Pond at Sunset 04302016

A study of perspective, color, shadow and light.  A small painting, done in the morning on a cloudy day in Port Washington.  Why is this a sunset and not a sunrise?  Just a feeling I have.

Spring Lake 04292016

Working on shadows, horizons and perspective.  Reproducing the color of the painting digitally is a challenge.  Just so you know, spring in Wisconsin does not look like this yet!

From the Wine and Art bar

I attended a fun birthday party for my son's MIL at an Art and Wine Bar, you know, one of those places where you can paint a picture that comes with directions or paint free style.  You can have drinks and snacks while you paint and a chance to see everyone else's work.  Even people who never do anything artistic walk away with a painting.  This painting  pleased me.  The colors reflecting in the water, the lake shore continuing around the corner and the way the grasses came out-all done with a pretty large brush, either using the flat side or the tips.  No small sharp brushes available.

Lake Michigan Sunrise 02132016

Saturday, 0 degrees outside but clear and sunny.  I am painting in at my table by the north windows and I can feel the cold just on the other side of the glass.  I am not painting the winter scene outside, but the warm summer scene in my mind.    I am trying new ways of using my brushes, experimenting to make the grass on the beach.  More time equals more painting.  Feels good.

Jet Trails @Dawn

I often see the traces of the jets that fly at dawn, but never the actual jets.  I wonder why they are up so early and from where they are flying.  What is their destination? 

Sunrises over Lake Michigan are a favorite subject.  I often like the time right before the sun comes over the horizon, when it is still dark but the colors in the sky are vibrant.  I started this one a couple of weekends ago and it came out way too dark.  Today, I brought my card table out of storage, moved the furniture around in my bedroom, laid a drop cloth over the carpet and set up a permanent space for me to paint next to our north windows with the light from the east window at my back.  Then I sat down and took another stab at this one.  I am much more pleased with the results.  That is a good thing because I need to take something new into the Blue Heron Gallery.  I think this one will do 

Christmas Gifts

I finished painting Christmas Gifts last night when I got home.  I am feeling pleased with the color and lighting effect.  My apologies to all my friends who suggested pets and children and notes to Santa.  I will save those ideas for another painting.  

This is the same painting but as you can see the colors are very different.  The one on top is the original, the one on the bottom was "auto enhanced" by my computer program.  Usually, I like the enhanced version, but in this case the contrast is too much, the colors are not right.  Which version do you like?