it's good to get feedback!
Tom
Monday, April 9, 2012
The bug's are out!
Had a chance to get out yesterday and do a plein air piece. I have always loved painting on a holiday and Easter is ALWAYS a favorite because of new arrivals and the turning of weather.
Yesterday's painting went smooth, so I thought i'd try another, but the other turned into a feast for every flying beast around! I only had time to put 3 brush strokes down before the nat's DROVE ME INSANE! I decided to pack it up and return some other time when fresh meat is not on the menu. But the one piece that I did get in surely did feel good to get down. Days have been very limited for much plein air time so any that I can get in is ALWAYS NICE!
End of the road
6 x 8
Oil on canvas
Yesterday's painting went smooth, so I thought i'd try another, but the other turned into a feast for every flying beast around! I only had time to put 3 brush strokes down before the nat's DROVE ME INSANE! I decided to pack it up and return some other time when fresh meat is not on the menu. But the one piece that I did get in surely did feel good to get down. Days have been very limited for much plein air time so any that I can get in is ALWAYS NICE!
End of the road
6 x 8
Oil on canvas
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Reflection and reflections...
Hello all,
For the past week or so I have been doing a lot of soul searching about my goals as a painter and the direction my paintings are heading in. I think as artist we all need time to meditate on our thoughts. It helps to put things into perspective and keeps us focused on our everyday lives.
An artist friend is always pushing me to take a more neutral approach to the scene in front of us. His persuasions have always helped ground me and keep me humble. I seem to always fight the urge to jump right into color a little of the fast side. That comes from my drive of catching the ah ha moments. I think there are more times than not to catch a scene in a rapid rate, then in studio work up from the information I got from the smaller piece. But there is also something to draw from with a slower pace of a painting. The more thought out, more planned execution forces you to be humble and second guess your own actions. Many of my plein air paintings have failed because I didn't capture the scene accurately, by not focusing on the real scene and not grounding my scene properly. This comes from not placing the accurate color notes and composition correctly and trying to force myself to paint just to say i went out to paint. If I had've spent more time being in the scene and having my eye open to the scene instead of pressed for time and rushing it I would have probably been more happy with the finished painting in the long run. If I had've taken the scene from a more neutral approach I think the scene would tell me how to approach it from the right perspective.
Also, I have found this neutral approach spills over into life in so many ways. I tend to meditate to help me become more neutral and to stay grounded and take a grounded approach with my paintings. I have found that it helps achieve a more pleasing approach in the long run.
Here is a plein air piece that I did along the harbor the other day to collect information on a larger piece to work on in studio along with other's that I have done over the past week or so. Going back and re-visiting some old paintings from the past and fixing the many issues I had with them. I hope you like!
For the past week or so I have been doing a lot of soul searching about my goals as a painter and the direction my paintings are heading in. I think as artist we all need time to meditate on our thoughts. It helps to put things into perspective and keeps us focused on our everyday lives.
An artist friend is always pushing me to take a more neutral approach to the scene in front of us. His persuasions have always helped ground me and keep me humble. I seem to always fight the urge to jump right into color a little of the fast side. That comes from my drive of catching the ah ha moments. I think there are more times than not to catch a scene in a rapid rate, then in studio work up from the information I got from the smaller piece. But there is also something to draw from with a slower pace of a painting. The more thought out, more planned execution forces you to be humble and second guess your own actions. Many of my plein air paintings have failed because I didn't capture the scene accurately, by not focusing on the real scene and not grounding my scene properly. This comes from not placing the accurate color notes and composition correctly and trying to force myself to paint just to say i went out to paint. If I had've spent more time being in the scene and having my eye open to the scene instead of pressed for time and rushing it I would have probably been more happy with the finished painting in the long run. If I had've taken the scene from a more neutral approach I think the scene would tell me how to approach it from the right perspective.
Also, I have found this neutral approach spills over into life in so many ways. I tend to meditate to help me become more neutral and to stay grounded and take a grounded approach with my paintings. I have found that it helps achieve a more pleasing approach in the long run.
Here is a plein air piece that I did along the harbor the other day to collect information on a larger piece to work on in studio along with other's that I have done over the past week or so. Going back and re-visiting some old paintings from the past and fixing the many issues I had with them. I hope you like!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Hi Everybody!
How long has it been? Wow! over a year and a half....well, there has been many paintings that have passed by my easel over that time and if I tried to post everyone on here I would fill up your hard drive and probably crash many computers. So I will not do that but jsut to give you all an update, that is if your still coming back from me being gone for far to long. I have recently moved to Hampton Va. This beautiful harbor side community has always been attractive to me. The first time I painted here this study came out of it here...
.
So the love of the area has braught be back for a longer stay and to grow some roots.
Since moveing here I have picked up a gallery, Blue Skies Gallery, just across from the Air and Space Museum in Downtown Hampton. You all Should come by and check out the new work!
Here is a sample of what's been coming off the portable easel since moving here!
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