Original Oil Painting Autumn Coming

Autumn Coming

12" x 12"

Painted on Ampersand Gessobord.

This painting was inspired by a photo from Ceadie on PMP. The photo reference was of Spirit Island in the Rocky Mountains. I posted the photo below.

Original Oil Painting River Trail

River Trail

11" x 14"

Painted on linen board.

Original Oil Painting: Rushing Water Drop

Rushing Water Drop

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9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I have not done a waterfall in awhile. I forgot how much I love painting waterfalls. I really enjoy the challenge it is to create a wide variety of brush strokes, splashes of opaque color and streams of transparency in the water. Just what I needed to loosen up. This was inspired by a photo by Cindy Crooks from a Facebook page: Photos for Artist. Thanks Cindy for the wonderful photo. I posted Cindy's photo below.

Original Oil Painting Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

It has been awhile since my last post. My father passed away January 30. He had a long wonderful 94 years for the most part but the last five were very challenging like these mountains. I tried several times to pick up the paint brush but could not seem to focus. I thought so much about all the challenges he had to fight the last few years. He was in and out of the hospital so much that the emergency room employees knew us my name. Right up to the end he fought. He knew how precious life was. My niece put together photo pictures that would play through a digital frame. Dad would spend countless hours looking at all the photos he had. Those photos and his favorite painting I made for him were such a comfort for him. What was a surprise to us all was when the photo frame froze on his baby picture during the last 48 hours when Dad was in hospice care. It was Dad's time to go. My biggest fan and loving father will always be in my heart.

  I painted this from a photo challenge on DPW. Thanks Carol Marine for posting it. Your timing was perfect to get me started again. 

Original Oil Painting Winter Reflections

Winter Reflections

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Warmth Coming In

Warmth Coming In

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting: Winter Path

Winter Path

8" x 10"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Autumn Snow

Autumn Snow

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I put the final touches on my painting early this morning. The temps here in Wisconsin are below freezing with wind chills making it bite. Good time to paint inside. For this painting I used a photo from Rosemary Clark. I posted the photos below. I decided to let the water show through the patches of snow. I thought it made the compositions stronger and a nice contrast with the white snow.

Original Oil Painting Broken Barriers

Broken Barriers

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

This painting took awhile. There are so many elements to it plus changing a composition from a rectangle to a square. I use a lot of square gessobords because I find them easier to sell online, I have no idea why.

I used Lisa Cunnington's photo as inspiration. I love the composition but wanted to add my own glowing color feel to it. My goal was to make the strong light behind the center tree shine through to the opposite side of the water way. I posted Lisa's photo below so you can compare.

Original Oil Painting Divided World

Divided World

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Beach Boat

Beach Boat

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord. 

Here is another painting I made using my video instructions from Richard Robertson. 

Original Oil Painting Christmas Tree Truck

Christmas Tree Truck

9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Should I add a chimney? I will decide tomorrow.

Well it is another day and I decided on this windy, cold, snow day to added the chimney and do some clean-up. What do you think? A little cold, snowy days for Christmas or a plane ticket to Arizona? 

Original Oil Painting Snow Truck

Snow Truck

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12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord. 

This is a painting I made using video instructions from Richard Robinson. The video was an early Christmas gift to myself. I posted the photo I painted from below. The goal of the assignment was to paint a spot light affect hitting the main focus of the painting. Richard's painting was very powerful so I thought I would give it a try. I added a frozen puddle to the foreground to point the viewer's eye to go behind the truck and notice the path to the field. It does take some attention away from the truck hence weakens the spot light affect but I feel it adds to the composition. I think the compromise was worth it.  

Original Oil Painting Sundown Cabin

Sundown Cabin

9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Fog Lifting

Fog Lifting

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

Original Oil Painting Reaching the Shelter

Reaching the Shelter

9" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

When I first posted this painting it was the small photo below. The tree branches needed adjusting especially the strong white curved line leading the viewer's eye out of the composition. I also needed a better photo. The photo below was too bright or washed out. At first I thought it was my computer screen but when I saw it on my iPad too, I knew it was the lighting in which I took the photo. The sun is much lower in the sky and shines into the studio room like a search light later in the day.  Today's photo on top is much better. I took the photo this morning vs late afternoon the day before.  I fixed the crazy branches and got a much better photo to represent the painting. I probably should not of posted as soon as the painting was finished for the day. It did give me the chance to explain the process of photographing and remind me that viewing the painting on a screen or seeing the painting in  reverse through a mirror can give the artist a fresh look. That way the artist might see mistakes he or she made and fix them.

Original Oil Painting Going Fishing!

Going Fishing!

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

I used a reference photo from Margaret Buttye. Changing the composition to a square from a rectangle was a challenge enough but than I decided to change the lighting, too! I was walking one day and I noticed how the sun affects objects when it is close to the horizon. Everything's highlight would take on a yellow orange tint. I could not resist playing with this idea so I incorporated it in. Hope it doesn't look too imaginary but if it does maybe that is not so bad? I am hoping to do another painting of this on a larger size and rectangle. It is such an outstanding photo. Thanks Margaret for posting it on PaintMyPhoto!

This is Margaret's photo posted below.

Original Oil Painting: Low Tide

Low Tide

14" x 18"

Painted on stretch canvas.

 I used a photo from Jim Humphrey on PaintMyPhoto. He called his photo Staithes Beck 1. I posted the photo below. I made a few changes : I flipped the image because I like my focal point on the left side. I added several seagulls which seems appropriate when painting boats and adds to the whimsical aspect of the painting. I also changed my original title: Waiting to Low Tide thanks to my Facebook friends and Paint On friends!

 This painting was quite a challenge because the photo was too bright on the right side so I used my imagination quite a bit on that part of the painting. Shadows in photographs can look flat and darker than in real life, too.  I have painted outdoors before so I made allowances for these things but found that in Jim's photo there was enough info. to draw from in the shadows which helped a lot.  Hope you like my painting and please feel free to check out my online gallery by clicking on the DailyPaintWorks icon. 

Thanks Jim for the wonderful photo!

Original Oil Painting Sparkle

Nature's Sparkle

12" x 12"

Painted on gessobord.

My main goal in this painting was to make it sparkle. I used a reference photo from Valerie Bassell of Sacket Brook, I posted it below. I love the strong white light on the water and large rocks. I thought it might be too intense so I added small hints of light on the tree above and the right bottom foreground. I also intensify the water color to draw your eye to follow it as it falls off the edge to the water below. This was a little harder than most landscapes I have done but I feel it was well worth it. I know how much our eyes follow light and that is so important to create a nice flow in the painting. This was great practice for that. Thanks Valerie for the inspirational photo!

Original Oil Painting Foggy Autumn Morning

Foggy Autumn Morning

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9" x 12" 

Painted on gessobord.