Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Red Pear, Black Pot

The shiny black pot created such lovely reflections.  It was easy to lavish too much attention on them - I had to go back and lower the value so that they stayed in the background.  I like the color combination - red, black, gray - very striking.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Salt Shaker Reflected in Blue Cup

I spent a lot of time on the reflections in the cup.  I really enjoy the yellowish spot on the cup which reflects something out of view.  It keeps the painting from being monochromatic.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Kiwis and Glass Jar on Green



Kiwi fruit is covered by a fuzzy brown skin, but the skin is actually very thin and light can still shine through it. This light makes the kiwis glow from within.  I also like the lost edges of the jar. 

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Apple Slices Backlit SOLD

This was a tasty greenish apple with touches of red, or maybe it was a reddish apple with touches of green. Although I painted quickly, the hot light turned it brown.  Next time I'll douse it with lemon juice to stay white.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Two Horses SOLD

Two Horses in a pasture with sunlight. A simple composition with color dominance, interesting shapes, and uneven intervals.  In the reference photograph,  there was a fence in front of the horses.  The fence also blocked a viewer from entering the painting.  I took out the fence so you could see the horses, and I added diagonal brush strokes to lead the viewer into the field.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Pinto Pony SOLD

The sun is high and slightly behind this pony and creates a wonderful light edge on the horse's back that tells us it's a sunny day.  This horse was spotted (no pun intended) in a pasture near Prosser, WA.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Near Dockton SOLD

A sunny view of houses on the beach at Quartermaster Harbor near the Dockton Marina.  The pilings are left from boatyards and drydocks that were built over a hundred years ago.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Open Fence SOLD

This building is an old carriage house now used as a horse barn.  It has a small paddock attached for the horses.  I added an open gate to the fence so the viewer felt there was a way to "walk into" the painting.  One of my favorite times of day - late afternoon with warm lights and purple shadows.